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SANCTIFICATION: A NEW ATTITUDE
COLOSSIANS 3:22-4:1
JANUARY 16, 2000
No aspect of the Christian's life is untouched by the divine work of sanctification. The social institutions of marriage, family, and work provide the means for redemptive life to be displayed in sharp contrast to the world in which we live. Christians are never to just go along with the whims of the world, rather we must pursue holiness in each aspect of life.
The slave/master relationship so common in the ancient world may seem out of place for us. Historians tell us that during this period there were some 60,000,000 slaves in the Roman Empire, making up about half of the population. The philosopher, Seneca, told of how the Roman senate defeated a law proposing that slaves wear distinctive clothing because they feared the slaves would realize how numerous they were. Because the Romans were "free" they considered work beneath their dignity. Slaves performed most of the work, including medical, teaching, domestic work, and farming. While some warmth existed in the relationship of slaves and their masters, quite often, it was a dehumanizing existence. They were considered to be animate tools, alongside inanimate tools. Their masters had absolute authority over their lives, even to the point of death if so desired. For slaves who were strong, plenty of demanding work was set before them. For those of a more delicate nature, they would be plied to illegal trades on behalf of their masters. When their usefulness was over, many would be given over to prostitution. Slaves had no rights to property or inheritance. Curtis Vaughan points out, "Without question, the early Christian churches numbered many slaves among their members" [A Study Guide Commentary, 108].
The question is often asked, why did Paul and the other apostles not try to overthrow the system of slavery? Ultimately, it was the message and influence of the gospel that eliminated slavery from the western world. The areas of the world where slavery is still prominent are lands where the gospel has made little advance. The early apostles did not see themselves as social crusaders but as evangels of the good news of Christ. They understood that the power of the gospel would render social ills obsolete, if only widespread response to the gospel were realized. They also understood that to counsel anarchy would mean endless bloodshed and a divergence from their priority of seeing men set free for eternity through faith in the crucified and risen Redeemer. The fact that there are no passages promoting the elimination of slavery does not imply that the apostles condoned it. Instead, they declared the equality of all people, regardless of position or state, through Jesus Christ. John Eadie's explanation is fitting:
Christianity did not rudely assault the forms of social life, or seek to force even a justifiable revolution by external appliances. Such an enterprise would have quenched the infant religion in blood. The gospel achieved a nobler feat. It did not stand by in disdain, and refuse to speak to the slave till he gained his freedom, and the shackles fell from his arms.... No; but it went down into his degradation, took him by the hand, uttered words of kindness in his ear, and gave him a liberty which fetters could not abridge and tyranny could not suppress [quoted by Vaughan, 108].
I. Pleasing men or pleasing the Lord v.22
The most basic question to consider in any relationship or pursuit in life is whether our desire is to please men or the Lord. The idea of pleasing the Lord lifts the sights of the Christian far above any level of activity he would normally demonstrate. Yet the typical attitude of most people is to be "men-pleasers," to use Paul's term. The word refers to the attempt to please others even if it means sacrificing principles in the process. The motivation may be for a pat on the back, a raise, a promotion, bragging rights, or applause. In the work relationship it may involve doing underhanded things to put oneself in a better position. Or it can mean walking over others to make one look good in the eyes of an employer. Some in our own day carry this so far that they virtually become slaves to jobs or to employers.
But the Christian must be different! He has been set apart for Christ alone. He is being sanctified so that the peace of Christ rules in his heart, the word of Christ richly dwells within him, and his desire is to do all, in word or deed, in the name of the Lord (3:15-17). Paul continues the so-called "household duties" by including the slaves and their masters in how they were to live as Christians and how they were to demonstrate their passion for Jesus Christ.
1. Single-mindedness
There are no new tricks under the sun. Ancient slaves understood when to turn on the charm or when to look busy. Paul's counsel is for a different approach. "Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth [lit. "your masters according to the flesh"], not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord." The term for "external service" is a combination of the words for "eye" and "slave." So it carries the idea of working diligently when the master's eye is upon them, but slacking at other times. This reveals that the will to work is not present; instead there is only the desire to keep in the master's good graces.
Such a practice was not limited to the first century! How often have we passed the scene of a road crew where one man is furiously digging and four others are leaning on their shovels, tiring themselves by watching the man dig! It happens in the office, in factories, in retail businesses, that employees will slack off if the boss is not around, then be "Mr. Efficiency" when he is nearby. One researcher said that only one-fourth of employees give their best on the job and that around 20-percent of the average worker's time is wasted [Kent Hughes, The Disciplines of a Godly Man, 139, quoting The Day America Told the Truth by Patterson and Kim].
What is the problem, whether in first century or the present? It is the sin of pleasing men rather than pleasing the Lord. In a crude way, this kind of sin gives the position of sovereignty to someone else, at least in the person's eyes. Instead of realizing that "promotion comes from the Lord," it is resorting to whatever techniques or smooth words or deceitful actions might be necessary to persuade an earthly boss to grant favor.
Paul's command is to do your work instead "with sincerity of heart," or "single-mindedness." Such a command contemplates a right motive for work. The word implies that the Christian is so intent on pleasing the Lord in all that he does, that he pursues his work diligently, with an aim to honor Christ by his efforts and accomplishments. How can you do this when the work may have nothing to do with the gospel? This is where the believer first recognizes the providence of God in his life. He is laboring in a particular area by the good providence of the Lord. So that is God's will for his life at that moment, whether working retail, slinging packages, or crunching numbers. Consequently, he is to pursue whatever it might be with diligence.
A second help is to make sure that you do not develop a broad difference between what is termed "secular" and "sacred." We often denigrate the secular in favor of the sacred. But this text, along with countless others, elevates work to a different level, as being the means to help in the believer's sanctification and a means to glorify God. Therefore, "There is no secular/sacred distinction, for all honest work done for the Lord is sacred" [Kent Hughes, 143 Disciplines]. Paul reminds Christian slaves who were doing all sorts of different work in the Roman Empire, "It is the Lord Christ whom you serve." That statement turns what we have called secular into sacred work. So the believer's attitude toward his work is to see it as a sacred duty in service to the Lord. It may have nothing to do with gospel ministry directly, but it has everything to do with representing Christ and the gospel in that believer's workplace.
2. Reverence
A slave might very well fear his master, for the master had power of life and death, as well as power to sell him into other types of servitude. But Paul tells the believing slave not to fear the master or to live with an attitude that an earthly master was sovereign over his life. Instead, the Christian is to be "fearing the Lord" as the whole attitude of his life.
The word, "fear," refers to an attitude of reverence toward the Lord. We often think of fear as cowering in a corner or trembling at the thought of something gruesome. But the term implies that we have a proper view of the Lord. We are thinking rightly on him as the one who ultimately has all power over our lives, whom we will also one day stand before in judgment. Lohse calls fear "the leading principle of Christian conduct" [Linguistic Key, 582]. Peter O'Brien reminds us, "Not fear of an earthly master, but reverence for the Lord Christ should be their primary motive" [Word Biblical Commentary, 228].
To reverence the Lord implies that the believer will not live under the intimidation of man. Can you imagine how important this statement was to the slaves Paul addressed? They lived in intimidation of their masters, yet now they were to have such a grasp of the Lord's powerful sovereignty over their lives that they were to see fear of man as sin, replacing it with a deep reverence for the Lord. How can we do this in our own setting? It demands that we consciously see that we are serving the Lord, not man, in whatever our vocation might be. We must also have an intense desire to not displease the Lord who has called us to serve him.
II. A timeless principle vv. 23-24
Paul had already shown that in the work of sanctification, all that the believer does in word or deed is to be done toward Christ as a means of honoring him. Now he identifies the believer's work as being an act done directly "for the Lord." While this statement is true in all areas, it is especially true for our work.
1. Nothing trivial
The implication on this is expansive. For it reminds us that whether we are cutting a yard for someone or cleaning a house or filing correspondence, the very activity is considered to be "for the Lord." We must admit that often our attitude toward our work is not on doing it as a means of pleasing the Lord. It is just a job and we want to be finished with it so that we can pursue free time activities. But Paul is pointing out that when it is done "for the Lord," it is not just a job.
We can only imagine that first century slaves had little thought of doing their arduous tasks with reference to the Lord. Yet that is the call of our text: "Whatever you do, do you work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men." "Whatever" includes the most menial job, even those that others might not see. That which we consider insignificant becomes significant when the believer does it "as for the Lord." So he calls for the Christian to approach each day's labors with a different attitude, one that sees all of life as sacred and all work honoring to the Lord. Martin Luther wrote, "Your work is a very sacred matter. God delights in it, and through it He wants to bestow His blessings on you. This praise of work should be inscribed on all tools, on the forehead and the faces that sweat from toiling" [Hughes, 143].
Like the early slaves, some of you look at your work as unimportant. It is not saving anyone's life; it has no bearing on the spread of the gospel to the ends of the earth; it does nothing to bring about world peace. Paul's admonition is that you are looking at your work in the wrong way. Instead, you are to see it as an act of praise to the Lord, who is indeed honored when his people work diligently for his glory. This whole attitude toward work should also spill over into the study habits of those who are students. You are to do your work for class as for the Lord. In those days when you really do not want to give your best, think of this text and the exhortation to labor with a view to whatever you are doing being your offering to the Lord of diligence.
2. Distinct aim
The believer's aim can be found in the statement, "It is the Lord Christ whom you serve." Our service to him does not add to his nature or being or worth. He is totally self-sufficient as God. Yet service is an expression of our love and devotion to the Lord. We serve him by our actions of service for others. Such a statement elevated the work of slaves to a completely different level. Though their masters may have considered them to be only animating tools, their true Master viewed them differently. Christ was served through the slaves serving their earthly masters.
The use of "Lord Christ" is rare in the NT in which we normally see Jesus Christ the Lord or Christ the Lord. The emphasis is upon the Lordship of Christ over against the earthly lords who were over the lives of the slaves. Paul reminds them, that while serving an earthly lord, they have a greater Lord, the true Lord who receives their labors from their hands. Even in the face of slavery, they could joyfully go about their tasks with the knowledge that the Lord Christ was their true Master.
Notice how the believers are to work: "do you work heartily." The word could be translated, as work energetically. It is emphatic in the Greek, 'you yourself do your work energetically'. That carries with it the idea of both enthusiasm for your job and a display of diligence in whatever task you are given. This is where Christians have the opportunity to be a true witness for Christ in the workplace, for most people are not satisfied with their jobs. They complain about what is required of them, what they are being paid, and the conditions surrounding them. To see someone working diligently with a sense of enthusiasm and thankfulness for the work is out of the ordinary. It attracts attention to the power of the gospel in your life.
3. Assured expectation
Slaves faced the problem of "cheapskate" masters who used every possible means to keep from paying them a fair wage. As slaves they had no rights or recourse for such mistreatment, so they were left at the mercy of a master's desires. But the Christian slave had a different view. The Lord Christ was the one he was serving, so the slave could be assured that the Lord would one day reward the slave's diligence in work: "knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance."
If you think your retirement program is bad, first century slaves had nothing to look forward to. By law they could not receive an inheritance. When they had served the usefulness of their masters they could be removed without any recourse on their part. So while they labored diligently, their earthly master might cheat them on their pay and offer them no assurance of provisions for the future. Yet the assurance for Christian slaves came in knowing that there was yet a reward ahead from the Lord.
This whole attitude called for is important in our own day. If our dependence is unduly upon a company rather than the Lord, we can be gravely disappointed. Companies collapse; the Lord is eternal. I am not suggesting that it is unimportant to have company benefits or retirement plans. Those things demonstrate prudence on our part in taking care of temporal needs. But let us learn to live with a view that the Lord is ultimately our provider. Let us beware of sinking our energies on the temporal to the neglect of the eternal inheritance that belongs to the child of God.
III. A new equality vv. 25-4:1
Paul's teaching for slaves and masters was radical. If masters were to treat their slaves with "justice and fairness," their fellow slave owners might ostracize them. And if slaves gladly served their masters they might face ridicule at the hands of their fellow slaves. Yet the message of the gospel brings men together at the cross. There is no advantage before God by being a slave or a master, for both are sinners and both need the redemptive work of Christ. Just as in the same way, whether it is a company president or the company janitor, all have the need for knowing Christ. The gospel levels the field so that there is a new equality in terms of worth, dignity, and personhood.
1. No partiality
There is a question among scholars as to whether verse 25 is directed toward slaves or masters or both. I think that it straddles the fence between them, pointing to the fact that both slaves and masters faced consequences for any wrong they did. The Lord judges impartially. "For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality."
Those masters who scrimped or delayed paying their slaves would face divine consequences. The slaves did not have to develop a vengeful spirit, for the Lord would ultimately exercise righteous vengeance on their behalf. So this served as a warning, both for the master and the slave. The master was to take care of his responsibilities to his slaves or else face THE MASTER in judgment. The slave was not to assume a posture of anger or bitterness toward those who treated them harshly, knowing that the Lord would vindicate them one day. It is a reminder for all of you who are in positions of having others working for you to treat them fairly and justly.
This was applicable to the slaves as well, for they also must not use their position of dishonor and ill treatment by their masters as justification for doing wrong, for they too would face the Lord in judgment. Justifying wrongs in employment situations is not uncommon in our day. For instance, if someone thought they were not being adequately paid or perhaps had some benefits taken away or maybe was forced to work in difficult situations, they might conclude that since their employer did not take care of these things, they would do it themselves. So they fudge on the time clock or permanently 'borrow' things that belong to the company or take extra long breaks, all with a since of vindication. Our text is a warning that even for those who believe they are being treated unfairly, it is never justifiable to do wrong as compensation. This responsibility belongs to the Lord, who will deal without partiality toward those who perpetrate the wrong.
This means that whether one is a slave or a master, both are to carry out their duties with a consciousness that they are doing it unto the Lord. Paul's paramount concern was not how well the slaves and the masters got along, but how each of them lived in relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ. He is not addressing all of the slave/master problems, trying to solve one of the biggest social issues of his day. Rather, "he assumes that it is only by learning to serve the Lord Christ that each can begin to come to proper terms with the other. For what is it that he wants each to know? Is it not that both have a Lord in heaven...?" [Dick Lucas, Bible Speaks Today: Colossians, 170].
2. Common Master
The simple reminder to the Christian masters in the Colossian church reminds them preeminently that they too were under a greater Master, the Lord Jesus. "Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven." The word "grant" points to an ongoing practice that the masters were to assume of showing themselves just and fair toward their slaves.
Some scholars point out that "justice and fairness" might especially refer to proper compensation for the work of the slaves. The masters were not to take undue advantage of their positions by failing to pay them a just income. It could also refer to "harsh measures of repression or victimization" being ruled out of bounds in their conduct [Peter O'Brien, Word Biblical Commentary, 232].
All of life is to be under submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The Christian's work life, through his attitude of doing all unto the Lord, can help to demonstrate the gospel's power in fallen men.
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