It was not the apostle’s work to violently overturn the established order of society. Had he attempted this, he would have prevented the success of the gospel. But he taught principles that struck at the very foundation of slavery, and that, carried into effect, would surely undermine the whole system. “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” The religion of Christ has a transforming power upon the receiver. The converted slave became a member of the body of Christ, and as such was to be loved and treated as a brother, a fellow-heir with his master of the blessings of God and the privileges of the gospel. In the same spirit were servants to perform their duties; “not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.” Christianity makes a strong bond of union between master and slave, king and subject, the gospel minister and the most degraded sinner who has found in Christ relief from his burden of crime. They have been washed in the same blood, quickened by the same Spirit; they are made one in Christ Jesus. {LP 288.3}

Det var ikke apostlens arbejde at vælte samfundsordnen så voldsomt. Prøvede han må dette, ville han have forhindret evangeliets fremmarch. Men han underviste i principper der rokkede ved slaveriets fundament, og fik det sin virkning ville det visselig underminere hele systemet. "Herren er Ånden, og hvor Herrens Ånd er, dér er frihed." Kristi religion har en forvandlende kraft på modtageren. Den omvendte slave blev et medlem af kristi legeme, og skulle som sådan elskes og behandles som en bror, en medarving sammen med hans mester af Guds velsignelser, og evangeliets rettigheder. Med den samme ånd skulle tjenerne udføre deres pligter; "ikke med øjentjeneste som de, der vil tækkes mennesker, men som Kristi tjenere, der gør Guds vilje af hjertet." Kristendommen sættre stærke bånd på unionen mellem mester og slave, konge og undersåt, evangelieforkynderen og den mest fornedrede synder, der fandt hjælp hos Kristus, fra sin belastende forbrydelse. De er blevet vasket i det samme blod, opildnet af den samme Ånd, de er gjort en i Kristus Jesus.