9 Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, 10 not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour.
Home Group questions
- Slaves/bondservants are mentioned in Eph 6; Col 3; 1 Tim 6; and 1 Pet 2. Why do you think there is such a focus on slaves and servants in the New Testament? How might this effect the focus of our evangelism personally and as a church?
- Paul often refers to himself as a slave or servant of God/Christ/Jesus (Romans 1:1; Philippians 1:1; 1 Corinthians 3:5 & 4:1; Galatians 1:10). Why do you think he refers to himself that way? As a servant of Jesus how is he similar to servants of earthly masters? How is he different to servants of earthly masters?
- Read 2 Corinthians 11:23-30. Why do you think Paul would be willing to suffer so greatly as a servant of Jesus? Why do you think God would allow Paul to suffer so much? When you think about all that Paul suffered because of his love for Jesus how does it make you feel about your relationship with Jesus?
- Scripture also refers to Jesus as a servant, to whom was he a servant according to the following scriptures; Matthew 20:26b-28; Romans 15:5-9a; Philippians 2:4-8; Acts 3:12-13,26 & 4:27-30. What do these passages tell you about the love and humility of Jesus? How do you feel when you read the passage about Jesus washing the feet of the disciples (John 13:1-17)?
- According to D.B. Davies a first century servant was someone who was "another’s property, so that they may be bought and sold; their will is subject to another’s authority; and their labour is obtained by another’s coercion”* Often the servant was oppressed, mistreated, stuck in their situation with little hope for a better life and yet Paul tells servants to be submissive, well pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering (holding back from) and showing all good faith (trustworthy). How difficult do you think it would be for you to handle such instruction if you were in their situation?
Does this challenge you to consider your behaviour when you are at work (or if you don't work when you have to deal with difficult realationships)?
- When you read Colossians 3:23 how does it effect your attitude toward work?
- When we think of how we are called to live as servants of Jesus does the thought of Jesus being the servant to all encourage you, make you feel guilty or a bit of both? If there is any guilt how does it feel to know that Jesus was the servant who gave his life so that you might be free of guilt?
- When Paul addresses the slaves his advice isn't for the sake of their well-being rather he has a higher priority for them, adorning the doctrines of God. In our day to day lives, what ever that might be, how can you adorn the doctrines of God? What is, or should be, the motivation to do so?
- When life feels out of control and it's difficult to see a light at the end of the tunnel of your suffering how could the words "God our Saviour" be an encouragement to you? How could those words also be a way to adorn the doctrines of God before nonbelievers (especially when they are suffering)?
*John R. W. Stott, Guard the Truth: The Message of 1 Timothy & Titus, The Bible Speaks Today (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 142.
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