Defending the Indefensable

Sometimes faith is hard. There are times when you have to face moral dilemmas; times when your faith is questioned and put to the test. When you put your trust in the Lord there may be times where you even have to question to yourself whether that is the right thing or not. Doing things God's way or having to defend Gods ways may be uncomfortable and downright difficult. It's ok to admit that. He knows.

On a blog I was at, I was faced with one of the tougher challenges that I have faced with in some time. A clash of moral codes you might say. Because of this, it put me in a position to have to defend the indefensible. At least it would seem that way. It's not too often I run across such a thing any more. Sure, when I was a younger Christian, I had to face these types of things fairly regularly and through those I have learned that God's way has always been the best way. In this, I have to lean on that recollection.


What are you talking about Reverend? I am talking about the issue of Slavery. In this country at this time, we have made slavery one of the highest moral crimes that can occur. A crime that is completely indefensible in our society./ Yet, in the old testament, you have slaves. And you have God giving rules about how to conduct yourself concerning both being a slave and a slave owner. How does one reconcile between God allowing for slave ownership vs. our societies high sensitivity to slavery and how much of a vile thing it is seen as?


Do you lean on social or moral relativism? No, you really can't do that because then you are denying the absoluteness of God and His word. You also appear to be hypocritical when you have been talking about moral absolutes. Moral and social relativism are what unbelievers use to justify their sinful actions. Nope. Not going to work.


Do you go the route that God allowed it, therefore slavery is ok? Well, then you have instantly lost any witness, at least in this society, because in America, our society views slavery as an evil thing. If God allowed and condoned slavery then God is evil too. Now that is a tough thing to think of when you know God and all the mercies He shows. It is also tough when you yourself feel that slavery is wrong, or at least have been told it is from the earliest time you can remember. Yet, as a believer, you are stuck trying to defend what is in God's word, and that is His people holding slaves. What do you do?


I suppose it means I had better go back to God's word itself and do a little studying. I would urge all Christians serious about learning of God to have more than just a Bible sitting around. I mean, where would you look for this sort of thing? There are 66 books and letters with thousands of pages to go through if you are looking for a single answer. Maybe some people have better memories than I do and can recall verse and scripture. I don't. I can recall the gist of what scripture says and know it is in there, but I can't always remember chapter and verse. I've got a number of aides, concordances, topical listings etc.. to aid me.


One of the core issues that arose from American slavery was the issue of racism. American slavery was one where the American slave owners did not see the slaves as equal human beings. They were merely cattle with no human rights. We still deal with the legacy of racism today and we view it as completely unacceptable and wrong. I agree. Well, so does the Bible. We now leave the Old Testament book of Leviticus where rules for slavery are held and we zoom forward to the new testament where we find our answer to the issue of racism, and thus the way we view slavery.
Colossians 3:10 And having put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: (v11) Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. (v12) Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, meekness, longsuffering; (v13) Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.


In Jesus, there are no distinctions of race, sex, nationality, social status, or any other divisions. We are all seen as the same in his eye. This hits the core issue we have with slavery, and something we have in our Declaration of Independence, "We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness..." . We get this concept again in Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.


In the letter Philemon, we see this put into practice. Paul writes a letter to Philemon whom Paul led to Christ who was a slave owner. One of the slaves had run away and stolen some items. Paul asks Philemon at accept him back (v16) Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord. I think in this we can see that slavery is not the issue, but love and equality.


In conclusion, The bible does not say that anyone will go to heaven or hell based on slave ownership. The overriding principles that apply are that of love and equality. That is a theme throughout all the scripture. Love your neighbor as yourself. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Do these things and I think that the ugly idea of slavery is out the window. The ugly idea of racism is out the window. The ugly idea that anybody is somehow superior or inferior to another is out the window. We are all the same in the eyes of God.