September 26th
How to treat others
18: Wives, submit yourselves unto
your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. 19: Husbands, love your wives, and
be not bitter against them. 20: Children, obey your parents in all things: for
this is well pleasing unto the Lord. 21: Fathers, provoke not your children to
anger, lest they be discouraged. 22: Servants, obey in all things your masters
according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers; but in
singleness of heart, fearing God: 23: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as
to the Lord, and not unto men; 24: Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive
the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. 25: But he that
doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no
respect of persons.
Paul is bringing his letter to a
close and he now applies his teaching to the believers in the various stations
in life in which God has placed them. First he says to wives be in submission
to you own husbands because this is appropriate as believers. Husbands are to
love your own wives (that is to put them first in everything even before
themselves) and not to hold any bitterness in their hearts toward them.
Children are to obey their parents in everything because this pleases God.
Fathers are to be kind to their children and to not cause them to be angry.
Slaves are to be obedient in everything in the flesh. Not only working when
they are seen so as to suck up to their master but they are to service
faithfully in reverence to the Lord. And that are to do everything with a full
heart as if they are serving the Lord and not a master. And they are to serve
knowing that the Lord will reward them in the kingdom because in serving their
master they are serving the Lord. Those servants that are disobedient will
receive punishment for their wrong doing from the Lord. God deals with all men
completely fairly. Those who lived as Paul instructs them finds that peace
reigns in the home.
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