Ephesians 6:5

“Servants, be obedient unto them that according to the flesh are your masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ”

“Be obedient”: Becoming. Christian does not erase our status in society. The very fact that God enjoys upon the slave such moral obligations is proof positive that the Christian slave was an accepted member of the Church and they were viewed as people responsible for their own actions. “According to the flesh are your masters”: “Your human masters”. This should remind the slave that such masters have only an earthly authority over their lives. “With fear and trembling”: “With anxious care” (TCNT). “With respect for the rightful authority of the master and keen anxiety to leave no duty undone” (Erdman p. 130). “They imply careful dedication and zeal not to fall short in the discharge of duty” (Caldwell p. 298). “A slave's allegiance to Christ does not authorize him to be rude and disrespectful--just the opposite is true” (Boles p. 328). Some Christians erroneously think that since Christ is now the Lord of their life, they do not have to obey anyone else. Such is false. The Lord Himself commands us to be in subjection to many human authorities (Romans 13:1 f; Ephesians 5:22; Ephesians 6:1; Hebrews 13:17).

“In singleness of your heart”: “With simplicity of motive” (Wey). “We therefore do our duty without hypocrisy, pretense, or simple formality. Our work is done with sincerity, not with ill-will” (Caldwell p. 298). “With integrity or wholeheartedness, without hypocrisy or ulterior motives” (Stott p. 253). What is expected of the slave is not mere "tolerance" of his position. God expects the slave to make. sincere effort to please his earthly master. Unfortunately, some professed Christians today feel that if the boss is not treating them right, they have the right to slack off on their own work performance.. as. Christian must always remember that another's sin does not give me the right to sin, remembering that God expects the Christian to make. sincere effort regardless of the type of job they have. Minimum wage jobs still require maximum effort by the Christian.

“As unto Christ”: Proper perspective is everything. The earthly master might not deserve such "sincere efforts", but the Christ that commands such of us is always deserving. “Exactly the same principle can be applied by contemporary Christians to their work and employment. Our great need is the clear-sightedness to see Jesus Christ and to set Him before us. It is possible for the housewife to cook. meal as if Jesus Christ were going to eat it, or to spring-clean the house as if Jesus Christ were to be the honored guest. It is possible for teachers to educate children, for doctors to treat patients and nurses to care for them, for solicitors to help clients, shop assistants to serve customers, accountants to audit books, and secretaries to type letters as if in each case they were serving Jesus Christ” (Stott p. 252). Regardless of the attitude of the boss, the conditions of the job or the amount of the pay, the Christian can always work as if he were serving Christ directly.