Slavery and Nascent Thought - Colossians 3:22-4:1

Continuing through Colossians verse by verse.
Understand – Paul is writing to Christians. Understand there WERE slaves who were Christians. Who were attending church in these homes. Who would hear this epistle read in Christian homes generally. So Paul addresses their position – and that of their masters - because Christian thought impacts all areas of our lives and all areas of life.

Understand that slavery was a universally accepted institution in ancient times and considered a fundamental institution to society – writers back then viewed it as indispensable to society.

Understand that more than half the people seen on the streets in the great cities of Rome in Paul’s day - were slaves.

Understand also that the status of the majority of “professional people” was that of slaves. Teachers, doctors, craftsmen – the majority of them were slaves.

Understand that aspects of slavery in the Roman world were NOT like American slavery. American slavery was straight-up man-stealing; kidnapping – which carried a death penalty in the law of God [Ex.21:16]. American slavery had nothing to do with war or debt or punishment for crime – it was straight-up man-stealing.

The truth is - Paul and the early church were in no position to change such a fundamental “indispensable” universally accepted institution. He did not live when Christian thinking took sway in the thoughts of men on such a massive level wherein laws could be changed to reflect Christian thought. Time however did bring that about.

Truth is also – Paul was writing regarding specific persons – he was addressing the real world – the reality of what is with good Christian thought. And yet – it was radical thought. And it was nascent thought. The writings of Paul and Christian thought would lead to the abolition of man-stealing and owning men as a fundamental “indispensable” universally accepted institution.

By the 12th century slavery – man-stealing and owning - was virtually wiped out in Europe.

Here is something I want you to remember: slavery is inescapable – no culture is without it.
You will be someone’s slave. Either some man’s. Or the states. Or Christ’s.

We live in a culture in which the state has enslaved us all. Scripture exhorts us in the midst of our situation – “Do not become the slaves of men.” The state thinks it is our “master” now. They have put everyone on their plantation – making Americans more and more dependent upon them. They have bought men by buying them off.

Americans love the free money and are beholden to their lord the state.

They have been able to buy men by buying them off because Christian thought is waning in America and the West – and because the pulpits have spent decades now playing the whore.

We know historically/factually that atheistic societies lead to statist societies. When men reject the rule of God and Christ – they embrace someone else’s rule. And men in their rebellion soon learn that the state is an awful taskmaster.

Christ and Christianity bring freedom both to the individual and to nations. Freedom is seen in the individual in being set free from sin – sin no longer ruling them. But the freedom Christ and Christianity brings is also seen in that the individual becomes productive in life and that society imbued with Christian thought establishes governments that have limits.