We’re all familiar with the Apostle’s charge in 1Cor 11.1, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” It’s a call to follow him in so far as he follows Christ. He actually says the same thing in several places. E.g. “Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us,” (Phil 3.17). The Epistle to the Hebrews echoes this sentiment with, “[be] imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises,” (6.12); and with “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith,” (13.7). Today I’d like to introduce you to a Christian brother worthy of imitation… Continue reading “How far have we come?”
Forgiving in light of eternity
I posted yesterday about forgiving those who wrong us. It was a call to forgive as we’ve been forgiven. And while that call applies equally to those outside the church and to those inside the church, there’s a further, very powerful dynamic in play when it comes to forgiving fellow believers. Continue reading “Forgiving in light of eternity”
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The Duties of Slaves and Masters, Col 3.22-4.1
We are grateful to God that the gospel has brought about the abolition of slavery. Yet, as Paul wrote in a day when slavery was a reality it’s important to understand what God expected of slaves and masters whom He was pleased to convert. If you have any questions about this passage I would encourage you to listen to the sermon here. This is an excerpt from the application section of my sermon.
How do we apply Col 3.22-4.1 to our lives today? Let me suggest three things:
One, this passage teaches us how to respond to difficult circumstances. Similar to those in slavery, we sometimes find ourselves in hard circumstances which it’s beyond our control to change. This text teaches us that when God has us in adverse situations that we can’t change and that, for whatever reason, He’s not changing, we’re to respond in a way that recognizes and submits to His Lordship over the situation. This means we’re to respond with faith and trust in His wisdom, with obedience to what He expects of us in that place, and with a happy resolve to make the most and best spiritual good of where we are for as long as we’re there.
Because, let there be no doubt in your mind, until God delivers you, He expects you, like the slaves to whom Paul wrote, to honor Him right where you are, to work as one enlisted in His service, and to put both your back and your heart into your work. Because neither the injustice of the person over you, nor the difficulty of the work required of you absolve you of your calling to honor God where He’s put you. **Are you serving God, right where you are, with all your heart, or are you childishly pouting over God’s hard providence?
Two, this passage teaches us something about our work. It teaches us that whatever our station is, it’s a stewardship from God; and regardless whether it profits us any in a temporal sense, if it brings honor to God then He’ll see that our needs are provided and that we get more than our wages in heaven. Because this passage teaches us that when we welcome our station as a stewardship from God, not a single duty goes unnoticed by Him and not a single act of obedience will be unrewarded on that Day. Since every one of us is ultimately in God’s service, He’ll see that we receive our inheritance in full (1Cor 15.58). **Can you expect a reward from God for your work? Which is to say, is your work pleasing and honoring to God, or will it be weighed in the balance on that Day and found wanting?
Three, the principles governing slavery have an obvious application to our services of free contract and voluntary employment. Both the one who works and the one who hires are as free as can be before the contract is signed; but once it’s signed, it becomes a bond of engagement with demands and expectations, and rights and duties, similar to what was expected of slaves and masters.
The one who hired himself out and promised to perform a job or render a service is expected by God to work with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord, heartily, as unto the Lord and not for men. He’s not to be a people-pleaser who only works when the one who hired him is watching. He’s to be a God-fearer, who does his work to be seen by God, out of love for God, and renders it as an offering to God.
And the one who hired him is expected by God to treat his worker with justice and fairness out of obedience to the Lord. He’s not to be harsh in the way he treats him, unfair in what he pays him, or unreasonable in what he expects. He’s to treat him as he would be treated, mindful that ultimately they both work under the Lordship of the same supreme Master in heaven. And the result of this will be, not a confusion of who works and who hires, but rather a generous and friendly mutual respect for the services which each renders to the other: the one rendering the labor due, and the other rendering the wages due. **Are you a godly employee to your employer? or a godly employer to your employees? Does your work ethic prove you to be a God-fearing Christian, or does your weekly work ethic call your Sunday faith into question?
**I ended the sermon with a summary look at the picture of a Christian home as Paul presents it in Col 3.18-4.1. I can’t include that summary here and recommend listening to the sermon for that encouragement.
For now, may the Lord remind you that wherever you are, you’re in His service, and therefore may He enable you to serve Him fully, faithfully, and cheerfully, with all your heart.
Ever your soul’s well-wisher in Christ,
Dr. J
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Are you forgiven?
I’ve long enjoyed the Private Thoughts on Religion by Thomas Adam. It is arguably the most heart-piercing and soul-humbling book in print. His words reach the depths of the soul in a way that other writers do not. In fact, I don’t know of any other book that puts words in my soul’s mouth like his. Consisting of private reflections from his notes and diaries (published after his death), it’s a window into my soul’s wrestlings to confront my own sin, to live honestly before God, to live by faith in a sense-driven body and world, and to walk holily before God in all I do. I’d like to share with you what I read today. Continue reading “Are you forgiven?”
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Do you complain?
Why do we always complain when things don’t go the way we want them to or think they should? Is it because we infallibly know that something is wrong and God should fix it, or is it because we simply don’t believe that the way things fell out is the way they’re supposed to be, or is it because we simply don’t like the way things are? Continue reading “Do you complain?”
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Living under God’s eye
The motto of R. C. Sproul’s Ligonier Ministries has become famous: Coram Deo. It’s a Latin phrase that means before the face of God. The idea is that we’re to live and carry ourselves as before His face or under His eye. Our lives are to be lived as those who know that He looks on. Well enough. But is this not doing one’s work by way of eye-service, which Paul condemns in Col 3.22? Continue reading “Living under God’s eye”
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The Duties of Parents and Children, Col 3.20-21
This is an excerpt from the close of my sermon yesterday on Col 3.20-21. Paul says parents are not to provoke their children and children are to obey their parents in everything. I pray it blesses your own life and the life of your family. Continue reading “The Duties of Parents and Children, Col 3.20-21”
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How to live in light of the truth of God
Over the last two posts I’ve explained that the Christian is a man with the saving knowledge of God and, further, that he applies that knowledge. Are you such a man as that? Here are some helps to being such a man, helps to living in the light of the knowledge of God. Continue reading “How to live in light of the truth of God”
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The Christian applies the knowledge of God to his life
I made the point yesterday that the Christian is a man with the knowledge of God. But that’s not all. The truth of God is a living truth, a truth that begets life. Mere knowledge of God, even knowledge of God’s truth, isn’t an end in itself. Rather, a true and saving knowledge of God’s will is the foundation of Christian character and conduct. Continue reading “The Christian applies the knowledge of God to his life”
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Being zealous for God
There have always been those who object to zeal, calling it a rash and heady temper that hurts more than it helps, and a harsh and fiery spirit that blindly burns up everything in its path. It’s strange, however, that those who argue against zeal are themselves zealous. It could be their political persuasion, favorite sports team, reputation as the one who ‘never loses,’ pursuit of riches, or being ‘the best dressed’ among their peers, whatever it is, it’s safe to say that we’re all zealous about something. We all love something enough to make considerable, if not foolish, sacrifices for it. So it’s not really zeal itself which is opposed, is it? Continue reading “Being zealous for God”
