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INTRODUCTION
1. In the modern world, we see that many Christians
behave one way at church, but quite differently at work.
The spiritual atmosphere of the church and the
secular atmosphere of the working place, result in this kind
of Christianity for the modern believer.
As Christians, we need to make the teaching of
God’s Word attractive in every way.
a. We need to show people that Christ is not just
relevant on Sundays, but also throughout the whole week.
b. We need to show that the application of Christian
principles of honesty and service in the place of work in
the long term is best for the society, best for the company
and its staff, and best for the individual.
c. This is the aim of the Apostle Paul, when he
wrote to Titus.
2. THE HISTORICAL SETTING
a. The Roman Empire
(1) The Roman Empire depended on slaves for most of
its labour, and they were an essential part of the society,
and the economy.
(2) Slavery could be a terrible oppression in the New
Testament times. Many were abused and often brutalized for
even a very minor mistake, or simply for displeasing their
masters in some way.
b. However, many of them were given great
responsibility, and authority in running household work, or
other business for their masters.
c. The purpose of Paul’s letter in this area.
(1) He does not address the condition of
slavery.
(2) His purpose is to deal with the attitude
that Christian slaves should have toward their own masters.
(3) He offers five characteristics that every
believer who is employed should have.
I. SUBMISSIVE
“Exhort servants to be obedient unto
their own masters...”
(Tit 2:9a)
1. Christian workers are to be submissive to their
own employers.
a. The word “obedience” means “to be subject to.”
b. In God’s sight, the obligation of the Christian
workers to their bosses is unconditional and universal.
2. It is a passive imperative verb. Therefore, it is
a command to submit oneself.
a. Regardless of how unreasonable a boss may be or
how oppressive a work situation may be, the faithful
believer willingly submits himself in everything, as long as
he is employed in that job.
b. This does not mean that the employee is free to
disobey God, even if his employer tells him, or that he is
forbidden to make suggestions to his boss.
c. But it does mean that he should willingly do all
honest work assigned without assuming that he knows better
than his boss.
3. Proper submission to authority is essential in
every area of our life.
a. It is essential in a family.
b. It is essential in government.
c. It is also essential in the work place, as we
have mentioned.
II. COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE
1. “To please them well in all things”
(Tit 2:9b).
a. Pleasing the master well would mean to
carry out his instructions well, and to do our best for
him. This would mean hard work.
(1) The word “well pleasing” in the New Testament is
always used of being acceptable and pleasing to God.
(2) Paul urges believers to “present your bodies a
living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service” (Rom 12:1).
b. Later in the same letter, he says that whoever
has “righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit
(14:17b),…serve Christ (and) is acceptable to God,
and approved of men (14:18b).
c. It is always Paul’s ambition in everything we do
that, “we may be accepted of him” (2 Cor 5:9).
2. Some Christian’s reason
a. If their employer is a Christian, they have less
obligation to respect and to please him. The reason is that
we “are all one in Christ” (Gal 3:28).
b. But equality in the spiritual realm does not
apply to equality in the earth. 1 Timothy 6:1-2 say so.
c. Furthermore, it is not wrong to work hard.
III. RESPECTFUL
“Not answering again (back)”
(2:9c)
That is, a Christian worker should be respectful
to his employer in such a way that he is not argumentative.
1. The Greek verb “antilego” means literally “to
speak against, in the sense of talking back, or
contradicting. Paul used the same verb in Acts 13:45.
In Pisidian, Antioch, when the Jewish leaders saw that many
Jews and Proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas to hear the
Word of God, “they were filled with envy and spake
against (antilego) those things which were spoken by
Paul, contradicting and blaspheming” (13:45).
2. In our day of self-centeredness and
self-elevation, being argumentative is almost a way
of life for some people.
a. This does not refer to standing up for our
convictions, for what we believe is right, proper and
God-honouring in accordance to the Bible.
b. It refers to standing up merely for our own
self-interest and preferences.
IV. HONEST
Paul says “not purloining” (2:10a)
1. We are to show honesty by “not purloining.”
The word “purloining” (nophizo) literally means “to put
aside for oneself, or misappropriate” and can be used of
stealing.
2. In the ancient world, many slaves were entrusted
with the master’s business interests, and had opportunity
for theft of various kinds.
3. In the modern world, many Christians have access
to company funds and properties that can be easily converted
to personal use.
V. LOYAL
“Shewing all good fidelity.”
(2:10b)
1. The word “fidelity” (pistos) here refers to
“faithfulness.”
a. It refers to faithfully doing whatever work a
Christian is supposed to do.
b. Christians are to show forth their loyalty and
faithfulness, that they can be fully trusted.
2. The example of Joseph (Genesis 39:1-6).
a. This is the kind of example all Christian workers
are to seek and to emulate. It is the path of blessing in
the workplace.
b. The result — “That they may adorn the doctrine
of God our Saviour in all things” (2:10c).
(1) “The doctrine of God our Saviour” refers to those
qualities mentioned by Paul — submissive, committed to
excellence, respectful, honest and loyal.
(2) Christians are to show forth those qualities to
their employer – saved or unsaved, reasonable or
unreasonable.
3. God is the Rewarder of those who seek Him (Heb
11:6).
Ephesians 6:6b-8
“… As the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the
heart;”
(v. 6b)
“With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to
men:
(v. 7)
“Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same
shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.”
(v. 8) |
