OBEYING AND SERVING GOD WILL BE REWARDED.

Obeying and serving God will be rewarded

I went over so much biblical content in my last article because the Apostle Paul said so much in a few verses. I quoted Colossians 3: 18 - 19 (the last two verses in the previous writing) but not much was said in the last writing about wives submitting to husbands. One truth I found out is if the Triune Godhead set up an order follow through the basics of the setup because no other way will work. Husbands are called to be more aggressive in a nice way and love their wives. Paul warns the men not to be bitter against their spouse. To look at this scenario in the most basic way it is impossible to love and hold bitterness in our hearts.

Paul urges children to obey their parents because it is well pleasing to the Lord. Another truth I found out the hard way is it is good to please God. To be in symmetry with the plan of Jesus Christ takes the burden off us and gives our hearts peace of mind and heart.

The Apostle writes about fathers not provoking their children to anger because they will just get discouraged. Nothing good can come out of provoking or discouragement. People have provoked me to anger in my past and I have to say negative emotions rise up and it is very difficult to get back in the yoke of Jesus Christ.

Paul talks about servants doing their work not with eyeservice as manpleasers but in singleness of heart with the spirit of fearing God. Most individuals do try and impress people through their job but this passage says we are to do it for Jesus Christ. Actually we are to do everything for God not just our work. Our heart belongs to the Lamb of God who died for our sins but we serve people with the right attitude. That is not always easy to do in this world when people can be just downright mean. Paul clears up this issue in verse twenty three when he says whatsoever we do engage in it heartily as to the Lord and not unto men.

The Apostle talks about the reward of the inheritance because we serve Jesus Christ. We were built to serve somebody so it might as well be the Son of the Living God.

Paul reviews the sowing and reaping principle in a way that is not usually explained because he says a person that does wrong is going to face Jesus Christ someday who has no respect of persons. We live in a world where this is the norm but that will never happen under the one true God. Let me quote the original text so you can read this passage and perhaps make reference to it in this particular Bible study.

(18) "Wives, submit yourselves unto your husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. (19) Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. (20) Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. (21) Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged. (22) Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: (23) And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; (24) Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance; for ye serve the Lord Christ. (25) But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons." Colossians 3:18 - 25. 

Some of these subjects are hard to talk about because in this day and age to say the Bible says wives submit to your husbands --- well you can surmise what I am trying to say. I will be very balanced in what this passage says because every member of the family has a role in obeying God in the family context. I grew up in a home where you just did not cross most of the women because they were tough. With so many governments against the family structure it is becoming virtually impossible to live for God and have every member of your family give their homage to Jesus Christ and love one another.

Paul starts with wives. This is a compliment because wives and mothers are the matriarch of the family. It is usually the ladies that are able to set get together fellowships up and do it with ease. God obviously made men and women very different. Neither is more important or less important than the other but God does set up a governmental system so it would stand to reason that both wives and husbands must play their role the way God designed it because no other way will work.

The reason why the Holy Spirit starts out with wives submitting to their husbands is because it is the order of this particular setting and the reason of their partnership but most important the appointment and will of God. It was often said that wives that do this as well as raising good children may be the highest in heaven.

Husbands must love their wives with tender affection but it has to be consistent. Just as Christ loved the church in like matter husbands must love their wives. I am not exactly sure why the Apostle Paul said not to be bitter against their wives but it is obvious that a genuine kind spirit is something very special to a lady.

Verse twenty talks about children obeying their parents. I know some of the quotas that parents give are not always attainable but this is more of an attitude and trust me you will be blessed for this if you apply this biblical principle to your life. Most parents are more fit to direct their kids to rules than the actually child/children. Ideally parents should be tender and children should be obedient. Fathers are not supposed to provoke their children to anger because they will just walk around discouraged. Authority should not be exercised with severity but with gentleness. If you rule with rigor then you will produce fierceness in your child. Then it becomes a battle of the wills.

This passage also says servants obey your masters which in our day could mean employees obey your bosses unless they are telling you to do something illegal. You never know in this day and age. When Paul uses the term in all things he was saying not just when they are looking at you but most first world countries have such big brother systems in place that this is usually not a problem at this prophetic point in history. More than likely we are being watched at all times. In the first century that was not the case.

The Apostle talks about singleness of heart, fearing God because this produces goodness in relations with other people. Paul also says whatever we do engage in it heartily because diligence in everything works as long as it is from God. The other way is slothful and that never works. I have to throw a disclaimer in because our society is very big on OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder).We can do something with diligence and not have OCD.

Everything we do should be sanctified by the Lord. For example this is why Christians pray before a meal because they desire God to sanctify the food in this case so a grateful spirit will be present. As Christians labor also needs to be sanctified in Jesus Christ because we could be doing the work with the wrong motive. In simple terms do it for God, not for people. We are being the profitable servants before God when we are faithful in our duty to men. The more of a servant we are the closer we are to heaven. If we are Christians and serving people we are serving Jesus Christ and He will give us payment. 

When Paul says he who does wrong will receive for the wrong which he has done I believe the Apostle in context was talking about good verses evil. God does punish the unjust but He also rewards His faithful servants. If masters wrong their servants they are in trouble with Jesus Christ because there is no respect of persons with Him. Our righteous judge will be impartial and give the perfect judgment to masters and servants. I can tell you that if we all played our roles correctly with the right spirit more people would come to know Jesus Christ in a personal way. If you are one that does not have the Lord in your heart I hate to be the one to break the bad news to you but everything you do including labor will be done in vain. In simple terms it is not being done for God.

Now may be a good time to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord by repenting of all your sins and inviting the Son of God into your life. I hope and pray that you just made that eternal decision.

God Bless,

Bob D.