SERVANTS IN SUBMISSION

Posted by Pastor Greg Allen on December 12, 2018 under AM Bible Study |

AM Bible Study Group: December 12, 2018 from 1 Peter 2:18-25

Theme: We represent Jesus at our workplace when we submit to those who are over us.

(All Scripture is taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated).

Our passage this morning has been controversial to some. At first glance, it almost sounds as if it was advocating an unhealthy attitude toward abusive situations; almost as if it were somehow saying that it is ‘Christian’ to put up with injustice and mistreatment.

This passage is found in 1 Peter 2; and it begins with these words;

Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God (1 Peter 2:18-20).

You can just imagine how some people might take such words!—as if they were teaching that we ought to be weak and passive slaves who willingly surrender to acts of cruelty and injustice. But It would be very hasty and superficial to think that way about this passage. When we read on, we clearly see that it cannot be calling us to an attitude of passive weakness at all. We know this because of the high example it calls us to follow:

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

“Who committed no sin
Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;

who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls (vv. 21-25).

This passage is calling us, then, to follow a noble and worthy example. Peter had a very high purpose in mind when he called his readers to ‘submit’. We should note the context of Peter’s words. They were a continuation of the appeal that he gave back in verses 11-12;

Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation (vv. 11-12).

Just as in the previous passage (vv. 13-17), this one is a part of a command to be bold and faithful ambassadors for Christ. ‘Submission’ in the proper, God-appointed realms and relationships of life is a part of our work as missionaries for our Lord on this earth.

This passage speaks in the cultural context in which slaves served under masters. And thankfully, we are not under such a system. But Peter’s words nevertheless give us what we might call some ‘timeless principles’ in a ‘time-bound context’. They give us instructions on how to behave in any servant-like positions under any master-like supervisors with any work-like responsibilities and expectations. That would include work relationships in a place of employment, or in the school and classroom, or in organizational and volunteer situations, or in military relationships. Whenever we agree to work for a company or a business, or we enter into a contract with a client to provide goods or perform services, or whenever we sign up to sit under a teacher in a classroom, or when we enter into military or government service, we are entering into the kind of relationship that is being considered in the teaching of this passage.

And let’s not let our resistance to the words “slaves” and “masters” cause us to forget an important fact of our Christian faith: we are to see ourselves as obeying this instruction as the bondslaves of Christ. Praise God—we are grateful slaves to a very wonderful Master. But we are to consider ourselves His bondslaves first and foremost. And that means that every other obligation that we have in every other servant/master-type relationship is to be fulfilled under the authority of Jesus Christ. As the apostle Paul wrote elsewhere;

Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eye service, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ (Colossians 3:22-24).

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So then; with all that in mind, what does Peter tell us in this passage? First, notice that he tells us …

1. OUR DUTY AS SERVANTS UNDER CHRIST (v. 18).

He says, “Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh” (v. 18). In the original language, Peter doesn’t use the ordinary word for servants or slaves. He uses a word that means something more along the lines of ‘household servant’ or ‘domestic servant’—a position which involves a certain amount of trust and authority—someone who is granted a measure of decision-making power and limited freedom in performing their work. And the word he used for ‘master’ isn’t the ordinary word either. He uses a word from which we get the word “despot”—a person who holds chief authority over that household.

Christ-following servants in such relationships are to be submissive to their masters. The word “submissive”, as it is used here, means ‘to rank under’ or ‘to be subordinated under’ (just as in v. 13 with regard to ‘governing authorities’). Servants aren’t commanded here to be submissive to everyone. Rather, they are commanded to be submissive only to that specific position of the person to whom they are subordinated in a clearly-defined relationship—that is, to their master.

And they are told to submit to their masters “with all fear”. This isn’t speaking of a cringing fear or dread of their master. Rather, the “fear” being spoken of is best understood as a sense of “reverential respect”—directed primarily at God. A servant should, of course, always be respectful their master; but the primary respect is to be toward God; and the servant is to show respect to their master out of respect to God “in all things”. The next verse helps us remember this by saying this is to be done “because of conscience toward God”.

And finally, note that this isn’t to be done only toward masters that are kind and good and gentle. Rather, we’re to be submissive even to masters that are “harsh”—or, as the original language has it, “crooked” or “bent”. It would be easy to submit to the authority of a boss who is a good planner, and who is considerate, and who never makes mistakes, or is never poorly motivated; who never gets angry, or who never has a bad day; who always treats everyone with equity and justice, and who is generous and beneficent. But we’re called upon to submit to the ‘master-like’ authority of someone who is sometimes as much of a poor planner, or as thoughtless and rude, or as mistake-prone as we are!—not because they are worthy but rather because God, in His providence, has placed us or a time under their authority; and because we reverence Him.

Now; such submission is not an end in and of itself. In submitting to those over us, we need to seek the higher purpose God has for us in the relationship. So; Peter tells us about …

2. OUR OPPORTUNITY WHEN TREATED UNJUSTLY (vv. 19-20).

Peter writes, “For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God” (vv. 19-20).

Now; we might be bothered by that word “beaten”. Let’s be clear, however, that the Bible does not teach us to become passive victims of cruelty and injustice. We should always—in as respectful a way as possible—seek justice whenever there is a situation of discrimination, or harassment, or unfair favoritism, or any acts of injustice in the workplace. Thankfully, we have laws today that protect us from such wrongful actions. But Peter is speaking rhetorically—not necessarily in terms of actual ‘beatings’. He mentions ‘beating’ with respect to the general example of a wrong-doer; and is arguing that there is no credit due to the wrongdoer if—speaking hypothetically—he is punished harshly for his wrongdoing. If he takes his punishment, he doesn’t get a gold star for doing so. But it’s a far different matter when it comes to those times—as Peter puts it—when we “do good and suffer” wrongfully and unjustly. Peter is speaking of those situations that occur because of the reality of human fallenness—those situations in which we’re treated unreasonably, or rudely, or insensitively; when our willingness to serve is taken advantage of, or we get unfairly dumped-on and feel taken for granted. When we take that patiently and bear up under it, that’s the kind of situation that Peter says is commendable.

And notice the motive Peter gives for our doing so. He says that, when we are called upon to endure ‘grief, suffering wrongfully’, we’re to do so ‘because of conscience toward God’. Rather than lashing out in return, or becoming belligerent, or refusing to cooperate with an unreasonable supervisor’s wishes, we’re to “endure” the wrongdoing as much as we legitimately can. We’re to endure such grief and suffering because that’s what our Father calls us to do. And He works through our obedience, in some mysterious way, to accomplish His will in this world.

And notice how Peter says that to do this is “commendable”. In fact, he says it twice (vv. 19 and 20). It is commendable before God. It’s as if God looks down upon us from heaven when we endure such suffering patiently, sees how, from an attitude of reverence and good conscience toward Him, we restrain from lashing out; and He places His hand upon us, and says, “Thank you, My child. I am pleased. You did well.”

And consider finally how Peter’s words point us to …

3. OUR EXAMPLE WHEN SUFFERING UNJUSTLY (vv. 21-25).

Peter goes on to say; “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps …” (v. 21). In what we may suffer in the workplace, we’re to keep the example of our Lord always before us.

Notice what Peter tells us about Jesus; “Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth …” (v. 22). Any time we suffer because we have done wrong or spoken inappropriately—when we’ve stolen from the workplace, or cheated on our time, or treated people unfairly, or engaged in gossip or back-biting or bad language—we, of course, shouldn’t be surprised if we suffer for it. But none of those things were true of our Lord. He committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth. We should make sure that the same is true of us.

If Jesus committed no sin, nor spoke deceitfully, then it could only be that He suffered at the hands of others ‘unjustly’. And look at how He responded; “who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously …” (v. 23). Jesus didn’t lash back at those who lashed wrongfully at Him. When He was threatened, He didn’t threaten in return. Instead, He endured it patiently—turning the matter over to His Father who sees and knows all things; and who would vindicate His cause and justify Him in the end.

And finally, Peter goes on to say of Jesus, “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” (vv. 24-25). This reminds us that we can expect God to work through our patient endurance to accomplish His glory. Certainly, He doesn’t accomplish through our suffering what He accomplished only through the suffering of our Lord. But we can be confident that He is working sovereignly through our suffering to accomplish His good purposes.

It may even be that God intends to use our patient endurance at such times to open the hearts of others to the gospel. As Peter says in 1 Peter 3:14-17;

But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil (1 Peter 3:14-17).

God is able to use our patient endurance of suffering to accomplish His good in the lives of others—just as He did through the suffering of our Lord.

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We may wish we could go back and do over what we’ve done wrong in the past. But we can learn—and can begin now! Whenever God places us in a servant/master relationship, may we, by His grace, henceforth seek to honor Him—doing our work faithfully; bearing up patiently when treated wrongly, and always looking to our great example of patient endurance in suffering—the Lord Jesus Himself; who Himself suffered in an unjust way in order to save our souls!

EA