Working to Please Christ and Not People

Thankful for the opportunity to open the message of truth to our hearts this morning and to continue our annual theme of Building Upon Our Heritage.

Last week, Pastor Rod walked us through an exposition of Ephesians 6:4 relating to the raising up of children in loving instruction and discipline.

You may recall that Paul had a method to his instruction for God’s people. For instance, the running theme through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is practicing your position in Christ.

Well, practicing your position has to begin somewhere, wouldn’t you say? So what Paul does is break it down this way – In chapters 1-3 Paul instructs God’s people in matters of doctrinal teaching.

For example, in chapter 1 Paul talks about the doctrine of election and he expounds on that a great deal. In Ephesians 1:4 he writes of God’s people that they were “chosen in Him before the foundation of the world that we would be holy and blameless before him in love.”

That’s a doctrinal position/statement – God says that when he redeemed you, he did so with the purpose of separating you out of the world and into the Kingdom of His beloved Son.

Now, if that’s true, progressive change ought to follow that doctrinal position of being “in Christ.”

That’s what Paul does – he gives to all believers a basis for doctrinal truths – chapters 1-3. Then in chapters 4-6 Paul follows that up with practicing/living out your position “in Christ.”

Pastor Rod laid out some practical steps for parents to live out their position in Christ.

That’s where we are right now – by and large, we ought to know what we believe and why we believe it, but specifically whether or not we are applying our practice with our position, as MacArthur put it.

John MacArthur writes that “Despite our exalted position in God’s sight, our practice often falls far short of His holy standard. Therefore the challenge of Christian living is to increasingly match our practice to our position, realizing that sinless perfection won’t come until we are in heaven fully glorified” (Rom. 8:23). (John MacArthur, “Practice Your Position”)

Our Lord wasn’t thrown off by this. So, what did he do? Answer: Upon our surrendering to the Lordship of Christ at salvation, He gave to us the Holy Spirit to reside in us and to aid us in bringing our practice closer and closer to our position in Christ.

We know this because of Paul’s statement to the Philippians – 1:6 “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”

I say all that to point out that our living for Christ entails a topic of Working to please Christ and Not People.

When Paul penned his letter to the Ephesian church, he wrote with the understanding that there were millions of slaves in the Roman Empire.

And we come to understand that the troubles and circumstances of this world is not an economic problem, but ultimately a spiritual one.

Hunger and economic relationships between individuals and nations can only be solved when men turn to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Because Christ is Lord, we see ourselves as slaves of Christ. This means we work for Him; and in so working for Him, we not only are providing for ourselves and our families, but hope to also secure enough to give to others (Ep. 4:29), primarily those in the household of faith (Galatians 6:10)

We work and enjoy of the fruits of our labor; then give to others in need. But remember what it is that so stirs in the hearts of those born from above – a steady commitment to Him! Now, having said that, and under a Roman economy, how were slaves to live for Christ under such economic circumstances.

Is it possible to live Christ and to die is gain under any/all conditions/circumstances? And just how are we to broaden the application for us today? Can we find such application – and I believe the answer is yes.

Theologian William Barclay wrote that during Paul’s day in history, Rome had over sixty million slaves.^[1] There were many forms of slavery servitude under the economy of Rome.

And just as a footnote - slavery wasn’t just relegated to one particular people group – every people group on the planet was at some point under the yoke of slavery by other nations and people groups.

Now, consider this – before the fall of Rome, it had been in power for 1,000 years. From 753BC to 476 AD/BCE – and it had many slaves of differing stripes.

Paul wrote under such conditions, and the Gospel had free course to reach a good many of them because churches all over the Empire were bound to be filled with slaves.

Is it any wonder why the New Testament has much to say to slaves (1 Cor. 7:21-22; Col. 3:22; Col. 4:1;1 Ti. 6:1-2; Tit. 2:9-10;1 Pet. 2:18-25)

And it’s because of the gradual operation and growth of Christianity in those days, that would ultimately bring an end of slavery because they taught three primary principles:

The Lordship of Christ to which every other lordship is subordinate"^[2]

The equality of men in the sight of God.

A common Christian brotherhood.

The spiritual freedom of the Christian man.

And it was principles such as those that would ultimately topple not just the Roman empire, but also the abolition of slavery as we understand it, because principles began to spill over out of Christian doctrine once and for all delivered to the saints.

And it is those instructions to slaves and masters in the New Testament that are applicable to every generation of workman because "...the principles of the whole section apply to employees and employers in every age, whether in the home, in business, or in the state"^[3]

This applies to

1. The workman: to obey (v.5-8).

2. The employer (v.9).

Having said that, I want you to see…

4 aspects of a Christian work ethic that pleases God. (read the passage)

I. Obey with an attitude of reverence as to Christ (v. 5)

Ephesians 6:5 “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.”

Now, we know who Paul is talking to – he’s talking to douloi – he’s talking to slaves in the church who have masters.

David, are you suggesting that the NT supports slavery? No – the NT doesn’t support the kind of slavery that Rome advocated for.

Yet we find that a number of people in the early church had slaves – both were Christian!

Now, David – are you suggesting that the NT supports – slavery? No – the NT doesn’t support slavery.

But what Paul does is say something so radical – so counter-intuitive to our modern day thinking that it almost defies thought!

Paul said to the Christian slave/worker to work within the system they find themselves in – “be obedient to those who are your masters…”

Paul readily understands that community of the redeemed ought to be able to spiritually swallow this such that they are able to handle this level of spiritual thinking because it goes against the grain of our thinking!

He doesn’t tell the person to run away – he doesn’t tell them to overthrow the governing authorities – because they would be seen as insurrectionists, much like the Jewish zealots who were quickly wiped out by the roman authorities – Paul says in the present tense Greek to be consistently obedient to your human masters (v.5)

Wow – talk about a testimony that has the spiritual capacity to ultimately bring about a change within the structure of Rome itself!

Now, we don’t currently live under the kind of conditions that Paul and the early church faced.

But if those early Christians were able to live under those conditions by the Spirit’s power, then what does that say about the present day conditions we find ourselves in today with reference to employer and employee relationships?

How is that shaking out for some of you? How are you applying your practice with your position in Christ under bad employers who are lording it over you? Nowadays, it’s very easy for us to quit a job and find another one – we have the freedom to do that in this country and sometimes employers suffer the consequences of their actions.

But what if you didn’t have many options? What if you had to be under the yoke of an oppressive or nasty employer – could your Christianity bare up under the yoke? Or are you a nasty employee?

What does your position in Christ say about your work ethic in practice?

There were certain kinds of slavery under the Roman economy. There was voluntary slavery and involuntary slavery.

Paul doesn’t highlight for us here on any of the degrees of slavery of his day which existed under Roman rule, he just speaks in general to anyone who happens to be in that situation of slavery.^[4]

Now, some of you right now may be having a difficult time wrestling in your hearts with what I just said – If it helps, I would encourage you to pick up John Murray’s book titled

Principles of Conduct [Please insert pic of book: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71s3F7hEkFL._SL1500_.jpg ]

He’s done a good job dealing with this – and the Bible was written under a context of slavery.

Please also pick up Pastor John MacArthur’s book titled, “Slave.” [please insert pic of book: https://a.co/d/2Xpzjl1]

Don’t just leave here without understanding – be a Berean and become informed in so far as the practice of our position in Christ spiritually as it manifest in your walk practically in the work place.

Now having said that, let me add a footnote: If the conditions were such that

Paul encourages slaves who can gain their freedom to do so (1 Cor 7:21), but if the conditions would not allow it so, then live under those conditions as well.

1 Cor 7:21 – “Were you called while a slave? Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather do that.”

But the point to the end of the spear is this – what is your Christian work ethic under the season of life you find yourself in?

What if we lost our country by a stronger Suzerain or dominant state – what if China or Russia took over our country and enslaved every Christian in this room?

Would your Christian testimony thrive or die under bleak circumstances? Paul calls all to live and to work under any circumstance, and to do so…

Colossians 3:22 – “fearing the Lord.” – in other words, change the audience you work for.

I knew a number of persons who worked as security officers for a number of years in California – these people had good health insurance, but lousy pay. However, this job paid for much of their college tuition.

But there was a problem – their employer was extremely difficult to work, as he lorded it over them and took advantage of these men.

Most of these men happened to be followers of Christ who would often pray together, that the Lord would help them to make it through college while employed by this very difficult man.

Sometimes, this employer would look for opportunities to fire some of them – the atmosphere became so bad that it was no one recommended to work for this company any longer – but these men pressed on…it was seemingly all that they had during that season of life.

Some of these men attempted to talk to their employer, but it didn’t seem to go too far. But what was so amazing was how the Lord sustained this band of brothers. Well, some time had passed and this employer was gone and a new employer took his place – the new employer was a follower of Christ, and things changed because he understood who he ultimately worked for – Christ.

When Paul wrote to the Philippian church he said…

Phil 2:12 – So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

In other words, change the audience you work for!

II. Don’t perform just to please people when they are looking (v. 6a)

v. 6a – “not by way of eyeservice, as man-pleasers.”

It is tempting to slack off a bit when the boss isn’t looking, right? But we do have a Boss in heaven who neither slumbers nor sleeps, yes?

You do have your Creator who have granted to you a stewardship to whom you will give an account, yes?

And whatever circumstances we find yourself in, change the audience you work for! When Paul wrote to the Colossians, he was still writing under the circumstances of Roman control, but the Colossae was a roman province where the church resided – Colossae was filled with, yes – slaves! And he said the same thing to those followers of Christ under the yoke of slavery these words:

Col 3:22– “Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men”

A slave of Christ is one who works to please God. Christian, do you realize that you were bought from the marketplace of sin? Do you understand that you have a new Master to obey.

He is going to be your Master or someone or something else will.

Romans 8:16, 19 “ Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?... For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.”

III. Do God’s will wholeheartedly as slaves of Christ (v. 6b)

And we are to strive for our following after Christ with the stewardship he has granted to us

v. 5 – “in the sincerity of your heart.”

I want to tell you a true story about a Christian man – he was a wealthy man and well respected man in the church, named Philemon. He was a follower of Christ – Philemon had a slave who’s name was Onesimus.

And for whatever reason, Onesimus ran away and he providentially found himself in prison with the Apostle Paul. Well, Onesimus gets converted to Christ while in prison.

So what does Paul do? He doesn’t tell Onesimus to go back to Rome because the likelihood of Onesimus’ safety was questionable, especially for a runaway slave.

So Paul does the most counter-intuitive thing – he desires to send Onesimus back to Philemon! What?! Send him back! Yes, listen to what he said…

Philemon 1:10-16 “I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my imprisonment, ¹¹ who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me. ¹² I have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart, ¹³ whom I wished to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my imprisonment for the gospel; ¹⁴ but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will. ¹⁵ For perhaps he was for this reason separated from you for a while, that you would have him back forever, ¹⁶ no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

In other words, Philemon – I have begotten Onesimus in the Gospel now. He has been useful to me while in prison, but I hope to send him back to you because he is far more than a slave to you now – he is now your brother in Christ!

So what’s the implication? The implication is to take him back no longer as slave, but a brother who needs a place to live – it neither serves Paul or Philemon any good to send Onesimus back to Rome, you see.

Iet’s finish the story…

Philemon 1:17-22 “ If then you regard me a partner, accept him as you would me. ¹⁸ But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account; ¹⁹ I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand, I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well). ²⁰ Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.²¹ Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say. ²² At the same time also prepare me a lodging, for I hope that through your prayers I will be given to you.

The implication is such that Onesimus did something to Philemon, perhaps stealing from him, then he took off a ran off to Rome. Paul says to put it on his account because Onesimus is a different man now based on his position in Christ, seen in Onesimus’ practice of serving Paul so well while he was imprisoned.

In other words, he served me – now let him serve you, but as one who is a slave to Christ, but a free man to you…

And Paul knew Philemon’s character – he took good care of Onesimus, as he treated him like family.

Philemon understood that Paul’s writings carried the seeds of the gradual dissolution of the institution of slavery because we will look at people under a biblical rubric rather than an unredeemed framework.

Our work ethic comes with the upward call of God upon our lives such that we are…

v. 6b – “as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart”

Col 3:23 – “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men.”

Change the audience you work for!

1 Peter 2:18–20 – “Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. For this finds favor…

IV. Serve willingly and eagerly as to the Lord (v. 7)

v. 7 – “With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men”

Col 3:24 – “It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.”

A. Knowing the Lord sees and rewards whatever good thing each one does. (v.8)

“knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.”

Col 3:24– “knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance”

B. Remembering God is everyone’s Master (v. 9)

v. 9 – “And masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven”

To the Christian employer or those whom the Lord has given to you a position over others. How are you treating those under your stewardship? Are you treating them as image bearers, with dignity and respect.

C. Understanding God shows no favoritism (v. 9)

v. 9 – “there is no partiality with Him.”

Col 3:25 – “For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.”

[1] William Barclay, The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians, p.212

[2] (Salmond, SDF. The Epistle to the Ephesians. "The Expositor's Greek Testament," Vol.3, ed. by W. Robertson Nicoll. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1970, p.377.)

[3] (Francis Foulkes, The Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians, "Tyndale New Testament Commentaries," ed. by RVG Tasker. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, p.167).

[4] RC Sproul Ephesians, p. 86.