Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

To me, the use of the term "masters" in the question appears to imply the type of master-slave relationship that existed in the Roman Empire at the time that Paul wrote his epistles, and that Paul addressed in passages such as Colossians 3:22-24.

However, in my opinion, the type of absolute, unquestioning obedience expected of a slave to a master (as well as the master's absolute control over a slave) would not necessarily apply today between two adults (even between a parent and an adult child). There should at least be the possibility for discussion and clarification of requests made of superiors to their inferiors in a hierarchical organization, and arrival at an agreeable compromise as to a course of action to be followed.

Nevertheless, in my opinion, in dealing with requests or demands made by those superiors that are within their rightful sphere of authority, it would appear to me that it would be the duty of a Christian to carry them out (per Paul's counsel), unless the Christian would feel that obedience would somehow violate a moral precept of Christianity. In that case, the alternatives would be for the Christian to pursue redress within the organization, or else resign from the position, after which the Christian would no longer be constrained either in obeying, or in reporting the superior's practices to legal authorities.

June 14 2016 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report