Healing for Our Society

It seems no matter where we look in modern society, we see antagonism, division, and rebellion. Husbands and wives are divorcing each other; children are rebelling against their parents; and employers and employees are seeking for new ways to avoid strikes and keep the machinery of industry running productively. We have tried education, legislation, and other approaches, but nothing seems to work. Paul's solution to the antagonisms in the home and in society was regeneration —a new heart from God and a new submission to Christ and to one another. God's great program is to "gather together in one all things in Christ" (Eph. 1:10). Paul indicated that this spiritual harmony begins in the lives of Christians who are submitted to the lordship of Christ.

In this section Paul admonished four groups of Christians about how they could have harmony in Christ.

Children were present in the assembly when this letter was read. Did the understand all that Paul wrote? Do we understand it all? Christian families attended the public worship together, and the parents undoubtedly explained the Word to the children at home. He gave them four reasons why they should obey their parents.

1. CHRISTIAN CHILDREN (6:1-3)

Paul did not tell the parents to admonish the children; he did it himself.

(1) They are Christians (in the Lord," v. la). This argument is an application of the theme of the entire section, which is "submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God (Eph. 5:21). When a person becomes a Christian, he is not released from normal obligations of life. If anything, his faith in Christ ought to make him a better child in the home.

To the Colossians Paul enforced his admonition with "for this is well pleasing unto the Lord" (Col. 3:20). Here is harmony in the home: The wife submits to the husband "as unto Christ"; the husband loves his wife

"even as Christ also loved the church"; and the children obey "in the Lord."

(2) Obedience is right (v. 1b). There is an order in nature, ordained of God, that argues for the rightness of an action. Since the parents brought the child into the world, and since they have more knowledge and wisdom than the child, it is right that the child obey his parents. Even young ani mals are taught to obey. The modern version" of Ephesians 6:1 would be.

"Parents, obcy your children, for this will keep them happy and bning peace to the home." But this is contrary to God's order in nature.

(3) Obedience is commanded (v. 2a). Here Paul cited the fifth commandment (Ex. 20:12; Deut. 5:16) and applies it to the New Testament believer. This does not mean that the Christian is funder the law, for Christ has set us free from both the curse and the bondage of the law (Gal. 3:13;

All of the 10 Commandments are repeated in the New Testament epistle for the Christians to observe, except for “remember the Sabbath day, to keep it, holy“.

To "honor" our parents means much more than simply to obey them.

It means to show them respect and love, to care for them as long as they need us, and to seck to bring honor to them by the way we live. A young couple came to see me about getting married, and I asked if their parents agreed to the wedding. They looked at each other in embarrassment, then confessed, "We were hoping you wouldn't ask about that." I spent the next hour trying to convince them that their parents had a right to rejoice in this event, and that to exclude them would cause wounds that might never heal. "Even if they are not believers," I said, "they are your parents, and you owe them love and respoct." They finally agreed, and the plans we made together made both families happy. Had we followed the couple's original plans, the two of them would have lost their testimony with their relatives. but, instead, they were able to give a good witness for Jesus Christ.

(4) Obedience brings blessing (v. 2b-3). The fifth commandment has a promise attached to it: "That thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee" (Ex. 20:12). This promise originally applied to the Jews as they entered Canaan, but Paul applied it to believers today. He substituted "carth" for "land" and cold us that the Christian child who honors his parents can expect two blessings. It will be well with him, and he will live long on the earth. This does not mean that everyone who died young dishonored his parents. He was stating a principle:

When children obey their parents in the Lord, they will escape a good deal of sin and danger and thus avoid the things that could threaten or shorten their lives. But life is not measured only by quantity of time. It is also measured by quality of experience. God enriches the life of the obedient child no matter how long he may live on the earth. Sin always robs us; obedience always enriches us.

So, the child must learn early to obey father and mother, not onl because they are his parents, but also because God has commanded it to be so. Disobedience to parents is rebellion against God. The sad situation in homes today is the result of rejecting God's Word (Rom. 1:28-30; 2 Tim. 3:1-5). By nature, a child is selfish, but in the power of the Holy Spirit, a child can learn to obey his parents and glorify God.

2. Fathers Nurture Your Children

He must not provoke them; in Lal's day, the father had supreme authority on the family. When a baby war born lato a Roman family, for sample, it was brought out and laid before the father. If he picked in up It meant he was accepting it into the home. Bat if he did nor pick it up. i meant the child was rejeand. It could be sold, given away, or even killed by exposure. No doubt a fathers love would overcome such monstrous acts, but these practices were legal in that day. Paul told the parents, "Dow we your authority to abuse the child, but to encourage and build the church office has a list of names prepared by me, and these p get to me at any time, no matter what I was doing. Even ifI meeting or in a counseling session, if any of these people to call me immediately.

chil To the Colosians he wrot. Fathers provake not your children tol anges lat they be disourgsd (Cal.3:21).

The opposite of provoking is encouraged.

To the Colossians, he wrote. "Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, les they be discouraged" (Col. 3:21). So, the opposite of "provoke" is "encourage."

was addressing a group of Christian students on the subject of prayer, and was pointing out that our Father in heaven is always available when we call. To illustrate it. I told them that the receptionist at out church oftice has a list of names prepared by me, and these people could get to me at any time, no matter what I was doing. Even if I was in a staff meeting or in a counseling session, if any of these people phoned, she was to call me immediately. At the top of this list was my family. Even if the matter seems to me inconsequential, I want my family to know that lam available.

After the service, one of the students said to me. Would you adopt me? I can never get through to my father, and I need his encouragement so much!"

Fathers provoke their children and discourage them by saying one thing and doing another-by always blaming and never praising, by being inconsistent and unfair in discipline, and by showing favoritism in the home, by making promises and not keeping them, and by making light of problems that, to the children, are very important. Christian parents need the fullness of the Spirit so they can be sensitive to the needs and problems of their children.

He must nurture them.

The text reads, But nurture them in the discipline and admonition of the Lord." The verb translated "bring them up" is the same word that is translated "nourisheth" in Ephesians 5:29.

The Christian husband is to nourish his wife and his children by shar ing love and encouragement in the Lord, It is not enough to nurture the children physically by providing food, shelter, and clothing. He must also nurture them emotionally and spiritually. '-

and in favor with God and man (Luke 2:92). Here is balanced growth; intellectual, physical, spiritual, and social. Nowhere in the Bible is the training of children assigned to agencies outside the home, no matter how they might assist. God looks to the parents for the kind of training that the children need.

He must discipline them. The word nurture carries with it the iet of learning through discipline. It is translated "chastening" in Hebrews 12 Some modern psychologists oppose the old-fashioned idea of discipline. and many cducators follow their philosophy. Let the children erpress themselves!" they tell us. "If you discipline them, you may warp their characters." Yet discipline is a basic principle of life and an evidence of love.

*Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth (Heb. 12:6)." He that spareth him chasteneth him diligently (Prov. 15:24, literal translation).

We must be sure, however, that we discipline our children correctly. First, we must discipline in love and not in anger, lost we injure cither the body or the spirit of the child, or possibly both. If we are not disciplined, we surely cannot discipline others, and "tiying ott the ban die never made a better child or a better parent.

He must instruct and encourage them. This is the meaning of the word admonition. The father and mother not only use actions to raise the child, but also words. In the book of Proverbs, for example, we have an inspired record of a father sharing wise counsel with his son. Our children do not always appreciate our counsel, but that does not eliminate our obligation to instruct and encourage them. Of course, our instruction must always be tied to the Word of God (see 2 Tim. 3:13-17).

When the Supreme Court handed down its ruling against required prayer in the public schools, the famous editorial cartoonist Herblock published a cartoon in the Washington Post showing an angry father waving a newspaper at his family and shouting. "What do they expect us to do listen to the kids pray at home?" The answer is yes! Home is where the children ought to learn about the Lord and the Christian life. It is time that Christian parents stop passing the buck to Sunday school teachers and Christian day-school teachers, and start nurturing their children.

3. CHRISTIAN SERVANTS (6:5-8)

The word servants undoubtedly refers to Christian slaves, but we may certainly apply these words to the Christian employee today. There were probably sixty million slaves in the Roman Empire in that day, and slavery was an accepted institution. Nowhere in the New Testament is slavery per se attacked or condemned, though the overall thrust of the gospel is against it. Paul's ministry was not to overthrow the Roman government or any of its institutions, but to preach the gospel and win the lost to Christ. Certainly the results of his evangelism ultimately led to overthrowing the Roman Empire, but that was not Paul's main motive. Just as the preaching of Wes-ky and Whitefield resulted in the abolition of slavery and child labor, the devation of women, and the care of the needy, so Paul's ministry contributed to the death of slavery and the encouragement of freedom.

However, he was careful not to confuse the social system with the spiritual order in the church (1 Cor. 7:20-24).

Paul admonished the servants to be obedient, with several good rea sons. First, they were really serving Christ. True, they had "masters according to the flesh," but their true Master was in heaven (Eph. 6:9).

The fact that an employee and his employer are both Christians is no excuse for either one to do less work. Rather, it is a good reason to be more faithful to each other. The employee should show proper respect for employer, and not try to take advantage of him. He should devote his full attention and energy to the job at hand ("singleness of heart"). The best way to be a witness on the job is to do a good day's work. The Christian worker will avoid "cye service"-working only when the boss is watching. or working extra hard when he is watching. to give the impression he is doing a very good job.

The second reason is that doing a good job is the will of God. Christianity knows nothing of sacred and secular. A Christian can perform any good work as a ministry to Christ, to the glory of God. For this rea-son, the worker must do his job "from the heart," since he is serving Christ and doing the will of God. There were tasks assigned to these slaves that they detested, but they were to perform them just the same, so long as they were not disobeying the will of God. "Singleness of heart" and "doing the will of God from the heart" both indicate the importance of a right heart attitude on the job.

Paul's third argument is that the Lord will reward them (Eph.

6:8). In that day, slaves were treated like pieces of property, no matter how well-educated they might be. An educated, cultured slave who became a Christian might receive even harsher treatment from his master because of his faith, but harsh treatment was not to keep him from doing his best

(1 Peter 2:18-25). We are to serve Christ, not men. We shall receive our rewards from Christ, not from men.

4. CHRISTIAN MASTERS (6:9)

The Christian faith does not bring about harmony by erasing social or cultural distinctions. Servants are still servants when they trust Christ, and masters are still masters. Rather, the Christian faith brings harmony by working in the heart. Christ gives us a new motivation, not a new organization. Both servant and master are serving the Lord and socking to please Him, and in this way they can work together to the glory of God.

What are the responsibilities of a Christian master (or employer) to his workers?

He must seck their welfare. "Do the same things unto them." If the employer expects the workers to do their best for him, he must do his best for them. The master must serve the Lord from his heart if he expects his servants to do the same. He must not exploit them.

One of the greatest examples of this in the Bible is Boazz in the book of Ruth. He greeted his workers with "The Lord be with you." And they replied, "The Lord bless thee" (Ruth 2:4). Boaz was sensitive to the needs of his workers and generous to the stranger, Ruth. His relationship with his workers was one of mutual respect and a desire to glorify the Lord. It is unfortunate when an employee says, "My boss is supposed to be a Chris-tian, but you'd never know it

He must not threaten. Roman masters had the power and lawful authority to kill a rebellious slave, though few of them did so.

Slaves cost too much money to destroy them. Paul suggested thar the Christian master has a better way to encourage obedience and service than threats of punishment. The negative power of fear could result in the worker doing less instead of more, and this kind of motivation could not be continued over a long period of time. Far better was the positive motivation of "that which is just and equal" (Col. 4:1). Let a man share the results of his labor and he will work better and harder. Even the Old Testament gives this same counsel; *Thou shall not rule over him rigorously. but shalt foar the God" (Len2543)

He must be submitted to the Lord. "Your master abo is in heaven" (ph. 6.9). This ls practicing the lordship of Christ. The wife submits to her own husband as unto the Lord" (Oph. 5:22). The husband loves the wife as Christ abo loved the church" (Eph. 5:25). Children obey their par ents "in the Lord" (Eph, 6:1). Parents raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" (Eph, 6:4). Servants are obedient as unto Chris" (Eph. 65), and masters treat their servants as their "Master in heaven" would have them do. Each person, in submission to the Lord, has no problems submitting to those over him.

Jesus said the way to be a ruler is first to be a servant (Mau. 25:21).

The person who is not under authority has no right to exercise authority.

This explains why many of the great men of the Bible were fint servants before God made them : Joseph. Moses, Joshua, David, and Nehemiah are just a few examples. Even afier a man becomes a leader, he must still lead by serving. An African proverb says. "The chief is servant of all." "And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant

(Mat. 20:27)

A friend of mine was promoted to executive leadership, and unfortunately, it went to his head. He enjoyed all of his executive privileges and more and never lost an opportunity to remind his employees who were in charge. But he lost the roper of his workers, and production and efficiency went down so fast that the board had to replace him. Because my friend forgot that he bad a "Master in heaven," he failed to be a good hoar ter on earth."

He must not play favorites. God is no respecter of persons. He will judge a master or a servant if he sins, or He will reward a master or a servant if he obeys (Eph. 6:8). A Christian employer cannot take privileges with God simply because of his position; nor should a Christian employer play favorites with those under his authority. Paul warned Timothy to

"observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality" (1 Tim. 5:21). One of the fastest ways for a leader to divide his followers and lose their confidence is for the leader to play favorites and show partiality.

This closes the section we have called "Walk in Harmony.?" If we are filled with the Holy Spirit and are joyful, thankful, and submissive, then we can enjoy harmony in the relationships of life as we live and work with other Christians. We will also find it easier to work with and witness to the unbelievers who may disagree with us. The fruit of the Spirit is love, and love is the greatest adhesive in the world!