“If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31-32 NKJV
The battle for truth, justice and righteousness, and their fruit of freedom and happiness has never been greater than what we are in right now. Right at the center of controversy is the Bible, and its grand subject – Jesus Christ. The positive effects of the Bible are civilization changing. Empirical studies have proven that the greatest positive long-term effect to be produced on any nation, any culture, is to drop loving, Bible believing missionaries right in the midst of them. In a hundred years their effect will be to improve the educational, social, health and cultural atmosphere of that nation to a far greater degree than similar nations with no biblical witness. It’s a proven fact – true Christianity makes any people healthier, happier, more free, and more prosperous!
What we know of the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit is what we have read in the Bible. Otherwise, we could easily be deceived to follow ‘another Jesus’ (2 Cor. 11:4). It can truthfully be said that you can’t know Jesus aside from the Bible. No Jesus, no life, just misery, hell, death and destruction. So, the enemy must get rid of the Bible. It must be tarnished and destroyed, scandalized, and despised as an evil book, a racist book, a homophobic book, a book of the white man’s oppression against everyone else. All lies, laughably so except for the fact that so many people have been taught and believe that very thing. The war for civilizational life is the war for the Bible. If the light goes out, everyone is in darkness!
Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free…Gal 5:1 NKJV
Recently I watched an interview of Elon Musk by Bill Maher. I agreed with much of what both men were saying until Maher got to saying that the Bible endorsed slavery, and Musk, and the audience, agreed. In fact, they seemed to rejoice with knowing smirks between them. Does the Bible endorse slavery? Isolating verses without a comprehensive study of the subject would seem to indicate that it does. Jesus said, therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. It would be a huge contradiction in the Word if it endorsed the involuntary servitude of one human being to another. A crack in any wall precipitates the collapse of the whole structure…
We even see American history where Washington, and Jefferson, who wrote that all men are created equal, and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, are derided as slave owners. Contemptible history revisionists fail to tell that neither man bought those slaves, and when they came to own them, through marriage and inheritance respectively, they were not allowed by current state law to free them or sell them until their deaths. When they could, they did. They were not hypocrites. The Bible and the idea of America…under attack!
Since we are in an existential crisis for our civilization, let’s dig into this crucial subject. The Bible speaks to Hebrew masters with Hebrew slaves, Hebrew masters with Gentile slaves, Gentile masters with Christian Gentile slaves, Christian Gentile masters with Christian Gentile slaves, voluntary slaves as bond servants, and finally, bondservants of the Lord.
To understand the context of this subject, you must understand that slavery was ubiquitous in the ancient world. Every culture, every land, endorsed and protected slavery. The children of Israel were made slaves in Egypt, and that experience in their history was to inform their treatment of slaves in a civil manner. Today, due to the waning influence of Christianity in even so-called Christian lands, slavery to some degree is practiced almost everywhere. From January 1st to approximately April 30 every year, Americans are forced to pay virtually all their income to support a federal government that is increasingly corrupt and despotic, an evil master. Then there is China, that virtually controls the lives of 1.3 billion people – all slaves. One more point to consider is that the Bible doesn’t try to change the laws of men. The laws of men will change when the hearts of men changes. The Bible seeks to bring out the nature of Christ in every born again one to make us ‘salt and light’ in a dark and fallen world. Our citizenship is in heaven!
HEBREW MASTERS WITH HEBREW SLAVES
If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years; and in the seventh he shall go out free and pay nothing. Ex 21:2 NKJV
This was basically a contract situation, usually to pay a debt. It could only last six years, on the seventh the slave went out free, out of debt. The slave could pay off his debt if he could raise the money and be set free sooner. But six years is the most he could serve to pay his debt. As such the ‘slavery’ situation is a situation of mercy to the debtor/slave allowing him to work off his debt.
HEBREW MASTERS WITH GENTILE SLAVES
But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, 4 they worked craftily, and went and pretended to be ambassadors. Josh 9:3-4 NKJV
When the children of Israel invaded Canaan they were instructed to wipe out the nations that had squatted there. God had given the land to Abraham and his descendants, not these guys. Also, the Nephilim had permeated the Canaanite nations, requiring their eradication. However, some of the Canaanites tricked Joshua and the Israelites into allowing them to surrender to the Israelites and become slaves instead of being wiped out. Thus, it was mercy to allow the Gentiles to be slaves!
GENTILE MASTERS WITH CHRISTIAN GENTILE SLAVES
CHRISTIAN GENTILE MASTERS WITH CHRISTIAN SLAVES
For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, 16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave — a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. Philem 15-16 NKJV
Here is where things have been interpreted to say the Bible endorses slavery. The world’s ideal for slaves is for them to resist, defeat and destroy their masters, then become masters and enslave their former oppressors, thus perpetuating the system. God’s ideal is to rise above it all – like Joseph in Egypt – and demonstrate the love and redemptive virtue of Christ individually and in society, and let the Lord open doors to freedom, prosperity and justice. Vengeance is Mine (not yours), says the Lord.
If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me. 18 But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account. 19 I, Paul, am writing with my own hand. I will repay — not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self besides. Philem 17-19 NKJV
Philemon is a terrific study in how the Lord seeks to raise up everyone – so-called master and so-called slave – to Christlike virtue, love and grace without ignoring the laws and the realities in play in society. Onesimus was a runaway slave who was providentially incarcerated in Rome where Paul was doing prison outreach, albeit involuntarily. Onesimus got saved, yet under the laws of the Roman empire was still the property of Philemon, a Gentile that Paul had led to the Lord, and as Paul wryly suggests, owes his eternal life to Paul’s ministry. So, Paul sent him back – Onesimus otherwise as a runaway slave would be cruelly hunted and probably killed – to Philemon, giving him, Onesimus, the best chance for the best life possible under the circumstances. Do you see it?
Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. Philem 21 NKJV
VOLUNTARY SLAVES AS BOND SERVANTS
But if the servant plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ 6 then his master shall bring him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever. Ex 21:5-6 NKJV
Here is the situation of a Hebrew slave after six years who is to be set free, but he so enjoys working for his master that he commits himself to him for life. These servants become the agents and representatives of their master. They gain great authority, being earmarked under their master and are required to live a lifestyle of abundance that gives glory to their master. You couldn’t have us bondservants looking shabbily. It would reflect poorly on the master!
AND FINALLY… THE BONDSERVANTS OF THE LORD
Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God. Rom 1:1 NKJV
Service is in our nature and relates to our calling. We enter a contract, a covenant with the Lord sealed in His own blood, in salvation which allows us to walk with Him and represent Him as His bondservants for all eternity. He is required to see that we represent Him well, with all needs abundantly supplied; in fact, with every blessing so that we say, ‘I love my Master, I will not go out free’ and we bind ourselves to Him for all time. The Bible DOES endorse one type of slavery. This is it, being a bondslave of the Lord Jesus Christ!
Your word is truth. John 17:17 NKJV
The Bible is not a law book, but when its grace and mercy permeates the hearts of men, men’s laws reflect Heaven. It’s not a book of science but when it speaks scientifically it is perfectly accurate. Recent scientific discoveries have vindicated Genesis once again. It’s not about the arts or literature or sports or cultures, and certainly not politics, but its spirit, love and power bring life, light and joy to all of those things. It is the LOGOS of God, the communication of Him without which we would have no light, no love, no life. Those who seek to diminish and destroy the Bible are lovers of death and seek death for themselves and everyone else. Foolish benighted souls!
Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts. Jer 15:16 NKJV
I pray that you love the Bible like I do, that you study it daily and fill your heart with it to the point it runs out your mouth in overflowing abundance. Then the Bible will fill our homes, our families, our culture and bring light, life and peace to all, for light dispels darkness, and love drives away all fear. Amen? Remember to pray for Elon and Bill. Love you!
Remember dear ones, we must be about our Father’s business…