BONDSERVANTS
Bondservants are someone who is bound to service without wages, also known
as slaves.
This lesson will be on bondservants and how they should behave.
Also about their masters and how they should treat their bondservants.
In the United States we don't have slaves anymore but you can exchange bond-
servants to employees, and masters to employers.
In other parts of the world they still do have masters and bondservants so as this
lesson could go around the world I will leave it as the Bible reads Masters and
Bondservants.
Ephesians 6:5 says; Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters
according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerily of heart, as to
Christ;
Bondservants were slaves.
They were considered property of their maters.
They were know to be treated very badly.
Some bondservants were killed and that was not considered a crime because
they were the masters property to do with as they pleased.
In church Masters and Bondservants sat at the same table and broke bread
together.
They were considered equals while they broke bread together.
Many of the bondservants were spiritual leaders and they witnessed to the
masters around the table while eating.
1 Timothy 6:1 says; Let as many bondservants as are under the yoke count
their own masters worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and His doc-
trine may not be blasphemed.
Believers under the yoke were referring to believers that were bondservants.
They gave their unbelieving masters all the honor, or respect.
The life of the Christians bondservants, show that is how Christians faith and
Christ Jesus should be.
It is important that our actions represent our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
It is a wtness to the real power of the Lord.
2 Corinthians 7:15 says; And his affections are greater for you as he remembers
the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you received him.
This verse is talking about the bondservants.
The master have been treated with respect.
The bondservants were abedient.
The bondservants also feared for their lives.
Knowing that the masters could kill them any time they wanted because they
were the property of the masters.
This is also like we should be with the Lord.
To honor Him in all that we do.
To be obedient to the Lord and live in His ways.
But we should also have a fear of the Lord for He is over everything and all power-
ful.
It is our choice as to which side of the Lord we are on.
We will honor Him or we will dishonor Him.
The day of judgement will come upon us all.
Will you be trembling before God?
Or will you bow before Him to honor your Lord?
1 Cronicles 29:17 says; I know also, my God, that You test the heart and have
pleasure in uprightness of my heart. I have willingly offered all these things;
and now with joy I have seen Your people, who are present here to offer will-
ingly to you.
This verse is talking about how God sees in our hearts.
He, God, tests our hearts to see if we will stand firm in Him.
To trust Him and honor Him in all that we do.
God doesn't need anything that we give to Him as an offering.
But God sees in our hearts and can tell if we are giving with a willing heart.
If we give to show man how generous we are than that is all we will receive is
mans acknowledgement.
Ephesians 6:6 says; not with eyeservice, as man pleasers, but as bondservants
of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart
When they talk about eyeservice, they are those who only serve God when some-
one is watching.
They are seeking mans approval and that is all they will get.
For God will not bless those who don't give from the heart.
Christians are compared to bondservants because we are serving from the heart
to honor and glorify the Lord.
It is a service of love from us to our Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.
Colossians 3:22 says; Bondservants, obey in all thing you masters according to
the flesh, not with eyeservice, as manpleasers, but in sincerity of heart,
fearing God.
These days, at least in the United States, there are no bondservants.
But if you change the meaning to employee and employers it fits all of us.
As an employee we obey our boss and do the very best job we can.
We work even if they are not watching us.
The idea of losing your job is not good since we all have oblegations, bills to pay.
But also you can use our service to the Lord in place of employee.
Yes, God could do it all but as His children we should want to please our
heavenly Father in all we do.
We should be proud to serve God in everything we do.
This is the only pride I want in me is the fact that I want all to come into the light
and see my Lord and Master.
As a child I was proud of my mother.
She loved us, cared or us, and taught us right from wrong.
Our heavenly Father does so much more for us we should all be willing to be a
bondservant for Him.
I am not ashamed of my heavenly Father but proud to be a part of His family.
I am His daughter and I live to bless my God in all that I do.
I want to introduce my heavenly Father to all the lost souls.
Ephesians 6:7 says; with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men.
To serve God and our fellow man with Gods love to bring them into the light.
But don't seek mans approval but Gods.
Seek Gods will and serve Him with all your heart.
You will spend eternity in heaven with your heavenly Father.
Serve man and mans approval is all you will receive.
You will spend eternity in hell, with Satan and the fallen angels.
Ephesians 6:8 says; Knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive
the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.
This verse simply means, whether employer or employee, if you are serving the
Lord you will be blessed.
Don't judge a man, by what his position in the work place or socially, for if he or
she is serving the Lord the blessing is the same.
If a man or woman is of the world they will only be given earthly rewards or award
like actors and actresses.
Romans 2:6 says; who will render to each one according to his deeds.
This verse refers to the rewards of the future.
Our faith in Jesus Christ and our works will decide our rewards.
Colossians 3:23-25 says; And whatever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord and
not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inher-
itance, for you serve the Lord Christ. But he who does wrong will be repaid
for what he has done, and there is no partiality.
These verses are comparing good,Christians, from evil, worldly, and the rewards
each will receive.
Christians serve your Lord Jesus Christ with all of your heart, mind and soul.
Do not serve man for man will let you down and take your eyes off of Jesus.
Your reward will be great in heaven if you serve God whole heartedly.
But if you serve man and you do wrong there will be no heavenly reward.
Small or large wrong doing there will be no partiality the results will be the same
eternity in hell.
Ephesians 6:9 says; And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up
threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and therefore is
no partiality with Him.
Christian masters must rememher to be fair with their bonservants.
Their Master in heaven is not partial to any, not master, nor bondservant.
Do not threaten your bondservants for if you treat them fairly they will serve you
whole heartedly.
They will honor you as you honor your Master, the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.
Colossians 4:1 says; Masters, give your bondservants what is just and fair know-
ing that you also have a Master in heaven.
This is confirmation to the vrse in Ephesians.
If you treat your bondservants fairly the Lord, your Master, will reward you greatly.
If you threaten them, beat them, and do not treat them fairly there will be no re-
ward in heaven for you.
Paul is also referring to employers.
That you should give them a fair wage.
Treat all employees the same.
There should be no partiality.
Romans 2:11 says; For there is no partiality with God.
As you can see this is conformation of previous verses.
Gods word repeats itself sometimes for confirmation.,
Other times I think that God has to remind us what is really important.
The way we treat people is so important.
We have to do it Gods way in order to lead the lost souls into the light.
We are set apart from those of the world so that Gods light may shine through us.
As I said in the beginning of this lesson in the United States we don't have bond-
servants, but we all have someone under us.
We must treat those under us fairly and respectfully.
Treat others as the Lord treats you and God will smile upon you and bless you.
We are all equals with different positions so do your best no matter what position
you are in to treat everyone fairly and respectfully.
We all make a difference if we all work together to glorify the Lord in all that we
do.
The scriptures I used in this lesson are: Ephesians 6:5-9, 1 Timothy 6:1,
Romans 2:6, 2:11, 2 Corinthians 7:15, 1 Chronicles 29:17, Colossians
3:22
4:1, 3:23-25.
My prayer is that who ever reads this lesson, the Lord gave me, will read all of
these scriptures and look for more. That this lesson will effect the way you
treat others. Not only that but that you will treat those who are above you with
respect just as you honor the Lord Jesus Christ. By doing this you will
honor God. You never know who is watching you. By your actions you may
lead them into the light. You will make a difference and increase the kingdom
of God by letting the Lord work through you. That you are beginning to under-
stand the Lord more with each lesson.
God bless you and your family, may the Lord keep you close to Him.
PRAISE GOD OUR FATHER, JESUS OUR SAVIOR, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT
THAT LIVES WITHIN ALL CHRISTIANS.
