The Apologetics Advertisement for Christianity
By Nathaniel Ashcroft
5 Claims
Now, many very strong arguments have been made here, some of the ones I find most compelling. They are supplied with ample evidence, but mostly I hope this gets you thinking. We have gone over meaning, creation, Pascal’s Wager, the fallacy of subjective truth when applied to religion, Atheism, the fallacy of a works-salvation religion, Biblical reliability, Jesus’s claims to divinity, and resurrection evidence. Next, I’m going to help shed some light on some common reasons non-believers do not believe in the Christian God.
Claim 3: The Bible Condones Slavery
For starters, all topics mentioned in the Bible are not condoned in the Bible. The Bible records information on many topics, such as divorce, but does not condone them. Just because the Bible provides a historical record of a sinful act or practice does not mean it is allowed. We can find many passages dealing with how divorce should be handled in instances where it occurs (Deuteronomy 22:13-30), but these passages are not stating that divorce is a good practice in any way.
“It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery” (NIV Matthew 5:31-32).
In the same way, the Bible teaches slaves how to live well in a preexisting practice, and teaches masters to treat their slaves well in a preexisting practice– so much so that many slaves did not want to leave their masters, funny enough. In Deuteronomy it was taught that you should allow servants to stay with your family, even after being enabled to leave after the seventh year, if they so wished,
“But if your servant says to you, ‘I do not want to leave you,’ because he loves you and your family and is well off with you, then take an awl and push it through his earlobe into the door, and he will become your servant for life” (NIV Deuteronomy 15:16-17).
So clearly the slavery spoken of in the Bible was not the chattel, trans-Atlantic slavery everyone thinks it is.
Corroborating the Bible’s representation of slavery is that, at this time period, this kind of slavery was much more like that of an indentured servant, or bond servant. Throughout the course of history, there have been varying degrees of servitude, some more loving and some more cruel. It is only natural that the practice appears in the Bible, and that the Bible offers advice about how believers should function in such a cultural context.
Christine Blanchard states,
“In ancient Israel, slavery often functioned as a means of economic survival rather than mere oppression. Individuals sometimes sold themselves into servitude to settle debts or ensure security. You can find examples in Exodus 21, where specific rules govern the treatment of Hebrew servants. These provisions highlight the responsibility of owners to treat their slaves fairly, often granting them rights and the possibility of freedom after a specified period.”
So even in instances whenever God commands Israel to take enemies as slaves when conquering a nation, Israel was not to treat them according to the world’s standards, but to God’s standards. In the New Testament, it’s explicit that masters who abuse their slaves are unjust. For slaves, it is righteous to take a beating with reverent fear for God, because that’s what Christ did.
1 Peter 2:18-21, “Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in [H]is steps” (NIV 1 Peter 2:18-21).
That’s a comparison between slaves and Jesus. We should consider suffering for Christ an honor. The unjust slavery that critics say the Bible ‘condones’ has been compared to the horrible suffering Jesus underwent, and the actions of Jesus’s enemies are certainly unholy. The Bible actually holds these righteous slaves in a high standard, following in Christ’s footsteps, and clearly condemns the wrongdoing of the masters if they were to abuse their slaves. This is an incredible truth; it relates the incarnated ruler of the universe to the God-fearing slaves of society, echoing the gospel truth, that the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve.
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give [H]is life as a ransom for many” (NIV Mark 10:45).
Clearly seen here is that the ministry of Christ was to reform the hearts of the people. Peter instead gives instructions for slaves to bring glory to God even in their oppressed state. The Bible emphasizes the heart over social situations and economic status. The Bible raises the office of slave to the highest status, the ultimate picture of humility and godliness.
Deuteronomy 15:13-14, “And when you release them, do not send them away empty-handed. Supply them liberally from your flock, your threshing floor and your winepress. Give to them as the LORD your God has blessed you” (NIV Deuteronomy 15:13-14).
This demonstrates how slaves were to be treated under the Old Testament law. The law does allow slavery whenever relating to judgement and conquering of nations (Leviticus 25:44-46), but it’s important to note that the Bible improved a pre-existing practice and used it for God’s glory. I, of course, do not mean that sinful slavery glorifies God, sin instead separates us from God. I mean that God uses hardship in slavery to have believers bring glory to Himself. He also uses slavery to provide a better alternative when conquering enemy nations. Jesus tells us that the second greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself, which the Old Testament law depends on along with the first and greatest commandment.
“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments’” (NIV Matthew 22:37-40).
Slaves were to be treated as image bearers of the holy God of Israel, not as mere tools or cattle-like property.
As we continue to look at these claims, it should begin to become clear that most of them are only as valid as the presuppositions they are built on. A reading and understanding of scripture quickly knocks down the false propaganda that so many buy into about Christianity and the Bible. The fact of the matter is, the Bible just doesn’t condone slavery, not even remotely. Some who would seek to tear down the kingdom of God misinform those who do not know any better.
Have you heard the gospel? If not, click here.
View next week’s section to read my response to the fourth objection, “a good God shouldn’t send anyone to Hell“.
Works Cited
NIV Quest Study Bible. Zondervan, 2011.
Blanchard, Christine. “Biblical Meaning of Slave: Understanding Loyalty, Justice, and Transformation in Scripture.” Biblical Chronology, 2 Feb. 2025, accessed 20 Feb. 2026, Biblical Meaning Of Slave: Understanding Loyalty, Justice, And Transformation In Scripture