THE CHRISTIAN'S PERSISTENCE PT 2

‌Ephesians 6:1-2 – Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise).

Paul has taken us through what it looks like within the family – God then husband/father, wife/mother, and then 2 weeks ago – children

Now Paul takes us outside the family – bondservants, slaves, servants

Many commentators state that while we often transfer this passage to the work or an employee and employer – it may be incomplete. As an employee chooses by contract to work and under Roman law slaves had no rights nor choices. But nowadays where we do not experience slavery while there is a significant difference between slave and employee the same attitudes for slaves and employees – masters and bosses are corresponding, analogous, equivalent. I believe we can draw a direct link here from Scripture to our current world situation.

Let Us Pray!

The Christian’s Persistence

Ephesians 6:5–9

Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.

I. THE FAITHFULNESS—vv. 5–9

1. Slaves—v. 5 – Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ. In other words, Work hard. Do not be lazy. Work with all your heart in all you do.

Doulos – slave, devoted to another with disregard to own interest

Hypakouo – hoop ak oo o – listen intently, submit, be obedient

Kyrios – koo ree os – title deserving respect, honor – person in control

Haplotes – hap lot ace - mental honesty, sincerity, free from hypocrisy

As you would to Christ – in other words – Proverbs 16:3 – Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.

Psalm 90:17 – Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!

Colossians 3:22-24 – Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

1 Peter 2:18 – Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.

Colossians 3:17 – And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

2. Genuine—vv. 6 – not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,

Trustworthy

Galatians 1:10 – For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Proverbs 29:25 – The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.

James 4:4 – You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

1 Timothy 6:20 – O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,”

1 John 2:17 – And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

1 Thessalonians 5:21 – But test everything; hold fast what is good. – what are your motives – pleasing self? Pleasing people? Pleasing God?

3. Committed. v7 – rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man,

Be sincere in your work. Regardless of what others do, WORK HARD YOURSELF!

Douleuo – dool yoo o comes from the word doulos in verse 5 slave, devoted to another with disregard to own interest

Eunoia – yoo noy ah – with goodwill and kindness

Disregard your own interest – do the work before you as if you were a worker, an employee, a slave to Lord

If the quality and honesty of your work – is it the same as if you God was standing there evaluating your work?

4. Compensation —v. 8 – knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free.

Galatians 6:8-10 – For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Revelation 22:12 – “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.

Colossians 3:24 – knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:10 – For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

Whether slave or free – we are all commanded – whether forced labor or employed

5. Fairness—v. 9 – Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.

If you are an employer, treat them impartially. Pay and treat them fairly.

Both slave and master – both employee and employer are to do this – Paul warns both groups of people

Poieo – py eh o – to do, to make, to act rightly

Autos – ow tos – the same

Poieo autos – do the same – do verses 6-8

Doing the will of God from the heart (v6)

Render to others as if you were doing it specifically for the Lord (v7)

Knowing what you do – the Lord will give back to you (v8)

The ground is level at the foot of the cross – God has no favorites – He calls all of us to live out v5-9 –

Ou – oo – means no – there is no partiality – no favorites we are all His children (remember that Paul is talking to fellows believers, fellow Christians here).

1 Timothy 5:18 – For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.”

Colossians 4:1 – Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

As we close – we can summarize with these two verses from Colossians –

Colossians 3:17 – And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him

Colossians 3:23 – Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,