Colossians 3:25

Colossians 3:25. For (so the best authorities) introduces a proof of the preceding clause: either that they ought to serve Christ, or that the service is Christ's, according to the view taken of that clause.

He that doeth wrong, etc. The general principle is: ‘whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap' (Galatians 6:7). But it is disputed whether it is to be applied to the conduct of the masters, or to the servants also. In the former case, it encourages the servants by the fact that their wrongs will be righted; in the latter, it includes the wrong-doing of the servants, their unfaithfulness, as well as the harsh, injurious treatment they suffered. As the admonitions have been addressed to the servants, it seems improper to limit a general statement so as to exclude such a warning here.

And there is no respect of persons. In Ephesians 6:9, this is applied to masters; but here, according to our view of the previous clause, it is a caution to the other class. It has an important application to the poor and to those employed by others. Men often talk and act as though God always took the part of the poor and of the laboring class. Yet this view makes Him a respecter of persons. Such a mistake will not aid in solving the serious problems of the ‘labor question;' problems as real and in some respects as dangerous as those of slavery. But, as God has proven the adaptation of the gospel for all human relations, He will solve these problems also by means of the same gospel.