lest they be discouraged'.  Romans 10:19 uses the expression `provoke to wrath'

in the words, `by a foolish nation I will anger you'.  The lesser words in

Colossians 3 mean `to exasperate'.

Have we never entered a home and felt the baneful effects of this

exasperation and discouragement?  Children have a keen sense of justice and will

take punishment for offences without resentment when they know that they are

being dealt with fairly.  They have no words oftentimes to explain the motives

for their actions, and sometimes that which seems a peculiarly flagrant case of

disobedience or malice may prove to be the result of some childish

misconstruction or misunderstanding.  We appeal to all fathers who may read

these words to weigh these passages over before the Lord, seeking to avoid the

discouraging attitude and gladly assuming the responsibility of disciplining and

instructing those who are dependent upon them.

These things have a serious bearing moreover when considered in the light

of ministry, for although none would now speak of themselves as bishops or

deacons, in the New Testament sense, yet the principle of 1 Timothy 3:1-12 still

holds good:

`One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection

with all gravity (dignity).  For if a man know not how to rule his own house,

how shall he take care of the church of God?'

The question of Christianity and slavery is never raised in the New

Testament.  These things were left for the working of the truth to accomplish in

time.  The slave of Paul's day and the servant of today may differ in many

things, even to great extremes, but the principle of their service remains

unaltered.  The child of God then or the child of God now who is compelled to

serve an earthly master is provided with no lower a standard than:

`In singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; not with eye service, as

menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the

heart; with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men' (Eph.

These words were once read by a reader of The Berean Expositor to an

extremist in social matters who claimed passionately, `Well, what do you say of

the man who wrote this?'  Then his attention was directed to the word of verse 9

`and ye masters, do the same things unto them'.  We do not know his reply, but

it is obvious that the apostle was no champion of class warfare.  That there are

crying evils between servants and masters no one can deny, but the child of God

is not left here to reform or to patch up, but to witness for the truth, to

endure what may come as a result and to leave his case with the Lord:

`Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he

receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free' (Eph. 6:8).

We have had a very unscriptural idea based upon this verse presented to

us.  It is this.  Only the good we do will be dealt with by the Lord in that

day, for this verse says nothing about any bad things we may have done.  The

good will be recognized, the evil will have been forgiven.  That is a very

`comfortable' doctrine no doubt, but as Colossians 3:24,25 writes upon the same

theme and to the same people dispensationally, it cannot hold: