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the Word of Truth (2 Timothy 2:15)
Established November 2008 Published
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This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our
Savior, who desires all men (and women) to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1Timothy 2:3-4)
Ephesians (6:5-9) (Lesson 35)
Welcome to HBS.
In our study of Ephesians chapters 1-3 we’ve
seen our Apostle Paul remark on the spiritual blessings each true Believer
receives as a result of their faith (alone) in the gospel (Romans 2:16; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4), and he introduced
several church related doctrines. Then in
chapters 4-6, Paul explains how to apply these principles to our lives. Starting at Ephesians 4:1, he calls all
Believers to live (walk) differently
than their unbelieving counterparts. Initially,
our walk as young Believers may best
be described as a crawl (1 Corinthians 3:2; Hebrews 5:12; 1 Peter 2:2),
however, by and by, our Savior expects Believers to grow in the faith (5:5) and knowledge of
the Lord, to a mature man (and woman) - 4:13-15.
For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for
you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will
in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk (live) in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing
fruit in every good work and increasing in knowledge of God; (Colossians
1:9-10).
The first step in
this spiritual process begins by walking
in submission to the Holy Spirit (5:18),
and then in mutual submission to one
another (5:21). Our relationships
with each other, especially within the family, are to be marked by humility and obedience to God’s expressed will
(1:9).
Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your
good Spirit lead me on level ground (Psalm 143:10).
For all who are being led by the Spirit
of God, these are the sons (and daughters) of God (Romans 8:14)
For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and
the Spirit against the flesh, for these are in opposition to one another, so
that you may not do the things that you please.
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are
not under the Law (Galatians
5:17-18).
********
Please
open your Bible at Ephesians 6:5-9 then let’s read through this passage
together.
Slaves (Doulos), be obedient to those who are your masters according to the
flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, (how) as to Christ; not by way of
eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God
from the heart. With good will
render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever
good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether
slave or free. And masters, do
the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their
Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him (Ephesians
6:5-9).
Here
Paul addresses believing slaves specifically and gives them the Lord’s directives
(commands) for the workplace. We know
this is true because our Apostle Paul only writes to Believers. The KJV Bible uses the word “servant” instead of slaves; however, in Koine Greek slaves is translated Doulos (doo’-los), Adjective, Noun Masculine,
Strong’s Greek #1401, meaning: a common bondslave, usually a male.
In
our culture people have a negative view of the word slave. This is because they
associate it with the Atlantic Slave Trade dating back to the 16th
century. This involved the
abduction and transportation of people from central and western Africa against their will to
the Americas, primarily, to fill the great need for cheap labor. The people who survived the trip were sold to
the highest bidder in the slave market.
This is just one more episode of “man’s
inhumanity to man” in this fallen world
which dates all the way back to the time Cain
in jealous anger murdered his brother Abel.
But slavery in the first century was quite
different from the American experience. In Paul’s day Roman slaves were taken as the spoils of war, people were born into
slavery, or were such because they sold themselves into slavery (these were known
as "bond-servants") to pay
off a debt for instance. The latter were
often well-educated (Galatians 3:24).
These slaves tutored and disciplined Jewish and Roman children in the
home.
The
masters had absolute rights over
their slaves, but they generally
showed them respect, unlike
the days of Abraham Lincoln. They were
treated with dignity; although they could beat them, it was not a usual practice. What’s more, slaves could marry, accumulate wealth, purchase their own freedom,
run a business, etc. Cicero noted that a
slave could usually be set free
within seven years; in any case, under Roman law a slave would normally be set free by age 30, generally speaking. The revolt led by Spartacus in 73 BC caused
Rome to treat slaves from the
western regions more harshly (similar to how black slaves were treated on most
plantations). Eastern slaves, however, enjoyed much greater
freedom.
As
much as two thirds of the Roman Empire was slaves
(before the first century it was as high as 90%). By the first century AD an increasingly large
number of slaves were being freed—so
much so that Caesar had to write laws that governed the procedure.
Does
the Bible Condone Slavery?
The
short answer is, “No.” However, that
didn’t stop many Christians from
believing in and promoting slavery in
America. Here are a few of the common
arguments made by Christians in
support of this wicked practice:
Abraham, the father
of faith, and all the patriarchs held slaves without God’s disapproval (Genesis 21:9-10)
The Ten
Commandments mention slavery twice, showing God’s acceptance of it (Exodus 20:10, 17)
Slavery was
widespread throughout the Roman Empire, and yet Jesus never spoke against it.
The Apostle Paul
specifically commanded slaves to obey their masters (Ephesians 6:5-8)
Paul returned a
runaway slave, Philemon, to his master (Philemon 12)
Although
the Bible contains more than three-quarters of a million words, Christian slave owners borrowed these Bible
texts to promote the practice of slavery in America.
Historians
have recorded there were approximately six million slaves throughout the Roman
Empire at the dawn of Christianity. So, why didn’t our Apostle Paul speak out
against slavery? Why didn’t he tell
these slaves to leave their masters? Let’s
think this through. To whom would he
make this declaration… to the pagan masters?
Since pagans do not know God, why would they place themselves under
God’s authority? Paul's plea for them to
do the right thing would be meaningless. The other reason Paul left this issue
untouched is he knew speaking out against the widespread and accepted practice of
slavery would bring the wrath of Rome against the Body of Christ. As they say, Rome wasn’t built in a day; likewise, Paul knew ending the practice
of slavery would take time.
In
Paul’s day, the word slave (Doulos –bond-servant) was used with the highest dignity, namely of
Believers who humbly submit to a life under Jesus Christ’s
divine authority. James, Jude, Paul, and
Peter expressed this metal attitude in their writings:
Paul, a servant (Doulos) of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, and set apart for the gospel
of God (Romans 1:1; 2 Corinthians 6:4; 1 Thessalonians 2:7; 1 Timothy
3:2-3; Titus 1:7).
Simon Peter, a
servant (Doulos) and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those having obtained a faith equally
precious with ours, through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus
Christ (2 Peter 1:1).
James, a servant (Doulos) of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the
Dispersion… (James 1:1).
Jude, a servant (Doulos) of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To
those who are called, having been loved in God the Father, and kept in Jesus Christ (Jude 1:1).
Plainly
said, a servant of the Lord must
imitate his master earnestly contending
for the faith (Jude 3).
So, in Paul’s day, a person entered into
slavery by one of three ways, as a possession of a conquering nation, was born
into it, or by volunteering to become a bond-servant. Paul knew slavery was as wicked as idol
worship and prostitution, but these vices were not going away any time
soon. So, Paul instructed Believers to walk in “obedience to their masters
with fear and trembling.” Regardless of whom your employer is or what
they are like, you as the employee are to respectfully submit to their orders
except in issues of immorality. The
respect is important. Our text says, “with fear and trembling.” This is not the idea of being scared to the
point of cowering before them; instead Paul speaks of giving honor and respect to
those in authority. He said do this “in the sincerity of your heart, as to
Christ.” Here Paul means to say
without deception, i.e. give the appearance of serving faithfully while
secretly planning to escape (6:5).
Paul
goes on to say, “not by way of eyeservice,
as men pleasers,” which conveys the idea of only working while in sight of
their master and “goofing off” when he
is not around. Instead of having that
mentality, believing slaves were to
consider themselves “as slaves of
Christ, doing the will of God from the heart” (6:6). In other words, these folks were to approach
their duties with the same mindset as Jesus Christ who chose to become the Servant of all. Please note this
command is followed by the promise “…knowing
that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the
Lord, whether slave or free” (6:8).
Paul
speaks of the Bema Seat Judgment out future as he did while writing to the
carnal Corinthians: For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each
one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has
done, whether good or bad (2 Corinthians 5:10).
Now,
please turn with me in your Bible to Philippians 2:6. Here Paul writes about the Incarnation, i.e.
Jesus Christ, the Creator God, taking on human form, without ever ceding the
attributes of deity (Matthew 1:23):
Have this attitude
in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who although He existed in the
form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied
Himself, taking the form of (what) a
bond-servant, and being
made in the likeness of men. Being found
in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient
to the point of death, even death on the cross (Philippians 2:5-8).
In
verse 7, Paul said Jesus Christ took on the "form of a bond-slave"—a person who voluntarily submitted himself
to a master in order to do his will.
…but (He) emptied Himself - the
word "emptied" in Koine Greek
is Kenoo (ken-o’-o),
Verb, Strong’s Greek #2758, and it means: to
make empty. Figuratively speaking it
means: to abase, naturalize, to make of none effect, of no reputation. The Lord voluntarily emptied Himself and became the Servant
of all mankind and yet He was fully
God (John 20:28; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8) and fully man (Romans 1:2-4; 1 John
4:2-3).
"Behold,
My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring
forth justice to the nations (Isaiah 42:1).
“
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but
to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
Were you called
while a slave? Do not worry
about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather do that. For he who was called in the Lord while a
slave, is the Lord’s freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is
Christ’s slave. You were bought with a
price; do not become slaves of men. Brethren,
each one is to remain with God in that condition in
which he was called (1
Corinthians7:21-24).
So,
true Believers are to have the same mental attitude
as our Lord and Savior who willingly became a bond-servant (6:5).
Have this attitude
in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, (Philippians 2:5).
The
word "attitude" here is
the Koine Greek word Phroneo, which means: To
think, to exercise the mind, to have an opinion or attitude. Paul defines this exhortation in verses
3-4. The attitude Paul is calling Believers to put on is humility:
Do nothing from
selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind
regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out
for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others (Philippians 2:3-4).
This
entire chapter speaks of humility. Here Paul calls believers to have a mind, attitude, or thinking of humility,
which was the Lord’s attitude.
Humility should first be our
reaction toward God acknowledging the fact He has the right to control us and
our lives; He can do with you and me as He pleases, while acknowledging to
ourselves we are in control of nothing… not even our next heart beat. Because His
authority is Sovereign (absolute) He can give us commands without first discussing
the parameters of His orders with us personally:
Trust in the LORD
with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He
will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Or do you not know
that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from
God, and that you are not your own? For
you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body (1 Corinthians
6:19-20).
Biblical
speaking, humility is a spirit of submitting to the Lord as master of every
aspect of your life: Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to
every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to
governors as sent by Him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of
those who do right. For such is the will
of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. Act as free men, and do not use your freedom
as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves to God (1 Peter 2:13-16).
The
humble individual understands they
are as clay in the Potter's hands:
But now, O LORD,
You are our Father, We are the clay, and You our potter; And all of us are the
work of Your hand
(Isaiah 64:8).
…who are you, O
man, who answers back to God? The thing
molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this,"
will it
(Romans 9:20)?
Although
Paul directs his commands to believing slaves, and we’re not slaves even though
you may feel as though you’re being treated as one at work, the principle he’s
stating is applicable to us as Believers.
If you are not satisfied with your current employer, you have the option
of finding a more suitable situation elsewhere.
Slaves weren’t given this option. In fact, the slaves of the Roman Empire were
treated more cruelly than anything experienced in the Americas. Slave owners held the power of life or death
over their slaves. Cato, a statesman and
follower of Stoic philosophy advocated throwing out old slaves, as though they
were trash and not feeding the ill slave because they were not worth the
trouble or the expense. He compared sick
slaves to “broken tools.”
So,
Paul’s saying an employee is to walk
in humble obedience at work, i.e. submissive to their employers in
everything and at all times. Whatever
you are asked to do, Paul says “With
good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, “(6:7). But here’s the thing, there is an exception
to this command. Should your employer
assign you something to do that is immoral or against God’s expressed will you are to remember God the Father
is your Master.
Since
we live in a fallen (corrupt) world,
there is a good chance you’ll encounter an unscrupulous employer at some point
in time. I have, so I know some of you
will; it only stands to reason. Should
your boss tell you to do something you know is wrong, then certainly appeal to
them, ask them if they would consider something different, but leave the matter
in their hands and make sure they know you will do it whatever way they decide.
Don’t argue with them and don’t get
mad. Don’t feel sorry for yourself and
don’t talk behind their back. Don’t be disrespectful
in anyway. Simply submit and follow your employer’s instructions. Remember, you’re to demonstrate Christ-like
behavior (5:1). It would honor the faith if the employee performed his
or her task with a willing mind rather
than be disobedient. They could do more
for the honor of the faith by
patiently submitting to even what they
felt to be wrong, than by being punished for what could be regarded as
rebellion against their employer (master).
Let’s
read what Paul wrote in Titus 2:9-10:
“bondslaves
to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be
well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith
that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.”
The
behavior of our lives is to bring glory to God by living according to His principles
in every area of our life. We are to
have a singleness of mind about
this, or as Paul put it at the end of verse 6:5, “in the sincerity of your heart…” There is to be nothing false in our submission
to our employers. We are to serve them
with true hearts.
YOU
WILL RECEIVE A REWARD
The
true Believer works in this manner because he or she knows they will receive a
reward from the Lord at the proper time (6:8).
…knowing that whatever good thing each one does,
this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.
There’s
a good chance you and I may not be compensated reasonably for our work by our
employers, i.e. some people may not be recognized for their efforts at work. However, according to this verse, so what? We are looking toward and living for eternity’s
reward, not what occurs in the here and now. We must be like the elderly missionary that
returned to the U.S. from Africa after many years of preaching and teaching the gospel. On the same ship was Theodore Roosevelt who
was greeted enthusiastically by a great crowd. The missionary was quite discouraged at first
as he thought about the welcome Roosevelt received for shooting game animals,
while there was not one person there to welcome him home after a lifetime of working
for the Lord.
But
then he was reminded that all was as it should be in this world. He had received no
acclaim or reward yet but this was because he had not reached his real home in
heaven. This is the behavior and this is
the mental attitudes every Believer in Christ Jesus should have. But what about the people in charge (employers)?
MASTERS
AND EMPLOYERS
And masters,
do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their
Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him (6:9).
Employers
are to give respectful leadership and remember they too are slaves of Christ.
The
believing employer should not permit his God-given authority go to his head (or feed his pride) as it does with those
outside of Christ:
Every person is to
be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which
exist are established by God. Therefore
whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have
opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves (Romans 13:1-2).
Employers
are to” do the same things to them, and
give up threatening.” In other
words, the believing authority is to follow these same commands. He or she is to treat their employees with
love and compassion, as the Lord Jesus Christ does His Church.
And there is no
partiality with Him (6:9b)
- there is no partiality (favoritism) with the Lord. Your God-given position in life has more to do
with His grace to you than anything for you to be prideful about. All Believers have an equal standing before
the Lord Jesus Christ because in Him there
is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female (Galatians
2:28).
For just as we have
many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so
we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of
another
(Romans 12:4-5).
A
believing employer should be the best employer there is to work for – and he or
she will be if they recognize they too are slaves of Christ and run their operation
according to God’s will. A believing employee
should be the best employee there is – and he or she will be if they do work as
unto the Lord as His bond-servants.
(To
be continued)
©
Copyright 2011
GJ
Heitzman’s Ministry
All
Rights Reserved
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