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To my readers,
I am now sure that these people really can not be considered as humans, but ‘imaginary’! Even their imagination does not work well for them. They say that God is a “huge proponent of slavery” in the Bible, and cited verses, particularly, Exodus 21:20-21; Colossians 3:22-24; Ephesians 6:5; 1 Peter 2:18. A quick look at these verses will disclose that these imaginary people are fools; and only fools like them will believe them. Let us examine these verses thoroughly.
(Exodus 21:20-21) “And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished. Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money. If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman’s husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.”
The verses speak of punishment for a master that abuses his servant or his maid. And notice that this is on verse 20 of chapter 21, meaning, that these imaginary people have read first verse 2 before arriving at verse 20. On verse 2 of the same chapter, it says:
(Exodus 21:2-3) “If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him.”
God speaks of the liberation of slaves after a certain period of service to someone who bought him to be his slave. Is God a proponent of slavery? Definitely not! God wants slaves to be liberated. We must remember that God liberated His people, Israel, who were made slaves by the ungodly pharaohs of Egypt; But because He is a God of justice, to those who practice slavery, or who hire servants, God teaches them to deal with their servants properly, and liberate them afterwards. To show impartiality, God equally teaches servants to serve their masters or lords in the flesh faithfully.
(Colossians 3:22-24) “Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance; for ye serve the Lord Christ.”
(Ephesians 6:5) “Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ…”
(1 Peter 2:18) “Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.”
These verses that these imaginary people use to malign God do not prove their case, but works against them, in favor of God, because this shows how equitable God’s laws are!
Slavery, for people who lack understanding is a sour word, or maybe bitter, but if we are going to open our eyes and see in a broader perspective the realities in life, until now in our modern society, the essence of slavery is practiced everywhere and, practically, of most, if not all, people. A slave is defined in the Encarta dictionary as:
slave [slayv]
noun (plural slaves)
1. somebody forced to work for another: somebody who is forced to work for somebody else for no payment and is regarded as the property of that person
2. dominated person: somebody who is dominated by somebody or by something
3. somebody accepting another’s rule: somebody who meekly accepts being ruled by somebody else
4. very hard worker: somebody who works hard, in bad conditions, and for low pay
5. device controlled by another: an electronic or mechanical device that is controlled by another (often used before a noun)
An employee or a helper is practically a slave of his employer. Somebody working under the domination or rule of another is a slave according to the dictionary. Do we have to blame God for these harmonious relationships in society between an entrepreneur and his helpers? Anybody against this reality is stupid! Not all people on earth can be ‘bosses’. Not everybody can be a leader, a king, or a president! A king has his subjects. A leader has followers. A manager has his assistance, and so on. Whether they accept it or not, some people are of lesser capacity and intelligence than others. This is scientific and reality.
(Matthew 25:15) “And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.”
A God who understands our being and compassionate in dealing with our infirmities guides us to the proper place in society where we can be most useful to Him thru the services we can render to people.
(Psalms 103:13-14) “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.”
God knows our frame, our being, our intelligence, and our capabilities. If He admonishes us to be faithful servants to our masters in the flesh, He does not encourage or is He a proponent of slavery, but He is teaching us to be most useful in a position wherein we are fit to be. It will be unfair for God to ask us to be a manager while He knows that we are not in a capacity to be so. Reality and prudence dictates that not all can be a manager!
Looking unto God and His perspectives with a prudent and understanding mind magnifies His majesty; but to those who are perverts, unbelieving, and with polluted minds, what is good appears to be bad, and the truth as a lie, and lies as their norms.
(Isaiah 5:20-21) “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!”
Thank You and God Bless!
Bro. Eli Soriano
Published on May 31st, 2007 at esoriano.wordpress.com