Ephesians 6:5-9

Serving Christ in Every Place

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5Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear and sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.

6And do this not only to please them while they are watching, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.

7Serve with good will, as to the Lord and not to men,

8because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.

9And masters, do the same for your slaves. Give up your use of threats, because you know that He who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with Him.

Berean Standard Bible

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Paul addresses slaves and masters. The people he addresses as slaves were not employees free to resign. His instructions speak into that unequal relationship, placing both groups under the authority of Christ.

Paul tells slaves to obey their earthly masters with respect, sincerity, and as they would obey Christ. He warns them not to work only when watched, as people-pleasers, but to serve with a willing heart as servants of Christ, doing God's will from the heart.

Christ sees the good each person does and will reward it, whether the person is slave or free. Earthly status cannot hide someone's service from Him or make it worth less in His sight.

Paul then addresses masters and gives them a direct command: do the same toward them. Give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and the servants' Master is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with Him.

The masters are not told that their authority makes them exceptional before God. They too answer to a Lord in heaven who shows no favoritism. Any Christian reading must take that accountability seriously.

Questions

1 What assurance does Paul give people whose service others may overlook?

AnswerThe Lord will reward each person for the good they do, whether slave or free. Their earthly status does not determine their value before Him.

2 How are slaves told to serve?

AnswerThey are told to serve sincerely and as servants of Christ, not merely to gain approval when someone is watching.

3 What does Paul tell masters to do?

AnswerHe tells masters to treat servants in the same spirit and to give up threatening. Their authority is answerable to God.

4 What does Paul say about God and favoritism?

AnswerHe says the Master of both servants and masters is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with Him.

What This Means for Us

The passage refuses to let power hide from God. People who supervise, employ, teach, or manage others still answer to the Lord, and threatening people is incompatible with that accountability.

For modern work, faithful service means integrity even when no supervisor is watching. It does not mean accepting exploitation without help. Christian responsibility includes honest work, just treatment, and the courage to name systems that harm people.

Prayer

Lord, make us faithful in the work entrusted to us and just toward everyone under our influence. Protect people from exploitation, remove threats from positions of power, and remind us that You show no favoritism. Amen.

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