The Bible Says Slavery Is Okay?

What? Let's just put this out there. The Bible does not permit slavery. In 1 Timothy, the Apostle Paul says that those who enslave others are lawless, disobedient, ungodly sinners who practice what is contrary to scripture.

Paul’s Condemnation of Enslaving Others

So there you go. But wait, didn't he also tell slaves to submit to their earthly masters and masters to treat their slaves with fairness? Yes, but that's not permitting slavery. Paul wanted to systematically dismantle such an unjust institution.

Slaves in Roman colonies made up as much as a third of the population, and in some cases, slaves, better described as bondservants, were actually considered family. This is why Paul's instructions to bondservants and masters in say, Ephesians 6, were written in the context of family.

Bondservants, Family, and the Context of Paul’s Instructions

Still, bondservants had few rights and were vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. Abolishing slavery meant changing the social attitude about slavery. He told Christian slaves and their Christian masters to consider each other brothers and sisters in Christ, rather than owners and property.

Jesus’ Teaching on Greatness and Servanthood

When society viewed servants and slaves as being of least importance, Jesus turned that structure on its head by teaching that the greatest in God's kingdom are servants of all. As for Old Testament laws regarding slavery, that's a lengthy explanation.

Old Testament Laws, the Theocracy, and Modern Slavery

Just know that some laws existed to ensure that all members of the theocracy were provided for. As with us, they were to consider themselves set free from slavery, never to return. With a word on modern slavery, talking about human trafficking and the sex trade, if we even want to make a dent in abolishing it, two things need to be made scarce or completely eradicated.

Abortion and porn. Practices as godless as slavery, when we understand the text.