Worthy at Work

Ephesians 6:5-9
“Worthy at Work”

If this world lasts long enough for archaeologists to dig up our civilization, I believe one of their conclusions would have to be that late 20th and early 21st century Americans tried to address the big issues of life in statements brief enough to fit on bumper stickers! I’m thinking of the big questions like, “Who am I?” Or, “What is the meaning of life?” Some I’ve seen recently include: “Chocolate Fixes Everything.” You can replace chocolate with you favorite junk food. Remember the greater than, less than symbols from grade school math? Another said, “Me > You.” Another said, “Aspiring Canadian.” I have no idea what that person’s problem is. But when I saw, “Keep Honking While I Reload” I got a bit nervous. Then there’s a long list of statements on issues like abortion, euthanasia, stem cell research, or any other issue on which we’re divided according to political parties.

The sheer number of single sentence statements regarding our jobs, though, tells us something about the state of our famous American work ethic. “Thank God It’s Friday!” “Hang In There, Friday’s coming!” “It’s Wednesday, Hump Day” Or, my favorite, spoofing the song of the seven dwarfs: “I Owe, I Owe, So Off to Work I Go.” Clearly the idea is that work is drudgery—that we’d really rather do almost anything else. Is that the way we really feel about work—that it’s an imposition on our free time? It’s only something we do to pay the bills, or buy new stuff, or facilitate dream vacations.

Paul treated addressed it differently in the passage before us this morning. He suggested a bit different approach toward work. He did so, however, by addressing slaves and masters as the third in a series of asymmetrical relationships that operate according to the headship/submission model.

Many are troubled by that, thinking that Paul is implicitly, almost explicitly, endorsing slavery by giving this word. But that is not so. In fact, it is the teaching found in the NT regarding the equality of all people, and the passages on how to treat one another, and the so-called Golden Rule, that have been used to end slavery in many places. Francis Foulkes summarized this point well when he wrote (175-6), “It is true that neither here nor in any other part of the New Testament is slavery denounced as a social system. In this section there is a greater concern for the quality of Christians’ lives and service of others than of ‘human rights’. Yet, the Christian teaching of the equality of all men and women before an impartial God, and their relationships as brothers and sisters in Christ (Phm. 16), was the powerful force that was later to lead in one country after another to the abolition of slavery.” Many, many others make similar observations.

My personal problem with focusing on this issue, though is that it tends to obscure the clear teaching of a passage that, if heeded, could utterly transform our perspective on our priorities, our purpose, and our productivity in the workplace. In Eph.6:5-9 Paul offers two words of instruction—one to workers and the other to bosses—and in each of these categories he provides us with both a target and a trigger—that is, a model to aim at and a motive to shoot for it.

A Word to Workers – 5-8

The Target – 5-7

Paul opens the section giving the target for workers immediately: slaves, obey your earthly masters. We’ll spend more of our time here than on the second word, because Paul did; but there’s no real mystery here, no shrouded expectation; just a straight-forward, bald-faced imperative: obey. I like that word: it’s a compound that could literally mean to hear under. That says a lot about what obedience is—to hear or listen or heed as one who is under another.

Then Paul offers four-fold characterization of the target using four very similar similes, each using as. You obey as you would Christ (5); not as people-pleasers (6); but as servants of Christ (6); as to the Lord (7). They do sound similar, but each of these similes is modified in such a way that we can see Paul had specific intention for each one. Let’s look at them one at a time.

First, we obey [our] earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as [we] would Christ. It’s bad enough to many readers that Paul seems to be offering an implicit endorsement of slavery here, but then to add that their obedience needs to be with fear and trembling just seems a bit over the top. But he’s not referring to some sort of cowering terror that develops from unbridled abuse. No, this word fear is the one we’ve seen in different forms twice already in this passage. It appeared as a verb in 5:33 where it is most often translated respect—let the wife see that she respects her husband. And it also appeared in the hinge verse to this whole section on authority structures, 5:21, where it is sometimes translated fear, sometimes reverence—submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Using the niv, Wood (83) captured the meaning this way: “Respect (phobos) and fear (tromos) are not to be confused with craven servility but represent ‘a keen sense of one’s shortcomings with a consequent anxiety not to fall into any mistake’.” Believe it or not, John Calvin (330) may offer the most efficient elucidation. He wrote that fear and trembling refers to, “the careful respect which springs from an honest purpose.” “I’m trying very hard here, and I really want to do a good job—to do it right the first time.” And I’m doing that with a sincere heart—that is with honest intent and a single mind. I’m focused—just the way I’d do it for Christ himself. If Jesus were present in your office, would you work with this sort of fear and trembling and sincerity of heart to honor him and please him? I think so! In fact, we already do it for far lesser dignitaries than he—we do it merely for our boss, or our boss’ boss, or the president of the company—certainly we’d do it for Jesus!

Second, 6a, … not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers. The esv has done a good job of translating two compound words that Paul himself may have coined for his purposes here. In fact, these words, eye-service and people-pleasers, are each used only twice in the NT, here and in the parallel instruction in Col.3:22. And they communicate clearly, don’t they? Eye-service essentially means working only when watched—seeking to curry favor by one’s work, not so much just to get the job done well. People-pleasing is the opposite of God-pleasing. Wood suggests that it stands over against as you would Christ at the end of v.5. Our work, then, is not as people pleasers, but…

Third, 6b, … as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. Christ himself was a servant doing the will of God; even so the Christian laborer. When we were looking at 5:17, we defined the will of God as the whole plan of salvation for the ages. Actually, that’s the way Paul himself used it back in 1:9-10. Our job, then, is to enter into that plan and purpose of God based upon the calling and gifts he’s given us as part of it. Our job is to do the will of God. And right here in v.6 that involves serving him at work as if he were our earthly master, not just our ultimate and eternal master. And we are to do it from the heart, literally soul, as a delightful labor of love, as worship.

Fourth and finally, this requires rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man. The key modifier here is with a good will.

The word behind good will literally means favor, affection, kindness, or benevolence; with one’s whole heart or even enthusiasm or eagerness. Sincere heart (5), from the heart (6), with a good will (7). Our hearts should be in it! Thus, it is in this spirit that we work at work, as to the Lord and not to man. Is that you? Is that me?! Well, that is our target—the model we aim at in our labor, our work.

The Trigger – 8

And the trigger, or perhaps the motive, is now made explicit in v.8: we work in this way knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free. Let’s back up through this verse. The reward that comes to us for our work comes irrespective of our relative status in the workplace. It makes no difference whether we are slave or free. A similar point will be made more clearly in v.9.

Next, our reward comes to us from the Lord. He is the one who rewards our labor in him, just as Paul described in 1Co.15:58. This is like Sabbath—not working one day in seven as a reminder that provision comes from God, not from the work of our hands.

The future tense here, will receive back, suggests that this is a reward that will finally and fully be delivered along with the kingdom, on which we currently have only the down payment.

Finally, whatever good [we do] will receive this reward. In the Colossian parallel (3:25), as well as in other places like 2Co.5:10, it is mentioned that the bad will also be “rewarded.” But here Paul focuses only on the good. God rewards our faithfulness; and we labor for that reward. Amazing, huh?!

Now certainly this is not suggesting that our salvation is a reward for which we labor. No, clearly it is a free gift of his grace. Neither do we labor for our reward as some sinful effort of self-gratification. No, we labor in love, as worship. And any works we do that are good according to God are merely further demonstration of his grace into which we enter by faith. But we still labor for reward. Why? Because our ultimate reward is God himself—and it has always been so!

The benefits of obedience under the old covenant were spelled out in Lev.26—rain in season, trees yielding fruit, no harmful beasts in the land or enemies at the borders. But the ultimate blessing came in v.12: I will walk among you and will be your God, and you will be my people.

Centuries later, as Judah headed off into captivity for her disobedience, Jeremiah prophesied about the new covenant using the same image. This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people (31:33).

In 2Co.6:16 Paul confirmed that this was indeed also the blessing of the new covenant as he wrote, We are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

But look with me at the end of the whole story. Rev.21:1-7: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

That is the reward for which we labor—the satisfaction of our hunger and thirst for righteousness by fully digesting the bread of life and drinking our fill of the living water!

A Word to Bosses – 9

The Target – 9a

As I mentioned earlier, this word is briefer, but no less poignant. Paul wrote, v.9, Masters, do the same to them. But do the same what? Does it just refer back to v.8 meaning that Masters are to do good as the slaves were to do? Or perhaps it means that a master is to serve his servants just as they serve him? Several commentators over the centuries have suggested just that—and there are recognizable names among them. But I believe it is quite a bit more likely that Paul means masters are to follow the same four as clauses in their mastering work as the slaves follow in their serving work—I believe Paul is addressing their attitude.

And one of the key indicators that the attitude of the masters is what it should be is that they will no longer resort to threatening their slaves. Foulkes wrote (176), “Threatening came very easily to the lips of the master of slaves in the ancient world, and the slave could not answer back. It involved their ‘trying to extort the last ounce of effort from their slaves by threat of punishment’.” Paul is saying, “Don’t do that;” and is thus painting a target for masters.

The Trigger – 9b

Then, as with the slaves, he also provides a trigger, or a motive. In v.9b he wrote, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven…. Masters and slaves are both servants of the same Master! They answer to the same authority! They labor on the same level!

If you plopped our new house in Warrenville right next to the Sears Tower, would you be able to tell the difference in height? I think so—in fact, it would be quite evident. But if you flew off to the nearest star, or even to the nearest planet, Mars, or even just to our own Moon, and looked back at the two, the difference is less than insignificant, it is entirely unobservable!

How do masters and slaves compare before God? there is no difference whatsoever. Both are rewarded for their good deeds (8). Both answer to the same authority (9a). But then, what a glorious statement follows, there at the end of v.9: there is no partiality with him! God doesn’t play favorites, and he doesn’t honor one person over another based upon incidental qualities. The word partiality literally means lifting up the face or looking to see who someone is before deciding how to treat him. God doesn’t do that. Wood wrote (84), “God has no teacher’s pets. He is not impressed by one person more than another.” Christian bosses need to understand this principle and live by it day to day in the workplace.

Conclusion

As with last week, this is a passage of Scripture in which the applications come as the explanation is given; it shouldn’t be possible to listen to what these verses mean and not know what we should do as a result. However, there are some implications regarding our work that very well may elude us as we consider the passage; and I would like to take a couple of moments now to consider two of them. We’ll call it a parting word on work.

A Parting Word on Work

Work is not a result of the fall, rather our disdain for work was a result of the fall. Adam and Eve were placed in the garden to work it (Gen.2:15). And the curse on Adam was increased difficulty in that work. Work is central. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians (2.3:10), “If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.” So, I must ask, would you work if you didn’t have to? It is not the nature of our work that is important, but the quality of our work. Our identity is tied more to the latter, than the former.

Have you considered how permeating a trait is eye-service at work—people pleasing? It is rampant and unexamined, unconscious. We do it without even thinking and wouldn’t really consider doing otherwise. Students, are you more satisfied by the getting the grade or getting the concept? If we can just remember the concept long enough to get the good grade on the test, it really doesn’t matter much if we remember it a week later! Those of you who work in an office, if your extra effort doesn’t result in the promotion you were seeking, or a pay-raise, is there any part of you that thinks all that work wasn’t worth it—that it really didn’t pay off? Homemakers, do you consider you labor worthless because no one really sees your clean oven or looks under your bed—because the world doesn’t esteem it?

That is all eye-service, people-pleasing—working for reward other than God himself. Our labor should be for him, to him, and through him. It is not the financial profit or notoriety that comes out of our work that is important, but the heart motive that goes into it. A parable is told of Jesus walking through the wilderness with his disciples. Early one day he told them to pick up a stone and carry it. They did so. John found a large stone and hoisted it up on his shoulder. Peter picked up a pebble, wondering what was wrong with John. When the day was ended, they were tired and hungry. Jesus turned the stones into bread and each had something to eat. Feeling compassion, John shared with Peter, and with others who’d done similarly. The next day Jesus said the same thing. “Pick up a stone and carry it.” Again they did so. Each this time selected as large a stone as he could manage. At the end of the day they were on the banks of the Jordan and Jesus said, “Throw your stone into the water.” And they did. After they’d been standing there for a while in silence, nothing having happened, they began to look at one another, confused and clearly disappointed. Then Jesus broke the silence with two simple questions, “Why are you disappointed? For whom did you carry the stone?”

Regardless of what our work is, let us do it with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as we would for Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, or for any other selfish, self-serving reason, but as servants 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 we do, this we will receive back from the Lord upon his return.