‘For he who does wrong will receive again the wrong that he has done, and there is no respect of persons.'
This is the final general principle that applies to all situations and to all men regardless of position. None is exempt. What a man sows he will reap (Galatians 6:7). And though the Christian be forgiven, redeemed and accepted by God in His mercy ‘we must all be openly revealed as what we are before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether it be good or bad' (2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Corinthians 4:5; Romans 14:10-12;). His salvation will not be in doubt but the level of his reward or lack of reward will be so (compare 1 Corinthians 3:14-15).
‘Respect of persons.' Here this is attached to the instructions concerning servants. There were many grades of servants and slaves. It is noteworthy that in Ephesians it is attached to the instructions concerning masters (Ephesians 6:9). It applies equally to both. All will be treated on exactly the same basis.
It should be considered here that Paul is not justifying the social order. He is working within it and removing its harshness. But to try to change it would have caused upheavals and suffering he would not have wanted to cause. Changing the roots of society is something that must be done gradually. He knew that his prime concern and responsibility was the spread and success of the Gospel, and that that would then right the wrongs in the relationships of men far more quickly than any social campaign could do. For in the end it is not social distinctions, but how men behave towards each other that is important. When that is right the rest will follow. And Paul knew this fully. It was, in fact, through the teaching of the Gospel that slavery would finally be condemned.