Ephesians 6:5-9
5 Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; 6 not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free. 9 And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.
5 Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; 6 not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free. 9 And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.
The slaves in the time of Christ were most often either captives of conquests or willing slaves (Bondslaves) who sold themselves to survive or for debts. But though different than those of our time in the recent past, these were still serving masters who owned them. Yet we see here that they are called to be obedient and serve as though serving Christ. We are also to “serve” our employers from the heart, as unto the Lord as a testimony. Taking the parallel further between slaves and workers, employers must not be threatening, but act as their Master in heaven. God is impartial toward us, and we are to imitate this.
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