The final 24 hours of Jesus’ life on earth before His crucifixion had arrived, and it was so critical to John that he dedicated chapters 13 through 19 (about 1/3 of his book) to this night alone. The other Gospel authors give a lengthy chapter on these events, but none go into detail like John does. The only part John skimps on is the Passover Meal itself because John instead focuses on the teaching that took place during the meal. So I will focus on Matthew’s take on this meal. But this meal was crucial; only one meal ever served compared in significance: the original Passover Meal on the night before Israel left Egypt.
Jesus longed to eat this meal because this would trigger the final sequence of events that His earthly life was designed for. The Jews had been celebrating this meal for 1500 years as the marker for their God being their God of salvation. To the Jew, every time they thought of their salvation and deliverance, they all looked back to this one moment of history when they ate the meal in which the death of the firstborn would pass them over, and then God brought them out of Egypt. In the morning after that meal, every one of them would be packing up and staging to leave Egypt for good. This Passover meal was to be a perpetual reminder that the judgment that was due to all and to be placed on all would be passed over by the blood of the lamb, and in that passing by, the deliverance and freedom from slavery would take place. Israel would never serve as slaves again as a nation. This was the marker moment, and throughout the Bible, God would identify Himself as, “I am the Lord, your God, who brought you out of Egypt.” This Passover meal was the moment in which Israel ceased being a family and became a nation. This was the moment that Israel became Israel.
But all of it was for a much greater purpose. The Passover and the Exodus were a physical picture of the ultimate reality that would come this very night as Jesus sat down with His disciples. It was a private setting in an upper room in Jerusalem where Jesus would give His final teachings and carry out His final act of service before locking in and facing the greatest trial any man could ever face. This was the meal of meals that we honor and celebrate today.
I am not going to go into the details of the ritual, but the meal was marked by several dishes that each had their own symbolic meaning, including remembering the times of slavery, and several cups that had their own meaning, too. But it was during this meal that Jesus changed it up. No longer would people be remembering the exodus from Egypt and slavery, which was only a memorial for Jews. Instead, Jesus made this a memorial for the exodus from sin itself, and it would be something that people from all over the world would be able to experience.
Jesus identified two things: the bread and the cup. The bread would be the body, broken for us, and the cup would be the blood shed for us. As I am writing this, my pastor has been preaching quite a bit on the Lord’s Supper, and there is good reason to believe, like with Israel in Jesus’ time, that we’ve lost sight of what this meal really is. Too many of us take it way too lightly, and I have been guilty of that myself. Jesus said we must eat His flesh and drink His blood, and most understood precisely what He was saying. Jesus is to be our sustenance – our source, our food, the very thing that we rely on for our life.
Now, some will say that the bread and the wine become the literal body and blood of Christ, and others will say that they are just symbols of the body and blood. I believe both are wrong. Christ is not still on the cross, but at the same time, to merely treat the bread and wine as symbols takes away the sacredness of this meal. It is worth noting that the demonic, the witches, etc., will take the bread and cups from Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches, but not from most Reformed churches. Why not? Because the spiritual side of darkness knows that the power in the Lord’s Supper is hardly present in most Reformed circles. And no, I am not supporting those churches here, but I’m addressing a concern in doctrinally sound churches.
One thing I am learning is that the Lord’s Supper is so much more than a mere remembrance of what Jesus did. When we partake in it, it is also a declaration of war against Satan and his minions and against sin. Yet so many of us will sin all week long, all day long, then go to church and take the Lord’s Supper and act like sin never happened. There have been times I have wondered if I should partake due to what had been going on in my head that morning, and it’s a battle that I keep losing. The taking of the Lord’s Supper is to remind us of the victory over sin, that we are not to live that way anymore, and not be a cover for our sins. People have been sick and literally died because they were taking the Lord’s Supper unworthily and put a curse upon themselves.
The Lord’s Supper is for believers who have professed the faith and begun to live according to those principles. It is not for anyone who lives an open life of sin. John Calvin denied a group of immoral men from partaking because they were living lives of sexual fornication. They came in one service, demanding to be served, and Calvin barred the way. They drew swords, and Calvin did not budge. They left, and Calvin protected the sanctity of this precious ordinance of the church.
There is power in the Lord’s Supper that we simply don’t recognize in our Protestant, Reformed circles anymore. And it’s time we get a grip that we are to live supernatural lives, battling against supernatural foes, and living for the supernatural God. And yes, there is rationality behind it, but not according to human wisdom. Jesus established the Lord’s Supper as one of the two ordinances that mark and identify the Christian as being separated from the world, as being delivered from sin, as being the people of God and not of this world, and on the journey toward holiness in the process of sanctification. Let us return to what this meal is truly about and not lose its true meaning.
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As most of you know, my father, Frank DeZurik, went to be with our Heavenly Father in April of this year. In June of this year we had his Celebration of Life service with family and friends. It was a service of great honor and joy and of great remembrance, and for that, I am so thankful.
This has been an incredible time of pain, suffering, and much mourning, not only for me, but for our entire family. Though it has been hard, it has also been a blessing and a time of refocusing, revitalization, and new life for our entire family. It's almost as if, in my father's death, his entire family line has been reborn! It's almost as if we're getting to know him even more, now that he's gone, than when he was with us. It has been a time of pausing, contemplating, and seeking the Lord in all that we're doing.
This has not only been one of the most difficult times of my life, but it has also been one of the most rewarding times of the life that God has given to me. I am in serious awe and thankful to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
I am beginning to understand why I am the way I am and why I think the way I do, more and more every single day. It is because of the great earthly father that Almighty God has given to me. It's almost as if in my father's death on the earth, he has become even more alive. I cannot really explain it, but hopefully this will help.
Here's just part of an unedited excerpt out of this very notebook:
"Awake the Dawn"
How often I have missed spending time with my Lord in the morning as he wants and desires that I call upon him in the dawning of each day. He blesses me with each new morning, an opportunity to tell someone through my actions or words or both about His saving grace. But I walk in fear of my own strength. All too often I try to express and show others His love and spend little time seeking Him in His Word, seeking him in conversation in prayer... If I don't stay in his word and in prayer daily, it's way too easy to say, "I don't know Him" and yet, How true that statement is because I don't spend the time getting to know Him. You can't say you know someone if you don't spend time with them. He wants us to get to know and understand Him better."
There's much more to this, but my father wrote this back in 2003 on May 2nd. He literally wrote this after reading Psalm 57:4-11. WOW!
I hope you have been blessed reading this.
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These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.
- Titus 2:15
Paul’s pastoral letter to Titus is filled with practical instruction for leading and nurturing the church in Crete. Having spent the first two chapters laying out sound doctrine and godly conduct for various groups within the church, Paul closes chapter 2 with a powerful exhortation to Titus himself: teach these things, encourage and rebuke with authority, and don’t let anyone disregard you. While Paul’s words were directed to a young church leader in the first century, they remain deeply relevant for the Church today.
To fully grasp verse 15, we must remember what precedes it. Paul had just finished a sweeping passage (Titus 2:11-14) describing the grace of God that brings salvation, trains believers to renounce ungodliness, and prepares us as Christ’s purified people, eager to do good. Read more about that here.
Titus was to proclaim this vision of transformed living to the believers in Crete, who were surrounded by cultural corruption. Sound doctrine wasn’t just intellectual; it needed to be practical, shaping each believer’s life and witness. Thus, when Paul says “These, then, are the things you should teach,” he is referring not just to abstract theology but to the gospel and its ethical implications. Titus was to ensure that believers lived in a way that adorned the gospel. His teaching was not optional; it was essential for the health and witness of the church.
Paul gives Titus a threefold charge: teach these things, encourage the believers, and rebuke with authority.
Paul first emphasizes that Titus must teach in accordance with sound doctrine. The gospel must be taught clearly, consistently, and faithfully. Without instruction, believers will be vulnerable to false teachers and compromising with the culture. Clarity means making sure God’s truth is presented in a way that it can be easily understood. Consistently means continually reminding believers of God’s truth. Faithfulness means standing firm on the true message and not watering it down.
For today’s Church, we need pastors and leaders who are not merely motivational speakers or organizational managers, but teachers of the Word. Biblical literacy is declining in many churches today, leaving believers vulnerable to shallow theology and cultural ideologies. This verse reminds us that teaching God’s truth is non-negotiable.
The next charge is for Titus to encourage others. The Greek word here carries the sense of urging, comforting, and building up. Teaching must not only inform the mind but also encourage the heart. Paul is clear: pastors and teachers are not to wield the Word as a hammer that crushes, but as a tool that builds up. Encouragement helps weary believers persevere, strengthens the fainthearted, and reminds the church of God’s grace.
This form of encouragement looks like pointing believers to the hope of Christ’s return, reassuring them that God’s grace is sufficient in their weakness, celebrating faithfulness and growth (however small), and inspiring believers to pursue holiness not out of fear but gratitude. Encouragement is often undervalued today, even though we face constant discouragement from the world, temptations, and trials. Pastors, teachers, and fellow believers must continually encourage one another in the gospel.
But at the same time that Paul tells Titus to encourage, he also tells him to rebuke. Rebuking is the flip side of encouragement; it is correction when necessary. Love does not mean turning a blind eye to sin or error, but correcting one another with God’s grace. If believers are straying into false teaching, destructive habits, or ungodly living, rebuke is essential.
Rebuke in Scripture is always aimed at restoration, not humiliation. The goal is not to shame but to bring repentance and renewed obedience. This might mean correcting a doctrinal error that undermines the gospel, calling out sinful behavior that damages the message of Christ, or warning believers when they are being deceived by worldly values. In a culture that idolizes tolerance and avoids confrontation, rebuke is difficult. But if leaders fail to rebuke when necessary, they are not protecting their fellow believers. Titus was not to shrink back from confrontation, and neither should we.
At the end of this command, Paul adds “with all authority.” This authority did not come from Titus’ personality, experience, or position. It came from God’s Word and Paul’s apostolic commission. Titus was to speak with confidence, knowing that he was conveying God’s truth, not his own opinion. Today, pastoral authority must remain grounded in Scripture. A preacher has no authority in himself, but only insofar as he faithfully teaches God’s Word. When pastors proclaim Scripture, they speak with divine authority.
Finally, Paul tells Titus, “Do not let anyone despise you.” Paul knew Titus would face opposition, but Titus must not allow himself to be disregarded or intimidated. He could do this by living and teaching in such a way that respect was earned. Integrity, consistency, and courage would silence critics. The same applies today. Pastors and leaders must not allow fear of criticism or cultural pressure to silence them. They must teach faithfully, encourage lovingly, rebuke courageously, and carry themselves with integrity. While some will still despise them, the weight of God’s truth will stand.
We as believers all need sound teaching. We must embrace both encouragement and rebuke. We should respect Godly authority and live in a way that commends the gospel message of Jesus Christ, never compromising Biblical truth.
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Jesus concludes His teaching about the end times with three parables in Matthew 25 that warn about what will take place in the final days: the separation of the genuine from the counterfeit. For all of church history, the two are going to be mixed, and the Parable of the Sower gives a clear indication of this. Now, this may baffle people, but there is no place in Scripture that says we cannot know who is saved and who is not. It actually says the opposite; we can know. Every person gives indications of where they truly stand and where they don’t. Some will be obvious, and some will be harder to tell. And I am not suggesting we go hunting to mark everyone. But in Jesus’ parables, we get clues of character and behavior that mark a born-again believer and those who are not. The three parables in Matthew 25 give some of these indicators.
First, we have the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins. Again, both groups are professing believers. In the context of a Jewish wedding, five of these took their job seriously and came ready for the long haul, with extra oil in the event of a delay. The other five were rather nonchalant about it and came expecting the arrival to be instant. Since the bridegroom was delayed, everyone fell asleep while waiting. Then, when he arrived, the wise ones were prepared and could get in position immediately. The foolish ones could not, rushed to get oil for their lamps, and missed the event. There are way too many of us who take church too casually and treat God as a mere concept instead of an actual person.
Then we have the Parable of the Talents. Three servants are trained and equipped to do what they need to do, and each is given the resources in accordance with their abilities. Two servants did what they were supposed to do, but the third did nothing with his. The believer is supposed to engage in the work he is called to do, but many only use these gifts for self or not at all. In America, we have this total consumer mindset where a church is only about me and what it can provide for us. Because churches are built around that mindset, offering a service for consumption instead of a message to give, the talents God has given many are going to waste and rot. But the faithful servants who still have the Kingdom mindset are going to use those talents to bring in more income, fruit, and spiritual goods to God’s “storeroom.”
Then we have the Parable of the Separation of Sheep from Goats. Throughout the whole church age, the true believers and false believers are going to be intermixed. Now, take notice that in no parable or teaching I can think of does Scripture actually say that we never can know who is going and who isn’t going to heaven. What these parables actually showcase are the traits of those who are going and those who are not going. The Parable of the Wheat and Tares is very much like this one because both are identified early but not actually separated until the end. The sheep and goats look alike, but it doesn’t take long being with both to start noticing the difference. Jesus points out that the sheep are those who looked after His people, and the goats are those who only looked after themselves and were only concerned about serving those they thought were royalty. They never understood that Jesus’ heart was for the lowly, the downtrodden, and the outcast. While He also cared for the rich, big names, and societal leaders, if they thought they were just fine on their own, Jesus left them alone, except to berate them for oppressing His people.
In all three of these parables, Jesus gives characteristics of the believer ready for Jesus’ return. They are ready for Jesus’ imminent return, prepared for that “any moment” arrival. They are found to be actively using their skills and talents in doing the work of the King. They are looking after those who are in down times. I don’t remember who this is attributed to, but one preacher from many years past was asked if Jesus were to return that day, what would he do differently. His answer was, “I would keep doing what I am doing.” Jesus is not going to give us time to suddenly get ready. We have to be ready already, and while we are waiting for the call, we are to work in such a way that Jesus could come and see us doing our duty and say, “Well done!” If we look at all the saints of the past, those who died often terrible deaths awaiting the promises, they went out still believing.
The sad reality, though, is that the extreme majority of those who profess to be Christians today are not ready. They don’t want Jesus to come back yet because they still have sin they want to enjoy before “getting their life back in order.” I have never understood why anyone who professed to be a Christian would even think that. Even in my days when I took my faith too casually and just rode my parents’ faith, I never thought like that. And now, as I am writing this, I am in the process of starting a new chapter in my life; that includes getting my overall health and routines back into a better shape and better order, and getting even more Kingdom-focused than I have been before. I want Jesus to be able to say I am doing what I am supposed to be doing when He returns, and I want to move away from my academic focus on the faith and make it more real and practical than it has been. The “temple” of the American church is about to get cleansed, and I want to do my part to clean up before that fully happens. That requires being a “wise virgin,” a user of the talents given to me, and to care for those whom God has His heart upon. It’s easy to talk about the theory, but we need to be practitioners of this, too.
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For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
- Titus 2:11-14
Paul’s words to Titus here are a great summary of the gospel. God’s grace is not only about forgiveness but also about transformation. Grace appeared in the person of Jesus Christ. Grace teaches us how to live. Grace shapes us into a people eager for good works. In today’s society, it is easy to reduce grace to a ticket to heaven or to sentimental comfort. Yet Paul insists that grace is power. It redeems, purifies, and trains.
Paul begins in verse 11 with a declaration: “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.” Grace is not an abstract idea but a historical event. The “appearing” points to the incarnation of Jesus Christ. When Christ was born, lived, died, and rose again, grace became visible. The invisible mercy of God took on flesh and blood. Our faith is not built on concepts or feelings but on God’s decisive action in history. Grace is embodied in Jesus.
Grace brings salvation “to all people.” This does not mean everyone will automatically be saved, but that the offer of salvation is extended to all. Jews and Gentiles, men and women, slaves and free—all have access. Grace demolishes dividing walls and invites all to participate.
Then Paul goes further by saying that grace “teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age” (verse 12). Grace is not just for the forgiveness of our sins, but it also instructs. The word “teaches” carries the sense of discipline and training. Grace is like a coach shaping us into maturity. We are not saved by our own effort, nor does this mean we can live however we want.
Grace enables us to reject ungodliness and worldly passions. Ungodliness means living as though God does not exist. Worldly passions include greed, lust, envy, and the relentless pursuit of pleasure and status – all things that go against God. Through following God, we get trained to resist these temptations.
Not only are we trained against the negative things through grace, but also toward the positive things. We learn self-control, upright behavior, and how to walk with God in our daily lives. Our whole person should be shaped by the grace that we have received from God.
Paul continues in verse 13: “while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” Christian living is forward-looking. We live in “this present age,” but our eyes are on the next. We are focused on our present situations, but we need to maintain an eternal perspective as well. The “blessed hope” is not wishful thinking but a confident expectation that Christ will return in glory. Paul calls Jesus “our great God and Savior,” which is one of the clearest affirmations of Christ’s divinity in the New Testament. The One who appeared and brought us grace will appear again in glory.
Our modern church often loses sight of eternity. We tend to focus on the short-term of building programs, social influence, or personal success. Yet Paul reminds us that the ultimate hope is not in cultural relevance or political victories but in Christ’s ultimate return. Churches must cultivate an eternal perspective. Preaching should remind believers that this world is temporary. Worship should point forward to the second coming of Christ and His eternal victory. Pastoral care should anchor people’s hope not in circumstances but in Christ’s promised coming.
Finally, Paul explains why Christ came: “who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good” (verse 14). The cross of Christ is not only about forgiveness of guilt but deliverance from slavery. Christ gave himself to free us from the power of sin. This means the church cannot settle for superficial Christianity. Salvation is not just a ticket to heaven but liberation from our captivity to sin.
Grace should not produce passive Christians but zealous ones. The natural response to redemption should be eagerness to glorify the God who redeemed us. For believers today, this means discipleship must overflow into mission. A grace-shaped community cannot be apathetic. We must be eager to serve God and embody what He calls us to do in every sphere of life.
Churches must avoid reducing grace to mere comfort or forgiveness. Grace is past (Christ appeared), present (training us), and future (Christ’s return). Grace trains us, but training requires intentionality. Churches must build structures for spiritual growth: mentoring, Bible study, accountability groups, and spiritual disciplines. We need communities where believers are equipped to resist worldly passions.
Holiness matters. In an age of compromise, the church must be marked by purity, love, and humility. This is not about moral superiority but about belonging to Christ. Good works are not optional extras. They are the fruit of redemption. Whether through acts of compassion, integrity in business, or sacrificial service, followers of Christ must be known for doing good as a result of God’s grace.
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After lashing out His final words against the Pharisees and the religious system that enslaved the people instead of setting them free, Jesus went out to the Mount of Olives, where He gave His disciples a glimpse of how things would end. Jesus really wasn’t giving a revelation of the final days of the earth, but rather of the church age. I can picture them looking down upon Jerusalem (from on top of the mountain) at this time, with Jesus knowing that the difficulty they have had with Rome up to this point would be nothing compared to what was coming for them. The disciples were intrigued by Jesus’ statement about the end of the religious system there and sought more details.
Jesus emphasized two things: the end of all things would be imminent, so live as though He would be returning today. The other is that you will see signs, but the end is not there just yet, so prepare for a long marathon. Remember that Abraham was given promises that weren’t fulfilled for 2000 years. It has been 2000 years since Christ was here on earth. That doesn’t mean there won’t be another 2000 years or whatnot. I can say that every generation has thought Jesus would return in their lifetimes, and it definitely looks closer today than it has ever been before. And in reality, it is closer today than ever before, but it still may be a while off. I will also say that whatever happens in or to the US might be completely irrelevant to end-times prophecy. Many believers in Europe may have thought the same thing about their nations as Christianity gave way to Communism or now to Islam and left-wing liberalism. So, what did Jesus actually say about the end times?
Jesus spoke about natural disasters. There would be earthquakes and disasters on the increase. Earthquakes have been going on ever since the Flood, but it hasn’t been until the last 150 years that we’ve kept track of them worldwide. So far, there have been five recorded 9.0 quakes or stronger. One in Chile, one in Russia, and one in Alaska in the 1950s and 60s. But the other two have happened since the 20th century: one in Indonesia in 2004 and the one in Japan in 2010. These quakes would increase in frequency and in intensity, and earthquakes are a common natural phenomenon during the Seal, Trumpet, and Bowl judgements of Revelation. But earthquakes aren’t the only natural disaster accounted for here, and as I am writing this, Texas was recently hit by severe flooding. All these things should remind us that the day of Jesus’ return is coming soon.
Jesus spoke about wars and rumors of wars. The 20th and 21st centuries have seen more wars than all over centuries combined. And the wars have gotten uglier and uglier as our weaponry has improved and our morals have gone down. While a proper declaration of war really hasn’t taken place since WWII, military operations have been at an all-time high, and instead, we have this spy game type thing of operation after operation, but no formal war has actually been declared. But violence has spiked, and it hasn’t capped yet. The US was the safest nation for 200 years, but now it is hard to find towns where you can actually leave your doors unlocked without worries.
Jesus also gave a warning about false Christs. These would come in droves. And Jesus was not talking about anyone who claimed to be the Messiah. I’ve seen and encountered a few such people, and they are either on drugs or demonically influenced. But that’s just the big scale. There have been many false Christs and false Jesuses, and the most frequently seen one is the Jesus that is a figment of one’s imagination – a “Jesus” that contorts and fits any mold we make for him and does what we like, hates what we hate, and looks a lot like us. And just as the Golden Calf was called “Jehovah,” there are a lot of false gods that are given the name of the True God out there. These are gods whom people deem to be powerful, but do not have sovereignty. Therefore, they cannot be a god if they are subject to human will. We must be diligent and vigilant, always on guard, because the deception is only getting stronger and stronger.
But after all these things, the second coming will be swift and sudden. After a long time of doing normal routines, Jesus will come with such speed that there will be no time to get things ready. It will be like a thief in the night. He doesn’t come unless he knows your guard is down. Jesus is not going to come when anyone thinks He is going to come. If some guy tries to put a date on things, don’t believe him. If another says Jesus is a long way coming, don’t believe him. There is urgency in this message, and if there were no urgency in Christ’s return, evangelism would not happen, and Christians would be sitting around, just being comfortable while the world burns. But there is urgency, and “today” is the day for salvation because there may not be another. At the same time, there is a delay in His coming. Jesus is waiting for all those who could be saved to be saved before closing the door.
The status of Jesus’ coming is going to be like Noah’s Flood. People will be going about their regular lives with no care or regard for God, when it will suddenly hit. Now, in Noah’s time, some finally listened and realized that Noah might be right, but they would have sought to save themselves in their own way. They perished, too. But the majority will not have a clue until the time of, and then it will be too late. Only this time, there is no physical ark to bang on the door. When Jesus comes, judgment day will come, the believers will be gathered together, and the unbelievers will be scattered. We’ll address that next week as Jesus gives three parables that illustrate what waiting for Him and believing Him looks like and what not believing Him also looks like.
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Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.
- Titus 2:9-10
As Paul continues to write to Titus, he addresses various groups in the church – older men, older (and younger) women, younger men – and finally, those who were in the lowest position socially: slaves. Though slavery in the ancient Roman world differed in some respects from the slavery of more recent centuries, it still placed people in situations of limited freedom and often harsh conditions. Yet Paul does not dismiss this group as powerless or irrelevant; instead, he calls them to live in such a way that the gospel shines brightly through their conduct.
Today, while most of us are not slaves in the ancient sense, the principles Paul lays out for Titus have direct relevance for our modern work environments. Our attitudes toward authority, our work ethic, and our trustworthiness either promote the gospel or detract from it.
In the first century Roman Empire, slavery was deeply embedded in the economic and social systems. Estimates suggest that up to one-third of the population was slaves. They served in households, agriculture, industry, and government. Some slaves were highly educated, functioning as teachers, doctors, or accountants, while others were laborers in grueling conditions. Unlike the chattel slavery of the transatlantic slave trade, Roman slavery was not racially based, and being set free was relatively common.
Paul’s words here are not an endorsement of the institution but an instruction to believers within that system about how to live faithfully in their present circumstances. Elsewhere (in 1 Corinthians 7:21-23, for example), Paul encourages slaves to gain their freedom if possible. Yet he consistently emphasizes that, whatever one’s station in life, one can live for the glory of God.
Paul gives four specific behavioral directives to slaves in verses 9-10: be subject to their masters, try to please them, don’t talk back, and don’t steal.
The call to be subject means to willingly place oneself under the authority of another. In the context of slavery, this was already a legal obligation, but Paul elevates it from mere compliance to a voluntary, God-honoring choice. This echoes the broader Christian teaching that submission to human authority, whether government (Romans 13), church leaders (Hebrews 13:17), or in marriage (Ephesians 5:21-33), is ultimately about submission to God. For us today, this translates into a call to respect and follow the lawful directives of our supervisors, managers, or team leaders, even when we may not agree with every decision.
Aiming to please our masters is not about becoming a people-pleaser in an unhealthy sense but about working with an attitude that seeks the good of one’s employer. It implies diligence, a positive spirit, and a willingness to go beyond the bare minimum. Paul is urging believers to approach their work as an offering to God, which naturally leads to conscientiousness and excellence.
The Greek term for not talking back suggests argumentative, disrespectful responses. Paul warns against verbal resistance that undermines authority or breeds conflict. In a modern workplace, this could apply to gossiping about the boss, speaking disrespectfully to colleagues, or maintaining a negative, critical spirit.
Theft in the ancient world among slaves could range from skimming money, taking goods, or misusing resources. Today, workplace theft could be obvious—like stealing office supplies or falsifying expense reports—or subtle, like excessive personal use of company time, resources, or technology. Integrity means being trustworthy with what belongs to others.
The main point of Paul’s instructions comes in the last phrase of verse 10: “so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.” The goal of Christian conduct in the workplace is not simply to avoid trouble, gain promotions, or win human approval; it’s to promote the gospel. Paul is saying that the way believers live can make the gospel message look beautiful and desirable to others. Conversely, poor conduct can make the gospel appear unattractive or even hypocritical. The gospel is inherently glorious, and it does not need us to improve it, but we can either highlight its beauty through our lives or obscure it through our actions.
Even though the context of this passage is slavery in the ancient world, its principles apply to modern work relationships. We can live out these verses today by respecting authority (even when we don’t agree with our leaders), working with excellence, watching our speech, and living with integrity. This passage applies to every believer who finds themselves under someone else’s authority in any capacity, which is likely all of us. Whether we are employees, students, or volunteers, the way we conduct ourselves says something about the God we serve.
We live in a culture that often values self-promotion over service, personal rights over responsibility, and comfort over commitment. Against that backdrop, a believer who works diligently, speaks graciously, acts honestly, and respects authority stands out. Such a life promotes the gospel, making the teaching about God our Savior attractive to a watching world. May we, like the slaves in Crete whom Paul addressed, embrace our roles with a Kingdom mindset, so that in every way, we will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.
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