1 Timothy 6:1

Let as many bondservants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed. And those who have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren, but rather serve them because those who are benefited are believers and beloved. Teach and exhort these things.

If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to the wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, and useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.

Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness

So God, speak to us, we pray. We ask this in Jesus' name, and all those that agreed said, Amen. You can be seated.

As I've done many times over the last several months while we've been going through 1 Timothy, I think it's good to be reminded that Paul the Apostle is writing to a newly appointed or ordained minister, an overseer of the churches of Ephesus. I say "churches" because when we think of the church at Ephesus, which is where Paul or Timothy was overseeing, there were probably many small congregations throughout that city and community. Those churches were established and planted largely by the ministry of the Apostle Paul about a decade before Paul left Timothy there and about a decade before this letter would be written to Pastor Timothy.

Three years before Paul writes this letter that we've been studying through 1 Timothy, he wrote another letter to the same group of churches, which we know as the book of Ephesians in our Bibles. What we see here in 1 Timothy chapter six has a corresponding passage in Ephesians chapter six, using very much the same language.

When we read here in chapter six of 1 Timothy, it says, "Let as many bond servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor." If you would turn just to the left, not very far, you'll find Ephesians. Come to Ephesians chapter six, and pick it up with me at verse five.

Ephesians six, verse five, is written by the same author who is addressing Timothy about bond servants and masters' rights to the church at Ephesus. It states, "Bond servants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ, not with eye service as men pleasers, but as bond servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill, doing service as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is slave or free."

Then he says to the masters, "And you masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven. There is no partiality with Him."

So Paul writes to Timothy in 1 Timothy chapter six, and it's not just Timothy here.

In this passage, Paul is directing a word to those within the church at Ephesus who were bond servants and masters. This is similar to what he has said in Ephesians chapter six. Three years after he wrote it in Ephesians, he is addressing the same issue again, which indicates that there was a problem in the church that Paul needed to address more than once. He emphasizes that this is an issue that needs to be dealt with within the church.

In this passage, there is a very clear teaching for us that I believe is applicable today. Ephesians six and First Timothy six highlight something important. Point number one on your outline, which is included in your bulletin, is that how we work is important to God. You may wonder how I derive that point from these texts, and that is a valid question. Paul is addressing those identified in the church as bond servants and masters. The term "bond servant" is translated in other English translations as "slave." However, when we read it in our 21st-century context, it is not a stretch to interpret bond servants and masters as employees and employers.

This interpretation might seem like a leap because, in the 21st-century American context, the word "slave" is often processed through the lens of the African slave trade, which is a blight on our history. However, the slavery mentioned in the New Testament is not very similar to what we think of when we hear the word "slavery." One great author and pastor, Timothy Keller, who has been pastoring a church in New York City for the last 25 years, wrote a book a number of years ago titled "Every Good Endeavor." In that book, he addresses this issue, stating that slavery in Paul's time was not race-based and was seldom lifelong. It was more akin to what we would call indentured servitude.

In the first-century Greco-Roman culture, the concept of slavery was not like what we typically envision. That is not to say that there weren't issues with it; there certainly were. However, much of what was classified as slavery in the first century resembled indentured servitude. For example, if a person was entering into a profession, such as a physician in the first-century Roman world, that physician would...

Look for some sort of patron who would help pay for their education. In response, they would serve that person as their private physician. This kind of arrangement happened often. There would be other loans where the way they dealt with the payment of that loan was through service to whoever paid that loan. So, that was often how it looked.

The master and slave relationship was not one in which you were necessarily the property of that person. They didn't think of it like that. These individuals would not often serve in that capacity for a lifetime. Many times, it was for ten years, maybe at most, and then they were released from that servitude. It is not the same kind of situation. People weren't kidnapped and forced into this labor; a lot of times, there was some choice involved in the process. However, there was still a significant number of people in the demographic of the Roman world who were accounted as servants, bond servants, or slaves in that capacity. They constituted the work and labor force of the day.

It is not too much of a stretch for us to contextualize this for ourselves today and to say, okay, God has a word for us as those who would be working, those who are employees. In saying that, anytime we come to a passage in the New Testament or the Old Testament that addresses the issue of slavery, it is important, given our context in 21st-century American culture, to acknowledge that the Bible does not endorse or promote slavery. There are people in our culture who try to say that, but it is always taken out of context when you consider what the Scriptures have to say.

The Bible does not endorse or promote slavery. In fact, everywhere that the Bible, the gospel, or the Christian faith has gone in the world over the last 2,000 years, we have seen the elevation of human dignity and the leveling of hierarchical social structures that can foster evils like slavery. That is without a doubt what we see. Wherever the gospel has gone in the last 2,000 years, in its wake has been the increase of human dignity and the idea that all men are created equal. This is a biblical value that has spread through the gospel teaching.

As a result, we see that the gospel and the expanse of the church bring liberty wherever they go. That is what we find in the wake of the gospel, and that is good news. We believe, and the Bible promotes, that slavery is evil and wrong. Sadly, there have been people in the history of the church who have used Bible passages to justify their actions.

To try to promote or endorse what has been done in the area of slavery is always wrong. It is taken out of context. Sadly, we see that slavery still exists today, and that is something we desire would go away. We believe that where the gospel continues to spread, it will bring about liberty to those who are captive in these forms of slavery. Today, we often refer to it as human trafficking.

There is a really good group that I was introduced to about a year ago, called the International Justice Mission. Their endeavor is to go into all places around the world to see justice brought to people and liberty to those who are captive in this evil of human trafficking or slavery.

As we look at the passage today, it has something more to say to us regarding work. I think it is safe to assume that every single one of us here, at some point in the past or in the future, will be an employee or perhaps an employer. For everyone sitting here, work is a high value in our culture. Therefore, it is reasonable to classify ourselves at some point as either an employee or an employer. Given this, I believe God has something to say to us in the scriptures.

Not just in First Timothy, but as you read from Genesis to Revelation, God has something to say about work. In fact, in Genesis chapters one and two, we see that God is an example of one who works. He is, by His very nature, a creator. One of the first things we see God doing is creating, working, and functioning within His nature.

In Genesis chapters one and two, we have the description of what is commonly referred to as the days of creation. During that period, there are different interpretations of how it all worked out, but we believe that God is the creator who made everything seen and unseen. He did so through His work and the power of His word. He spoke it into existence, and it came to be.

Thus, we have the six days of creation in which God works. God exemplifies work, and not only does He exemplify it, but in the second chapter of the Bible, right after He creates all things, He gives man work to do. The God who exemplifies work desires for us to join Him in His working, which is an awesome thing.

Join Him in that. Genesis chapter two, verse 15 states, "Then the Lord God took man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and to keep it." God made it, He created it, and then He takes man and places him there, saying, "I'm giving this to you to tend and to keep this garden." So, He is giving us a part to play in this work.

If you fast forward through the book of Genesis and into the second book of the Bible, the book of Exodus, we come to Exodus chapter 22, which contains what we call the commandment passage, especially the Ten Commandments, where God gives forth His law to humanity. Among the Ten Commandments in Exodus chapter 20, we read in verse eight, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy." How many of you have heard that before?

It's interesting that I have had a number of conversations over the last 18 or 19 years of serving in ministry—probably a dozen or more times—where people have come in and talked with me as a pastor or emailed me, saying, "I want to talk to you about the Sabbath. I think the Sabbath is really important. The seventh day, we need to rest, and we need to be those who observe the Sabbath."

In virtually every conversation I have had on this topic, I always take people back to the beginning of where this thing called the Sabbath originated. I say, "Listen, I think we should read this very carefully and see what it is that God commands." He does not only command rest on the seventh day.

Look at Exodus 20, verse eight. He says, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy." The next verse, verse nine, states, "Six days you shall labor and do all your work." Do you realize that the command to Sabbath in Exodus chapter 20 is also a command to labor? Right along with the command to rest is the command to work. You can't rest if you don't work.

There needs to be this understanding that under the command to work and to labor, "Six days you shall labor and do all your work." The seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God. It shall be a day in which you do no work, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor the stranger within your gates.

"For in six days, the Lord God made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and He rested the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath and hallowed it." That's Exodus 20, verses eight through eleven.

So, we do have this command. Our God works; He exemplifies work. He gives us work to do and wants us to join Him in that work. Then, He commands us to work and to rest, which I believe is particularly relevant in our context in the 21st century.

The current century is something we need to take note of because we live in a culture that is given to much work, constant work, and very little rest. We need to pay attention to what Scripture says about rest, but God exemplifies work. He gives us work to join Him in and commands us to do that work.

In First Timothy chapter six and the corresponding passage in Ephesians chapter six, God provides us with some godly instruction on work, which we might call a godly work ethic. As we go through this passage, we will see that the things God exhorts us to in this godly work ethic are very valuable. If applied, these principles will lead to good results.

Let us look at what Paul says in First Timothy chapter six, beginning at verse one. Paul writes, "Let as many as are bond servants," and we will read "bond servants" in the context of employees. He continues, "Those who are under the yoke, those who are working, you have an employer count their own masters, their employer worthy of all honor so that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed."

He adds, "And those who have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren, but rather serve them because of those who are benefited, our believers and beloved." Paul concludes this section with the exhortation to "teach and exhort these things." I love that last little word from Paul in verse two: "teach and exhort these things, Timothy."

This letter was probably read publicly, and while Timothy is the recipient, it is meant for the whole of the churches in Ephesus. God, through Paul, is endorsing Timothy and urging him to teach and exhort these kinds of things—something Paul had already written to them three years before. I have a feeling that, because we see it twice in Scripture, the church at Ephesus needed to hear this, and I believe God wants us to hear it as well.

As Christians, we must understand that how we work is important to God. Additionally, we need to have the perspective that who we are working for is ultimately important. If you have a job today, if Monday morning you are going to get up early, get ready, and go somewhere to work, remember this perspective.

Maybe you work in a classroom. Maybe you work in a corporate office building. Maybe you work on a construction site. I don't know where you work, but if you have a job that you are going to do, then the Christian work ethic that we find in Scripture says that you should honor your employer.

What does it mean to honor your employer? We could probably interpret it in a number of different ways. However, as I have thought about this and looked at the passages in Ephesians 6 and 1 Timothy 6, as well as other places, I believe that honoring our employer means that we serve with honesty, integrity, and sincerity.

Remember this exhortation that Paul is giving to the Ephesian church to honor their employer. It is different from the exhortation we receive today because they probably did not have the same kind of liberty or freedom to choose what they were doing, as they were in a master-bond servant relationship. We have much more mobility, liberty, and choice in how we are employed and what career we pursue. While it might have been more difficult for them in the first century, the exhortation remains the same for us.

I would suggest that it is easier to fulfill this exhortation to honor your employer if you grasp the weight and importance of who we are ultimately working for as Christians. Understanding who we are working for will help us work better. What does that mean? You should honor your employer, not for the sake of your employer, but for the sake of God, whose name you are called by.

In the middle of verses one and two, it says, "so that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed." At the end of verse one, it states, "let as many as bond servants who are under the yoke count their masters worthy of all honor so that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed." As Christians in the work that we are doing, wherever it may be, we need to understand that we are not ultimately working for our employer; we are working for God.

If you have your finger back in Ephesians chapter six, you can look at it again. It is very specific in Ephesians chapter six.

Paul says it no less than three times in Ephesians 6, verse 5: "Bond servants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ." Then, in verse 6, he adds, "Not with eye service, as men pleasers, but as bond servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill, doing service as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is slave or free."

How we work is important to God because our work represents Him. We should work in a way that honors our employer, not necessarily for the sake of our employer, but so that the name of God and His doctrine would not be blasphemed. Our work should exalt the name of God. If you go to church on Sunday and then go to work on Monday, your coworkers, employer, or others around you should see that your work honors your employer. In doing so, you are honoring God.

How we work is important to God. We will be able to work in a way that honors our employer when we recognize that ultimately we are serving God. Ultimately, you do not work for the city of Escondido, or Lusardi Construction, or Sharp Healthcare, or whoever it may be. If you are a Christian, you work for God. I would suggest that if you enter the office building, construction site, or classroom on Monday morning with the mindset of doing this as to the Lord, it will adjust the way you work. It will change how you see the place where you are working, even if your employer is not a believer.

He mentions in verse 2 that there are those who have believing masters, which implies that some people feel enslaved in their positions. You might think it would be so much easier to work for someone who is a Christian. Be careful; you might be wrong. Regardless of whether your employer is a believer, you should work in a way that honors your employer.

If your employer is a believer, then all the more reason to honor them, as you are serving a brother or sister in the faith. Paul instructs Timothy to teach and exhort these things. In 1 Timothy 6:3, he states, "If anyone teaches otherwise..." This is what you, Timothy, should challenge the church to do. However, if there is anyone who teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine that aligns with godliness or righteousness, that person is proud, knowing nothing. They are obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, which lead to envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, and useless wranglings of men with corrupt minds who are destitute of the truth. These individuals suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such people, withdraw yourself.

Now, if you are in 1 Timothy 6, turn a few pages to the left to 1 Timothy 1, and look at verse 3. Paul opens the letter by saying, "As I urged you, Timothy, when I was going into Macedonia, remain in Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons that they teach no other doctrine." At the beginning of the letter, Paul instructs Timothy to exhort and command the Christians there, especially the leaders in the church of Ephesus, to teach no other doctrine—something that is heterodox, outside of orthodoxy.

He uses the exact same word in the original Greek language when he says that they should teach no other doctrine. He employs that same word in chapter 6 when he states that if anyone teaches other doctrine, you are to withdraw from these people. What kind of person would teach a doctrine that does not align with what is right before God? Paul describes those who are proud, ignorant, and given to contentious disputes. They enjoy arguing with others and are devoid of the truth. He concludes this passage by noting that these people suppose that godliness is a means of gain.

Point number three on your outline is that the motivating why of our work is not inconsequential. What does this have to do with the text?

Well, why should you work with godliness? Why should you be ethical in your dealings in the workplace as an employee? Why should you be honorable? For those who are proud and ignorant, given to contentious disputes and devoid of truth, they do their work to be seen by others. They do their work as a means to try and get ahead, to gain an advantage.

What do I mean by this? Back in Ephesians chapter six, Paul was speaking to bond servants, or employees, and he says that you should work not with eye service as men pleasers. What is he saying? I think you would agree that there are people in our workplaces who only do good work with honesty, integrity, and sincerity when the boss is watching. Paul challenges us as Christians to be honorable in our work, to honor our employer, and thereby honor God at all times, whether or not someone is watching, and whether or not it might benefit or gain us.

In the Ephesian context, there were people who worked only when it was with eye service as men pleasers, when someone was watching. They supposed that godly living was just a source of gain. The only reason they continued to work with honesty, integrity, sincerity, and self-control, honoring their employer, was to gain an advantage. Have you seen in your workplace some people who work in that way? The only time they could honestly be trusted to do their job well is when it might benefit or gain them.

Paul encourages workers to work regardless of any gain that might come from it, to work in a way that is honorable and brings glory to God. The motivating reason for our work is not inconsequential. What is the motivating gain for our work? It is not just to get better compensation, to get a promotion, or to receive a bonus. We work in this way because we represent God.

Look at what Paul goes on to say in chapter 6, verse 6: "Now godliness with contentment is great gain." Could you lean over and highlight that verse in your neighbor's Bible? Just underline it for them.

Put a star next to it and maybe try to commit that to memory this week. Godliness with contentment is great gain. I would suggest to you that there are two things in this verse that are not highly valued in American culture in the 21st century: godliness and contentment. But Paul tells us that if you have godliness and you have contentment, you have great gain.

So then, point number four is true. Godliness is the end we are meant to arrive at. For the Christian, godliness is the end we are meant to arrive at. We do not work with honor, integrity, sincerity, and godliness so that we can get the promotion or secure the contract. Certainly, there are some who work with integrity and sincerity only when it benefits them. But for the Christian, this should be the default: we are seeking to work with honor, integrity, sincerity, and godliness, not as a means for a bigger paycheck. Godliness is the goal. That's what we're aiming at, so that we would walk in righteousness.

If you can grow in godliness and be content with what you have, then you have gained more than any paycheck could ever give you. Why? Well, look at what he says in verse seven: "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out." Those, I think, would be really valuable words for us to hold dear. As we look at our culture in the United States of America in the year 2018, that's a foreign concept. We brought nothing into this world, and surely we will bring nothing out of this world. Having food and clothing, with these things we shall be content.

Working in this way as a Christian is an acknowledgment that we have a greater payout than an earthly payout. There is something that we are looking forward to that is beyond this world. All that we work for in this life is only for this life; it will not benefit us when we die. Naked came we into this world, and naked we shall go out. It's what Job said as he was stripped of everything that he had as wealthy possessions here in this life.

This aligns with the teaching that Jesus gave in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter six, verse 19. He said, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

If we can begin to work in a way that acknowledges we are storing up for ourselves treasures in heaven and not here on earth, it will be revolutionary in our lives. Your honorable work may not be rewarded in this life, but earthly reward is not our goal. Godliness is our goal—to walk in a way that is honorable to God, that does not bring reproach against His name and His doctrine. That's how we are to live.

I would suggest to you that if you live in this way, you will experience a reward in this life because there is great reward for those who live with honor, integrity, and sincerity. Though those aren't values that are held high in American culture in the 21st century, sadly, look at our politics, look at our corporate structures, and look at so much that goes on in our world. Those are not values, but they should be values for us.

Then Paul says in 1 Timothy 6, verse 9, "Those who desire to be rich..." I instantly think, well, okay, that’s America. Those who desire to be rich might have a lot to say to us. What about them? Well, they fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. Why does this happen? For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

I feel this every time I read this verse. I've read it many, many times over the years, and a lot in the last several weeks. But every time I come to this passage, I find that these truths, when we read them, evoke a sense within you to go, "Gosh, that is so self-evident." Yet, it is just not common knowledge in our culture today. When we read these words, we see this in the world around us. We might even see it in ourselves because the Scriptures are like a mirror.

You know those mirrors in hotel rooms? The big magnifying mirror with the lights around it is the worst invention on the face of the planet. When you look at that, you go, "Whoa, goodness gracious. That's frightening." That's what the Scriptures do so often; they lighten, expose, and magnify. You see yourself in so many ways, but the desire to be rich is dangerous. Why? Because you can fall into temptation and a snare, and many harmful lusts, which drown men in perdition.

Do we see anything in our culture that aligns with this, where people are drowning in waste? That's what it means to drown in perdition. I would say we see this all around us.

Point number five on your outline: If godliness is not our goal, the ends will be disastrous. Now, that might be a strong way to say it, but I think it's true. If godliness is not our goal, the ends will be disastrous. Why is that? Because those who have loved money and pursued that path have found themselves drowned by many harmful lusts that lead to destruction and waste. They have pierced themselves through with many sorrows, having strayed from the faith toward greediness, away from godliness.

So, if godliness is not our goal, the ends are disastrous. This challenges us to meditate on a very simple question. You don't need to answer this before me; you need to answer it in your own heart before God today. What are the gains you are seeking to lay hold of? What is it that you are striving for? If it is acknowledgment, recognition, and riches in this world, there is a danger in that. We will begin to live our lives in such a way that it is with eye service, as men pleasers. The ends of that can be greatly disastrous. We have seen, and we have watched people in our own lives or in our culture who have striven for that kind of success to lay hold of something in this life.

And as a result, they have done things that are immoral, unethical, and wrong. They might gain what they want in this life, but they're missing the bigger picture. This is not all there is. So, what is the gain? What gain is it that you're seeking today? You might need to bring that before the Lord this week, and it may lead to a place of confession and repentance. And that's a good thing.

Why? The Scriptures say, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness. I can tell you, as I look into the perfect law of liberty, the mirror of God's Word, that's what it does. It reveals to me the things in my life that need to change. God, I can't change myself, but You, by Your grace, can change me. So, would You come and transform me?

Would you stand with me as we pray that prayer today? Maybe some of you here need to personalize that as we pray this together. Father, thank You for Your grace that saves us. But Lord, You rescue us from, and You rescue us to. We thank You that You save us from our sins, but You save us to righteousness.

God, I pray that You would work in our lives, that we would see the growth, the manifestation of godliness, that which aligns with rightness, and that it would be seen in our workplace. Not just when we gather together in a place like this, where it's easy to walk in rightness, but on that construction site, in the office building, or on the school campus—wherever we may find ourselves this week.

I pray, God, that You would help us to walk in a way that is right. Not just so that we would gain something here and now, but so that we would walk in a way that honors and glorifies Your name. You, who sees in secret, will ultimately reward openly.

So, God, help us. Help us to grow in our Christ-likeness, that it would be evident to all we come in contact with that we are Your kids, because people see Your nature in us. God, work this into us, we pray. We ask this in Jesus' name.

All those who agree, it's set.