Pleasing God by Submission to Authority

Transcript

GR 2334
12/05/2021
Pleasing God by Submission to Authority
Ephesians 6: 5-9
Gil Rugh

We’re going to Ephesians 6 in your bibles. We’ll be going to a number of other references, but turn to Ephesians 6, it’s foundational because that’s a basic passage we’re looking at. And you might put a marker there so you can get back to it when we leave to go to some other passages.

The apostle Paul is, in this section of Ephesians, talking about the walk of those who have placed their faith in Christ. And we noted that in Ephesians 1:1 Paul is writing “to the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus.” So, it is a book geared toward believers, as our bibles are, and the New Testament is. But in a special way, Paul focuses on believers. He’s dealing with husbands and wives. He deals primarily with believing husbands and believing wives, believing parents and believing children, believing master and believing slaves, as we’ll be looking at today. We’ll look a little bit at some other passages, particularly in Peter. And Peter includes the unbeliever more than Paul does.

But the word of God together gives us a clear picture of what God intends for us in our walk. We noted in chapter 5:15 the instruction, “be careful how you walk.” That’s been repeated in this section. The first three chapters, remember, included the doctrinal foundation primarily, and the last three chapters of Ephesians include how we are to live in light of the doctrine that we believe. And this emphasis on the walk of the believer, our daily conduct of how we behave day by day. So, the walk denotes just the progress that we make. Verse 18, the conclusion, verse 18 of chapter 5 said, “be filled with the Spirit,” which is talking about the walk of the believer. We walk under the control, domination, of the Spirit of God in our lives. He has come and taken up residence in our life, each one individually, as a result of the faith we have placed in Christ, His payment for our sin. So, our walk is determined by the control of the Spirit.

So, that’s what he’s been talking about, what is to be that walk, which will evidence that we are a people controlled by the Spirit of God. And he talked about wives and husbands. Wives are to be submissive to their husbands. Husbands are to provide godly leadership. He talked about children in chapter 6, as we opened up in the first four verses, with children and their walk and obedience to the parents. Because children, young people, young adults are to place their faith in Christ. And he talked about the fathers of the children. It would include the children are responsive to both the leadership of father and mother, but the father bears ultimate responsibility. Because he has the total headship under Christ, as we’ll see again in our consideration today.

Then verses 5-9, he’s going to talk about slaves and masters, 5-8, he’ll talk about the slaves, then the masters in verse 9. Let me pick up and just read that section to you, before we look at the details. Beginning in verse 5 of Ephesians 6, “Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; not by way of eye service, 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 then, as been his pattern, he turns his attention to those who have the authority over the children. “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.” And again, as we’ve done in these sections, I want to look at several sections with you. Then come back and look a little more in detail at Ephesians, and then I want to conclude by looking at what Peter says that gives a balance to this section.

Come back to Romans 13. In Romans 13, as you are familiar, deals with the submission of believers to governing authorities. So, it’s broader than just slave and masters, but as we’ll see, these get all mingled together. Because our subservience in one area leads into another area. Chapter 13 of Romans, verse 1 says, “Every person is to be in subjections to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.” That’s a crucial truth to be understood. It effects all areas of submission that those which exist are established by God. You understand when Paul, under the direction of the Spirit of God, wrote this, Nero was the Roman Emperor, the Roman ruler. Paul is going to die under the authority of Nero, as will Peter. He was a godless man. And yet, we’re told those which exist are established by God for His purposes at that time. That doesn’t mean those rulers are doing the will of God in all they do. But it does mean God has established them and so, as much as we can, within the frame work of the scriptures, we obey them. Now, there will come a time when we can’t obey. We have to obey God rather than men, as we’re told earlier in the book of Acts. But, basically we live under the authority of governing authorities, whomever they might be. “Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.”

So, that’s the general pattern and general guidelines. And we need to be careful of this in all areas of God’s authority. Otherwise, we fool ourselves. And we’ve noted in passages of scripture, many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, we did all these things in Your name, blah, blah, in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, and Jesus says, I never knew you. So, we want to be careful that we are obedient in the areas where it may be unpleasant to be obedient. And the repeated admonition in Romans 13:4, where “it is a minister of God to you for good.” And again, in the middle of the verse 4, for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God.”

See that repeated emphasis. And that’s true of the rule of God permeating throughout His creation. Now, because of sin entering in, there are the negative sides. But we want to be careful, very careful in the way we talk and the way we act. That we are obedient to those who are in charge. Keep in mind, Paul is primarily carrying out his ministry under the Roman Caesar named Nero, that we think of as a despicable character. And he’s saying, you obey. I’ve been in communist countries and they’ve been opposed to the word of God. They’ve imprisoned believers. But generally they keep order. So, as much as possible, we appreciate them for what they do.

I was sitting in a communist country and in a living room with some believers. And one of those that were traveling with us said something about the rulers. And they just put their finger to their mouth, they went (shaking their heads), no, nothing negative, no negative comments about the rulers. There were things… some of them had spent time in prison for their faith in Christ, that’s one thing. But as soon as one of our number began to say something, no, we don’t talk that way. We don’t talk about them, we don’t say, they might be listening. We might be in a room with the doors closed, the windows closed, nobody can know, but we don’t do that. I thought that was a good reminder. Here I am, how many years later, I still remember it. It is still impressed on my mind. They are putting their finger to their mouths, shaking their heads, no, you don’t talk like that. They could have said it out loud, really, we’re in their living room, we’re closed in. But we just don’t talk about that.

So, the guideline, they are a minister of God, verse 4 of Romans 13, and that encompasses all areas of authority. Starting with the governing authorities as we’ll see.

Come over to 1 Corinthians 7 in your bibles. Specifically because we’ve looked at husbands and wives. We’ve looked at children and parents. We want to now look at slaves and masters. That’s the particular area. So, we’ve come down in authority, from the Roman emperor and down. But God has established all the authority. So, verse 17 of Romans 7 says, “Only, as the Lord assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this manner let him walk.” You see who is sovereign in all this. This is where sometimes we believers get off track. Oh yes, we believe in the sovereignty of God, and everybody ought to believe in the sovereignty of God, but then we breakdown that, because God has appointed those who are in charge. And He’s appointed the place that we have. Now, in our country we don’t have slaves, per se, but we have masters and workers. So the principle is the same even though the names are changed. We have people who work jobs and if I had my choice I’d work another job. But I don’t have a choice, I need to place food for my family and so on. So, I work this job. It may not be a slave/master, but as each one has been called, walk in that manner, period.

Verse 20, “Each man must remain in that condition in which he was called.” Now we need to be careful, people pull out verses and they’ve been true on this… I was reading an article I’d put in my file. It had appeared in a local newspaper a number of years ago. And the person was railing about, you couldn’t do the husband and wife obedience/submission because you’d have to do the slaves and the masters, and we don’t have slaves and masters, so we shouldn’t have this. And just becomes an excuse not to believe the scriptures. Each man is to remain in the condition he was called. Well, that means if you’re called to be a slave, and that’s the condition you were in, you should not do anything to get out of that. Well, what’s the next verse? “Were you called while a slave? Do not worry about it; but if you’re able also to become free, rather do that.” So, you see, the balance that’s there. It doesn’t mean well, I was saved when I was in this position, I just have to stay in this position. No, if there is a reasonable way for me to be into another position, I can do that.

A slave in biblical times could be free, could purchase his freedom, could be set free after a certain amount of time. There were different guidelines. But the point of verse 20, isn’t you just whatever condition you’re in when you’re saved, that’s it, period. But I recognize this is where I was. This is God saved me. Now He’s provided another opportunity for a slave. If you’ve become able to be free, do that. Fine. But in it all, I recognize God is sovereign in this. If you can’t do that then you continue as a slave. You don’t use that as an excuse. Well, I’m a slave of one person, of the living God and His Son, Jesus Christ. And so, I don’t become a slave of men. Wait a minute, I don’t obey the scripture. Well, then I don’t obey the One I claim as my master. “For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord’s freedman.” If you’re called to be a slave, look at yourself in light of the Lord. I may be a slave among men, but I’m ultimately a slave of God, a free man of God. And if you were called while you were free, you’re Christ’s slave.

It’s why we’re going to have the instruction to the masters as well as the slaves. What happened if you free and you’re independently wealthy and all of that? But you became a believer in Jesus Christ? You became His slave, right? Of course. Well, the other is true as well. I may be a slave of men, but I am a free man of Christ, because He set me free. But that doesn’t mean I don’t fulfill my responsibilities. “You were bought with a price, do not become slaves of men.” Again, we pull out these verses, and we say well, verse 23 says don’t become the slave of men. Therefore, that excludes me having to do what my boss tells me. “Brethren, each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called.” Which is it? It’s both. I want to see myself as God sees me. I may be in the lowest position possible in the job that I have, but in Christ, He set me free. And I serve in the job I have, because I need it to pay the bills, to fulfill my obligations, but I have freedom in Christ. There’s not a conflict. And that’s why we have a repeated emphasis on this throughout the scripture.

In 1 Corinthians 7, if you take one verse that seems to say one thing, you take the other verse it seems the other, you put them together, you say we have a balance. I may be a slave, I may not have a choice. Well, I thank God I’m free in Christ. And even though I’m serving men, I’m free in Christ. And I may have been independently wealthy, and take care of myself, and I have plenty, but I’m a slave of the living Christ. So, you put the two together.

Come over to Colossians 3, and we want to pick up with verse 22, we had the summary of the wives and the children, following basically the Ephesians order. Wives be subject to your husbands, husbands love your wives in verses 18 and 19 of Colossians 3. And children be obedient to your parents in verse 21, fathers don’t exasperate your children. Both have responsibilities before God. Then verse 22 to 25, he elaborates on the slave, because that’s going to be a difficult position. Because even though Ephesians doesn’t go into it and neither does Colossians, 1 Peter does. And you may, in all of these relationships, be dealing with an ungodly one who is over you. It doesn’t change your responsibility, you be obedient to them. “Slaves, in all things,” note that, “Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.” That word ‘fearing’, we get it translated sometimes in the context of the slave/master, as we’ll see, as ‘respect’. But it’s the same word. I wish they had translated it the same way. It has a reverential respect.

I mean, there are certain things I can’t do. And again, the book of Acts, Peter says we have to obey God rather than men. But we want to be very careful, that’s where the scripture specifically says, but other than that, I don’t obey men. I don’t like it, I don’t enjoy it, it’s not pleasant, but I do it, I fear the Lord. I fear disobeying Him by disobeying those He has put over me, humanly speaking. Whenever you do your work, do it heartily whatever you do, do your work heartily. Whatever. Well, I don’t like it, I don’t see any purpose in it, I don’t blah, blah, blah. Doesn’t matter, it’s not your decision. You do your work heartily as for the Lord, rather than for men. You know, we as believers, we get in a bind. We talk about the sovereignty of God, and He rules over all. Well, then if you’re a slave, who saved you as a slave? Who put you into slavery? Well, men did it. Oh, I thought God was sovereign? Well, He’s sovereign over all, but… So, you “do your work heartily, as for the Lord, rather than for men,” because you claim to be His slave, His servant. So, doesn’t matter what kind of human boss I have, I want to do the best job I can from my heart. I mean, this is not just because I’ve got to do it. This is because I really want to please the Lord. So, as a slave, I do my work heartily as for the Lord, rather than for men. So, that.

Wait a minute, I’ve got an unbelieving boss. He doesn’t appreciate that I’m doing this for the Lord. No, but I’m doing it for the Lord, the Lord appreciates it, so to speak, if I can use that terminology. He will reward that. “Knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” So, in my failure to do the job that I should do, out of a heart desirous of pleasing and honoring the Lord, is really a rebellion against God. Well, He’s sovereign, He’s sovereign over all. And I’m not going to do it, because I just don’t feel like I should have to do it. Wait a minute, is God sovereign? Yes. Well, then who are you rebelling against? Ultimately God. Well, my master won’t give Him any credit, he takes all the credit. Well, he’ll get to that in a moment in Peter. But we do it as for the Lord, knowing from Him we will receive the inheritance. “It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” That’s the bottom line. That’s why I want to do the best job. That’s why I want to do it the best way. I want to apply myself, I want to do more than just the expected.

“He who does wrong, will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.” In chapter 4 (we have an unfortunate break here), “Master, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven.” Again, addressing believing masters. So, it’s like Ephesians, we’re dealing with believers on both sides. We’ll get to Peter, and Peter will deal with about an unbelieving master. You still obey him because the Lord has put him there. Just like the unbelieving government, that’s why we started out in Romans 13, doesn’t matter that Nero is everybody’s bad guy. I still obey him. I still want to honor him. I still want to give him my obedience in every way I can, except where it directly conflicts with the word of God. Not just because, well, my feelings are… well, it’s not governed by my feelings. It’s governed by what God says. So, “Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven.” Well, that’s addressing believers. And believers ought to be sensitive and characteristic.

Come over to 1 Timothy 6:1, “All who are under the yoke as slaves are to regard their own masters as worthy of all honor.” Wait a minute, I don’t think that’s so. When I was in bible college, I worked for a man, he was of a different religious conviction. There were things that he would do and he would say do, but I couldn’t do, but I could adjust. And I could say, well, I can’t do it that way, but I can do this. Because I wanted the best that I could do to please him. And we got along well during my time there. But, you know, I couldn’t do things that were openly and clearly dishonest. I could do things that I thought maybe, but I could explain to him why, but he would say, no, we’re doing it this way. Then I would submit. I have to be clear, I don’t want to have to over emphasize this, but I don’t want to under emphasize. I get so many people who come and say, well, I obey… this happens in husband and wife. Well, I obey my husband, but I obey my boss, but…but what? Well, I just don’t feel good about it. Well, that’s not a reason. That’s why it is repeated again and again in scripture. Chapter 6 of 1 Timothy, verse 1, all who are under the yoke as slaves are to regard their own masters as worthy of all honor.”

We’re going to get to Peter, some of them humanly speaking, aren’t worthy of the honor. Nero was one of those. Even the unbeliever couldn’t take him. He ultimately commits suicide to avoid being killed. But you don’t get that from scripture. Scripture says you show him honor. You submit. So, we’ll see when we get to Peter, some of the masters are not good. So, that the name of our God and our doctrine and our teaching will not be spoken against. Well, wait a minute, that’s where again, a believer who is not functioning biblically is an oxymoron. Well, I believe what? We should obey the scripture, but I don’t believe I have to obey it all the time. It’s clear, we do.

Those who have believers as their masters must not be disrespectful of them, because they’re brethren. Oh, well, I ought to get some more leeway here because I’m a believer. We don’t have slaves and masters in the same sense, but we do have jobs. And I may be on the low end of the totem pole, and there may be a believing master up here. I don’t get exceptional treatment because I’m a believer. I can’t be disrespectful. Oh, you ought to give me a little more thoughtfulness, you ought to give me off Sunday, you ought to give me, maybe this job, because. No. “Those who have believers as their masters must not be disrespectful to them because they’re brethren, but must serve them all the more, because those who partake of the benefit are believers and beloved. Teach and preach these principles.” Oh, well, I don’t think I want to preach that. Why? Do what you’re told. Well, he’s my boss, I mean, I would have thought he’d take a little consideration, I’m a believer. He ought to know I need off Sunday, I need off Wednesday night, I need off Thursday for the bible study. I mean, he ought to be thoughtful. Your job is not his job. Your job is your job. And that’s the balance here.

This is what you are to do. This is what he is to do. Now just because he doesn’t do what he should do, doesn’t give you a reason. I’ve been through this so many times. I’m going to belabor it. I’ve had one person say, I just don’t agree with this, I’m not going to do it. Well, then you’re in rebellion against scripture. Well, you really haven’t considered what he’s doing, what she’s doing. Don’t have too, I have to consider what you were doing. That’s where we are. Now, what is my responsibility? I can’t make the other person do what they should do. But I can be careful that I am doing what I must do in that situation.

Come over to Titus, after Timothy, then we’ll have to go back to Timothy. Titus, just after the letters of Timothy. Letter of Titus, chapter 2:9, “Urge bondslaves,” and you have that word ‘urge’, because you pick it up from back in verse 6, “Likewise urge the young men to be sensible,” and bondslaves, verse 9, “Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well pleasing, not argumentative,” contradicting, “not pilfering, showing all good faith, so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.”

Now, again there are exceptions. Well, did you think Paul didn’t know what the exceptions were? You think the Holy Spirit that’s directing Paul didn’t know that there were exceptions? The exceptions are so clear and so few, that we just expand that so we can have a reason why I just don’t think it’s fair. He expects more of me than he does others, and I’m just not going to do it. Wait a minute, who am I serving? Who put me in this position? Well, I don’t think God is directing him. Wait a minute, I’m back to me. God put me in this position, maybe under duress, under the pressure, so that I can show, yes, I do it. Because ultimately I’m doing it out of a desire to please the God that I serve, period. We’ve had any number of people just decide, I don’t agree. Hum, well, ok, you don’t agree. Now, here’s what you do. Even though you don’t agree. Now, we may talk about it, but I have to decide my position is what? Well, its only mine when I agree. That’s not biblical. It’s just not biblical. We may get a lot worse as a country. We still will have to be good citizens, as Paul did under Nero’s leadership and oversight and be submissive and obey to every degree I can. And when I can’t, it would have to be clear they are requiring of me something that is totally, clearly unbiblical. Just because I feel I shouldn’t, isn’t a reason.

Chapter 3:1, “Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. For we also were once foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts.” But that’s not what we are now. So, you have to remind them, Titus, to be subject to rulers like Nero. And like all those sub-authorities that he put under them.

Come back to 1 Timothy 3. I have one article in my file… I’m trying to get rid of some stuff in my file, and I end up sitting down and reading all these articles, so I don’t get rid of them, because I took all my time reading. But again, wives shouldn’t be obedient to their husbands. This particular one I was in was related to slaves. But at all, in this article, in one of the newspapers, connected it to the slaves. Well, then you believe there should be slaves and we should be slaves? Well, of course not. Well, that means that the scripture is no more binding in the area of husbands and wives. And no more binding in children and parents. And it’s not binding anywhere except where I want it to be binding. And obviously dealing with a person who doesn’t believe the scriptures. But they are writing about the scriptures.

In 1 Timothy 2, we have the women and they are to be submissive and just to pick up verse 12 of 1 Timothy 2, “But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve.” We’re back to the creation, the fall hasn’t occurred. It’s the order of creation that establishes something. And before He created man, He created the angels. And the angels have authority. Even unfallen angels have authority. And they recognize the authority that exists between fallen angels and unfallen angels, which would be a different subject, but some of you are familiar with the verses in Jude, 2 Peter, and so on, about obeying. And then it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman was deceived. Well, this again, this is when there’s two people. So, the order of creation, the facts of the fall, both establish an order. And there’s an order that spreads out throughout creation as it develops.

Alright, come back to Ephesians 6:4, summarized, “Fathers, do not provoke your children.” After three verses on children. And there is in Ephesians, a more elaboration sometimes on the obedient one, sometimes on the one who is to be exercising authority. In Colossians we saw there is just a verse on each. Wives be submissive to your husbands, husbands do this. Children do this, fathers do this. Then he elaborated a little bit fuller on slaves. Because they are in the most difficult of all. Verse 5, ”Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh.” So that we don’t get into playing games here, well, I only obey the Lord Jesus Christ. I have become His slave. Well, Paul makes that clear, under the direction of the Spirit of God, being “obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh.” Your human masters. Oh, well, what about if they are disobedient? Well, that’s going to be so clear and so few, it’s not basically what he’s talking about. “Be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh,” your human masters, be obedient to them, “with fear and trembling.” Fear and trembling. Trembling is the result of the fear. The fear is so real, I tremble over the idea I might disobey. That’s the way the apostle Paul carried out his ministry wherever he went.

Come over to 1 Corinthians 2, look at verse 3, “I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling.” Well, wait a minute, there were no governing authorities particularly that were the problem. Paul’s ministry of God’s truth was handled in this way. In fear, in much trembling. So, wherever I’m serving the Lord, I want to do it with that reverential fear, that respect, that is because I recognize your just authority from God. Whether you’re a believer or not. And the trembling, just is the physical manifestation of that. Yes, I was so concerned about this, I trembled. Paul says, “I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling.” In my preaching. “And my message and preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom.” See, it’s a consuming thing.

Go just after the next book after Ephesians in your bible to Philippians 2:12, “So then, my beloved, just as you have now always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence.” Because Paul’s absent, he’s in a Roman jail, he’s a Roman prisoner when he writes Philippians, as he is when he writes Ephesians and Colossians. What does he write? “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” There’s our two words again, fear and trembling. “For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” My ultimate fear and trembling come as, I want to obey God. Yeah, but that’s different, you don’t know the guy I work for, he is, I mean, he is the opposite. That doesn’t matter. I am ultimately obeying him out of a desire to please the God that I serve. Back in Ephesians 6, “with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart.” This isn’t I just do it because I’m afraid of the consequences. No, I do it because I want to do it, I want to be so careful to honor the Lord in every way in all that I do. So, I do it as to Christ, as to Christ.

Verse 6, “not by way of eye service, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ.” Verse 7, “With good will render service, as to the Lord.” That emphasis, I’m doing this as to the Lord. Now, this guy may be the opposite of a believer, he may be demanding, he may be requiring longer hours. It may be, it’s alright, I do it, because I want to please the Lord. And for whatever reason, the Lord has put me in situation. Now, if you can get into another situation, a better situation, maybe working for a believing boss, that’s fine. That’s back to 1 Corinthians 7, if you can get out of being a slave, and the Lord has provided that, you have the money, buy your way out. But if you don’t, do it. But the condition… Well, I’ll do it, but I’ll do it grumbling, I’ll do it complaining. That’s not an option, because it’s a rebellion against God who put you in that situation. You see the difference. If you can get out, get a better job, you can get one you find, do it. You could be a slave, you could earn your way. You could have the money to buy your freedom, so that’s fine. But you do it in the sincerity of your heart as to Christ. As long as you are in that position, you do it with the right attitude, the right motivation. You do it as to Christ. You’re obedient, Ephesians 6:5, obedient to your master according to the flesh as to Christ. I can’t break the two apart. I can’t separate them. Well, I’m being obedient, but I’m sitting on the outside and standing on the inside, kind of thing.

“Not by way,” verse 6, “of eye service, as men-pleasers.” That’s the person… oh yes, when my boss is watching, I’m a hard worker. But when he’s out, you know, not going to know, I’m propping up my feet and doing nothing. Wait a minute, I don’t do it as a man-pleaser. I don’t do it just to get good marks from him. As slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. Does it get any clearer than that verse? “Not by way of eye service, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.” Now a slave does that. Obviously in the work situation, whether you’re a slave, a master, you know, we still use the terminology, oh boy I’m slaving away today. Well, good. What do you mean, good? You don’t know my master, I think he was being unfair to me. Do you think these masters were all fair? You’re doing the will of God from the heart. Who put you in that? We’re back to who’s ultimately in charge? Well, God, but… You know when I was saved, I had this job, you know, it’s a different… No, it’s not different. We simplify our lives by making them more biblical. That’s true in all these areas of discipline. Wives to husbands, children to parents, slaves, workers to their bosses, slaves to their masters. Doing the will of God from the heart.

Verse 7 of Ephesians 6, “With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men.” That’s what ultimately I recognize. Whatever reason the Lord has it, He’s put me in this position. Now again, if you can buy your freedom, do it. If you can change your job to a better one, that’s fine, do it though with the right attitude. Don’t say, well, now I’ve finally got a job where they will respect me, and I’ll be, blah, blah, blah. You tell your boss you think I’ve found another job, I’m going to take it, but I appreciate the opportunity I had to work for you. Oh, I didn’t appreciate it. Well, then I’ve got to get my heart right again. Because I’m rendering service as to the Lord, when I’m in that job. Now I’m leaving that job, I want them to know I wasn’t doing it at all for the Lord. But I am supposedly having a testimony. Well, it’s a wrong kind of testimony. I’m testifying that I really don’t do what I should do. I wasn’t doing it as a slave to Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with good will rendering service as to the Lord, and not to men. Because you know what? I look at my paycheck and say, well I don’t think I get paid enough.

But “knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.” So, ultimately I’m doing it for the Lord because I don’t get treated fairly in what I do. I know I don’t. That’s alright, I will get treated fairly when the Lord metes out what he should do. So, we want to be careful, we keep our perspective big enough, clear enough. Otherwise we get so mired down in the everyday grind, that we’re complaining, we’re grumbling, we’re doing it but it’s driving me crazy to do it., we’re not slaves in the sense… but we have maybe some choices. Well, then take your choice. Well, I don’t have any choice right now, this is a job and I need the job. Well, then do it saying, Lord, for whatever reason this is the job You’ve given me, this is what I do. This is how I do it. I want to please You. When I stand before You, I want a well done, good and faithful slave. Oh, well. We receive it back from the Lord. Ultimately I’m doing it because of my love for the Lord. That is to make an impact.

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And masters, do the same thing to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is not partiality with Him.” Now, you note, he doesn’t say slaves, here’s what you tell your masters. He tells the slaves what they are to do, he tells the masters what they are to do. The same thing with the children and the parents. Same thing with the husbands and the wives. Each one is responsible and accountable before God. It’s like the wife, well Lord, this is the marriage I’m in. This is the husband I have. I will to the best of my ability, submit and obey him. He may be a godless man, there may be things I can’t do, but I want to be very careful. Most of the conversations I’ve had in these areas, deal with the subjective things. I just don’t feel right doing it. And I don’t think I should violate my conscience. I don’t think you should violate the word of God. Bring your conscience into conformity with the word. Well, then masters to slaves, read verse 9 to them. Okay, “masters do the same thing to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.” Because Paul is writing to believers.

Come over to 1 Peter 2, because Peter gives a balance that Paul doesn’t, but that doesn’t mean, oh well, then I choose this part of Paul and this part of Peter. And that’s sort of the way we handle the word, we sort of decide what verse we want to pick on. Well, you’ve got to deal with everything. Verse 13 of 1 Peter 2, “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake.” You ought to have that underlined in your bibles. “For the Lord’s sake to every human institution.” So, over time, and we have different forms of government, we’re privileged to, at the present time, live under a government that gives freedom. That may change. It may change before the Lord comes. Makes me glad that I’m old. But it could change tomorrow. My responsibility will be the same. “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake, to every human institute, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him.” So, this is all down the line, they’re ultimately to punish evil doers.

And I mentioned when I was in a communist country, there were things there… And I met with believers who were in prison for their faith for twenty some years, now out because they were old. But they still had to obey the government. I still don’t talk against my government. They are the government God has put in place. I want to be a good citizen. Well, you appreciate that, he’s there. And they did, they did punish evil doers as well as some good doers, but this is the will of God, verse 15. Well, I don’t think it’s God’s will. This is the will of God. Keep in mind, Nero is the king, the emperor at this point. Peter is going to die at his hands as a martyr. He still says, submit, “this 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 of God.” So, this is where I am, back as a slave of God.

Four commands given here, “Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.” Well, I might have put a line through the last one now, honor the king. I mean, Nero, I don’t think so. Love the brother, fear God, honor all people, well yeah, but fear the king? Honor the king, no, I don’t think so. Yes. Then he comes in, servants be submissive to your masters with all respect. Now here he is again, he’s under the direction of the same Spirit who wrote Paul. But he didn’t write the same thing to everyone. So, he says, “Servants be submissive to your masters with all respect.” That’s where our word ‘fear’, we could pick it up from verse 17, “fear God.” “Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear (respect).” Well, the same thing, we translated it differently in English, but it’s the same Greek word. “With all fear, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable.” Oh, now we’re getting to the heart of it. Now, you know something about my boss, he’s unreasonable. Well, you submit to him.

Now, that doesn’t mean I’ll disobey the scripture. But most of, 99.9% of those, the situations that I’ve been in, it’s personal conviction, personal feelings. I won’t obey my husband, I won’t obey you. I have to obey my conscience. Who said? Who said that conscience is over the word of God? Where do we get that? My conscience it to be conformed to the word. There are certain things, yes I have the freedom to decide on. There are certain things I don’t. Wives don’t have the freedom to decide whether they will be obedient to their husband. Children don’t have the authority to decide whether they will be obedient to their parents. Slaves don’t have the authority to decide whether they will be obedient to their masters. Well, what about if they tell me to do… and then we come up with, well, if they are clearly telling you go steal this, no, I can’t do that. Why can’t you do that? But it has to be clear. And you act like the scripture, well, you know, you sort of made a mistake here. Well, he didn’t. It’s whether you do it for the Lord’s sake, whether it’s to the king, whether it’s the governors, such is the will of God.

Now again, well it’s for the punishment of evil doers, and they are punishing good people for doing good things, and I can’t, wait a minute. We’re back to Nero again. He’s going to send Peter, when Peter writes his second letter, it will be closer to the time when he’s going to give his life for his testimony. “Such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. Act as free men, do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.” You see the balance there. This idea of, well I won’t, I don’t agree with that. We’ve had wives, I’ve had a man sit in my office and say, you know, he had brought his wife in, she just, I won’t listen to you, I don’t think my husband is right, I won’t do it. He finally came in one day and said, you know, I just can’t handle it at home. My wife is a strong woman, it just is relentless. We’re going to try to find a different church. Well, you know, you have to make the decision, but I wonder what in the world do we have going on? What do we have going on? Well, I don’t have to obey my boss because, you know, I do it when he’s watching, and I do what I think is right, but, I’m not doing anymore because I just don’t think it’s fair. In other words, the bible now, becomes subject to me. And I pick out what I want to obey.

“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 bond slaves of God. Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect,” with all fear. And this finds favor, “Not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable.” I’m still going to submit to someone who’s unreasonable? You have in the margin of your bible, if you’re using a New American Standard, ‘perverse’ for that word translated ‘unreasonable’. I mean, lets face it, I just can’t. You don’t know my boss. No, but God does. Who put you in that position? You do it because you serve Him. And the Lord put you there for His reasons. Maybe He wants you to show that that master is unreasonable, as perverse as he is, and what he’s requiring of you. You’re doing it to the best of your ability, perhaps over time, God will use it. “This finds favor,” verse 19, “if for the sake of conscience toward God,” there’s the guideline. That’s ultimately everything, I am a slave of the living God. “If for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly,” that finds favor. That’s what’s pleasing to God. That I am suffering unjustly, and I’m doing the best I can. And obeying because I serve God. Well, God knows how I’m being abused. I’m being mistreated. I didn’t get the promotion I should have, but I’ve been faithful, I’ve been a good servant.

I remember having a conversation with my boss, and said, you know, I’ve tried to do everything you want. I will try harder, I will do better. And over time, we developed a good relationship. Far as I know, he didn’t become a believer. But I wanted to be careful there, I wanted to be honest. I’m doing the best I can. I realize I didn’t get done what you expected, but I tried to get it all done, but I couldn’t. I mean, there’s going to be times you fail. But you don’t fail because I didn’t obey him or I didn’t give the time. And that’s what it is here. “What credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what’s right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.” Well, who am I trying to please? Here I’ve got a chance to please God by… cause it’s unfair, it’s unjust, but I’m here doing it. But Lord, I’m doing it for You, to please You, to honor You. And then you have the example given of Christ, beginning in verse 21. And then you come back to wives. So, different order, but the same material that Paul covers, only Peter covers it in a little different way. And he includes the unbeliever. So, you may have an unbelieving master, boss, who is treating you unfairly. That doesn’t mean you don’t have to function as you should. And then with wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives,” in chapter 3:1, same point.

So, when we put it all together we see, God gives a grace for us to function. So, whatever you’re job, whatever, you say, well I’m doing this because I need to provide for my family. I don’t know that my Dad enjoyed working at US Steel in that sense. But he had what God provided for me to provide for you, for our family. And that means, I don’t get home every time at five o’clock. Well, that’s fine, it was a good model. It was good. No, I do it because I’m doing it for the Lord. I want to please Him, I want Him to say, at the judgment, well done, good and faithful servant. Well, but you don’t know how hard it is. No, I don’t, but are you saying God doesn’t know how hard it is? You’ve been called for this purpose.

Verse 21, Christ suffered for you as an example for you to follow in His steps. You’re not saved by trying to follow Christ’s example, but when you are saved, He is the example. He didn’t rebel, He didn’t commit any sin. No deceit was found in His mouth. He didn’t revile those who reviled Him. He endured it for me. Well, that’s the one I serve. But I don’t serve men. Well, wait a minute, we’re back to point zero again. So, we want to be careful in all of this, that we are being biblical. And we are doing, and God addresses the masters. But He doesn’t address the slaves, to address the masters. He addresses the wives, he address the children, he addresses the husbands, he addresses the parents, each one is accountable. And I realize, God has put me in the position He’s put me in. I must be careful to be pleasing to Him, in all that I do. And then, it says He will ultimately do the judging and give the rewards. That will be good enough.

Let’s pray together. Thank you, Lord, for the riches of Your word. Thank you for the simplicity of Your word. It was given so that we, as Your people might understand it. We can understand that the unbeliever can study the word but he constantly misuses it, misapplies it, abuses it. But for we who have the Spirit of God, we are to be careful and handle it accurately. Pray for those in difficult situations and difficult marriages, parents that are difficult, slaves, jobs. Lord, in all these things, we acknowledge You are sovereign. You have put us where You have put us, for Your purposes. And it’s above all important that we honor You with our obedience to You, whether slaves or masters, whether employees of employers. Whether children or parents, whether husbands of wives. Lord in all things, we want to first of all, live out what we claim to believe. That You are sovereign in our lives in every detail. We look forward to being gathered in Your presence, the reward that only You can give. We would desire to be faithful to that end. In Jesus’s name. Amen.