What's Your Credit Rating?

There was a movie starring Dolly Parton several years ago entitled 9 to 5, which wasn’t exactly something Peter would have recommended since it promoted the exact opposite of what we’ll be studying today.

There was also a very popular country song sung by Johnny Paycheck entitled Take This Job and Shove It. It would have saddened Peter to know that in 1977 it was #1 on the charts and actually the only song by Paycheck which reached that status. Thankfully, we don’t get our theology from music or movies.

In fact, the overall societal view of work is that the worker has certain rights and deserves certain things. Otherwise, the workers can make life difficult for the employer. Sadly, there is usually no thought about obligation or sacrifice or an understanding of the great privilege it is to have a job. We are quite often bombarded with boycotts or walkouts or strikes when the worker doesn’t get what they want. Don’t misunderstand me, thinking that I’m against the hard working employee. In fact, I would recommend other more biblical means of negotiating to try and get fair and appropriate compensation.

Unfortunately, the world thinks that disrespect and making life difficult for those who are employers is the way to get what you want. It’s a very self-centered means of strong-arming.

Part of the problem with this whole scenario is the focus on rights. For the Christian, we need to remind ourselves that we do not hold on to any so-called rights. Our life is in Christ Jesus. Our focus must be on living in obedience to Jesus Christ which involves submission to God’s will, which goes into submitting to those in authority over us.

We have several examples in the Bible of how the believer ought to live their lives, even when wronged by someone else, or when we deserve better, so we think. In the Old Testament, we know that Saul was definitely in the wrong as to how he treated David. Yet, even when given the chance to level the playing field and get what others may have thought already belonged to David, the future king refused to give in to the suggestion of killing the king, even when he had a perfect chance.

Paul deals with this very specifically in , right before he speaks about the believers need to submit to the governing authorities.

Romans 12:17–19 NASB95

Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

Last week’s passage was a difficult one, as Peter’s teaching goes against our nature. However, because the Holy Spirit inspired Peter to write it, I preached on it. Today’s passage is not any different. In fact, you might find yourself squirming uncomfortably and you may want to disagree with me. I understand, because I struggle with this passage, as well. Not because it’s a questionable section of Scripture. It’s because my sinful nature wants to fight against it. So I want to encourage you to allow God’s Holy Spirit to speak to you today.

So today, we’ll be looking at Peter’s admonition for the Christian to submit to the authority of our employers or to the masters of that time. This requires that we submit in respect and obedience to them.

The believer should submit with respect those who are in authority over us in the workplace.

Submit to All Employers. - 2:18

To submit or not to submit? Should that even be a question for the Christian?

1 Peter 2:18 NASB95

Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable.

During Peter’s time, the majority of workers in the Roman Empire were made up mostly of slaves, who received a varied manner of treatment. Some of the slaves were treated like family, while others were treated worse than animals. Slavery during Peter’s time was not based upon race and many of the slaves were often more educated than their masters. Yet, slaves were thought of as property and had no rights or legal protections. Aristotle was quoted as saying that a slave is a living tool . . . Interestingly, historians suggest that the majority of people who experienced salvation through Jesus Christ from the Roman world were actually slaves. This probably explains why the New Testament writers spent so much time giving instructions to slaves. The concern seemed to focus on a person’s relationship to Christ.

We understand the reality that we no longer have slaves like were seen during Peter’s time, or even many decades ago. Sadly, what we understand as slavery from Europe and the U.S., was not at all similar to those in Peter’s time. However, it seems quite clear that there are principles which can be applied in employer/employee relationships, as well.

To better understand the context, we need to discover what it was like to receive salvation as a slave. Very much like the child who is not allowed to discover anything for themselves, imprisoned in a situation where they are only allowed to do what they are told, once given freedom, they don’t know how to handle themselves. This is the problem with the slaves who were saved through Jesus Christ. Evidently, this confused their freedom in Christ so they thought that it meant that they were free from obligations to their political situation, as well as their work situation. One of the issues which would arise is when slaves experienced freedom in Christ, they felt they should be free from their masters. Another challenge was when a slave would become a leader in the church, they could find themselves providing spiritual oversight of their masters who were also believers. You can see that this might cause some potential confusion as to the fact that they were to be submissive to their master, while at the same time they had spiritual authority over their master.

Some of the issues which would arise is when slaves experienced freedom in Christ,

Here, Peter uses a different word to describe the slaves. It actually is not doulos (for slave), diakonos (for servant), but rather oiketai. In the Greek language, it is often seen as synonymous with doulos, or slave. This is a term that is used to describe household servants. They may have been farmers or medical specialists for the family. Many were teachers and musicians, as well as skilled craftsman. They were to provide whatever service the family who owned them would need. Peter is still telling them to be submissive, or to line up under.

They are to show their submissive spirit with all respect. Basically, there cannot be any grumbling under the breath, or griping, or anything which would suggest that they are upset with what they are supposed to be doing.

Peter makes it clear that this respectful submission is to be toward those in charge at the workplace who are good to the workers and to those who are taking advantage of their workers. I am fortunate to have been raised with the principle of working hard for your boss regardless of what, if anything, you’re paid. We all recognize that it is much easier to be respectful and submissive when your boss does everything possible to be a blessing to you.

However, the challenge is to be respectful and submissive when your boss is a jerk. The word for unreasonable is skoliosis. It literally means curved, crooked, showing just how dishonest this master is. These masters were the type who were willing to cheat their servants, make working conditions less than ideal, have unrealistic expectations, etc. You probably recognize this term describing the condition of the spinal column which is twisted or curved. Our boss may not be a nice person, in fact, they might be quite corrupt. However, that does not give an excuse for us to not do our job. Again, I remind you that the Bible does not expect us to sin. We are never commanded to sin. But we are to do our work as if for the Lord.

What about when they take advantage of the workers? Even though you, the worker, may not be in the wrong and are being taken advantage of, we need to bolster themselves and keep working hard for our boss. God is able and will give the grace we need to submit to the obnoxious boss in order to glorify God. Obviously, this goes against our natural tendencies. We want to balk and to fight back. We feel the need to stand up for our rights and demand that we be treated properly. However, isn’t that how an unbeliever would respond? Don’t you and I want to respond in a way that brings glory to God and gives no cause for accusations against that which would besmirch our testimony for Christ?

Warren Wiersbe said it well: Anybody can fight back; it takes a Spirit-filled Christian to submit and let God fight his battles. Just enduring the negative treatment is not what is being discussed. It is enduring it while trusting and knowing God is completely in charge and will take care of things His way.

The believer should submit with respect those who are in authority over us in the workplace. That includes everyone.

Submit for the Sake of Our Witness. - 2:19-20

For some of us, we may wonder how submitting to our masters or employers is actually going to enhance our witness for Christ. That is a fair question and one which Peter takes time to explain.

1 Peter 2:19–20 NASB95

For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.

1 Peter 2:19–21 NASB95

For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,

Have you noticed how observant the world is of us as Christians? That thought runs through my head several times every day. This motivates me to constantly seek God’s help to keep my testimony strong so that the world, which watches me like a hawk, will see Christ is Lord of my life. For this finds favor reminds us that when we do our very best for our boss and do so in a humble, submissive, respectful way, God is pleased.

The next phrase in verse 19 is so powerful in its implication: if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. For Peter’s readers, they may have been reliving an experience of being brutally mistreated. Today, it might be when we are being treated unfairly by our boss in our work. In both situations, we dare not retaliate. As we are considering who we are in Christ Jesus and the reality that God sees every single situation in which we find ourselves, we should want to do all that we can to make sure that Jesus is seen and not our old nature. We must endure whatever injustice comes to us in order to preserve our witness to others. This shows our absolute obedience and commitment to Christ. And please keep reminding yourself that God is sovereign and He will bless us as He knows best.

We might be tempted to squawk at this, thinking that our situation begs us to put so and so in their place and show them that we can’t be pushed around and mistreated. However, consider the readers of Peter’s letter. Historically, it was well known that many of the slaves, especially to the Romans, received terrible beatings and were treated brutally. They had no safety areas, programs, or organization with people who could represent them in order to strive for better conditions.

Then Peter goes on in verse 20 to ask a rhetorical question which further illustrates the point that the Holy Spirit is teaching. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? The answer is obviously that there is not any credit. There are natural consequences and one should expect that there is punishment for wrongdoing. Then Peter turns it around with a positive comment: But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. This meant that even if the readers who were slaves were beaten, they would patiently endure it. It might have been arbitrary because their masters were just mean or they may have been beaten because of their faith. Regardless, when we endure we find favor with God.

The believer should submit with respect those who are in authority over us in the workplace. If we don’t, we are destroying our witness before others of the power and sovereignty of God.

Submit as Your Calling. - 2:21a

Why in the world would Peter give such a huge challenge to the believers, especially when it flies in the face of our natural inclinations?

1 Peter 2:21 NASB95

For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,

We have been called by God to salvation through Jesus Christ. The moment you and I were led out of darkness into the light, we became totally other worldly. In other words, we are the ones out of step with the world and the prince of this world. And the world’s normal response is hatred and animosity. Just look around and pay attention to the various news reports. Christians are being attacked and ridiculed just because we choose to live our lives in obedience to Jesus Christ. Who else is called hateful simply because we want to preserve the life of the unborn? Why else would we be called bigoted and hateful simply because we are trying to lead people into salvation and a full life rather than the empty pursuits in which they find themselves? My friends, throughout the New Testament, we are told that if we live for Christ, we will be persecuted. Therefore, we trust in God while suffering for doing that which is right.

Dear people, don’t cling to what you think are your rights. It behooves us to make sure our testimony before the world is faithful to the Lord. It is much better to be marked as someone who would rather die representing Christ, than to live on this earth with supposed rights which can be easily taken away by someone else in this world. I would rather submit to an ungodly, unfair, boss or authority than to rebel against what God has called me to be. My God is far bigger and ultimately in total command of everything. Whatever we might be going through in our workplace is not worth rebelling against, considering that it shows a lack of trust in our God.

1 Peter: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary The Motive for Submission

We are like the school boy who would like to evade certain things, and run away from problems and tests. But we thank God that because he has a larger interest in us and knows what is for our good, he puts us through the disciplines of life—he makes us learn the multiplication table; we are made to struggle with the elements of grammar. Many things that are trials to us are essential that one day we may be found without spot or wrinkle. (The Miracle of Grace [reprint; Grand Rapids: Baker, 1986], 39)

1 Peter: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary The Motive for Submission

Whenever believers encounter trials on the job, they ought to view them as opportunities for spiritual growth and evangelism. The chief reason God allows believers to remain in this world is so He might use them to win the lost and thereby bring glory to His name. Those who suffer with the right attitude will be blessed in this life and honored later in the Lord’s presence.

1 Peter: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary The Motive for Submission

We are like the school boy who would like to evade certain things, and run away from problems and tests. But we thank God that because he has a larger interest in us and knows what is for our good, he puts us through the disciplines of life—he makes us learn the multiplication table; we are made to struggle with the elements of grammar. Many things that are trials to us are essential that one day we may be found without spot or wrinkle.

The believer should submit with respect those who are in authority over us in the workplace. It doesn’t matter if our boss is good or evil or just plain obnoxious. For when we are obedient to God’s commands, we find that our witness has a greater impact. After all, we have been called to salvation, which should motivate us to submit in order to be a more effectual witness.