Adapted from a sermon by the late Dr. Ray Stedman

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. [6] Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. [7] Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, [8] because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. [9] And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

As believers gathered, it is very likely that half of the congregation were slaves, and the other half masters. As the slaves would go back to their daily routine after having worshipped with their masters and their families, the inevitable question was, "How do we behave now?" "What should our relationship be with our masters?" This is an age old question. Not only for Christians but for non Christians as well.

Work ethic is something we must develop as Christians. Our view of work may need to be elevated, which means our motive for work may need to be reevaluated. I read of a farmer who had several boys. He worked those boys extremely hard around the farm. One day one of the neighbors pointed out that it wasn't necessary to work the boys that hard in order to raise a crop. The farmer, quietly but firmly responded, "I'm not just raising a crop. I'm also raising boys." Work is more than just raising a crop. It is more than just making an income.

So Paul deals here with all of the aspects of labor relations which are vital for us to understand. He speaks firstly to the employees and he deals with three specific aspects. First, there is an activity established in this relationship. Second, there is a attitude prescribed relating to the activity, and third, there is an awareness revealed relating to the rewards we receive for our obedience to these principles.

I. The Activity Established.

What is it that we are supposed to do as employees. What is our function. You may say, "Well, that depends on the job." But there is something even more fundamental than that. The answer is very simple. Paul puts it this way. "Slaves, obey your masters." We can put it this way. "Do what the boss tells you to do."

It is interesting that even as sensitive as the issue is with which Paul is dealing here, he does not utter a word of how one should respond in the case of unfair treatment. He gives no hint that it is OK to go out and picket for pay hikes. He says nothing of suing for equal opportunity. No advice is given on how to organize to bring pressure in high places to change certain policies that may seem unfair or unjust.

You may say that this is because the situation is so different today from what it was then. They did not have employers capitalizing on cheap labor and poorly educated unfortunates. Listen. It was a far worse situation then.

Paul was dealing with one of the most unjust and inhuman systems ever to curse humankind. The curse of slavery. What a great opportunity existed for the apostles, and even Jesus to rally for justice and equality. Yet not once do you hear of them inciting a rebellion against the system. They simply say, "Obey you masters" Yet, when you look back at history. When you draw back the curtain and you see what has happened to slavery over the last 500 years or so, it has systematically been removed. And the facts are, that it was not violence that overcame it, it was another principle altogether. It was the principal of peace. Violence never overcame anything. Violence and direct confrontation always perpetuates the problem. But unseen and unheard, there was another force at work.

Some of you remember that one section of Edward Gibbon's The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire begins with these words:

While that great body (the Roman Empire) was invaded by open violence or undermined by slow decay, a pure and humble religion gently insinuated itself into the minds of men, grew up in silence and obscurity, derived new vigor from opposition, and finally erected the triumphant banner of the cross on the ruins of the capital.

That is how Christianity threw slavery out of the Roman Empire. It was not by direct appeal. Throughout the centuries man has been trying to gain freedom and independence by force. But there is a better way, and the apostle puts his finger on it. It is a way that takes faith, because it does not look like it is the way. But in the realm of history, wherever it has been tried. it has always worked. It is the way that Paul specifically states: "Employees (slaves), be obedient to those who are your earthly masters."

The instruction to employees is simple: be obedient. But the command to be obedient is not issued in isolation. That is the activity, but there are some attitudes that go along with that activity. So in the second place we can look at:

II. The Attitudes Prescribed.

There are several listed here.

1. Obey respectfully.

Vs. 5 "…with respect" Showing respect for a person in a position of authority is both right and wise. It is right because God commands it, because it preserves order in society, and because it respects authority. It is wise because it hurts us to do otherwise. In fact, we not only become known as insubordinate, disrespectful employees, but we bring the name of Christ into reproach. 1 Timothy 6:1 says, "All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God's name and our teaching may not be slandered" (NIV). If you want to win at work, show respect to your boss.

1. Obey Cautiously

"..and fear" This is not speaking of a physical fear of your boss. This is a cautious fear, lest in the obedience of it you succumb to the very principals and philosophies that the world uses to overpower and to control. It is a healthy recognition of the danger of a Christian going along with the philosophy of those around and acting as they do, thus destroying the possibility of God working through him and the power of God being released in that situation. We must be cautious that in everything we remember that God is our primary source of supply, and our primary source of truth.

Stuart Briscoe is one of my favorite preachers. Before he became a preacher he was a banker. One day a client came in to see Stuart's boss. The boos did not want to see the man, so he asked Stuart to go and tell the man that he was out. Stuart very respectfully said that he could not lie. The boss became fairly forceful, to the point of threatening, but still Stuart would not tell the lie. This was his final response. "Sir, you may fire me if you wish, but let me explain. If I could lie for you, then I could just as well lie to you. I s that the kind of employee you can trust?" Needless to say, Stuart got a promotion soon after that. Obey with caution, so that we do not shame our Lord and compromise our faith in our obedience.

This is the same way that Paul used this word in his letter to the Corinthians: 1 Cor. 2:3-5 "I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling." Why? "…[5] so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power. He was cautious that he did not bring what would titillate their ears, and make him look good, yet minimize the power that could change their lives. So we must face this relationship with caution, lest we fail to trust in a living God.

Thirdly, Obey with sincerity.

"…and with sincerity of heart" This obedience and respect is to be more than token just because his the boss. It must be without hypocrisy, and without evil thought. The word "aplotati" also means with an open heart, or singleness of heart. There must be no hidden agenda.

Reminds me of the time Tommy was in a defiant mood. His did not want to obey mom's order, so he threw himself down on the floor. Mom told him to stand up, but he refused. He quickly changed his mind when mom went and got the strap. As he stood up she heard him mumble. "I may be standing up on the outside, but I'm still sitting on the inside" That is not the obedience Paul is speaking about. There must be a total willingness to give obedience which is without hypocrisy, and without a hidden agenda. See vs. 6-7 [6] Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. [7] Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men.

Four times in this passage Paul reminds us that the work we do is first of all unto the Lord. Christians must first give their loyalty to God. If we follow this principle and realize that everything we do is unto the Lord, who always watches us, we will approach our job with new found vigor. No matter what the task. We will not look for short cuts, but do the best we can in every situation, always seeking the Lord's approval rather than mans.

I read an account of a foreman in Africa who had several African nationals under him. He found that they were afflicted with this disease of eye-service; they only worked when he watched them. But this particular foreman was the proud possessor of a glass eye and he found that he could take his eye out of the socket and lay it on a stump where it could "watch" the men and they would go right on working. whether he was there or not. But one day he came back to find them all lounging around. He had placed the eye on the stump, but one of the men had found a way to sneak around behind and had come up behind the eye and put his hat over it so that it no longer "see" them. It is that attitude that so widely pervades our society today, the idea of working only when the boss is watching. If you are a Christian this is absolutely forbidden if you want to be faithful to your Lord. Remember, the eye that watches you is not a human eye. A sure sign of a divided loyalty is eye-service. Unfortunately Christians are just as guilty of this many times.

Relate Seminary experience.

There is one more principal related to obedience.

4. We Obey Wholeheartedly

We are to obey whole-heartedly. In other words, we must have a right perspective. Obedience should be in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ . . . doing the will of God from the heart. Our work should be done whole-heartedly because we understand that we are working for the Lord. In Colossians 3:23 we read, "Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men." 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, "Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." Sometimes the task we are assigned to perform is an unwelcome one. We can only do our job whole-heartedly if we view what we are doing as unto the Lord. We must see our work as serving God. Is it possible for a housewife to cook a meal as if Jesus were going to eat it? It is possible for doctors or nurses to care for patients as if they were serving Jesus Christ? Is it possible for lawyers to help clients, or accountants to audit books, or secretaries to type letters, or salesmen to market products as if in every situation they were serving our Lord? It is! It is, if we have the right perspective. So we have observed then the activity, the attitude with which we carry it out, and finally notice:

III. The Awareness Revealed.

[8] because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.

Here Paul once again reminds us that behind the visible is the invisible. The all seeing eye of a just God who is the source and provider of every good and perfect gift. In following these principles, regardless of the personal cost and even discomfort, God will honor you.

He will honor your obedience.

He will reward your attitude.

He will provide for your needs.

It does not make any difference what your status in life is. When work is done unto Christ, He will reward whatever discomfort or hardship you may experience with an inner peace that passes all understanding. A joy the is unspeakable and full of glory. He will compensate you on a different level.

Now that does not mean that He promises always to correct the condition, because God's will is that Christians must sometimes live as his Son lived, under very difficult and contrary conditions and manifest his grace anyhow. But God does promise that he will reward us for enduring conditions like this. We have all seen that. I have seen homes where there is obvious poverty, where the mom and dad are faithfully serving the Lord, doing the best they can at whatever job they have, and yet there is peace and joy in that home. There is always food on the table.

Just the other day our family were talking about early memories. We were trying to share with our little ones some of the memories we had of our lives when we were their ages. 5 & 8. Now I know that seems like an impossible task. I mean that was in the dark ages. Yet to my surprise I was able to recall several things. And guess what. Every one was a happy memory. As those experiences came back to mind, one thing became quite clear. According to today's standards, we would have been considered poor and underprivileged. We lived far from the nearest town. All our lives my sister and I thought that Ice Cream was supposed to be warm and runny and in a paper cup. We had no freezer or refrigerator, and by the time my parents arrived home on the train with that treat it was warm and melted. I remember with fondness my favorite toy. It was a car made of wire with shoe polish lids for wheels. Something else I remember is that I was never unhappy. I was never hungry. There was always good food on the table I was never too cold.

On the other hand, we have all seen homes where there is apparently lack of nothing. Cadillacs in the drive. Boats in the back yard. All the material things. Yet there is no joy in that home. You see, it does not depend on how many possessions you have in your home. It depends on how much peace you have in your heart. And what Paul is saying here is that true peace come from right relationships. First with God, and then with our fellow man. This is why it was so important for him to precede this entire discourse with those words, "submit to one another out of reverence to Christ."

Employers.

As we conclude we must observe briefly that Paul also has something to say to the employers. As always in the wisdom of Christ, these relational principals are reciprocal.

[9] And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him. Whatever applies to the employees, applies also to the employer. There is to be an activity established by the relationship, an attitude prescribed, and an awareness of the invisible. The activity is "do the same to them." This sounds so much like the Golden Rule. "Do unto others" What the apostle means here is for the employers to hear the suggestions of their employees. Listen to them, attend to their grievances, pay attention to what is wrong and reward them according to their service. In the parallel passage in the letter to the Colossians the apostle puts it this way: "Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly." That is what this means. Treat them justly and fairly. Christian bosses have no right to treat employees as lesser human beings. They have no right to exploit them. No Christian master has the right to think this way. Treat them as people with problems, and listen to their problems, do something about them. This is his exhortation.

The attitude that is prescribed is put in this negative way: "Do not threaten them." Why does Paul say that? Because the primary cause of employee unhappiness is to have constantly hanging over their heads with fear motivation. The threat of dismissal, or a cut in pay, or a demotion. This does nothing but create resentment, bitterness and rebellion in the employees' hearts. It creates more problems than it solves. The relationship of Christian employers to their employees must not be that of threatening. It does not mean that they cannot discharge someone who is unqualified, but they are not to be constantly holding over them some kind of threat. This is wrong in the eyes of God, and Christian masters will answer to God in these things. Their basic relationship must not be one of fear, but one of mutual respect for their employees.

The awareness of the invisible is the underlying factor once again.

"knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him." That does not mean that Christ is off in outer space somewhere. It means that He is in inner space. The idea of heaven here refers to the spiritual realm all around us. In our presence and in our hearts. He is always watching and will reward accordingly, without partiality.

He is not impressed by our Porches, or by our status in society, or by the fact that others bow down to us or run our errands for us. He is totally unimpressed by this. He will deal in utter honesty with us, as men before him, regardless of our social standing. Remember that he is the one who said, "Inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these, my brethren, you have done it unto me." Also, "inasmuch as you have not done it unto these, you have not done it unto me." He is the one who says, "Love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you. Do good to those who despitefully use you." Therefore the whole of life is to be lived with the awareness of the Lord's watching eye.

There's a story about Sir Christopher Wren, one of England's greatest architects, that brings this passage into perspective. Approximately three centuries ago, when he was building St. Paul's Cathedral, he was said to have taken a walk among the workers, most of whom did not know him. To one he asked, "What are you doing?" The man replied, "Anyone can see I'm cutting stone." He put the same question to another and was told, "I'm earning five shilling two-pence a day." He moved on and asked a third, who replied, "Why, I'm helping Sir Christopher Wren build a great cathedral to the glory of God." Which man do you suppose had a right perspective? If you have that kind of perspective, you are pursuing the right activity, with the right attitude, in the right awareness of the reward which ultimately comes in glorifying your Father, who is in heaven.