Masters, give your bondservants what is just and fair,
knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
God No Respecter of Persons
He Respects No Man’s Face (Rom. 2:11)
God is no respecter of persons. He does not judge by men’s “faces,” as the idiom literally says. He judges the heart, not externals of position, strength, beauty, worth, or wealth. He does not give lowly slaves a break for their bad attitudes and poor service because they were oppressed by others. He does not wink at masters’ excesses and abuses because they were “lords of their castles” and above the law. God is just. Slaves and masters will stand before the righteous Judge, the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, the Holy Spirit places these relations and duties upon the much higher sphere of God’s own character revealed in the gospel of his Son. We live in his age, and all relations and duties must be seen in their relation to the living Word, Jesus Christ. There were masters in the Colossians congregation, and so the Spirit directs his word to them. They must haul their consciences before the holy God. They will soon stand before him to give an accounting for the way they treated their slaves, the spirit with which they exercised an authority God gave to them. Did they submit meekly to Jesus Christ and practice a benevolent rule like his, or were they ruled by their own pride and ruthlessness?
He Judges Masters by Truth (Eph. 6:9)
Because these words are addressed to a group of believers, we must not think that the Spirit is endeavoring to correct or abolish all the social evils associated with the slave-master relation. He is speaking to Christians, and Christians serve the Lord Christ in every situation, however hard or oppressive. Being Christians does not free us from our earthly situations or struggles. Being a Christian, however, means that we have the Holy Spirit, and the heaviest burdens become light when he carries us. Christian slaves and Christian masters have the Holy Spirit. Each works out the difficult aspects of their relations and duties in his strength, as they walk in the Spirit and submit to Jesus Christ. Masters must remember that they, too, will be judged. Their authority is not absolute. They may not command slaves to sin against God or ground them down by threats, harshness, and beatings. Slaves may be in chains and owned by others, but they are nevertheless God’s image-bearers. Many of their precious souls have been redeemed by Jesus Christ. They are precious in God’s sight.
Therefore, masters must aim for the same benevolence that marks out their Lord’s reign from heaven – kind, just, good, saving. In union with Jesus Christ, the masters’ sinful tendencies toward anger, violence, and abuse of position can be put to death and replaced with justice and gentleness. Thus, as this passage teaches, the power of Jesus Christ creates the new man of righteousness everywhere. However difficult our domestic or business relations and duties may be, Jesus Christ renews us and makes us like him – whether as slaves or masters. He is the model. His grace and power remakes us so that we “walk as he walked.” He is the Master who became a slave in order to redeem us. Therefore, he knows our weakness and struggles. He does not tell us to produce change in ourselves, for we cannot. Sin has enslaved and condemned us. Sin will not let us go, until the Lord Jesus frees us and begins renewing us by the power of his Spirit.
Treat Slaves with Justice and Fairness
The Lord Calls Masters to Do Righteousness
As the slave is to be like Jesus Christ in his submission, so the master is to be like him in his justice. Justice is God’s righteousness applied to specific situations. The master is to give justice and fairness to his slaves, to treat them with equity, consistency in commands, rewards, and punishments. This is like the benevolent reign of our Lord Jesus, if men would but submit to him. He always does what is right. Within a Christian household, a master is to treat his slaves consistently and fairly. He may not constantly change the standards, and thus create confusion and despair in his servants. He must tell the truth and expect his slaves to do the same. He must feed and clothe them, keep his promises, uphold reasonable discipline, and punish evildoers without favoritism. He must not wink at one slave’s faults but beat another for the same. The master is not an absolute ruler over his slaves. As a Christian master, he practices God’s law in his standards, attitudes, and government. He must not become a petty, fickle dictator, as if he is allowed to change the rules and the punishment based upon his whims. His slaves must see him in the benevolence and righteousness of the Lord Jesus, who will give to every man according to his deeds.
The Lord’s Word Defines Righteousness
As the Holy Spirit through the apostle is addressing Christian masters, they were to go to God’s word to learn what justice and equity requires. In our day, men hardly give a passing thought to what the Lord says about the way we work, submit to authority, or exercise authority. Each man “does what is right in his own eyes,” as in the time of Israel’s judges. This, therefore, was an astounding truth from heaven – that the word of Christ is to dwell richly in us (Col. 3:16), so that we can learn what justice and equity should be. The world’s justice is evil and creates a living horror – comfort and full bellies without having to work but high inflation, labor shortages, and bankruptcy, daring anyone to look at you sideways for doing something that is clearly wrong, and never crossing someone’s decisions but always agreeing with them or be sued. This is not justice or equity – it is personal and societal chaos. It is the bitter fruit of unbelief, but the blind cannot see this. They will not see it, for any requirement to live righteously in life by his word confronts us with the righteous God who rules us. It reminds us that we are not laws unto ourselves and that we shall give an account. Thus, at a personal level, all the demands to be accepted and loved without judgment are nothing but sinners doing everything they can to deceive themselves that there is no judgment coming. They want no reminders of the righteous Judge who rules over them and before whom they will personally stand to give an account.
Since natural revelation, while clearly revealing God and leaving men without excuse for their unbelief and wickedness, is now an insufficient standard, we must turn to God’s word to learn what justice and fairness require. “To the law and to the testimony” is our only light (Isa. 8:20). The Scriptures were given to us to make “sufficient unto every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). If natural revelation were sufficient for fallen man, the Lord would never have given us his Scriptures. The seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, the children of God and the children of the devil, are clearly differentiated by their attitude toward God’s word. Have they received the love of the truth, that they might be saved (2 Thess. 2:10)? They are God’s children. Do they hear the voice of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, who always leads us back to his word (John 10:16,27)? They are God’s children. Do they ignore God’s Word altogether, hate it, substitute it for man’s word, or add to it? They are not God’s children, and his curse abides upon them (Rev. 22:18-19). The human race, true and false religion, families with a future and families without are differentiated by their obedience to Christ’s word.
If we would learn righteousness and be fair dealing with others, the word of our Savior must dwell in our minds and hearts. This is more than a spiritual principle. It is a life principle for survival in every area of life – politics, warfare, economics, education. In Christ “dwell all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3-8), and like him, true wisdom is found solely in obeying the word of our heavenly Father. We must be renewed by it (Eph. 4:23). We must joyfully proclaim that Jesus Christ is the true King. Nations are cursed or blessed, rise or fall, by whether or not they are governed by his word or Satan’s word. His Scriptures alone teach us principles of truth and equity so that we live under his blessing, rather than being ruled by petty tyrants who make a mess of everything because they will not submit to be governed by the benevolent Word of Jesus Christ the Lord (Deut. 4:6). This begins with his gospel, for until men are reconciled to the righteous God through the sacrifice and obedience of Jesus Christ, they will never want to be governed by God’s word. But when we believe on the name of Jesus Christ and are reconciled to God through his death, the Spirit of truth is given to us. He writes God’s law upon our hearts so that we delight in his word and desire to be governed by him alone. Then, as we walk in the Spirit, there is strength to put our sinful desires to death and walk in newness of life by the power of our Savior’s resurrection.
All Earthly Lords under the Exalted Lord Christ
All Authority Must Fear the Lord – Or Tyranny
What is the earthly master’s motivation to treat his slaves with justice and equity? He has a master in heaven. All earthly lords are under the exalted Lord Jesus Christ. Every human authority will answer to the Lord of all. His Lordship thus introduces an incarnate limitation for all human authorities. Our Savior rules in his glorified body over earth and heaven. There is no absolute authority on earth. All authorities must bow the knee to Jesus Christ. Thus, the person and work of Jesus Christ is the great historical antidote for human tyranny. It is the reason statism, and the church will inevitably collide. Christians recognize that Christ is King, not man. Christians have a Scripture that is higher than any prince, politician, professor, or scientist – or pope, prelate, or pastor. All stand under Jesus Christ. When earthly masters recognize this, their authority is preserved from turning into tyranny. It is a blessing, therefore, when the Lord Jesus helps us embrace limited human government, law-based human government. This is part of the gospel. Jesus Christ is Lord. He is Lord over every Master.
All Authority Must Bow to God’s Exalted Son of Man
Earth and heaven are united under the Lord Jesus Christ. He is Lord of both spheres. “All authority is given to me in heaven and in earth” (Matt. 28:18). The Father’s goal in redemption is to bring all things together in one under Christ the Head (Eph. 1:10). “The word became flesh.” (Eph. 1:14). In the flesh he died, rose, ascended, and reigns. The incarnation of the Son of God means that no earthly sphere of authority is absolute – not the state, science, religious hierarchies, human traditions. When men make such claims, they create tyranny and misery. Even if they are religious, they end up replacing the reign of Jesus Christ with the reign of man and his hierarchies. There is only one Lord, however, and he is both God and man, two natures in one person. The righteousness that God requires as a condition of fellowship with him is only through faith in the God-man, Jesus Christ. He alone has obeyed God’s law with a pure heart, and as the sole Mediator between God and man. Therefore, we are righteous by faith in Christ – not by obedience to human commandments, institutions, and penitential rites. Thus, all legitimate human authority, in submitting to Jesus Christ and remembering that they will stand before him, uphold the Savior’s righteous rule. They do not demand absolute authority or follow any standard but God’s word because they are under Jesus Christ. All human authorities in home, church, and society must point men to the only Master, Jesus Christ. They rule justly in the fear of the Lord. They define righteousness by faith in him, not by obedience to progressive politics, sodomy, or statism, or science so-called. Christ alone is the righteous Judge. Soon, they will stand before Him and give an account.
All Authority Presently Ruled by the Lord Christ – Confidence, Purpose, Peace
And because all are under him as the One Master and will answer to him, those under authority may live with confidence even under the worst oppression. Few earthly masters recognize they have a Master in heaven. They rule as little tyrants, following their lusts and whims, gratified by nothing but when men obey them absolutely or worship them as demigods. Because Jesus Christ is our Master in heaven, those abused, beaten, betrayed, and persecuted by earthly authorities may still have purpose in life – serving their heavenly Master. They may have peace in doing his will, as he had peace and joy in doing his Father’s will. You will not learn about the Lordship of Jesus Christ in any of the mainstream media sources. Many Christian sources of reporting fail to clearly recognize that Jesus Christ is the Master in heaven and is presently ruling over all human authority. He ordains tyranny to teach men to submit to his benevolent reign, to judge his enemies, or to chasten his people. He gives his enemies just the leash they need to accomplish his sovereign purposes – even in hardship, economic downturns, corrupt leadership, and atomic war. He is the Lord. All in authority must submit to him, for none can resist his wrath, when it is kindled but a little (Ps. 2:12). And this is the peace of the average Christian, like you and me, to do our Master’s will even when our earthly masters are ignoring him. We can at least work, lead our families, and worship as those who recognize the King’s authority over all.
All Authority Warned of the Accounting Coming – Patience/Courage for the Oppressed
Take this warning seriously. There is an accounting coming for all earthly masters. Butchers, warmongers, perverse, and criminals will all receive their just due. Thus, we must possess our souls in patience, for the Lord of glory is working out his purposes. “It is a righteous thing with God to repay those who trouble you” (2 Thess. 1:6). And if those in authority will stand before the righteous Judge, you and I certainly shall. We should, first, repent, and make our peace now with the righteous Judge, for anyone one of us might be called to stand before him today or later this year. Trust the obedience and sacrifice of the Judge on the cross – not your own works or time in purgatory or even of the other fictions that Satan has deceived men into believing so that they perish in their sins and distrust the finished work of Jesus Christ. Second, child of God, especially if your authorities are oppressing you, lift up your heads and by faith see the Son of Man ruling at the Father’s right hand. He is coming soon. Be courageous. You are the friend of the High King, the Lord Christ. He knows your name, your troubles, and your oppressors. Walk worthy of him by obeying your Master and doing all in his name, even if most around you ignore the King completely. You do not ignore him. Serve the Lord Christ. Love and do all your work or studies for him. Conduct your relationships under his authority. You will soon see your heavenly Master and hear his “Well done.” He will recognize and reward all service of faith and love given in his name.
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