Godliness For Slaves/Employees

Minister:
Date: PM
Text: Titus 2:9,10
Psalters: 292, 112, 387, 36
  1. The chief duty.
    1. Among the new Christians on Crete were servants/slaves.
      1. A slave was bought and owned to be completely in the service of his master.
      2. “Hired servants” were free men who worked for wages for whomever they chose.
    2. The chief duty of the slave is to “be obedient,” i.e., to submit.
      1. The idea is to arrange under, to subordinate, to place oneself under, to submit to one’s control, to yield.
      2. The goal of the submission is to be well-pleasing, acceptable to the master in all things.
      3. This duty is because the employer/master is placed by God in a position of authority.
  2. There are three clear implications.
    1. The first is: “not answering again,” i.e., to speak against, contradict, to declare oneself against.
      1. This refers to an activity arising out of an attitude of complaining.
      2. This is not the way to be well-pleasing to God-ordained authority.
    2. “Not purloining” is to set apart for oneself, embezzle or to appropriate to one’s own use.
    3. “Shewing all good fidelity,” i.e., the character of being reliable and trustworthy, faithful.
      1. This is a loyalty, a concern for the business and the employers’s affairs.
      2. This is displaying dependability, consistently reliable.
    4. These admonitions show why striking labor unions are contrary to employees submitting themselves.
  3. The purpose of such Christian conduct is “that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.”
    1. Be aware that our conduct and attitude at work affects what others see us believing and confessing.
    2. Our conduct and attitude are to “adorn” (embellish, ornament) what we believe in the eyes of observers.
      1. Our conduct and attitude adds to the beauty of something by adorning it with an ornament.
      2. This is the calling of every believer, but notably of servant/employees.