Christian Conduct in Service

This morning, we are in first Timothy chapter 6:1-2 and as you turn there I want you to think about this question: Why are we required to honor others?

Lets read 1 Timothy 6:1-2

1 Timothy 6:1–2 ESV

Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled. Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved. Teach and urge these things.

In life there are some lessons you just never forget, and the early lessons in the military typically have helpful activities attached to them that help you remember. I joined the military when I was 21 and shipped off to basic training in the summer of 2012. The first few weeks were tough but there was one specific lesson I remember learning all too well. Three times a day you get to go to the DFAC, otherwise known as the chow hall, to have a meal. You slowly walk in line through the serving area, getting whatever delicious meal they decided to make yesterday. Once you got through the line with your tray of food you went to a table. At the table you had to stand behind the chair until every chair at your table had someone behind it, then you could sit down and start jamming the food into your mouth. The tables were set up in rows of five and the catch was that when the fifth table from yours sat down, your table was done eating, no questions asked. You got up from the table, cleared your place at the trash cans and walked back outside. Well, one day, one brave and not so smart individual decided he was still hungry and as the rest of his table stood he decided to remain to get a few more bites in. Not 5 seconds past before a drill sergeant was in the seat across from him to make sure he moved. This individual decided instead, to hold up his finger in a “wait a moment” gesture as he continued eating. Well, as you can imagine, the drill SGT didn’t take that all too well.

Before we knew it the entire company was in our training bay back at our barracks. About 60 people in a room half the size of this sanctuary. The rest of the morning was a blur of correctional training. So much exercise in fact that im pretty sure the walls themselves began to sweat from the effort.

The lesson was simple, the soldier in the DFAC was a reflection of our whole training company. If he was in the wrong, then we were all in the wrong. The army has a motto, one team, one fight. Each soldier is a reflection of the Army as a whole and must act accordingly to not tarnish the image of the military.

As Christians, we are a reflection of our Father and the Church as a whole. As we dive into today’s passage let us keep in mind that what we do as individuals is a direct reflection of Christ.

The passage this morning is about honor.

In fact, the apostle Paul, at the beginning of 1 Timothy 5, began speaking about honor.

This is now the third section in which he addresses the subject. We already looked at it a number of weeks ago but in the first section, he addressed honor as it pertains to widows. You honor those who are truly widows which Zac preached on.

Then in the very next passage in 1 timothy 5 beginning in verse 17, he talks about honor not of widows but honor of elders. Honor in the sense that you show honor to your elders, especially elders who labor hard in preaching and teaching. Those who rule well he says are worthy of double pay double honorarium.

But the section we are in today is not about widows or elders this section is about slaves. We are all servants of Christ. However, Paul is talking about actual slaves. People who served as slaves in the first century in the roman empire.

The ESV, translates the word “doulos” as bondservant. The better translation of that word is slave. It means nothing less than that, not just a household servant, not just a bond servant, this is a slave, a person occupying the lowest status in all of society. Paul is talking to the Christians who occupy that lowest position and how their behavior in that position actually is a significant public witness to God and to the whole of christian doctrine.

It's important to remember that these principles are not just for the slaves of the first century, they are for each one of us. Our main idea for today is this:

Christian conduct in service requires honoring others because it upholds the integrity of the Christian witness, prevents God's name and teaching from being disrespected, and strengthens relationships within the church Body.

Each one of us plays a vital role in this.

Our first point today is this: Honoring others upholds the integrity of the Christian witness

As a Christian, your work and the way you act is a public witness.

The question is not whether it is or is not a public testimony to the character of God and to the truth of his word, the question is whether or not you are bearing true or false witness.

We each name the name of God by calling ourselves Christians. We say that we believe in Christian doctrine by bearing the name Christian. Are we bearing false witness in the in our lives?

Are we calling ourselves a christian and then not living like it. Are we calling ourselves a christian and not acting like it because when we don't actually act like a christian we don't fulfill the commands that God has given us. We bear false witness on the name of God and we bear false witness of Christian doctrine.

This passage is absolutely applicable to all of us. I want to give you a quick reminder of Paul's purpose for this letter to timothy. Paul wants us to act right, Paul wants the church to know how to behave.

1 timothy 3:14-15

1 Timothy 3:14–15 ESV

I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.

We are his children, and we are God's household.

When Emma and I go out in public we have Payton and Kaylin with us. When they act properly it's a good reflection on Emma and I isn't it? It says that you're a good parent, it says that you're teaching the right things. But if we go out and our children misbehave or are not respectful that's also a reflection on us isn't it. It could mean to someone watching that we are bad parents, it could mean we are teaching the wrong things to our girls.

In the same way we are the household of God. We are his children and when we go out in public and we misbehave and live a life contrary to Christ, what are we telling people to believe about God?

We're telling people to believe that he's not a great God.

We're telling people to believe that God puts up with it and we're telling people that God really isn't too serious about what he says in his word.

We are saying that he's one of those parents that just sweeps it under the rug and plays a mean game but doesn't actually have any bite to the bark.

That's what we're saying about God when we go into public and act in a way contrary to Christ.

Look at what Christ said in Matthew 5:14-16

Matthew 5:14–16 ESV

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

The point of that verse is that we ought to live in such a way in the world that when people see those good works, it moves them to become worshipers and followers of Christ. So that when they see the way we act, they believe in our God, they believe His truth, and they come to admire our God and worship him.

Paul says the same thing but doesn't put it as positively as Jesus did. Jesus said you are the light of the world, Paul says don't act like darkness.

In verse 1 of this passage, we see commands for Christian slaves. In verse 2 we find commands for Christian slaves with a believing master.

First let's look at verse one, he says, “let all” The “let” is often an imperative a command. Meaning that living in the way Paul is about to describe is not optional. He says:

1 Timothy 6:1 ESV

Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled.

Now here we see he is speaking to slaves, right? let all who are under a yoke as slaves regard their own masters worthy of all honor.

He's talking about slaves.

notice that the apostle paul does not come out and say we need to just abolish slavery he doesn't come out with any intention on abolishing the system of our world.

We live in this world. Paul says this is how you need to act.

you see, we live in a world with corrupt, evil systems born from the fall of man. This passage in no way is an affirmation of any type of slavery.

But Paul recognizes that slavery is part of this fallen, corrupt world and do you know what God's remedy for a fallen corrupt world is? God’s remedy is His son Jesus Christ who came into the world to die for the sins of the world and God calls every man woman, and child to confess Jesus as lord and to believe in him for the forgiveness of sins and the gift of everlasting life. In the kingdom of God there will be no slavery

But we are not yet in the kingdom of God. In the kingdom of God every wrong will be righted and every right will be rewarded.

But in the meantime, while we live in this world, we need to learn how to operate here in a way that's pleasing to God.

So Paul says let all who are under a yoke, a yoke is it's quite literally a bar that goes across the back of a cow and on that bar are chains or leather straps. It binds that Ox to that piece of wood, and in the middle of that wood, there's a rope. There are chains connected to it, and those chains go to the master, the one who's driving the ox. Whichever way that the leader of those ox pulls the chain that's the way that the ox go because the ox is a slave to the master.

Paul recognizes there are people in positions in this life that are in that kind of relationship with those above them.

There are people who have served in this world as slaves, and as horrible of a position of life as that might be it does not disregard the reality that people have and people still do in this life serve as slaves. They're under the yoke as bond servants treated no differently than animals. Can you imagine a lower position in society?

Think of the world that Paul lived in. Paul didn't live in united sates, Paul lived in the Roman Empire where historians estimate that 30 to 40 percent of the entire population in the roman empire were slaves. Abroad it somewhere between 17 and 20 percent of the whole world were slaves.

This is the world situation that existed as Paul is writing this letter. It's still a real institution in our day and he is writing to the people who occupy the lowest possible position in society which makes the next part of his statement all the more radical.

He says, Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor.

Worthy of all honor, can you imagine that if you were enslaved to another human being who treated you no differently than an animal and you're required to treat that master with all honor.

Let me ask you, is that master worthy of honor?

Does paul say the master is?

He doesn't say they are worthy of all honor, he says treat them or regard them as though they were. Regard them as worthy of all honor.

It's easy to honor widows who are truly widows, it's easy to show honor to elders in the church. What about showing honor to people who would treat us like an animal?

The apostle paul does address slavery but again his intention in the new testament is not to abolish the institution of slavery it's to teach christians how to live rightly before God in a fallen world.

If you remember back to our study in the book of philemon you remember that it is a letter to a slave owner. The letter is to Philemon who owns a slave named Onesimus and in the letter to Philemon Paul says Onesimus your slave has run away from you, he ran away from you and he ran to me, and when he ran to me I led him to Christ. I've discipled him and now i'm sending him back to you. I'm sending him back to you and i've told him he needs to serve you well. He goes on to say now Philemon telling you as a friend and as a brother don't make me come and discipline as an apostle. I'm telling you, as a Christian, you need to receive him back but don't treat him like a slave. He is still to serve you but you treat him like a brother.

Ephesians 6:5–9 ESV

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.

The implication here is that Christ is returning soon and he is coming to enact the judgment of God the father who shows no partiality. So however you treat anyone in this world you need to treat them as Christ would treat them.

So if you're over somebody, you better treat them rightly. If you are under somebody in power, you better respect them rightly because our father is judging. Colossians 4:1

Colossians 4:1 ESV

Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

The question is, Why does Paul say this? Why does this matter to us?

Let's look at the second part of this verse, which lays out the grounds for the command. Paul says “so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled”

Our second point today is this:

Honoring others prevents bringing disrespect to the name of God and the teachings of the Church

What does it mean by the name of God? The name of God is a term that encompasses God's person, his character and his works. If we call ourselves Christian, then we are born in the image of God and we bear the name of Christ. We represent him and we ought to look like our father.

When people look at you they assume that you look like your father whether you do or not. So because you claim God as your father people assume that you look like him. So when they look at you they think they see a reflection of the character of God. And when you don't act like God what's the character that they see? They see poor character and they assume God has poor character they assume God must be like you if you claim to be like him.

Paul says let all who are under a yoke as bond servants regard their own masters worthy of all honor so that the name of God and the teaching, the “didaskalia,” the whole of christian doctrine is what he's talking about.

When you claim to be a christian you're saying you believe the bible and so however you act in this world if you act poorly what do you think people think this book teaches? They think this book teaches you to act poorly because you say you believe it and that's what you do.

People in the world are not going to take the time to read the Bible they're just taking the time to read you. You may be the only bible some people encounter. How do you represent it? The bible is inerrant and yet we're full of sin. We're commanded to be holy as God is holy.

While Paul is writing this to slaves in the first century we can make a connection to us today

He says the slaves occupy the lowest possible position in all of society and yet their life is consequential when it comes to the name of God and the teaching of God's word.

People will look at the life of a slave and make a decision about God and his word.

We might say well were not slaves and we don't occupy that position. I occupy a much higher position than that.

If people are willing to look at the lowest of society and make a judgment call, how much more so do people look at us and make a judgment about God? Would they not look at someone in a higher position than that and make even more of a severe judgment about God?

You are being watched i'm being watched, people are watching us because they want to know about God. People are watching us because they want to know about this bible that we read.

They may not be watching with the intent on believing they may only be watching with the intent of trying to find a mistake.

They say, I know you proclaim to be a Christian, but I see the way you act at work or at home. I see you reading your bible here at work, I see you pray before meals, i see you with that bible verse on your wall in your house. i hear you humming those christian hymns. I also hear you saying things that you ought not say, so is God okay with me just doing whatever i want? Your life is critically important as a testimony to the name of God and to the teaching of God's word

That's the way that we all want to live isn’t it? We all want to live in such a way that people see Jesus in us. That people see us living out the truth and when they encounter us they encounter the love of God, they encounter the grace of God and the encouragement that only comes from a God who loves them, a God that would send his son to die for them. That's who we want to be and Paul gives us an eye-opening revelation that whatever position of life we occupy we must not bring disrespect on the name of God by not honoring others. Understand that as a Christian we are bearing our father's name we are claiming to bear his image. As a Christian, we do bear his image the question is are we bearing an accurate representation of who He is or are we acting as a false witness?

Those are commands for Christian bond servants regardless of who their master is. Now lets move on to Paul’s commands for Christian slaves with a believing master.

Our final point for this morning is: Honoring others strengthens relationships within the church body.

Lets look at verse 2, 1 Timothy 6:2

1 Timothy 6:2 ESV

Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved. Teach and urge these things.

In Ephesus, some Christian slaves were not respecting their Christian masters.

You could imagine a Christian master attending a church where his slave was an elder or deacon. Some slaves must have reasoned, “What right does my master have to tell me what to do—we’re equal in Christ?” Or some might have expected special treatment.

This may have caused some Christian slaves to rebel, work less diligently, or even disrespect their employers. And it would have caused division within the body of Christ.

They undervalued the authority of their Christian masters. However, Paul corrects this and commands them to serve their Christian masters with a special devotion.

It is good to remember that being in Christ doesn’t change our place in society as a son, daughter, husband, wife, employer, or employee. Part of being made in the image of the triune God means to be in loving relationships that often include authority and submission.

God the Father has always dwelled in a perfect, loving relationship with God the Son and the Holy Spirit. However, that loving relationship includes authority and submission; God the Son submits to the Father, and the Holy Spirit submits to the other persons of the God-head.

It is the same in society. Relationships function based on love, authority, and submission. This is seen in a child’s relationship with his parents (Eph 6:1), a husband and wife (Eph 5:22), and an employer to his employee (Col 3:22). This is not inequality. All people are equal, but we have varying authority based on the positions we hold. This authority and submission reflect the relationships in the God-head.

So here, Paul commands Christian slaves to show special devotion to their Christian employers as they seek to honor God’s name. This principle, though, is not limited to slaves and masters; it applies to all relationships within the church. When we honor other Christians, especially those in positions of authority, we strengthen the bonds within our church body and build unity in Christlikeness.

Imagine the impact this could have on our local church. If we, as a congregation, commit to honoring one another—elders respecting and disciplining the young, leaders valuing the contributions of each member, and everyone serving with humility and devotion—we create a community that mirrors the love and unity of the Trinity. This creates an atmosphere of mutual respect and encouragement, leading to growth and deepening relationships.

When we honor each other, we demonstrate the gospel’s transformative power. Our actions speak volumes to the world about the love and unity found in Christ. Let us work to honor one another, not out of obligation, but out of a deep-seated desire to reflect God’s love and uphold the integrity of our Christian witness. By doing so, we build a strong, vibrant, and loving church community that glorifies God and attracts others to the faith.

Honoring others in the church means valuing everyone’s contributions, regardless of their role. It means listening attentively, speaking kindly, and showing appreciation.

Honoring others helps to resolve conflicts and promote peace. When disagreements arise between brothers and sisters, addressing them with a spirit of honor can lead to reconciliation and strengthen relationships. This approach not only preserves the unity of the church but also provides a powerful testimony to the world of how Christians handle conflicts with grace and respect.

The impact of honoring others extends beyond the church walls. When others see a community marked by mutual respect and love, they are drawn to it. They see a reflection of Christ’s love and are more likely to be open to the gospel message. Our commitment to honor can be a powerful evangelistic tool, demonstrating the reality of God’s transformative power in our lives.

As we close today, let us focus back on the question asked at the beginning: Why does Christian conduct in Service require honoring others? Honoring others is required because it upholds the integrity of the Christian witness, prevents the disrespect of God's name and teaching and strengthens relationships within the church Body.