“Seeing Beyond Troubles”—“Living in Submission-—Part 2” – 1 Peter 2:18-25

Do we work to live, or do we live to work?

A large part of answering that question depends on how we view our life and our work. If we love the work we do, then it may be that we find ourselves living to work. If, on the other hand, the reason we work is simply to live from paycheck to paycheck and hoping that nothing happens to interrupt our work/income, then it’s quite possible we feel that we’re only working to live.

It’s probable that we have all answered that question both ways, depending on what was going on in our lives at the time. For most of us, there is a balance to work and to life, and that we can tell people we have the best of both worlds—we find satisfaction in our work, and we enjoy the life we are living.

In Peter’s words in today’s text, we find God’s answer to the question, and we find the genuine motivation to work.

Background

One of my commentaries said there were over 60 million slaves in the Roman Empire at the time Peter wrote this letter. The slaves ranged from field workers to professionals, and the way the slaves were treated also had a wide range, from absolute cruelty to privilege and almost family status.

Regardless of the slave’s work or his status in the master’s regard, the bottom line was that the slave was nothing more than property. The laws that ruled in the slaves’ lives were the laws as the master determined them. The master was the law.

Slaves in the empire were not permitted to marry, but they were allowed to have children. The children became the property of the master, not of the parents. One of the commentaries compared the slave to sheep or a dog. Sheep could have lambs, and dogs could have puppies, but the lambs and the puppies belonged to the owner, not the sheep or the dog. So it was with slaves.

The slave had no rights, no vacation time, no personal time. The slave worked the hours the master determined, and the slave worked for nothing more than room and board. The master’s needs and wants always took precedence over the slave’s, and the slave was not expected to receive thanks for the task he or she was required to do.

The question may be asked why the Bible never spoke out against slavery. The reason was that slave rebellions in the Roman Empire were always dealt with swiftly and violently. The story of Spartacus was based on a true story, of a gladiator slave who escaped and fought against Roman troops. According to the internet, Spartacus and his army of slaves and disgruntled people won nine significant battles before finally being overpowered by a much larger Roman army. Spartacus was killed in his last battle.

Had Peter or Paul or Jesus for that matter called for Christian slaves to rebel would have invited the might of Rome to stamp out the church before it even began. Instead, the Gospel of Jesus Christ relied on the influence of the Holy Spirit over the years to transform minds and to lead us to realize that all people, slave or free, have innate value in God’s eyes and in our own eyes as well.

Peter’s words are addressed to a people who lived and worked in a slave economy. Nonetheless, the same ideas present in today’s text can be brought forward into a capitalist economic system where workers are free to choose their jobs and careers and can determine who employs them. The reason the Bible and this passage are still relevant today is because the same principles written by the apostle still apply to us today.

Central Truth: Respect in the workplace helps us keep our eyes on Jesus.

God calls us to submit at work because:

1. It is commendable to God (18-20)

Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering, because he is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit to receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.

When this letter was written, the vast majority of Christians were slaves. That isn’t to say that all Christians were slaves. There were free men and women who knew Christ and followed Him, as well. But most of those who professed Christ as Savior were slaves.

Peter wrote to these followers to tell them that their reason for living is no longer defined by their work, but by their relationship with Christ. The apostle tells them the reason they are to submit to the master is not because it is the law (though that is part of the reason for submission, as we learned last week), but because of our awareness of God in our lives. Because we are conscious of God, we are to show respect to those who are over us, and do what is expected of us. We are called to be better workers, not in order to benefit the employer or the master, but to demonstrate our consciousness of God.

Notice that Peter didn’t say respect the good master and not the bad one. Peter’s words apply to both the good and the bad employer/master. Most of us, as we have worked our various jobs in life, have had the experience of good and bad bosses. Some bosses treat the employees as his or her own game pieces, to be moved about as he or she desires. Other employers recognize that the company’s greatest assets are its employees and treats the employees accordingly.

Peter wrote we are to bear up under even the worst of conditions because it is a witness of our commitment to Christ. As Paul wrote, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23-24). As Paul wrote about the reward for working for Christ, so Peter has the same reason, saying enduring hardship and suffering for God is commended by God.

When it comes to why we submit at work, it is because we are conscious of God and want to do what is commendable to Him.

2. It follows Christ’s example (21-23)

To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps: “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.” When they hurled their insults at Him, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.

A seldom discussed part of U.S. history is the effect that a nationwide revival caused in the latter part of the 19th century. As people came to know Christ, they began to consider the plight of the average person. As a result of this revival, Congress enacted several laws that had a profound impact on the way workers were treated in this country. Because of this revival, child labor laws were enacted greatly curtailing how old a child could be before starting working for a wage. In addition, a five day work week was becoming part of the law, as was a 40-hour work week. Conditions were changed. All because the influence of the Holy Spirit began to work to change society for the better.

Despite this, though, power still rests with the employer. And the instructions from Peter in this passage still work in our world. Having shown us the reason we submit to our employers is because it is commended by God, Peter also showed us that we submit because Jesus is our example.

Again, remember Peter wrote this passage at a time when most of those who heard the words of the letter were slaves, and that as slaves they were treated as nothing more than property. The reality is that most masters were “those who are harsh.” So here Peter reminded the listeners and us that Jesus also suffered from doing that which was right.

Peter wrote that we submit because this is our calling in Christ, who gives us the example of how to live in our world. Christ’s suffering is our example.

Jesus was referred to as the Suffering Servant. Isaiah 53 prophesied of Jesus’ suffering. There we read that Jesus suffered for our benefit, and that He never spoke out against His suffering. He endured His pain for our salvation. And because Jesus did this, He is our example of how to endure even when things are seemingly going against us.

Peter’s words in v. 23 show us today how we are to live in an unjust and difficult world: “When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.” In other words, when life is working against us, we must entrust ourselves to the Father, the God who judges justly.

We submit to employers because of Christ’s example.

3. It reflects the reality of our salvation (24-25)

He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

The statement, “You can’t see the forest for the trees” is another way of saying we get too caught up in the little things and fail to see the big picture. A good example of this is the American Revolution. Time and time again, the army commanded by George Washington lost battle after battle. Washington could have given up, but he kept his eye on the big picture. As long as the colonists kept an army in the field, no matter how bad it may get, there was always hope. One day, the army would get better, and the battles would start to go their way. As long as the colonies kept an army in the field, time would be in the Americans’ favor. Washington’s trust came to fruition at the battle of Yorktown, when the United States gained its independence.

The reason we are able to submit to worldly authorities such as the government and employers is because God has a larger plan for us. The reason God brought salvation to us through Christ His Son was to enable us to live for righteousness. We can endure life’s hardships because we are walking in the way God calls us to walk, with a trust and faith in Him.

Peter wrote that Christ’s actions as seen through His suffering, crucifixion and resurrection was to give us direction and a reason to live. He wrote that we were once like lost sheep, but when we turned to Jesus, we found not just a Savior, we also found a Shepherd and Guardian to watch over us and direct us.

The role of the Shepherd is to protect His flock. The Shepherd leads His flock to meadows of peaceful grazing, calm still waters of refreshment and rest. The Shepherd guards His flock and preserves the flock so that the flock can grow and prosper.

In Christ, our prosperity is found in following His example, in doing His will and trusting in Him as Shepherd and Guardian. And because of this salvation through Christ, you and I are able to submit to others in love and faith.

Conclusion

For some of us, the call to submit is a difficult one to do. We want to stand on our own two feet, to be our own person.

All of that changed, though, the moment we realized that we needed Christ. By surrendering to Him, we submit ourselves to Him and allow ourselves to consider others and love them as Christ loves us. Because we have learned to submit to Christ, we can also learn to submit to others.

It’s not easy, but Christ living in us can empower and enable us to do what He calls us to do.