11 - The Habits Of A Successful Christians 2011

Last time we talked about two kinds of truth—positional and practical. Positional truth refers to what God has done for us in Christ Jesus. For instance, we are “seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus” (Eph.2:6) is a POSITIONAL truth.

Practical truth refers to our walking out by faith in our earthly experience what God has done for us. Paul illustrates this principle by telling us to “put on” or “put off” different things, such as “put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering…” (Col.3:12) “Putting on” and “putting off” is how we are to walk out what God says about us. In essence, by “putting on” Jesus we are literally dressing ourselves in Him!

Paul then dealt with the roles of husbands, wives, and children, giving specific instructions from God to each.

Now this time we will look at employer/employee relationships:

3:22 “Bondservants (employees), obey in all things your masters (bosses) according to the flesh, not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God.”

Again, unless sin is being required by an authority figure (in which case it should be refused), the principle of obedience holds true in the workplace. Employees are to render faithful, diligent, Christ-like service. For the hours he is on the job, an employee’s time and talents belong to the employer.

3:23-24 “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.”

Paul tells Christian employees that they should be the best, the most trustworthy, the most loyal, faithful, and industrious people in the workforce.

Whether the boss is fair or unfair, a bully or a benevolent employer, the Christian can work “as unto the Lord,” with joy. After all, it is the Lord who will reward us!

3:25 “But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.”

Shining service will be rewarded; shoddy service will be punished—whether Christian or not. News flash: God does not have one set of rules for the lost, and another set of rules for the found. In the workplace, it is what we say, what we do, and what we are that matters; not whether or not we are Christians. Promotion or judgment should always be based on our works, good or bad.

Next, Paul addresses employers:

4:1 “Masters (bosses), give your bondservants (employees) what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.”

If employees have their tasks, employers have their trusts (their responsibilities under God). The employer has a right to expect the best kind of work from his employees, and the employee has a right to expect fair treatment from their employer.

They have a right to expect adequate pay, that their work conditions will be safe and clean, and that benevolence will be shown for their general welfare. James spoke harshly and with a warning to bad employers when he said,

“Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. 2 Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. 3 Your gold and silver have become worthless. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This treasure you have accumulated will stand as evidence against you on the Day of Judgment. 4 For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The wages you held back cry out against you. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies” (5:1-4).

So God is the vindicator of both the wronged employee and employer!

Now Paul comes to the habits that make for a successful Christian. He begins with prayer as the guarded habit of our life:

4:2 “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;”

The word “continue” means “to continue to do something with intense effort, with the possible implication of despite difficulty –to persist in the siege, to persevere, staying in a fixed direction.” Prayer is to be the great, intense habit of our lives. We are to “stay in the fixed direction” of prayer.

Bottom line: If the wife is to submit to her husband, if the husband is to love his wife as Christ did the church, if the young person is to submit to his parents, if parents are to keep from discouraging their children, if men are to serve their employers as unto the Lord, and if masters are to care for the well being of their employees as those accountable to God, then they must pray!

And prayer should also be the grateful habit of our lives. Paul exhorts us do it “with thanksgiving.” How grateful we should be that at Calvary Jesus tore aside the temple veil and blazed the way for us right into the very presence of God.

We can come to Him whenever we like, stay as long as we like, and discuss whatever we like. What a privilege!

And prayer should be the grandest habit of our life:

4:3-4 “meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, 4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.”

Look at the power of prayer! It can open prison doors, a sinner’s heart, or an apostle’s mouth. Prayer can open doors no man can open. It can touch with boldness the lips of the most timid person. It can transcend circumstances and carry God’s word across vast reaches of space.

As gifted as Paul was, he needed the fervent prayers of God’s people to touch his heart and to loose his tongue!

Next, Paul tells us that we must guard our testimony:

4:5 “Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside…”

“Those who are outside” refers to the lost. The phrase is used often in scripture. Mark 4:11 says, “And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables…”

Paul told the Corinthians, “For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside God judges.”—1 Cor. 5:12-13

And in the Apocalypse and at the end of the Bible, John describes the bliss of those that “are within,” and the tragic condition of those that “are outside.” “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.”—Rev.22:14-15

Paul’s gist is that, as Christians, we are to be ever mindful of the watching eyes and listening ears of the lost. So often we talk in ways or act is ways that, unbeknownst to us, are observed by the skeptical eyes and ears of those that “are outside” looking in.

Be wise, he says, and careful not to make them stumble.

We must not only guard our testimony, but should also guard our time.

“Redeeming the time…”

The word “redeem” means “to make the most of.” We are stewards of our time. Time is a nonrenewable resource. Once used it cannot be retrieved. We invest it into either something good and productive, or we waste it on something useless. Every day we are given 1440 minutes to be spent in any way we choose. Imagine a rich man offering to give you $1440.00 a day to spend. You had to spend it. Any money not spent at the end of the day was lost. The same sum arrived each day until the end of life.

At the end, an accounting was made as to what the recipient did with the sum. It was either used wisely or squandered, used to buy things for oneself or in helping others, to be wasted on foolishness or invested for eternity.

So will it be at the end when we will all give an account for how we spent our time. Paul says, “Redeem your time.” Make the most of it.

Guarding our testimony, and guarding our time, we are also to guard our speech:

4:6 “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.”

Our speech is to include three things:

GRACE: “Let your speech always be with grace…” All too often we alienate people with our tongues. James said in chapter 3:

“For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.”

We speak hastily, judgmentally, harshly, and hurtfully. Paul tells us to work on seasoning our speech with grace, meaning “to extend a blessing.”

And not just grace, but:

SALT: “Seasoned with salt…” Salt does three things. First, it adds taste. Many foods would be tasteless without salt. We are to add pungency to our speech. We’re to spice up our conversation with things that are uplifting, interesting, and helpful.

Second, salt arrests corruption. The Christian’s conversation should be a constant rebuke to those who take the Lord’s name in vain or who traffic in filth. Our speech should squelch gossip, slander, rumor-mongering and idle chatter.

Third, salt creates thirst. Our talk should make people thirsty for the water of life. This is exactly what Jesus’ conversation did for the woman at the well. After talking with Him she blurted out, “Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not!” (John 4:15).

And finally, our speech should be knowledgeable. Paul says, “…that you may know how you ought to answer each one.”

We must not be like the man who, when he was asked what he believed, replied, “I believe what the church believes.” When asked, “And what does the church believe? He replied, The church believes what I believe.” Then when asked, “Then what do you both believe?” he declared, “Why we both believe the same!”

No, we should know how to answer every man. This requires knowing your Bible and knowing it well. It also requires being well-taught.