Submission in the Workplace - Following Christ's Example - "in His steps"
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Submission in the Workplace - Following Christ’s Example - “in His steps.”
Submission in the Workplace - Following Christ’s Example - “in His steps.”
“Good fences make good neighbours.” Most of us have heard that expression. In fact, Robert Frost, a poet of a previous generation wrote a poem about why “Good fences, make good neighbours”. Within that poem, he transparently asked, “Why do good fences make good neighbours?”
During the course of the poem, the poet’s confessions spoke of the statement.
“Isn’t it where are the cows? But here there are no cows.”
“He is all pine and I am apple orchard. My apple trees will never get across and eat the cones under his pines, I tell him.”
“Something there is that doesn’t love a wall. That wants it down. I could say ‘Elves” to him. But it’s not elves exactly, and I’d rather he said it for himself.”
The same is probably true in the workplace. Within the workplace , some fences are needed. Some were needed. Some are no longer needed. We wish some of them could be removed, but it would be better if it was a mutual decision. And we are afraid that for when it comes to the next, next door neighbours, it won’t be the cows but wandering dogs that leave their calling cards.
In their desire to sort through workplace relationships, some taken the focus off of the relationships to what we do. They would say, “Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your lives.” Is that true or false?
Someone has wisely commented, “Work is not play/Your number one passion is not always a realistic career/No job is completely perfect/The more that you love your job, the harder you will work.”
In the final analysis, work for most of us is not only what we do, but within that workplace who we work with. Very few of us can cocoon working by ourselves.
Most of us must work with others. When working with others decisions must be made. In the making and implementing those decisions, even though consensus is ideal, it is not always possible. When there is not consensus or the consensus is not prudent, someone must overrule and make the best decision.
When that is not appreciated or accepted tensions sometimes develop - LANDSCAPING EMPLOYMENT WHEN AT TIMES I HAD TWO BOSSES.
While not answering all workplace relationship questions, what Peter commands in 1 Peter 2:18-25 provides for us an excellent place to begin.
As we work our way through this extended section of Peter’s first Epistle, some readers might already be commenting that Peter’s directives were geared to a very different time and day. Times and cultures have changed. Some things need to viewed and interpreted through today’s lens. I agree but not everything. While some things in Scriptures obviously refer to cultural norms - head coverings, dietary laws & worship patterns - the vast majority do not.
Central to what Peter explains in this extended sections is that all of us have rights, not all of those rights translate into life the same way. In seeking to understand life and relations, Peter stressed that each of us must understand the need to submit and sacrifice. Christ exemplified and lived that. He did not live for Himself but for others.
Postmodern culture - “my rights”
Equal rights, ethnic rights - succession of ethnic waves in New York
Immigrant rights
Sexual identity rights - history is at times rewritten in retro series
Reproductive rights - my body
workplace rights
When defined rights are not addressed
Slowdowns, strikes
Boycotts, rebellions
Unions
Management - lockouts, close plants
Monopolies - marketing Boards
Price fixing
Although it might not be deemed as political authority in its framework, the tensions between Saul and David that developed during the last part of Saul’s rule serve to well as examples of both abuse of power but also trusting in the Lord.
After David had killed Goliath - Saul became jealous and angry over David’s popularity - 1 Sam 18:6-11; 19:9-10
And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?”
Even in the face of Saul’s hostility, David did not retaliate or demand his right to rule before Saul died.
And the men of David said to him, “Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’ ” Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. And afterward David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord’s anointed.” So David persuaded his men with these words and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way.
Afterward David also arose and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth and paid homage. And David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Behold, David seeks your harm’? Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the Lord gave you today into my hand in the cave. And some told me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, ‘I will not put out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.’ See, my father, see the corner of your robe in my hand. For by the fact that I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you, you may know and see that there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt my life to take it. May the Lord judge between me and you, may the Lord avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you. As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness.’ But my hand shall not be against you. After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! After a flea! May the Lord therefore be judge and give sentence between me and you, and see to it and plead my cause and deliver me from your hand.”
We probably need to remind ourselves of a couple more Scriptural affirmations of what Peter wrote - Jesus & Paul.
“If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.
Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
The Mandate for Submission - 1 Peter 2:18
Servants - oiketai - household servants including slaves - not a common term in NT - manager - Lk 16:3 - steward KJV - servants - Acts 10:7 - servant - Rom 14:4
In most households - majority of servants were slaves - wide ranging treatment - many loved, treated as family & educated and treated well.
1 Peter: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary The Mandate for Submission
But many did not, because there were scant protections—and virtually no rights—for slaves, who were considered property rather than persons. Slaves owned little or nothing and had no legal recourse to which they could appeal when mistreated. For instance, the influential Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote, “A slave is a living tool, and a tool is an inanimate slave” (Ethics, 1161b). Writing about agriculture, the Roman nobleman Varro asserted that the only thing distinguishing a slave from a beast or a cart was that the slave could talk.
Although it was not addressed directly, the NT infers that significant segments of some congregations were slaves.
Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.
I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel, but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord. For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
Be subject to your master
Respect - with all respect - 2:18
Respect - hupotassomenoi - present passive participle with the sense of present imperative - line up under
Master - despotai - from which we get despot - absolute ownership and complete control
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.
Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.
Rebellion not justified - not only to the good and gentle, but also to the unjust - 2:18
Unjust - skolios - curved and crooked - scoliosis - literally perverse & dishonest.
Serving in some contexts leans on God’s grace.
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.
Precludes rebellions, mutinies and strife.
2. The Motive for Submission - 1 Peter 2:19-21a
Someone wisely concluded
1 Peter: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary The Motive for Submission
It should be of little consequence to believers what their circumstances are in the workplace, whether they are chief executive officers or custodians, whether they receive a substantial pay raise or settle for a salary cut so the company can stay solvent. The factor of overarching significance is that they maintain their testimony before the watching world of sinners (cf. Matt. 5:15–16; Mark 4:21; Phil. 2:14–16), and in the workplace that occurs when believers labor with an awareness of God’s glory
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.
Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
Mindfulness of your:
God
The motivation for the believer’s submission in the workplace, is summarized in this brief phrase - this is a gracious thing/this finds favour with God KJV - literally, this is of grace
Grace - 2:19
Mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly
Endures - bears up - hupopherei - bear up under - we do not carry this alone
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Grace given to the humble
But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
Sovereignty - 2:19-20
1 Peter: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary The Motive for Submission
Theologian A. W. Pink wrote,
As [one] sees the apparent defeat of the right, and the triumphing of might and the wrong … it seems as though Satan were getting the better of the conflict. But as one looks above, instead of around, there is plainly visible to the eye of faith a Throne.… This then is our confidence—God is on the Throne. (The Sovereignty of God, rev. ed. [Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1961], 149–50; emphases in the original)
Glory - 2:19 - God’s
Calling
What credit is it if you suffer for doing bad and not good.
Purpose for which you were called - to endure - 2:20-21
Endure - hupomenei - bear up/endure patiently
Beating when sin - 2:20
Beating - harsh treatment - harsh blows, fists, implements
Beating - buffeted - kolaphozomenei - strike with the fist
And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards received him with blows.
Suffering for doing good - 2:20
This is a gracious thing in the sight of God/this finds favour with God/acceptable to God
“Favour with God is found when an employee, treated unjustly, accepts his poor treatment with faith in God’s sovereign care. That is rather than responding with anger, slurs, name calling and sabotage.
For to this you were called.
Called - same word as called re salvation - sometimes when called to salvation, also called to endure unfair treatment .
In the what is in the small print also strengthens us.
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
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 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2004). 1 Peter (p. 162). Chicago: Moody Publishers.
3. The Perfect Model/Example of Suffering/Submission - 1 Peter 2:21b- 25
Most people, even believers would not see this as being at the top of the list of things as to what Christ did that was exemplary . Instead, they would mention - baby Jesus, child who confounded religious teachers, humble loving teacher, compassionate healer, raised the dead, powerful authoritative preacher/teacher etc. . But Jesus also came to suffer.
1 Peter: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Believers’ Perfect Standard for Suffering
For Him, the path to glory was the path of suffering (Luke 24:25–26), and the pattern is the same for His followers
And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”
It is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, … For Christ also suffered, (for doing good) once for sins - 1 Pet 3:18 - the righteous for the unrighteous.
Christ’s standard for suffering - perfect - 1 Peter 2:21b-23
Even as when we suffering, we are called to be mindful of God, when Christ suffered, He suffered for us, He was mindful of us.
Sometimes when loved ones are suffering, those who who love them often comment with complete sincerity and truthfulness, “If I could I would suffer and die in you place.” In this instance Christ did.
Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
Leaving you an example
Believers will never die for another’s salvation.
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
Christ died for us not when or because we were good, but because we were sinners. For most that is beyond comprehension.
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Example - hupogrammon - literally writing under - as in a pattern under a sheet of tracing paper
In His steps - steps - Ichnesin - footprints or tracks - following in His steps often means walking along paths of suffering, unjust suffering.
Committed no sin, no deceit found in His mouth - did not violate God’s law - therefore His crucifixion was in no way justified.
Deceit does not mean violence but lawlessness in the sense that Christ, the suffering servant would never break God’s law.
And they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.
Continued entrusting Himself to Him who judges justly
Entrust - hand over to someone to keep
Christ was handed over to Pilate.
Pilate handed Christ over to the Jews.
Christ handed himself over to God Himself, because He was completely confident in Him who is able to keep what is entrusted to Him and to judge justly.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.
Christ’s substitutionary suffering - perfect - 1 Peter 2:24
Bore our sins in His body on the tree
That we might die to sin and live to righteousness
Being in Christ, believers we are counted as did to sin and alive in Christ. So then, we are live to God in Christ.
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
By His wounds you have been healed
This is about healing from sin and death.
1 Peter: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Believers’ Perfect Substitute in Suffering
Leon Morris comments,
Redemption is substitutionary, for it means that Christ paid the price that we could not pay, paid it in our stead, and we go free. Justification interprets our salvation judicially, and as the New Testament sees it Christ took our legal liability, took it in our stead. Reconciliation means the making of people to be at one by the taking away of the cause of hostility. In this case the cause is sin, and Christ removed that cause for us. We could not deal with sin. He could and did, and did it in such a way that it is reckoned to us. Propitiation points us to the removal of the divine wrath, and Christ has done this by bearing the wrath for us. It was our sin which drew it down; it was He who bore it.… Was there a price to be paid? He paid it. Was there a victory to be won? He won it. Was there a penalty to be borne? He bore it. Was there a judgment to be faced? He faced it. (The Cross in the New Testament [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1965], 405)
1 Peter: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Believers’ Perfect Substitute in Suffering
The significance of Christ’s substitution cannot be overstated:
To put it bluntly and plainly, if Christ is not my Substitute, I still occupy the place of a condemned sinner. If my sins and my guilt are not transferred to Him, if He did not take them upon Himself, then surely they remain with me. If He did not deal with sins, I must face their consequences. If my penalty was not borne by Him, it still hangs over me. (Morris, 410)
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Wounds is a general reference to the execution process.
1 Peter: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Believers’ Perfect Substitute in Suffering
Neither Isaiah nor Peter intended physical healing as the result in these references to Christ’s sufferings. Physical healing for all who believe does result from Christ’s atoning work, but such healing awaits a future realization in the perfections of heaven. In resurrection glory, believers will experience no sickness, pain, suffering, or death (Rev. 21:1–4; 22:1–3).
Only in heaven will there be no sickness, no pain, no suffering and no death - Rev 21:1-4; 22:1-3
1 Peter: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Believers’ Perfect Substitute in Suffering
In fair consideration of this explanation, it must be admitted that the apostle Matthew seems to relate Jesus’ physical healing ministry to Isaiah’s prophecy:
When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill. This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: “He Himself took our infirmities and carried away our diseases.” (Matt. 8:16–17)
Until sin is no more and there will aging, sickness and death. But in Christ, we can safely commit ourselves to God.
Jesus did not say, we will not die, but that there is a place prepared for us.
Christ’s shepherding - perfect - 1 Peter 2:25
Again Peter directed our attention back to Is 53. In this instance, having gone astray, back to the shepherd of our souls. Having laid all of our sins on Jesus, in Him we have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls
Have returned - denotes repentance - ie prodigal son
Guardian - overseer - episcopos
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,
Submission/serving in the workplace is more than earning a living and putting bread on the table, it is serving in the place that our Lord has called us in the way that He has called us to serve.
Believers are in a sense called to serve and be accountable to two masters.
Most of you will be remembering that Jesus said that no man can serve two masters.
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
We probably need to serving 2 masters this way. In the work place most us have been accountable to more than one person. While we accountable to some kind of supervisor, it was usually not that supervisor who hired and fired. We were also accountable to that next step person.
In the workplace, we are primarily responsible to our Lord. He is the one whose performance review we are most concerned about. A significant part of His performance review takes into consideration how we followed the direction of our more immediate supervisor.
2. Believers are called to follow in Christ’s steps.
“In His Steps” film has been remade a few times. In most of those instances, the thrust seems to be how will help those who are less fortunate than we are. While that must be carefully considered it is probably addressed more directly in the parable of the Good Samaritan.
It seems to that in our content following in Christ’s steps remembering how he served. At times, in the short term He gave up His rights to serve. He served others, some of whom others saw beneath them to serve.
When called upon, none of us should think of ourselves too highly.
Non invasive medical team - Magda - a healthcare professional - perhaps personal care worker - without being asked took it upon herself to clean and I mean the House of Prayer outhouse.
3. Believers are to serve entrusting themselves to Him who judges justly.
Sometimes life is not fare. It is not only not fare because of things that cannot be controlled but because some others who are in control are selfish. They do not set out to be selfish. It’s just that after them, others come not first, but second or third.
When we leave what we cannot control with our Lord, He judges fairly.
Sometimes even in the midst of present injustice there are glimmers of just acknowledgement - Krushchev - “ If I have enough believers, I could fulfill all of my 5 year plans.” - “I will destroy all Bibles and believers” yet decades after a his death, a group of believers met in the house where he was born.
4. Believers are called to serve as those who have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of their souls.
Sheep recognize that they need a shepherd.
Sheep listen to and follow their shepherd..
Sheep understand that they are not goats.
Sheep trust and obey their shepherd.
Sheep understand that with their shepherd they need not fear even when they must walk through the valley of the shadow of death.