September 07, 2026 | Be Connected
Slaves and Masters Who are Fellow Believers
Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:1-2(NIV)
1 All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered. 2 Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers. Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare of their slaves.
These are the things you are to teach and insist on.
Devotional
Paul wrote this letter to Timothy, a pastoral leader in the city of Ephesus. In another letter sent to the Ephesians, Paul wrote:
5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. 9 And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him” (Eph. 6:5-9).
In Ephesus, as in all the other cities of the Roman Empire, slavery was a way of life. There was a hierarchical and social gulf between master and slave. But when both became followers of Jesus, everyone became brothers and sisters in Christ. In both the letters to the Ephesians and to Timothy, Paul urged slaves and masters to respect one another. This was radical for the time.
While slavery is thankfully abolished from the American way of life, we still have positions of authority. A four-star general is well beyond a private. A CEO has authority over a worker on the line. A school superintendent is far above a high school freshman. Our landscape is littered with examples.
How should a Christian treat a fellow believer who is above or below them in authority? What does it mean to be brothers and sisters in Christ, and at the same time treating those on either end of the org chart with respect?
Bring to mind three people.
Somebody who is above you in authority.
Somebody who is below you in authority.
Somebody who is equal to you in authority.
How is the Lord challenging you to mend some fences or build some bridges with those around you?
