Pictured to the left is a copy of a version of the Holy Bible, known as the ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION ( ESV ). Philippians 1:1 reads as follows:
"Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons."
There is a footnote associated with the word "servants," above, which is "Or slaves; Greek bondservants." [ See The HOLY BIBLE, ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION, CROSSWAY BIBLES, WHEATON, ILLINOIS, The Personal Size Reference Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), Copyright 2007 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, All rights reserved, p. 1279. ]
Moreover, all disciples of Jesus are slaves ( see Matthew 25:1-30 ( especially verse 14, for example ), for example ): He is the Master ( see Matthew 23:1-8 ( especially verse 8, for example ), for example; KJV, for example ). Thus, all Christians ( see Acts 11:26, for example ) are slaves of Christ ( see 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 ( especially verse 22, for example ) and 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 ( especially verse 21, for example ), for example ). Here, in America, there seems to be an aversion to the concept of slavery, in general.
Leviticus 25:35-46 read as follows: "35 If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you. 36 Take no interest from him or profit, but fear your God, that your brother may live beside you. 37 You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit. 38 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God. 39 If your brother becomes poor beside you and sells himself to you, you shall not make him serve as a slave: 40 he shall be with you as a hired servant and as a sojourner. He shall serve with you until the year of the jubilee. 41 Then he shall go out from you, he and his children with him, and go back to his own clan and return to the possession of his fathers. 42 For they are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold as slaves. 43 You shall not rule over him ruthlessly but shall fear your God. 44 As for your male and female slaves whom you may have: you may buy male and female slaves from among the nations that are around you. 45 You may also buy from among the strangers who sojourn with you and their clans that are with you, who have been born in your land, and they may be your property. 46 You may bequeath them to your sons after you to inherit as a possession forever. You may make slaves of them, but over your brothers the people of Israel you shall not rule, one over another ruthlessly."
Under the law of Moses, slavery was allowed, but not with ruthless rule ( we would probably classify slavery here in America's past as ruthless rule ). How does this concept of slavery apply to Christians?
Jesus purchased the church of God with His own blood ( see Acts 20:17-38 ( especially verse 28 ( KJV, for example ), for example ), for example ). In the context of verses forty-four and forty-five ( above ), this means that He purchased all Christians ( members of the New Testament church, the church of Christ - see Matthew 16:18, Acts 2:38, 41, and 47 ( KJV, for example ), Romans 10:1-4 ( especially verse 4, for example ); 12:1-8 ( especially verses 4 and 5, for example ); 15:1-4 ( especially verse 4, for example ); 16:16, 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 ( especially verses 12-14, for example ), Galatians 3:26, 27, and Ephesians 1:15-23 ( especially verses 22 and 23, for example ), for example ): we belong to Christ ( see Matthew 1:16, for example ), we are His property. However, He does not rule ruthlessly over us, for His yoke is easy and His burden is light ( see Matthew 11:30, and please read verses twenty-five through thirty to get the immediate context ).
There must not be a wholesale condemnation of the concept of slavery because, in doing so, one contradicts what the Holy Bible teaches and shows oneself to be a false teacher. Please study the Holy Bible ( which is God's word - see Psalm 119:65-73, 142, 151, John 17:1, 3, 17, and 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16, 17, for example ). If you have any questions about the Holy Bible, you can contact me by e-mail at:
<rewillis1_1@juno.com>
<Russell E. Willis>.
