Lesson 11

Submission In The Workplace

I Peter 2:18-23

The subject of I Peter 2:18-23 is still submission!. It's not our favorite subject by any means, but Peter parks there for a while.

His message is simple. Christians should have a submissive attitude in society as a way of witnessing. First, Peter says, "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake" (2:13). Then he says (2:13-17), "Submit to civil authorities." In the text for today, Peter says that we are to be submissive in our work setting.

Verse 18 addresses this section to "servants." An estimated 60% of the Roman Empire was slave population. The society at large did not demand that slaves be treated with any respect. Aristotle, a Greek philosopher wrote that there was no difference between a slave, an ox and a cart. Other writing state that slave are living tools and tools are inanimate slaves. Someone said that the difference between slaves and other beasts were that slaves could talk. You can only imagine in a culture with this kind of philosophy, how slaves were commonly treated by their masters.

Christianity was very fruitful within the slave population. Many of the first century believers were slaves. Thus, there are numerous sections of the New Testament addressed specifically to slaves. Paul often included commandments to Christian slaves in the churches (I Corinthians, Ephesians, Colossians, I Timothy, Titus, Philemon).

Peter, here, our text also has a section directed to slaves. We might think that since we are not slaves and since slavery does not exist in our society, this section is not applicable to us. However, the relationship between first century masters and slaves is very applicable to the modern relationship between bosses and workers, employers and employees, management and labor.

We live in an environment that is preoccupied with demanding of one's rights. When people believe their rights have been denied (be they students, women, children, homosexuals, illegal immigrants, criminals, the homeless and every kind of employee), they react with strikes, protests, insurrections and walkouts. The underlying mentality is "Give me my rights or I'll fight back in every way possible."

In contrast, God's Word says that Christians are not to demand their rights by being troublemakers or lawbreakers in society. The believing citizen is to submit to civil authority and the believing servant is to submit to his master

The Mandate For Submission, v. 18.

Verse 18 describes two kinds of bosses but only one kind of Christian response. Some bosses (like me) are "good and gentle". Good, meaning they are kind and benevolent and gentle, meaning they are reasonable and fair. On the other hand, some are "froward" - the means unreasonable, crooked, perverse, harsh and unkind. Let's face it! It's not as easy to work for some people as it is for others. And it's certainly harder to be submissive to some types than to others. And, unfortunately, a first-century Christian slave did not get a choice about he/she belonged to.

But the mandate, given here by Peter, is that whatever kind of boss you work under, you are to demonstrate a submissive attitude. Such an attitude may be more challenging because the "boss" is so harsh and unreasonable, but a Christian must do it because of his fear of God. (The phrase "with all fear" - v. 18 - refers not to being afraid of the boss but to having respect and fear of God. That is how it is most often used in Scripture).

And so, there is first a mandate for submission in the workplace.

The Motive For Submission, vs. 19-20.

The next two verses give us a motive for such submission. Peter writes, "This is thankworthy (charis - grace, graciousness; Strong's says "showing the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life"; this finds favor) if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully."

Please notice, there is no guarantee from God that just because you have the right attitude, the Christian attitude, just because you are submissive, the boss will change and treat you right. You may still "endure grief." You may still "suffer wrongfully." You may still be treated unfairly (wrongfully). So we don't do this, we don't submit because it makes everything turn out hunky-dory.

We do it for "conscience toward God." That is, we do it, not thinking about our boss, or ourselves, but thinking about our God and how it pleases Him when we are obedient to His Word. We do it with an awareness of God's presence.

And then, according to verse 20, we do it with an awareness of God's pleasure. This verse cites two reasons why a worker might be treated harshly. (Actually the word "buffeted" means to punched with a fist. It is not likely that your boss will do that these days but quite likely that masters treated slaves like that in Peter's day).

Sometimes a worker is treated harshly for (his) "faults." The word means, he missed the mark. He erred. He messed up at work and the boss got made and let him have it. How should he respond? Get angry in return? Give the boss a piece of his mind? No. Verse 20 says "take it patiently". That's hard but you can almost expect an unsaved boss to, how shall I say it, respond negatively. But what is even harder is when the worker is treated harshly for "do(ing) well!" He didn't mess up. He did the job right and still the boss is angry and abusive. How should the work respond? Verse 20 says it the time - "take it patiently." This is what is "acceptable (pleasing) to God."

And it is God's pleasure that is always our motive.

Now, having given us a mandate for submission and a motive for submission, Peter has one more consideration when it comes to submission in the workplace.

The Model Of Submission, vs. 21-23.

Peter says that we have been called to this, that is, the call of salvation has been to a life where there is wrongful suffering.

But the One who has called us to Himself, the One who has summons us to salvation, "suffered for us (and) left us an example that we should follow His steps."

Peter reminds us that Jesus suffered wrongfully and yet He maintained an attitude of submission especially reflected by His words or His suffering in silence. No sin, no guile in His mouth, no reviling, no threatening. Only a consciousness of God's presence and a concern for God's pleasure. Christ "committed himself to the one that judgeth righteously."

He is the model of submission and we are to follow in His steps.

Submission is a real struggle. Even for a Christian. We don't always feel like being submissive. Often the one over us doesn't deserve a submissive attitude.

But we do it for God and what we do to please God is a powerful witness to those who need to know God.

A soldier in boot camp was a weakling. He collapsed one day during the rigor P.T. and was mercilessly kicked by the drill sergeant and left in such pain that he had to be carried back to his bunk.

When reveille blew the next morning, that same sergeant found that his boots had been shined by the young soldier. He wanted to know why. The soldier replied, "Because Christ has given me a love for you." The soldier shared his testimony with the sergeant and in time the drill sergeant became a Christian.

A submissive attitude is a powerful testimony to the lost world.