Twin City church of Christ Blog
“Oct 30, 2024 - No One Is Exempt”
Categories: 2024 Reading DevotionalsNo One Is Exempt
Reading: Ephesians 6:1-9
Paul transitions from discussing Christian marriage to other important relationships. “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’ (this is the first commandment with a promise), ‘that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land’”(Eph 6:1-3). Children obey and honor their parents, but not because their parents are perfect. They obey because it is “right” and there is a promise of blessing to the obedient. This is God’s way of preserving order and peace within the home. But fathers are not exempt from instruction: “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord”(Eph 6:4). Paul warns Christian parents not to abuse their role by angering their children, probably with harsh, rough, or inconsistent discipline. We teach and train them in a way that points them to Jesus.
“Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ”(Eph 6:6). Some Christians in this era were slaves and Paul expects them to sincerely obey their masters, working as if they are working for Jesus himself. Even in their undesired state, they can reflect Jesus in their behavior. But masters are not exempt either. “Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him”(Eph 6:9). The fact that they are in charge of someone else does not give them license to threaten and abuse them. Masters have a master too.
No one is exempt from the change Jesus requires of his people. The fact that we may have some authority over someone doesn’t change the fact that we will answer to God. We can obey and serve others with quiet faith that Jesus will see our sacrifice. We can also lead with the full knowledge that we have a higher authority who will judge our leadership.
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One Thing to Think About: What does it look like to do my work “as to the Lord and not to man”?
One Thing to Pray For: The humility to submit to those in authority over me
