Week six: Titus 2.9-10 THE SERVANTS
By Rev.
COPYRIGHT 2004
9 [Exhort]
servants to be obedient unto their own masters, [and] to please [them] well in
all [things]; not answering again; 10 Not purloining, but shewing
all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all
things.
Most expositors relate the thought of servants to the
relationship that the believer has with their employer. This is the primary
emphasis of the passage, but it has another application that we need to look at
also. The believer's relationship of servant to their master
- Christ.
Employer/employee relationship: This is one of the most
important relationships you will have outside your family relationships. It is
where you spend most of your time in interpersonal relationships, and it is
where people are watching you like a hawk to see if you are living the life you
ought.
You will influence more people in this contact with
people than any other except possibly your church if it is a large one. You
will affect your employer, your managers and your co-workers and all
combinations of the three. What an awesome responsibility we have as workers in
the work place.
Believer/Christ relationship: We are bought by the Master
and we should have a master servant relationship with Him. If not, you are not
on the proper footing with God. He bought us, He paid the price for us, and He
owns us, yet He waits on us to voluntarily take on that servant position. He
could force us into servitude, but He does not, He awaits our loving submission
to his position of Master.
In the New Testament time a person could place themselves
into servant hood to their master. This was a voluntary decision and was a relationship
of deep commitment.
"Exhort" is supplied by the translator to show
the continuing series of exhortations to different classes of people. Exhort
the servants. Notice first of all that Paul does not go into a three volume
tirade about the ills of slavery, nor does he tell the slave owners to free the
slaves. He simply beginnings laying out principles for Christian living for
those that find themselves in slavery.
This is usually the case in the Bible. The Word reaches
us where we are in life no matter the station and allows us the knowledge we
need to live a proper Christian life no matter what or who we are in life's
grand scheme of things.
If young, live this way - if a servant, live this way -
simply do as the Word directs, no matter your lot in life, be you bond or free,
be you male or female, be you rich or poor, or be you sick or in health - live
according to the principles from the Word.
"Obedient" is the same Greek word translated
obedient in verse five where the young women are told to be obedient to their
own husbands. The servant is to obey their master, they are to be submissive to
their master, and they are to be subject to their master.
Now in the area of employer/employee, you need to really
consider this thought of submission. Can you be submissive while arguing? Can
you be submissive while ducking out of work? Can you be submissive while on
strike? Can you be submissive while stealing from work? Can you be submissive
when you are goofing off when no one is looking? I think not.
To their own masters - is the identical terminology used
of the wives and their "own husbands" thus we need to apply the same
applications - giving heed to only your own employer, submitting to your own
employer - (that one really speaks to the union issue) - doing a good job only
for your own employer. In other words, work and honor the man that writes the
check at the end of the day, not someone that comes in from outside the
relationship and is wanting your time/effort.
We are to do for them, and not only do for them; we are
to do well for them. Do a good job, not just getting along. Do such a good job
that they realize you are doing well. Why? I have to work for this guy cuz he owns me - why should I do extra? Well, the Lord did
extra for us didn't He? Maybe that should be the reasoning
We need to realize who it is that we are really working
for. We may be a slave, or an employee, or a manager, but we are all working
for God. It is His glory that we seek and it is Him that should encourage us
toward doing an excellent job for those we serve.
I have included a study relating to work and the
believer's attitude toward work as an appendix. If you really want to know what
God wants of us as employees/employers, you might find the study of interest.
"Not purloining" is simply
When working in retail, I observed many people taking
thirty minute breaks rather than their fifteen minute assigned breaks. This is
stealing just as much as reaching into the cash register and taking a hand full
of money for yourself.
We are to show good fidelity or as the word means - good
faith. All we do in the work place is to be above reproach that we might adorn
the doctrine of God.
This purloining might well relate to the use of the mind
as well. When employed the person is hired for all their attributes, not just
their physical movements. When on the job we should concentrate on the job and
on how to accomplish it in the best manner possible.
Not only this but we ought to
have our attitude adjusted correctly so that we can concentrate on what we are
doing.
It was mentioned earlier that we aren't to back talk. I
mentioned that I was in retail earlier and I worked under a man that had the
habit of rubbing me the wrong way. This man deserved all of these benefits even
though he was not the best person to work with.
His favorite habit was to tell me just prior to quitting
time that I was going to undertake a long project before I went home. This
always required an attitude adjustment shortly after on my part. One time in
particular he announced a two-man job, only when I asked for the second man he
said no. My attitude was not easily adjusted due to the danger involved in
doing it alone, however -
This man would not talk to me about spiritual things but
I know that he knew that I was doing a good job for him because I knew HIM that
I served! I trust that if he is ever given the gospel he will be reminded of my
non-verbal testimony, as some popped into my mind when I heard the gospel.
Several people in a little Bible church had done some inconsequential things
for me that made me wander about them. When the pastor was sharing the Gospel
with me and after I had accepted Christ, these people came quickly to mind -
that is why they were the way they were - they serve Christ.
The overall impact of this statement of Paul's in these
two verses appears to be this: Because of what God has done for us, we ought to
react in a certain way. LIVE A GODLY
Years ago while I was being interviewed for a position of
assistant pastor/school principle/teacher, I was asked how I viewed the rewards
that the believer was to be given. Off the top of my head I told the board
member that I really did not understand why God included information about
rewards in the Bible. I said that rewards would be ice cream on the cherry pie,
but that I lived my life as I did to please God not for reward. I told him that
God had done so much for my life, that I felt my obligation to Him was to live
my life for Him and to do anything that God asked me to do.
Reward has always been irrelevant to my life. I gain
rewards, that is fine, but my life, my direction, my
work is for God not reward. I lived my life this way for a number of years
before I knew that there was such a thing as rewards - getting something out of
living for God just wasn't on my radar screen.
I believe this passage teaches just what I told the board
member, even though I had no Biblical basis when I told him what I believed.
APPLICATION:
1. The thought of serving your own master could well
relate to the fact that we are supposed to be working. Appendix one has some
thoughts on welfare as well.
2. Not only are we to serve but
we are to serve well. We are to do the very best job that we can. We aren't to sluff off and goof off when they aren't looking; we are to
apply every fiber of our being to the job at hand. This includes physical and
mental. Do an exceptional job, not just a good job.
I have found that this has its immediate rewards in this
life. Most employers will bless those that do a good job and those that are
trying to please the employer. I was hired for a ninety day, part time job over
Christmas and was ultimately made supervisor and full time - only because the
manager saw that I was a good worker.
Reward here is not the point of course, but the reward of
God in heaven is the key - He will bless us even if the earthly master does not.
3. The Greek word translated "adorn" is a form
of the word used in I Peter 3.3 when the women are adorning themselves. It has
the idea of put in order. In the I Peter passage it is the same word that is
translated world. The world order - the decorating. We
are told that we adorn the word of God.
This could and does mean we are to decorate the word of
God by our actions, or it could be that Paul had this thought of
"order" in mind. Titus was to set things in order. He was to set the
young women's thinking on marriage right, and here I think he is asking the
servants to do well that the doctrine of God, or the masters thinking about the
doctrine of God be set in order.
Undoubtedly, if the Christians were mixed up on what was
Christian, then lost people would have no real concept of what was Christian.
If the servants are doing well, and not talking back, then the masters will see
a little bit of what Christianity is all about.
Even today unregenerate employers see the value in
Christian workers. I worked for two Jewish men years ago in a large television
repair facility. The work force was about seventy 5 percent Christian all the
time. They knew what the Christians were like in the work force and appreciated
their work ethic as well as their ethics and morals. I'd guess that they would
have had 100 percent believers had they been able to determine the facts before
hiring.
I might add that the believers enjoyed working for these
men because they knew the employers appreciated their ethics/morals and that
they were blessed as employees as much as the company could afford to bless.
The very fact that we are doing right in our actions is
going to improve the masters/employers view of Christianity, as would the wrong
actions detracting from their view. Imagine, we, even if a lowly servant, can
make or break another person's view of God. An awesome responsibility when you
consider it. In a sense, you’re stealing, or your back talk could keep someone
from giving heed to the Gospel when they hear it.
4. Ephesians 6.5-8 mentions "5 Servants, be obedient
to them that are [your] masters according to the flesh, with fear and
trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; 6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but
as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; 7 With good
will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: 8 Knowing that whatsoever
good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether [he
be] bond or free."
Paul gives more emphasis to the subject here. "as
the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart" - get your
minds wrapped around that phrase - this is what everyone of us that works for a
living is to do - not optional - it is to be our service to God!
The next phrase clearly points out that we aren't working
for the master/employer; we are working for THE MASTER! "With good will
doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men" This is the key to the
suffering, the boredom, the lackluster of the work-a-day world. We are serving
God in the work place just as much as a pastor is serving God in the ministry.
The product at the end of the day may be different, but God looks to you to
serve him in the same manner as the pastor or missionary serves in the
ministry. We
Pastors/missionaries, you might make special note of that
in your thinking over the years. And pastors/teachers don't you ever demean anyone,
of any class, in any job, for their position in life. That janitor that sweeps
up after you is serving the same Lord as you and he is doing it with all the
fervor that he has to offer, just as you ought to be. It isn't us and them, it
is one another.
We have tended to raise these people up on pedestals for
their service to God, when we all ought to be serving in the same manner. Maybe
that pedestal is because the workers haven't been serving the way they ought.
See I Timothy 6.1ff for more on servant/master
relationships.
5. When reading these passages I have always pictured
those slaves that make it over to the church fellowship times at someone's
home. Those that are in the work-a-day world, but Keathley points out quite
properly that there may well have been slaves in the
homes of Christians. These slaves may have been sitting in on the services in
their masters’ homes. This is the picture in the book of Philemon.
Imagine a back talking Christian slave hearing these words
in the presence of his master. Wow, that would be embarrassing. These people
were singled out by Paul right along with the young men and women that were
also probably hearing these things in the congregation. That is application of
the Word of God!
And we, today, tend to not want to get that up and in
your face with our teaching - Paul did, and I think we ought to as well. A
little more "in your face" teaching in the church would assist with
the holiness issue that is lacking.
6. We won't settle the issue, but this passage may call
to mind the idea of "what is our social responsibility" - Paul did
not condemn slavery, Christ did not condemn slavery, Paul gave principles to
live by - under - the system of slavery.
Is it our moral, social responsibility to remedy the
social ills of our nations? Are we to be active in working against these ills?
Are we to protest, fight against these ills?
I think the principle set forth here is to work within
the social ills as best we can and allow the principles of Christ to show
through and probably bring about change in the ill.
Is the abortion issue in our country not a social ill? I
think all would agree. Should we be fighting against this ill? I think the Word
would indicate that we work to show Christian principles. I would not be
against writing letters, or against protests if peaceful, though these are tied
by the media to the fringe radicals and thus it often detracts from the stand
of Christians in my mind.
Adorning the Word is our cause, not detracting from it.
If we can adorn the Word within the law of our land, then I think we are free
to do so. The only limitation would be the relationship between our work to
cure the social ills and the ability to evangelize. The later is our command;
the former is allowable as long as it doesn't interfere with the
evangelization.
7. Paul tells the servant to be subject to their master.
Now, they were already subject to their master legally. The master had rule
over the slaves life, but Paul goes a step further - be subject to the master
personally - as though you really desire to submit.
This might have application to the work force. Yes, you
are under a verbal contract to work so many hours for so much money, but Paul
would have you, personally, go a step further and submit yourself to that
employer completely on your own.
Again, imagine the business world tomorrow if every
Christian in the world went in the next day living as the Lord would have them
live. Would not the lost employers of the world take new meaning to the
Christianity that they now know? I believe that the world would be drastically
changed, as would the church.
8. The business world loses billions of dollars every
year to theft and losses due to improper employee activity. They lose even
further by the inactivity of employees, when they take extended breaks, call in
sick when they aren't, and when they goof off while no one is looking. Further,
retailers lose millions to shop lifting. I hate to say it, but I know parts of
these losses are due to believers.
Again, I would challenge you to imagine a world in which
all believers started working and living as they ought to - imagine the extra
money corporations would have, imagine the witnessing opportunities we would
have - and I don't mean on company time!
I don't mean to say that all Christians are thieves but I
have witnessed many goofing off and taking long breaks and small things such as
this. I hate to say it, but I would be a bit limited in intelligence to assume
that no Christian ever steals. Maybe not in the big bucks area, but in the use
of company paper for personal things, for making copies on company machines
without paying, for sneaking a look at your personal email on company time and
equipment etc.
9. There is one further item that should be covered. The
servant is not to talk back. Let us consider the action needed when the master
tells them to do something that the servant knows to be wrong. It could mean
the servants life to say no to the master. Yet, would not the master realize
this man telling him no might be a most trusted servant - one that will not do
wrong.
In business it is quite hard not to do wrong when asked
to, because our job is on the line, yet that is what the Lord would have us do
- take a stand when needed. It is not an easy thing to do to say no to what I
am told to do. Be sure you are on Biblical ground and take your stand.
There is nothing wrong in being nice when you say no,
giving reason why you are saying no, and apologizing for having to say no. It
may well anger the employer (since his lack of moral character has been exposed
:-) so the consequences may be unpleasant.
10. "Of God our Savior" is a little different
phrase than usually used. I suspect that Paul was drawing attention to the saviorhood of God to make the point that this action is for
the possibility of evangelism. If the servant lives properly, then an
opportunity for a witness would be the more possible.
All they do is to look forward to adorning the saviorhood of God. In essence it is an example for all
believers - do all you do, in every way you can, at any time you can to further
the gospel of Christ. It is Him that we serve ultimately, and it is Him that we
are to share with others as we have opportunity.
Copyright Rev.
THEOLOGY OF
by
OUTLINE:
INTRODUCTION
I. THEOLOGY OF
II. THEOLOGY OF ETHICAL
IV. THEOLOGY OF UNACCEPTABLE
V. THEOLOGY OF PEACEABLE
VI. THEOLOGY OF GODLY
APPENDIX
APPENDIX TWO: Work situations calling for ethical
evaluation
APPENDIX THREE: Women working outside the home
APPENDIX FOUR: Workmen of the tabernacle/temple
INTRODUCTION:
In recent days our community was shocked by two
teenagers, one of which was on a local high school football team, tortured and
beat a stray cat to death and then hid the evidence from their parents. The two
boys were jailed on a ten thousand-dollar bail.
One of our churchmen, the following Sunday, related this
incident to another more common occurrence that goes, basically, unnoticed by
the media and the public at large. He related that it was strange that these
two young men would be jailed on $10,000 bond, while a doctor can plunge a pair
of scissors into the brain of a full term baby and suck its brains out and call
it a needed medical procedure.
We in
I will preempt this study by saying that I am sure that I
will offend some. I will also say that I probably should offend more than I
will offend. I will also say that it is not I that offends,
but Almighty God. He sets the standards that we are to live by, not me.
Premise: We as believers have adopted the secular mind
set that tells us that we MUST have our rights.
The Bible is supposed to be our very guide for living as
believers. Baptists have as one of their Baptist Distinctives
the Bible as their only authority for faith and practice. However, I think that
we will see that today Christians oft reject its teachings by our life style.
We live as if "no" was a dirty word.
"No" is a word of control. It was designed to limit the activity. We
feel that it is a word that will warp our child's mind so we avoid it like the
plague.
Might I remind you that God uses negatives? "Thou
shalt not" is a negative much like the word no. God has many negatives,
God has many restrictions, yet we in the church over the last few years have
given ourselves permission to do all things rather than to follow the
restrictions and avoid those things the Scriptures tell us to avoid.
We Christians, seldom say no to ourselves or for that
matter to our children. If you spend time in retail stores, you will find that
"no" is the word children use when they talk to their parents, rather
than the other way around. No, I won't wear that dress to school. No, I won't
pay for that with my own money - you buy it for me. No, I won't be quiet. No, I
don't want to go yet. No, I won't -------- .
Let's consider our rights for a moment or two.
MY CHRISTIAN RIGHTS
We have been living in a generation that has wanted its
rights for all to long. We have groups wanting to be viewed with equal rights.
We have groups wanting to be viewed with special rights. We have groups wanting
to have the same rights as others. We have groups wanting to limit the rights
of some so that they can have special rights. We have groups wanting to limit
the rights of some so that they can have more rights than anyone else. Everyone
is worried about their rights.
In
Some groups deserve to have rights enforced, while other
groups want rights that they have no right to.
We have "CHALLENGED" people that want to be
able to do everything that everyone else can do, yet they say don't treat me as
if I'm special. I'm sorry but you can't have it both ways! If the society
spends billions of dollars for ramps and accesses for only those few, then they
are special! The ramps and accesses are not necessary for the majority nor are
most of them used for the majority. It is not wrong for society to supply equal
access to those that need it, but they are special no matter how much they
don't want to be.
Our public schools have been teaching young people that
whatever they decide to do is okay. They have the right to make any decision
that they want. Now those same young people are older and demanding the rights
that no one can give them.
Some of those young people are committing crime and
wondering why everyone is upset with them. The young people declare their actions
all right and themselves not guilty of anything and wonder why others are
upset.
THE RIGHTS WE HAVE GIVEN OURSELVES
I recently talked with a man that was very frustrated for
his children. One of his kids and spouse came to him complaining of all their
problems. They were both working, they were not making a lot of money, they had
no savings, they had a home but it was only a very modest one - not what they
wanted, they had a three-year-old car, their kids couldn't have all the clothes
they wanted, they weren't getting ahead, and in general they were frustrated
because they hadn't achieved the American dream - whatever that is.
As the man talked, I was taken with the total
self-centeredness of the family. Everything centered upon them and what they
wanted and what they didn't have.
SOUND FAMILIAR? I find that this
is about where most Christians live their lives. Their concentration is
acquiring material things, and acquiring more material things.
If you have been watching television news over the last
few years, you know that many people in our nation have been denied the
American dream. They resent this exclusion from what EVERYONE
Their thinking is very similar to the farmers I used to
work within in the
Now, I would try to figure all this out. Just how does
the expression of always loosing money relate to the facts of all I had viewed?
It was explained to me by a farmer one day. The farmer in
that area would decide how much he wanted to make the coming year. Say he
decided he wanted to make $60,000 and at the end of the year he had only made
$40,000, then he has lost $20,000.
Using this method of accounting, I must admit that my
wife and I have been loosing about $35,000 per year for the last 30 years. Do
you suppose
Now, let us consider the rights that God has given us in
this area of life.
THE RIGHTS GOD GAVE US
I would like to read God's estimation of our rights to
the American dream. (By the way isn't a dream something that you look forward
to and work toward? The American dream has been something that millions have
worked their lives for, not something that is given to them by the federal
government because it was due them.)
Gen 3:17b-19 "And unto Adam he said, Because thou
hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which
I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for
thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18
"Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat
the herb of the field; 19 "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread,
till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast
thou taken; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."
God says that we will live - eat and survive - by the
sweat of our brow. He does not give 25 declarations, such as: THOU SHALT HAVE A
GORGEOUS HOME. THOU SHALT HAVE A BMW. THOU SHALT HAVE A HUGE SAVINGS ACCOUNT.
THOU SHALT HAVE A BULGING BILLFOLD. THOU SHALT HAVE A COLLEGE EDUCATION. THOU
SHALT HAVE A
Our society has given us the self-centered/materialistic
mind set that many of us function under today. It is an incorrect mind set!
Before you take what I say wrong, let me be quick to say
that God has supremely blessed some of his people through the years. He has
chosen to give many of his people great wealth and prosperity, but this is a
blessing over and above what he has promised. He has only promised us the need
to work for our NEEDS.
When struggling through the first years of
STRUGGLING, POOR BIBLE COLLEGE STUDENTS driving a Sports
Fury convertible with bucket seats and leather interior! God truly blesses
sometimes.
Scripture bears out this line of thinking. Abraham,
David, Solomon for a few from the Old Testament. These men had great wealth.
While these men had great wealth, there were MANY that were barely getting by
financially.
We often quote Matt. 6:33 to show that we will be given
all we need. "Seek ye first the
NO! The context shows clearly that God is promising, not
to provide all our wants, but to supply our NEEDS!
God promises to give to us the needs of life. Those
things required to keep us alive.
WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE A WITNESS for our Lord: Matt
28:18-20
WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE HOLY: I Pet 1:15-16 "But as
he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am
holy."
WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE PERSECUTED: John 15:20a
"Remember the word that I said unto you, The
servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will
also persecute you;"
WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO USE OUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS: Eph. 4:8
"Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high,
he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.” The following context of
this verse shows that the gifts are to be used, not laid aside in disuse!
WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE PRAYERFUL: I Tim 2:8A "I
will therefore that men pray every where," (James
WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO SUPPORT THOSE IN NEED: Gal. 6:2
"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ."
WE HAVE A RIGHT TO ETERNAL REST: Rev. 14:12 "Here is
the patience of the saints: here [are] they that keep the commandments of God,
and the faith of Jesus. 13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me,
Write, Blessed [are] the dead which die in the Lord
from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them."
WE HAVE A RIGHT TO FREEDOM FROM SIN: Rom.
WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO LOVE
Now that we know what our true Christian rights are,
compare them to the rights that you tend to be worried about and see if your
mind is running with God or the world.
Having said all this I trust that you understand that God
has created us with the ability to work. Since the fall He has deemed it
fitting that we make our living by the sweat of our brow, thus knowing what
work is might well be very appropriate to anyone wanting his/her rights!
I. THEOLOGY OF
Technically theology is a study of God or something
closely relating to God. Work is an integrated part of God's plan for man, even
before the fall.
A theology of work is a loose usage of the term theology,
though I think in our present society with its emphasis on government help,
welfare, etc. a theology of work is needed. A study of the thought of work as
God sees it. If you object to the use of the term theology substitute the word
philosophy.
This will not be a long work, as the Scripture is quite
clear that all mankind is to exist by the sweat of the brow. We in our
technological society have a distinct advantage to poor Adam. We can sit in the
air-conditioned office and put in our eight hours - if we are so blessed. Adam
had to pick up his regrets the day after being kicked out of the garden and
start scratching for food and shelter.
In Gen. 1:4 we see that God evaluated His own work and
saw that it was good. God worked! This should require us to acknowledge that
work can't be bad!
I would like to take a slight side track and comment on
evaluation of work for a moment. There is no tool of life that is more
effective to help you in your work for the Lord. EVALUATION! Without
evaluation, you cannot know how you are doing! That is almost as much a fact of
life as is the law of gravity.
If you do not evaluate your work you will never know if
you are doing a good job or a bad job. When teaching I told my students that I
automatically evaluated their work - grades and tests!
As you go into life you should learn to evaluate
everything that you do including your secular work. This will help you see your
good points and your poor points. As you see the good you can continue to
improve to do even better. As you see the bad you can find out why it is bad
and make moves to correct the problems.
In Gen. 2:1-3 we find some information that may help you
in your study of work. The Sabbath was GOD'S
1. COMPLETION: God had finished His work and now was
resting. Think of that scene! Picture God resting. Quite a unique concept, the God of the universe resting.
2. CEASING: God rested after a hard work out. Q. Does God
need rest? NO! The term has the idea of repose.
3. BLESSED: Two points. a. Some say it was to be a
blessing to those that observed it. Point - the text does not say this. b. He
blessed it. The text doesn't require blessing for more than one day.
4. HOLINESS: He set it apart or sanctified it.
It is of interest that these points also fit Christ and
the Lord's Day, Sunday.
1. COMPLETION: The work of Christ was complete on the
first day.
2. CEASING: Christ sat down at the right hand of God
after finishing His work for an extended time. Heb.
3. BLESSEDNESS: Our joy is in Christ since He finished
His work. 4. HOLINESS: We are set aside because of His work. As
well as the first day.
In Gen. 2:15 we see that God had work in mind for Adam
from the very beginning. We need not feel that we are worthless for God can
find something for us to do! I don't think that there was a riding lawn mower
with eleven attachments; however I don't think that this work would have been
dissatisfying to Adam.
EVEN IN
II. THEOLOGY OF ETHICAL
A few years ago the president of the school where I was
teaching theology called me into his office and showed me a news headline. "Major Business Colleges Now Offering Courses in Ethics."
My exclamation was, "IT'S ABOUT TIME!"
There is work and then there is ethical work. The crook
that breaks into your home and helps himself to your
belongings is working. He may even break a sweat, yet this is not ethical work.
It is not work that is accepted by our society. I
trust you will understand the need to take a moment to consider this topic.
Ethical work is work that is an acceptable mode of making
a living according to the dictates of society. Herein is the rub.
Our society is, in part, dictated by our legislators.
They have defined ethical work by the programs that they have developed to
"help" the poor.
Ethical work in 1997
Now, within this thought is the fact that some won't take
a minimum wage job because it won't bring them to their level of financial
status. So, the government has developed all of the welfare programs to help
these people that are disadvantaged to raise themselves up to their standards -
not by working but by filling out government forms and staying at home and not
engaging in work.
This study will attempt to look at ethical work, not what
we have in
To this end I would like to introduce a passage from the
New Testament. II Thessalonians 3:6-15 "Now we command you, brethren, in
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every
brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the
tradition which he received of us. 7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow
us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; 8 Neither did we eat any
man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be
chargeable to any of you: 9 Not because we have not power, but to make
ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. 10 For even when we were with you,
this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. 11
For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at
all, but are busybodies. 12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our
Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. 13
But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. 14 And if any man
obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company
with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet count [him] not as an enemy, but
admonish [him] as a brother."
I am not even going to give comment on this passage. It
is quite clear that the writer of the epistle was moved by God to state that if
you don't work, you don't eat. Now, before I be labeled sadistic etc. let me
state that there is another teaching in the Word of God that is clear that if
someone is unable to work, there should be help available.
The key is the thought of work. In our society the
definition of the ability to work is stretched to the limit. We lived in an apartment complex years ago where many welfare recipients
lived. The men of the house would go out into the parking lot and play football
etc. with their bad backs almost daily.
Unable to work - even in a sit down office job, but they
could do all those pleasurable items like fishing, hunting, sports, working on
cars, etc.
It should be obvious to the Christian that those in the
church that do not work are to be shunned - that is church discipline! Few are
the churches today that take steps of discipline in any case much less the
thought of someone on perpetual welfare.
Welfare is not wrong! Welfare is for those that need
assistance until they can get back onto their feet. I doubt that there is a
person in the
In keeping with this thought I have included as an
appendix to this study a deacons fund policy that might give you ideas for your
church in how to help those in need. This policy grew out of a young couple
coming to our church in need of help. They said they were believers, were new
to town, were unable to find work and needed gas money. The deacons gave the
couple $50 and we never saw them again - even though they thought they would
like to attend our church.
Romans 14:7-8 "For none of us liveth
to himself, and no man dieth
to himself. 8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die,
we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the
Lord's."
The believer that is sold out to live his/her life for
God assumes that God is the sole center of the person’s life. Romans 12 is clear that we are all to offer ourselves a
living sacrifice to him. Based on these thoughts then we can understand the
following philosophy of life that I would like to present.
Since we are God's, and since we have offered ourselves
to Him, then NO MATTER WHAT
Since we work for God our very very
best abilities should be used, our very very best
efforts should be given, and our very very best
attitude should be present! Now, when you get mad at that coworker - you are in
need of speaking to your employer - God.
Even if you are working for a very poor employer - you
are serving God and actually your real employer is God. He allows you good
health to work, He allows you the abilities to hold the job, and He allows the
employer to give you work.
Ephesians 6:5-7 is a good basis for this thought. It
speaks to slaves - isn't that what you always complain about being at work! No,
we are not slaves, but if a slave is to have the attitude of Eph. 6 then surely
all free employees should have at least the same attitude.
(Eph 6:5-9 5 "Servants, be obedient to them that are
[your] masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness
of your heart, as unto Christ; 6 Not with eyeservice,
as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing
the will of God from the heart; 7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord,
and not to men: 8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same
shall he receive of the Lord, whether [he be] bond or free. 9 And, ye masters,
do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of
persons with him.")
You may have noticed I included a couple of verses for
masters/employers as well - just in case the reader is not in the slave
category.
The very best that you can is the type of job you should
do. When living in
Each and every day that I had the job, on the way to work
my prayer was that I might honor God by what I did, that I might do a good job
for the Lord (not the employer - though I'm sure he enjoyed my work), and that
I might present Christ in my actions.
It was during this time that I developed a systematic
theology. Initially when I had so much extra time I decided to set down a
systematic theology for my children's benefit. Little did I know that this
effort would blossom into something as big as it has.
It is on the internet being accessed by people all over the world. I have
always felt that my being faithful in the janitor job allowed God to do
something much bigger than sweeping floors.
IV. THEOLOGY OF UNACCEPTABLE
Somewhere when teaching I ran across a quote that has
stuck with me. "Christian mediocrity is still mediocrity." Doing a
sloppy job as a Christian is still a sloppy job. Doing the job haphazardly as a
Christian is still a haphazard job. Just because we are believers, it does not
mean that we can do a poor job and expect God to make up the difference.
Little needs to be said in this section. We are to do the
best that we can, thus anything less is unacceptable. If we decide to view our
occupation as something less than our best, then we are thumbing our nose at
the Lord. He asks for the best, and that is what we should give to Him.
V. THEOLOGY OF PEACEABLE
The Scripture calls us to get along peaceably with
others, be they believers or nonbelievers. Thus an application of our principle
of work should be that we work peaceably with our co workers and our employers.
You may say, "You're asking an awwwwfffulll lot
Lord!" There have been times when I have felt the same way.
Co workers and employers can be a pain in the neck. I had
been having a very bad day when my employer came to me - five minutes before I
was to go home - and told me he wanted a certain job done. I knew that the job
would take a couple hours at best. I worked peaceably with him, but I must
admit I didn't get any spiritual blessing from it because I had an attitude
problem for quite awhile.
AGAIN, if we are working for God - then the extra work
that is laid on won't be a problem to us.
(
God is the one we should work for, but the man that
writes that paycheck deserves all we can give him as well.
Everything we do honors God and I have seen more than one
of my past employers notice the job I have done and know that it was God that
brought that good job about.
VI. THEOLOGY OF GODLY
I would like to look at two aspects as we close. The
thought of Godly work breaks well into two divisions. First of all the thought
of the ministry and secondly the thought of work, jobs and occupations that
ought not to be held by Christians.
MINISTRY: For many years I have viewed the call to
ministry as a special blessing to the person that receives it. They are called
into a work or ministry that they truly enjoy. They can get up in the morning
and know that they are going to enjoy what they do - not like some that get up
in the morning knowing that they will have to clean bathrooms, or sew 3,000
seams, or weld 4,000 pieces, or what have you.
The minister of God that is paid for his work is the
nearest thing to skirting the curse that I can think of. Actually any one that
enjoys their work is flirting with overcoming the curse to me. Not that the
person is trying to get around God, but they are involved in doing what they
want to do in life and get paid for it.
I'm sure many there are that are in this situation that
are not in a full time ministry - indeed, if we are REALLY working with that
attitude of "I'm doing it for God." we will enjoy what we do.
UNGODLY
I would naturally class any illegal work in this area. I
also would class many other works here as well. There are occupations that are
morally improper for the believer to be involved in as well. Then there are the
areas where it may be legal, and it may be morally all right, but is it all
right for a believer.
Among the illegal, we are speaking of crime,
embezzlement, cheating, etc. The morally wrong would be those things that God
condemns even though our society or government may not condemn. Prostitution
for example is legal in some areas, yet not Biblically right.
The last area is less easy to decide. For example should
a Christian sell lottery tickets? Some are probably trying to figure out what I
am talking about. Many believers play the lottery, so why would selling the
tickets be wrong. Many Christians view gambling of any kind wrong. It is
placing something God has entrusted to them to be a good steward with. Putting
it out to chance is not good stewardship.
Should a Christian sell alcoholic beverages? Should a
Christian be a janitor in a pornographic printing company (NO I WASN'T)? Should
a Christian work in a store or business where the employees are expected to
cheat the customer.
These are some areas where believers must go to their
Bibles, Godly counselors, and God for guidance and advice.
Then the person must make up their own mind.
I would encourage anyone in these areas to consider very
carefully their decision in light of the thought that their testimony before
the world may be hindered. If you are working in one of these areas, you may
cause people to stumble, or you may cause people to not want to listen to you
when you witness to them.
For example if you have friends that have high moral
standards even though they are not Christians - and there are many people in
this classification - and you take a job in an area where they feel you ought
not, they will most likely not listen as closely when you talk of their sin and
their need of Christ's work on the cross.
Even within the okay jobs, with the okay employers, with
the best of intentions, we will find ourselves faced with moral decisions. Some
examples might help you watch your steps. These are found in appendix two.
I have also included an appendix relating to Christian
women working outside the home. This is found in Appendix three.
There seems to be more and more controversy about
Christian women working outside the home.
I trust that this has been helpful to some. It is not
meant to be a complete study of work in the Bible; it is just a beginning for
the person that wants to go deeper.
APPENDIX
(This policy was formed with the Congregational form of
government in mind. It would be quite easy to adapt it to other forms of church
government.)
In that the Scripture is very clear that we are to be in
the custom of assisting other believers in need, and in that the Scripture is
very clear that we are to be in the custom of assisting widows and orphans, and
in that the Scripture is clear that we are to be in the custom of assisting
strangers, we hearby institute this policy to assist
us in this ministry to those in need. (See footnote at end of policy for
references.)
Each person seeking assistance will be interviewed by two
of our deacons/elders and their concurrence will result in help. There is no
need to INVESTIGATE a request for help other than to talk with the person
involved to gain a sense that the need is valid. (We will trust God to guide us
in our decisions and allow Him to deal with those that misuse our ministry.)
1. The fund shall be financed by an offering taken in the
missions bowl after the Lord's Table service each month.
2. The fund shall be dispersed under the guidance of the
deacons.
3. The funds will be distributed by gift certificate as
much as possible or by cash/check if the need is not available via
certificates.
4. A grocery closet will be maintained at the church via
the donations of the membership. It will contain sealed goods that can be
stored for extended periods of time.
5. If the fund is depleted, and a seemingly valid case
exists, the deacon and pastor may go before the church for special
offering/general fund expenditure for the assistance.
6. A list of social service agencies will be maintained
and a copy of that list shall be given to each person
requesting assistance. (It is assumed by this policy that much of our
tax money goes to support social services, so we should make use of those
services for the assistance of those in need.)
7. A total value for each assistance
shall not exceed $50. (Groceries need only be approximated.)
8. The above is not to say that every person that
requests assistance is to be helped. It shall be at the discretion of those
talking with the person that may or may not determine to extend help from the
church family.
9. If there is a choice between church family members and
those outside the church, then the church families’ needs should be met first.
FOOTNOTE:
Heb 13:2 Be not forgetful to
entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Acts
6:1 And in those days, when the number of the
disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the
Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. I Tim
5:3 Honour widows that are
widows indeed. 4 But if any widow have children or
nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their
parents: for that is good and acceptable before God. James
Nave's topical Bible references for further study: De
15:7-18; Le 25:35-43; Ps 41:1, 112:9; Pr 3:27,28, 11:25, 22:9, 25:21,22, 28:27;
Isa 58:6,7,10,11; Eze 18:5,7-9; Mt 5:42, 19:21,
25:35-45; Mr 9:41, 10:21; Lu 3:11, 11:41; Ac 6:1-4,
11:29,30; Ro 15:25-27; 1Co 13:3, 16:1-3; 2Co 8:1-15,24, 9:1-15; Ga 2:10; Php 4:10-18; 1Ti 5:8,16,
6:18; Heb 6:10, 13:16; Jas 2:15,16; 1Jo 3:17.
APPENDIX TWO:
1. While working as a television technician a customer
asked me to alter a circuit in their little color television. I looked the set
over and found that I could do the requested work and proceeded. I plugged the
set in and saw a bright flash in the neck of the picture tube which indicated
that I had damaged the tube. Correct I was. I had blown the picture tube. It
would cost over $100. to replace the part.
I took my job in hand and told my employer what I had
done. He thought for awhile and told me to call the customer and tell them that
we had to orders some parts and that we would call when they got in. This
required two things: A lie to the customer, and a listing of parts on the work
order, neither of which are morally acceptable to me.
I knew that I could not do as my employer - a man of
usually high moral character - had requested. I asked him if it wouldn't be
better to just be up front with the customer and apologize and tell them what
was going on. My employer thought for a moment and agreed with my estimation of
the situation. I called the customer and told him of the problem and he was quite understanding and even felt bad that he had
requested we do the work.
2. You are being given free health insurance by your
employer. The agent comes in and requests your signature on a health form. You
sign the form and as you finish you notice that the form is already dated -
three weeks prior to your signature.
What do you do? Do you chance not being covered with the
3. Your employer tells you to tell a customer that a
refund will be mailed out in two weeks. You know, however that the company
policy is that you don't mail out the refund. Only when the customer calls and
asks why they haven't received the refund do they send it out. Do you lie to
the customer? Even though you know the company does this because they know that
crooks don't usually call back? Even though you feel that this customer is
really a crook?
4. You take a job at a Christian book store and on the
first day you find out that they sell books that disagree with your beliefs. Do
you quit? Do you sell books that you really don't agree with?
5. You take a job at a television repair shop. On the
third day, over lunch you hear the other two employees talking of the employer
as if he is the dumbest person on earth. You hear them indicate that they have
cheated him. You find out that one of the men is not legally licensed in the
state to work on television sets. Do you continue your job - it's their problem
not yours - right? Do you quite? Do you tell your former employer why you have
just quit?
6. As an older person with a lot of education you find
that you cannot find employment. Many tell you it is due to your age or that
you have too much education. Someone tells you to just fill out applications
and don't mention the education. Do you do such a thing knowing that the
applications state that you are swearing the information is true when you sign
the application?
These are just a few examples of ruff spots I've run into
over the years. There are all sorts of ways that the Devil will twist truth and
squeeze right living to see if you will do wrong. I trust you will be on your
toes in the work place as well as at home.
The moral of this section is watch where you are headed
and ask questions before you move forward. Think about the ramifications of
your actions. I have found myself in situations where I knew what was right,
but wanted to go the easy route. Being Godly EVERY day is the only way to live
your life.
The work world has some slippery corners to turn, and I
trust that it is the Holy Spirit that is holding you up, not the Devil that is
helping you fall down!
APPENDIX THREE:
There have been preachers that have taught and preached
that the woman is to be in the home. Because of this many women in our churches
have had feelings of guilt because they either wanted to, or had to work
outside the home.
I stayed in the home of a couple overnight in
She was almost in tears when I was finished. She had been
under great pressure from her Christian community concerning her going to work.
She said that she felt that the mothers place was in the home. I agreed with
her, but within the Scripture I had shared.
She told me that she had been raised that it was wrong
for the wife to work. Her husband had been in the hospital for heart problems
and had been told not to work anymore. She had no choice but to go to work.
She was quite relieved that there was someone that saw
that she had no choice. I ask her if she had talked with her pastor. She said
yes, and that he had told her about what I had told her. She was not even
confident in what her pastor had said due to her strong upbringing in the
church and the pressure from others in the church.
A working mother being a possibility is based on a couple
of Scriptural observations.
1. Prov. 31:10-31. This passage
makes mention of the wife purchasing property, caring for a household, planting
a vineyard, selling fine linen that she has made and in all this finds time to
be a good wife.
Notice should be made of verse 28, "Her children
rise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth
her."
Verse 30 also gives the key to this type of woman,
"Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who feareth the Lord, she shall be praised."
2. The book of Acts mentions two ladies that were
involved in working. Acts
It is always best if the mother can remain at home at
least while the children are at home, but this is not possible in all
situations (The children benefit greatly by having their mother present all the
time.). We as believers should understand the Biblical record and not just our
own personal preference.
I would prefer that all women remain in the home if they
desired to, yet that is not realistic in some cases.
APPENDIX FOUR:
We won't take time to consider the following, but you
might do some study in the area of the workmen of the tabernacle and the
temple. These workmen were involved in God's work and they did a good work.