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"We were gentle in the midst of you, as a nursing mother cherisheth her own children."
This motherliness is further expanded in such words as "being affectionately
desirous", "willing to impart our very lives", "ye were endeared to us", "labouring night
and day so as not be burdensome". Who that knows mother-love cannot sense it here?
The Apostle, however, was a father to these saints as well as a mother. So the language
changes. He speaks of his deportment as "pious", "righteous", "blameless", and that he
"exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you as a father doth his own children,
that ye should walk worthy". Such is the necessary combination for true child welfare.
Before the Apostle says one word as to how the children were to be disciplined, he gives
a caution to the fathers, "and ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath". Col. 3: 21
says, "Father, provoke not your children, lest they be discouraged". Rom. 10: 19 uses the
expression "provoke to wrath" in the words, "by a foolish nation I will anger you". The
lesser word in Col. 3: means "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 rightly. They
have no words oftentimes to explain the motives for their actions, and often 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 meaning moreover when considered in the light of
ministry, for although none would now speak of themselves as bishops or deacons, yet
the principle of I Tim. 3: 1-12 still holds good:--
"One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all dignity.
For if a man knows not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church
of God?"
Slaves and masters.
The question of "Christianity and slavery" is never raised in the N.T. These things
were left for the working of the truth to accomplish in time. The slave of the Apostle's
day and the servant of to-day 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 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 men-pleasers; 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. 6: 5-7).
These words were once read by a reader of The Berean Expositor to an extremist in
social matters who explained passionately, "The man who wrote that was a devil". The