After leaving
the instructions to the “wives, husbands, children and fathers”
within the Ephesian church, Paul the apostle turned his attention
toward “servants”. “Servants” were to “be
obedient” to the “masters” “with reverence” “as
to the Lord”, and in chapter six and verse six of his letter,
Paul directed “servants” not to do this “with eye-service”
or as “men-pleasers” where we read:
Not with
eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ,
doing the
will of God from the heart;
The
verse begins, “Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the
servants of Christ,...” Paul began with the words, “Not
with eye-service” which means “service that is performed only
under the master's eyes which in his absence render sluggish
obedience”, “as men-pleasers” which refers to “those
who study to please men or court the favor of men”; “but”
which is a disassociation conjunction that means what is about to
be written takes precedence over what was previously stated,
“moreover, nevertheless and nonetheless” “as the servants”
which means “slaves, bond-slaves and men of servile condition.
They give themselves up to another's will and are devoted to another
to the disregard of their own interest” “of Christ” who
is “the anointed One, the Messiah and the Son of God”. “Servants”
were not to work and be obedient only when their “masters”
were in their presence, nor were they to only work as to “study and
court” man's favor.
The
verse goes on to say, “...doing the will of God from the
heart;” Paul continued, “doing the will” or
“producing, constructing, forming and fashioning the commands,
precepts, wishes, purposes, choices, inclinations, desires and
pleasures” “of God” who is the “Godhead bodily or
trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the
Holy Spirit” “from the heart” which refers to “the
seat of feelings, desires, affections and aversions”. As “servants”
“obeyed” and “served” their “masters”, they
were to do so with “all their heart” as though they were
“pleasing” and “fulfilling the desires” of Jesus Himself.
When
we think through these words of Paul, we see the motivation and drive
that should be in all “servants” or “employees”. They
are to “serve” their “masters” or “bosses”
with “all their affection and feelings” because their true
work is “unto the Lord Jesus”. Though the “bosses” may
be the benefactors of their work, the Lord is their true “boss”
or “master”. With the help of Jesus Christ and His Holy
Spirit, may all “employees” or “servants” realize who
their real “boss” or “master” is, and let them “serve”
the Lord with “pleasure” and “fulfill” all He desires of
them.
Next
time Paul gives another instruction to “servants”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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