The Submissive Servant/Slave

Typical Roman households included slaves.  Some of these slaves had trusted Christ and were leaders in their local churches.  How were they to respond to their masters, both saved and lost masters?  Paul gives clear instruction on this issue, saying that they were not to rebel against their masters, but were to serve them as they would serve Christ.  The apostle's goals, mirroring God's goals, were always eternal.  Slaves, under the control of the Holy Spirit were enabled to live in such a submissive manner as to encourage saving belief and spiritual growth in the lives of their masters.