A Good Slave - 1 Timothy 6:1-2

Well, open your Bibles to 1 Timothy chapter 6. 1 Timothy chapter 6. We want to read verse 1 to 10. We'll only be looking at verse 1 to 2 this morning. We want to read to verse 10. 1 Timothy chapter 6, beginning in verse one. Let all who are under a yoke as bondervants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled. Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers. Rather, they must serve all the

better, since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved. Teach and urge these things. If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth. Imagining that godliness is a means of gain, but godliness with contentment is

great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing with these, we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierce themselves with many pains. And that is the word of the living God. As we

approach these verses, it is necessary for us to recognize and take seriously the words that Paul ends verse two with and also the context in which he says what he says. He ends verse two with teach and urge these things. Now let me just ask you and we might think well this applies only to the men but it doesn't. It is a text that speaks to a response to authority and not just to men who go to work. But let me ask you this. What is your attitude in the morning when you go to work?

And let me ask you this, ask you to do this as we go through this text. Is your attitude and your mindset in accordance with what we will see in scripture? And if it is not, will you then by God's grace and with his help bring it into alignment with what we see in scripture. Paul says, "Teach and urge these things." Timothy is to teach and urge these things to the church. In the church, Timothy is to convey this information. He is to instruct on and in to the believers. And then when he has taught

these things, he is not to leave it as an optional lecture for people to have listened to, but he is to urge them. That is to exhort. Some of your translations might have that word to exhort them. It is to call or summon the people who have heard the teaching to now do what has been taught and to make application of what has been taught. This really it is the command that Paul gives to Timothy to do with all preaching and teaching to urge and to exhort to summon those who have heard to now make

application. But hear this, what he says, teach and urge these things. It is in accordance with sound doctrine and the words of the Lord, the words of Jesus Christ, as he says in verse three. And it is even in accordance with the words of our Lord in the great commission when he told the disciples go and make disciples bapt of all nations baptizing them in the name of the father the son and the holy spirit and teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. This is in accordance with the words of our

Lord. And to teach differently or to not agree with this, Paul says, is to be conceited. It is to be puffed up and to be without understanding. Now, this is not the only teaching that Timothy is to teach and urge, but most certainly he is to teach and to urge this. This is a teaching that accords with godliness. And so to teach differently or to disagree or to not apply this teaching is then by default ungodly. He is to teach. It is something that is to be taught because it is not something that man would

just come up with or do from his own understanding or that he would just do naturally. Paul tells Timothy that he is to teach and to urge slaves to be submissive to and honor their masters. Not only are they to submit to and honor their masters in their actions, but willingly from the heart. Paul addresses not only the actions of slaves towards their masters but also their attitude toward their masters. And the fact that Paul addresses this in the church to the church for the church assumes a number of things and it raises some questions

that can often make the Christians uncomfortable. And the first thing that it assumes is that there were those in the church who were slaves. The second thing that it assumes is that there were slaves in the church who were not honoring and were not submitting to their masters. And that is why these instructions were given. See, the church here had all kinds of problems with submitting to authority. We've seen that already throughout the epistle. Women not taking their proper place and role, having to be instructed, that they were not permitted to teach. Now, the third

thing that this assumes is that there were most probably those sitting in the church who had slaves or who owned slaves. And it is quite probable even that the master and the slave were sitting together in the same congregation because as Paul says he also speaks to the slaves who have believing masters. Meaning that those masters would have been in the church as well if they were believers. And what Paul does not say is, you know what, you don't need to submit to or honor your masters because they shouldn't even have slaves. Also, Paul does

not say to the believing masters, you must let all your slaves go. In this text, Paul does not even address the masters at all, but only the slaves. And so, that raises some questions. What about slavery? How are we to understand this text? Why does Paul not condemn those who have slaves? Why does he not call for the complete abolition of slavery? Now, it might surprise some Christians that the Bible nowhere, not in the Old Testament or in the New Testament, calls for the abolition of slavery. And if there was ever a text, a time,

a place where it would, you'd think it'd be right here. And so before we get into the text, I think it is helpful or will be helpful and and necessary even for us to understand some context and to understand slavery from a biblical lens so that we understand what is going on. so that we don't read into the text what it does not say and so that we also don't just dismiss or ignore what the text does say. And so in order to understand this text, it is necessary to talk about slavery. And that is

point number one in your outlines in your bulletin. What about slavery? First, it is important to understand that the slavery Paul is speaking to the system of slavery that he is addressing, the system of slavery that we almost immediately and automatically think of when we think of slaves and slavery. What Paul is speaking to and addressing, it is not like the African slave trade of the more modern history of the American South. Paul is not speaking to a race-based slavery. That that was entirely wicked. They were kidnapping families, men and and women and children, and

and bringing them over to another country to serve as slaves. That's that's completely outside of what this is talking about or what Paul is referring to, kidnappers. If you go back even just to chapter 1, I think it's here in first Timothy that they will not inherit the kingdom of God and slavers. Yes, kidnappers. Enslavers is the word that Paul uses in it's the word for kidnapping. That's not what Paul is addressing. Second, he is also not addressing or speaking to the slavery that is still going on today, which is the second largest criminal industry

in the world and it is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world and that is child trafficking or human trafficking. that is wicked and evil and that is not what Paul is referring to at all. And then third, though Paul is not speaking against or calling for the abolition of slavery, he is not encouraging slavery either. He is shephering people in the reality that they are living in. And that reality is still the same reality for us today. And that is this that it is a fallen world. We live in a fallen world with

systems and laws that are far from ideal. And in that in living in this fallen world, living in in and with systems and laws that are far from ideal, we are nonetheless called to live in such a way that the name of God and the teaching of the word is not reviled. This system of slavery was, as MacArthur says, and I quote, not perfect but workable. And then he also says, quote, "To understand slavery, believers today must strip away their preconceived notions of it. Those notions are drawn largely from the racial slavery of the pre-Ivil

War American South, which bears only some resemblance of the slavery in the first century Roman Empire." Close quote. And the same could be said for the slavery in the Old Testament. It was not ideal, but it was workable. It was never abolished. Rather, it was regulated. And it was regulated because it is an almost inevitable consequence of a fallen world. Now, that still does not say that slavery is commendable, advisable, certainly not ideal. It never is, never was, because once you were a slave in whatever system, whether whether it was in the the system of

Hebrew slavery in the Old Testament or or in the Greco Roman world or or in the pre-Ivil War American South, when you were a slave in whatever system you belonged to your master, it was not ideal, and it never is. But nothing in this fallen world is ideal. But it is perhaps an inevitable consequence if we see and understand it from the biblical lens and not look at slavery from the lens of the African slave trade of the pre-Ivil War American South. It is an inevitable consequence. Not because it is good or because it is

God's design. No, the fall was not God's intent, his his purpose. It was sin that brought about the fall. It is an inevitable consequence of a fallen world. And like so many things in a fallen world, though they are not ideal, though they are not what God purposed and intended, they are what they are because we are in a fallen world. And therefore they were regulated and they needed to be regulated. We can think of other things that were regulated even giving a certificate of divorce. Divorce Jesus said from the beginning it was not so.

But what did he also say? Because of the hardness of your hearts because you live in a fallen world the ideal is not met and therefore it needed to be regulated. And so we see also here it is regulated. But we also need to remember that one day all that which has to be regulated and was regulated and is regulated because we live in a fallen world. All of that will one day be abolished when the curse of sin is finally removed and the Lord Jesus reigns supreme as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Now in this system they could become slaves. A person could become slaves in many ways. One common way that people were slaves was being a prisoner of war. But this is not what Paul is speaking to. One of the primary reasons or the primary ways in the Old Testament and and how it was regulated was so that people could pay off debts. people could sell themselves into slavery. They could sell themselves as a slave to pay off debts, to get out of poverty. And as Jesus said in Matthew 26 11, you will always have the

poor with you. So it was a regulated system to protect and to provide for the poor. It was never a system that allowed for slaves to be taken advantage of, though they often were. It was not because of the system. It was because of the men in the system. The same thing that causes dysfunction and chaos in any kind of system, it is the men, the people in the system. It was regulated to protect and to provide for the poor. It was regulated so that the slaves would not and should not be taken advantage of.

In the Old Testament, they had the slaves had economic rights. They could even own other slaves. Now, yes, they were required to do the work of and for their masters, but if they had the means themselves, they could even own slaves who would then do the work for them for their masters. They had economic rights. 2 Samuel chapter 9. And never never was abuse or mistreatment of slaves biblically permissible. Those who were abused or injured by their masters were to be set free. Exodus 21 26- 27. And to murder a slave rendered you guilty under

the law and brought punishment. Exodus 21:10. And in the regulated system, Jewish slaves could not be held for more than 6 years. Exodus 21, Deuteronomy 15, Leviticus 25, unless they voluntarily chose to remain after that. And many did. Not all, but many did because they realized and recognized even that they were better off than they were not being slaves. Also, their religious rights were to be upheld. They were not to be forced or required to work on the Sabbath. Exodus 20:10. Foreign slaves were to be protected. Deuteronomy 23:1 15- 16. And again quoting MacArthur, he

says, quote, "Gentile slaves were not always so well treated, but on the whole were better off than day laborers. Slaves had food, clothing, and housing provided along with a small wage and security. Subtracting the costs of food, housing, and clothing from a day laborer's wages often left him worse off than a slave. Close quote. So, it was a system that is not at all like what we often think of when we think of slaves or slavery. And though it was not ideal, it was workable. And though it was often abused and slaves certainly were abused,

the abuse came not so much from the system but from the evil hearts of the men in the system. As we already said, which is really why slavery existed in the first place is because the evil hearts of men. There is abuse, mistreatment of employees, of those in the workforce and whatever system we might have, whether it be capitalism, communism, or feudalism or whatever it may be, there is abuses. And so it is important to remember that slavery of any type or form is ultimately a result of sin, a result of the fall of living

in a fallen world. And though some systems are evil, the slavery that existed was not because of the evil of the system, but because of the evil in men's hearts. And in the first century Greco Roman world, though the system was not exactly like that of the Hebrew slaves, it was more like that than the African slave trade. And it is estimated that at least one in every five people in the Greco Roman world, the first century Roman Empire, one in five people were slaves. There was one, this is for free. It's not in my

notes. There was one senator who brought forward the motion that he said that that should require all the slaves to wear the same clothing so that they knew whether or not they were slaves or free. But then somebody realized that wo there's so many. If they all wear these same color jumpsuits, they're going to realize how many of them there are and they're actually going to become the rulers. They're going to they're going to rise up. I mean that these are conservative estimates that one in five people were slaves. Slaves served as managers, as cooks,

as artisans. They were sometimes like family. Sometimes they even served as doctors. Now certainly not everybody was treated well in the system, but the entire social and economic structure was built on this system. And as one commentator says, quote, "Slaves were the employees who did the work of their wealthy masters. It was a widespread scheme of employment." Close quote. And so why did Paul not call for the abolition of slavery? Because the message of the church, the message of the of the apostles was not social justice or social change. to call for the abolition of

of slavery would be to overturn to call for the overturning of the entire social economic structure. To all of a sudden just have no slaves. It would have created chaos. And there ought to be and there should be a clear understanding of what the message of the church is. What the message of the gospel is that it is not social change. Though the gospel produces that social change and it is also historically noted that as Christianity began to grow, slavery began to decrease. So the mission of the church is not to call for social justice

and and and to and and that's not that we that we shouldn't advocate for that which is good and right, but the mission of the church is the gospel. And Paul certainly made it very clear that his mission was not social justice. And so as we look at it then from that perspective and with that understanding, it is entirely right to look at this text and make application to our work, to our employment, to our attitude, our performance as a worker, as an employee. But we also don't want to just make a oneto-one comparison because

it isn't. But what we should understand is this. If this is the command to slaves under a far less than ideal system than ours, yes, it was workable, but it was far less ideal even than our system. If this was the command to slaves then under and in that system, how much more do you think that applies to us? Though we may sometimes find or think our system and circumstances of employment to be less than ideal, it is far better than it was for them. And Paul's call here is to be a good slave. Why?

because the name of God that it is not reviled, because of the teaching of the word of God that it is not reviled, because of the testimony of the gospel. And so we are called to be a good slave. And so we want to look at what being a good slave then is. We see first of all the allincclusive command in chapter 6 and verse one. Let all who are under a yoke as bondervants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled.

Let all who are under a yoke as bondervants. That is to say, if you are a slave, wherever you are, whatever your circumstance, whoever your master is, honor him, submit to him, respect your master. Work hard for them honestly and diligently, even so that they benefit by your good service. As he says at the end of verse two, those who benefit, if they are believing masters, those who benefit are beloved and brothers, but they are to benefit from and by our service. See, the very thing that might cause a slave to want to not work

hard is what Paul says should be the result of your work. even as a slave. It should be to your master's benefit, your employer's benefit. And yet the attitude very quickly became, well, my master makes a lot of money and all I get is food and clothing and shelter. Why should I do all the work just for him to get richer? This is true for us often as well, is it not? Well, my boss makes thousands of dollars off my work, and all I get is an hourly or a monthly wage, and it's not even

a very great one. Why should I sweat and toil? And he is the one who benefits. He could easily pay me more. I don't get paid enough to work this hard, so I don't or I won't. I can barely put food on the table. And he buys a new truck every year, takes vacations, yearly vacations in Hawaii, goes golfing whenever he pleases. I'm not going to exert myself just so that he benefits. But that is not the command of the text. That is our mindset. That is our attitude very quickly. And that's why I said

this has to be taught, urged, commanded because this is not what comes naturally. Paul addresses not just the work ethic but the heart attitude. The why this should in never never in any way should this be a determining factor for us as to how well or how well how well we work or how well we perform at our jobs. what our master does or doesn't do with his money or how rich he is or isn't or how much money he is making buy and from our services or how how contrasted his circumstance financial circumstances are

to ours. None of that is what determines our work performance, our work ethic. All Paul says are to regard their own masters as worthy. As this word regard worthy to regard worthy, this speaks to the heart attitude. Your own masters, the very one that you have right now, he gives no criteria or exception or qualifier. Well, unless your master is kind, unless your master is not rich or the one that you have right now. If you are a slave, the master that you have right now, he is the one that you are to regard in

your heart. This is not just your work performance, but this is your attitude. You are to regard worthy of honor. You are to correctly assess where you are and what your responsibility is. Not based on feelings or even the actions of masters or the employer but on the objective fact that they hold a superior role to you in the workforce that they hold a role of authority. And so this is about attitude towards authority as much as it is work ethic. It is even about attitude toward Christ. Turn with me to 1 Peter chapter 3.

1 Peter chapter 3. You want to begin reading in verse 13. be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution whether it be to the emperor as supreme. Notice he says for the Lord's sake. Romans 13:12 Paul says, "For there is no authority except from God and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore, because they have been instituted by God," he says, "Therefore, whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment." But now here in verse 14, Peter says goes on to be subject to every

human institution for the Lord's sake. He says to in verse 14, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. But note verse 15, for this is the will of God, that by doing good, you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Because this shows the reality of the transformation of the gospel. If someone willingly and joyfully submits, even when those they are submitting to are harsh and unjust and unfair and doing what they call us and command us to do, if it

is not contrary to the word of God, it is put putting to silence the ignorance of foolish people. It shows the transformation of the gospel's work in our hearts so that the name of God and the teaching would not be reviled as Paul said in first Timothy. Now here in verse 16 Peter says live as people who are free not using your freedom as a cover up for evil but living as servants of God. You know that is the temptation for the slaves. There was a temptation for the slaves and it is the same temptation

even for us. Well, I'm free. I'm under no man. I am I am not going to be under anybody. I'm not going to be subject to man. That is our temptation as well. But we are subject to others, to one another as God has instituted. Verse 17, he says, "Honor everyone, lover the brotherhood, fear God, honor the emperor." And now in that same vein of being subject to authority that God has instituted, look at verse 18. Servants, be subject to your master with all respect, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the

unjust. Now our minds want to scream like seriously you want me to work for somebody and to work hard for somebody who is not wanting to pay me fairly. This is what Paul said in first Timothy. Your own master, the one that you have right now, whoever it is that is your master, maybe your master, maybe your employer is rich. Maybe he is getting richer off your labors. Maybe you're not really progressing financially from your labors, from your pay. Maybe he is treating you unfairly. Maybe he isn't paying you fairly. But that is irrelevant to

you. God will deal with him. Your attitude, your responsibility is not to be determined by that. For he says in verse 19, for this is a gracious thing. When mindful of God, one endures sorrow while suffering unjustly. Being mindful of God, being mindful that this is your responsibility before the Lord. And because you do not want to dishonor him, you don't want to bring reproach to his name. As Paul said in Timothy, so that the name of God and the teaching not be reviled. Now, how would the name of God and the teaching be reviled?

Well, what if this ungodly un unregenerate slave master, this master of the slaves or maybe your employer who isn't a believer and and you slack off and you don't don't work diligently, what is he going to think of the the religion, the god that you professed faith in? Is is this what is this what your god teaches? to to work poorly, to do sloppy work, to rebel against authority. If this is what your God teaches, if this is what what you teach at that church that you go to, I want nothing of that. It brings

reproach on the gospel. that brings reproach on the name of God and on the teaching of the word of God so that the gospel is not reviled. A Christian who does poor sloppy work, who doesn't show up on time, cannot be counted on to show up is a terrible and a poor testimony. In verse 20, he says here, "For what credit is it if when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But when you do good and suffer for it, you endure. This is a gracious thing in the sight of God." See, we

get these things so mixed up. He says, "What credit is it if when you sin, you are beaten for it?" You know, we lose our job because we didn't work. We didn't show up. we didn't make it and make it a purpose to be there on time because well I'm not getting paid fairly anyway and we lose our job because of it and we almost see it as a badge of honor that well you know what I didn't work for him because he didn't pay me but it's not a badge of honor it's a shameful

thing Paul says what credit is it if you sin and are beaten for it but when you do good and suffer for you you endure this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. But when you are treated poorly, you are treated unfairly, maybe even beaten, which these slaves could be and would be, and you still work hard and you perform to the best of your ability. This is a gracious thing in the sight of God. Paul says, "Because this is a testimony of a transformational work of the gospel having been done in your

heart. This is like Christ. Paul says verse 21, "For this you have been called, for to this you have been called because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example so that you might follow in his footsteps." He was mistreated. He was wrongfully accused. He was paid poorly. He got all the debt instead of the credit. And he is our example. Paul says, and then still he says in verse 23, "When he was reviled, he did not revile in return. When he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to the one who

judges justly." And certainly an application that we can and need to then make in the context that we're looking at this in this morning is that to not revile. Even when we are reviled, even when we are mistreated, we think we're being paid unfairly. We do not go and revile or go and badmouth our boss to and before other people. Even when Christ was reviled, he did not revile. He is our example. Peter says, turn with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 7. 1 Corinthians chapter 7 verse 7 to 24. 1 Corinthians chapter 7 beginning in

verse 17 rather. only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him and to which God has called them. This is my rule in all the churches. Now this calls for contentment wherever we are, whatever our situation, whatever our circumstances to live godly where we are. This is my rule in all the churches, Paul says. And we know that this is not Paul's rule. This is then Christ's rule for the church to live godly wherever you are regardless of your circumstance. And and it Paul repeats it four times in just a

few verses. Later on he in first Timothy as we read godliness with contentment is great gain. We've brought nothing into this world. We can bring nothing out. If we have food and clothing, we are to be content because our hope, our focus, our confidence is not in this world or the things that we might be able to accumulate and gather in this world. But now Paul says here in verse 18, "Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of

his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God. Each one should remain in the condition which he was called. Now, we know that Paul says not, well, if if you were a slave, you had to be a slave. You you forever had to be a slave. We see in the next verse that's not what Paul means. But he's reiterating what he's already said to lead the life that God has assigned as he said in verse 15 to which God has called you wherever

you are in that state. In that circumstance, in that condition, in that place, worship God. Live godly. Serve the Lord where you are. Serving the Lord where you are is far more important than where you are. See, we get so anxious about, well, is this what the Lord wants me to do? Is this where the Lord wants me to be? Brothers and sisters, if we would begin to focus on doing what the Lord wants us to do, where we are, where we ought to be, would become a lot clearer for us. That is what is

important. Verse 21, he says, "Were you a bondervant when called?" Do not be concerned about it. Paul says, "Were you a slave when the Lord saved you?" Don't be concerned about it because your condition in this world is not what ultimately really matters. But then he says, "But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself to the opportunity. For he who was called in the Lord as a bondervant is a free man in the Lord." Your salvation, your standing with Christ in Christ has nothing to do with your social or financial status in this world.

Likewise, when he who is free when called is a bondervant of Christ, were you not a slave? Were you a free man? If Christ calls you now, you're his slave. And it's far better to be his slave. You're his slave whether you were a slave on this earth or not. You were bought with a f price. Do not become bondervants of men. Now do not become bondervants of men. Paul is not saying that oh you you being a slave is sin. It is wrong. No to become in fall into bondage and to become enslaved by

the humanistic philosophies and principles and systems of this world. That is what matters. Your situation, your circumstance is not freedom. You can be free on this earth and still be a bond in a slave to sin and in the end it benefits you nothing. For what profits it a man if he gain the whole world and yet lose his soul? Freedom from sin. That is true freedom. Being free in Christ and enslaved only to him. freedom from the bondage of human philosophy, human thinking, human mindsets. So really, Paul is saying even as an application for

us, is your work situation not ideal? Do you think that you're underpaid? Do you think that your boss doesn't appreciate you? Do not be concerned about it because it is not your earthly or financial or social or employment or economic status that matters. Rather, Paul says, "Work hard. Honor your master, your employer." And yet he says if you have opportunity for better employment to to to get ahead to to prosper better financially if you have that opportunity take it. But do not let that become your chief concern. If you have an opportunity take it. But

do not let the fact that you maybe do not have an ideal situation. Maybe you do not have a better opportunity. Do not let that become the grounds for which you will gripe and grumble and complain about your master. Rather, Paul says, "Regard your own master worthy of honor because it is regarding Christ." He says here in verse 24, "So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God." Again, we have this repeating of this. Serve God where you are, wherever you are. Whatever your situation or circumstance, it doesn't matter who

your master or who your employer is, serve God there because you are a testimony to the gospel. Where you are is not as important as what you do where you are. You either adorn the gospel. Hear this brothers and sisters. You either adorn the gospel by your work and how you work or you bring reproach and reviling on the gospel by your work and how you work. Turn with me to Titus chapter 2. Titus chapter 2 want to be want to look at begin reading in verse one. But as for you teach what accords with

sound doctrine. This is what Paul said in our text too. This is in accordance with sound doctrine accordance to the words of our Lord. Older men. Verse two, older men are to be sober minded, dignified, self-control, sound in faith, in love, and steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderous or slaves to much wine. They're to teach what is good. And so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not

be reviled. see our response to God's authority structure to to that which God has ordained. Here the call is for women to to be submissive to their own husbands to to not step outside of the role that God has ordained for them so that the word of God may not be reviled. The word the gospel is at stake. How people view the gospel is at stake. And then he says in verse six, likewise urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works and in your teachings

show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned. So that an opport so that an opponent may be put to shame having nothing evil to say about us. And again, now in that same vein of it being sound doctrine, so that the word may not be reviled, he says in verse 9, bondervants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything. They are to be wellpleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God, our savior. We adorn the doctrine of God by

our work and how we work. Notice he says they are to be submissive to their own master in everything. Their own master again, it is to the one that you have right now. It's not dependent on how much he is benefiting from your laborers or how rich he is or how he is even treating you. They are to be well pleasing to their masters. Meaning that the that their masters, their employees are to be satisfied with the performance of the work that is being done. with a performance. The attitude that that that you have at

your work is to be something that the employer can say, you know what, that that worker, he has a good attitude. He comes to work in the morning with a good attitude. They're to be well pleasing, not argumentative. Sometimes we just need to shut up, not always challenge what the boss might do or what the boss might want us to do. It might make no sense to us and it might even be unnecessary. It might even be that it it is counterproductive, but it is not our role. It is not our responsibility. It is not

our prerogative. That is his place. We are to be submissive. It might not even be the best decision. And we might know that it isn't. And if we are in a place where we have a relationship with our employer and we can have that dialogue, great. But don't refuse to do something if it's not according to the word of God and yet your boss asks you to do it. Not argumentative. You know, I could tell you a story, a testimony, and I think I will of a man I used to work with. I've probably told

all of you this story multiple times. Was a man that the Lord used who was very instrumental in in my faith and me coming to Christ. Even though it was many years later, I was just a young man, probably 17 years old, working construction, working at a public school construction rebuilding project, was a two, three-year project, multi-million dollar project. And there was this one man who was a believer, and he would always talk to me about the Lord, and he would say, "John, do you understand salvation?" I said, "Yeah, I get it. I I know

know well enough." I said, "No, but John, do you really understand it?" And he didn't do it in an arrogant, pushy kind of way. He was kind of annoying, and I was just kind of like wanting him to get off my back, but he wasn't annoying really. And he was the hardest worker on the whole crew. And he came to work with with a smile and a song. He walked out of the office, out of the coffee room with a smile and a song. And it irritated the bosses. They were the most foul-mouthed people that

you could the kind that you would probably expect on a job site like that. And his performance at work, though they liked his performance, but his righteousness was conviction to them. They didn't they had they couldn't fire him because everybody knew he was the hardest worker on the whole crew. So they were going to make life difficult, so difficult for him that he would quit. Not because they didn't like his work, but because they were convicted by him. And I only saw this later after I got saved, what they were actually doing. I couldn't figure

it out what are they why are they so mean to him? Like he's he's a good guy. He works harder than anybody. He never complains. And then they would give him this work to do minus 40 or whatever it was. was biting cold. They made him go work outside in the in the yard cleaning up, organizing stuff that had there was no need to do it before spring. Like it was this was a multi-year project. And they thought if they would have told me to do it, I would have said, "Take a hike. I'm leaving.

That's what I would have done. I know I would have. There's no way I would have gone out and done that." But I also wasn't a believer. This guy didn't say, "Well, there's why not wait till spring." He wasn't argumentative. He just put on another toque, another pair of gloves, and a big set of snowsuit. And he walked outside and he came in at coffee break, his eyes, his eyelashes, and his mustache, and everything all frosted. And he came in with a Yeah, it's pretty chilly out there today. with a smile and a song so

that you do not revile the teaching or the word. Not pilfering. Paul says here to not try and enrich yourself dishonestly. Take what doesn't belong to you. Add hours to your time sheet that you didn't really work or maybe not work while you're on the job. Just sitting around being lazy when you should be working. That's pilfering. stealing, enriching yourself off that which doesn't belong to you, but instead, he says, but showing all good faith so that in everything you may adorn the doctrine of God, our savior. Be trustworthy. Be someone who your employer knows,

I don't have to be there, yet they're yet he's going to work. She's going to work and they're going to the good job of it. They're going to do the to the best of their ability. They're not going to waste time even if I'm not there so that you may adorn the doctrine of God our savior. And we see that this adorns the doctrine of God our savior if we keep reading in verse 11 to 15. But we have to move on. That is the all-incclusive command regardless of who your master is. But then in

verse two we have the specific command chapter 6 verse two. Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers. Rather, they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good services are believers and not and beloved. Those with believing masters, those with believing employers must not be disrespectful on the grounds that they are brothers, thinking that, well, in Christ, we're both equal now, and he doesn't have authority over me, or he should give me special privileges or higher pay because I'm a Christian and he's a

Christian. Or maybe the master, the employer is a new believer and the slave, the employee was a more mature believer and he sees himself as being more his master's teacher or being over his master. This was even the problem that existed here in the text in the context in that time. There would have been slaves who could have been elders in the church and maybe had authority spiritually in the church over their masters and their masters only came to faith later in Christ. And it would be difficult for them to submit to their masters at

work or when they were not at church or when they were in the master slave relationship. But as it pertains to the workplace, you are subject to your master, to your employer, regardless if he is a believer and you are a believer. Rather, on the contrary, Paul says, rather than changing any of the allincclusive command of verse one, rather than giving you a means where it would not apply to you, rather than giving you a means out or a way out, rather it is the exact opposite. Paul says, you must serve them all the better.

Next Sunday, we'll try to have a different mic. You must serve them all the better. Rather than giving you a way out of the command, it is the opposite because he says they are believers. They're your brothers. They are beloved by the Lord. Do you see it? Do you work for a Christian employer? Do you see it as a privilege? Instead of thinking that you ought to be getting special privileges because your boss is a Christian and you're a Christian, you ought to see it, Paul says, you ought to see it as an opportunity to

serve your brother. And the one you are serving is beloved. This is beloved of God. Now certainly those who are employers, those who are believing masters have responsibility and accountability before God. They're to treat their bondervants justly and fairly knowing that they have a master in heaven. Paul says in Colossians chapter 4, but Paul is not addressing masters in our text. He's addressing the slaves, the workers. If your masters are believers, Paul says, "Not only is your best effort at work required." Listen to that. Not only is your best effort at work required for your

testimony's sake, but also because you are serving a brother, one whom Christ loves. And the implication of that is this. Will you give a half-hearted effort for someone who is so loved by Christ that he died for them? That is unthinkable. That is why he says because he is a believer. He is beloved. He is beloved by Christ. Christ loves your master. If he is a a believer, he loves him so much that he gave his life for him. And will you give a half-hearted effort for someone who is so beloved by Christ? Unthinkable. Rather,

as Paul says in Galatians 6:10, "So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, especially to those who are of the household of faith." Let me just read Ephesians 6:5 to8. says, "Bonder servants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart as you would Christ, not by the way of eye service as people pleasers, but as bondervants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive

back from the Lord, whether he is a bondervant or is free. Masters do the same to them. and stop your threatening knowing that he who is both their master and yours is in heaven and there is no partiality with him. And then Colossians 3:22-2 bondervants obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye service as people pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work hardily as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You

are serving the Lord Christ for the wrongdoer will be paid back for his wrong for the wrong that he has done and there is no partiality. And then in verse one chapter 4 he says masters treat your bondervant justly and fairly knowing that you also have a master in heaven. And so as we conclude this morning, if this was the command to slaves in a far less than ideal system than what we have, how much more to us? Let me just conclude with some summarizing principles from MacArthur's commentary on this passage. Things that we can

conclude. He says, quote, first believers are to serve their employers obediently. They must duty dutifully, submissively respond to their employers orders. Second, believers are to serve their employers completely. They are to carry out whatever tasks are assigned to them unless so doing would violate God's law. Third, believers are to serve their employers respectfully. They must honor th those that God has placed in authority over them. And this this includes not just at the workplace. This is a response to even to authority. Fourth, he says believers are to serve their employers eagerly in sincerity of heart.

They should serve voluntarily, not grudgingly. Fifth, believers are to serve their employers excellent, excellently as to Christ. They must do their jobs to the best of their ability. Sixth, believers are to serve their employers diligently, not by way of eye service. They must not put on a show for the boss by working hard, only when he is watching. Seven, believers are to serve their employers humbly, not as men pleasers. They're not to show off or to to show off so to ingratiate themselves with others. Eight. Believers are to serve their employers spiritually doing the will

of God from the heart. As already noted, all work is sacred and performed ultimately for the glory of God. And then finally, believers are to serve their employers as catalogically, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. For he who does wrong will receive the consequence of the wrong which he has done and that without partiality. Colossians 3. Believers eternal rewards will be affected by their job performance. Do you ever think that your eternal rewards are affected by your performance as a worker, as an employee? And Paul says, "Teach urge

these things." Why? Because it is Christ's institution for order and structure. Because it is about honoring him and not rebelling to teach and urge. Because this is not what we would naturally do. We do not go and apply for a job very easily and say how can I best serve you if I work here but we start the interview by saying what are you going to pay me what are going to what are my benefits going to be now I'm not saying that those should not be part of the conversation but what we have seen

this morning from scripture is very counter to what we often think and do when comes to our employment. If we are not happy, if we don't get the raise that we think we should, we grumble and we complain or we refuse to put any good effort. We slack off and say, "I'm not going to do this for if I don't get a raise." But that is not the way of Christ. Paul says, "It is a terrible testimony. You are bringing reproach on the name of God and on the teaching. Rather, our approach, our response, our

attitude should be. And let me ask you, is this your attitude, your purpose, your motivation, your goal when you go to work in the morning? How can I benefit my employer? How can I serve him? And if he is a believer, how can I serve him even better? How can I How can I go above and beyond to bless him as my brother? Because he is beloved by Christ. And if we have an opportunity to improve our work situation and circumstances, take it, use it. But not having an opportunity or having less than ideal circumstances

gives us no warrant or ground for grumbling and complaining or for slacking off. And so let me ask you again with what we began with this morning. What testimony of the gospel do we give by our work? What testimony of the gospel do we give at our work with our work? And let me ask this. Is this what we have seen from scripture this morning? Is this your attitude when you go to work? Is this your attitude when you are at work? And if it is not, and if it has not been, then let me

ask you this. Will you repent for it not having been your attitude? And will you ask by God's grace that he give you this heart that is really the heart of Christ? Let's close in prayer. Our heavenly father, we give you thanks and praise for your goodness. We thank you for your word. We thank you for how it speaks to the very practical everyday situations that we find ourselves in. And this morning we have been reminded of that it does not matter where we are. We are a testimony of the gospel for better or for

worse. And father I pray that for each one of us here as we go to work and as we do our work that it would be a testimony for the better. That we would not bring reviling on the name of God or the teaching but that we would honor Christ. that we would put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. That we would be well pleasing to those that we serve and work for. That we would by our work ethic, by how we think, by our mindset, by our attitude, by how we talk to those

we work with. That we would be a sweet smelling aroma of the transformational work of the gospel. that we would adorn the gospel rather than bring reproach upon it. Help us to do this for the praise of your name. Amen.