FREEWILL AND THE HIGHER POWER
Monday – March 20, 2017
This picture was taken last summer outside the Lobster Pound in Lincolnville, Maine, one of our favorite restaurants. Greetings from The Three Minute Word and welcome to the ongoing Bible Study from the book of Ephesians.
Ephesians 6:5-9 (KJV)
5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;
6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:
8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.
9 And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.
Over the last several days I have talked, taught, extensively concerning submission particularly between a husband (man) and a wife (woman). I am talking about a biological man (male) and a biological woman (female). This man and this woman choose of their own freewill to enter into a marriage covenant which triggers a special relationship one with the other. The Apostle Paul compares the husband and wife relationship extensively with the relationship each of us have with Christ when we became a part of the bride of Christ at salvation. The degree to which we submit to higher authority in our lives and honor the marriage covenant is an indicator of our submission to Christ.
Before I move on I want it to be crystal clear that we, mankind, are freewill creations in or out of Christ and in the marriage covenant. Each of us have a responsibility before God to discharge our duties without regard to or contingent upon others in our life, like our husband, wife, employer, and others discharging their duties. All of us will answer before God for ourselves and ourselves only. Our duties are not lessened by the slackness of others. This is all in the context of ‘higher power’ administered in the place of God in the earth.
Romans 13:1 (KJV)
1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
Recall, and know that any authority that is at odds with Scripture does not constitute a higher power and we are under no obligation to submit to it for it is a lesser power. Next we received the Word of God concerning children and parents, especially fathers. Children are commanded to obey which is a different level of submission. To obey means you are under the authority of your parents and obligated to listen and do. Of course a child has freewill (unfortunately) and the law of higher power is operative. At a certain age (age 12-13) the child is no longer obligated to obey but is subject to submission one to another and to honor the father and mother.
Next brother Paul talked about masters and servants. Slavery was a reality in this time but not of the same nature as earlier in our American history. That may be a study for another time. For our time the relationship would be employer and employee. Paul makes it clear that whatever we are to do for our employers it is to be done as if the Lord Himself were asking us and it was directly for the Lord. We are not to smile when the boss is around and then slam him/her and the company when they are around the corner or do just enough to get by. We are to be people of excellence, this is part of our obligation to the Lord and our witness before the world. Let’s take a look at Ephesians 6:7 in the Message Bible.
Ephesians 6:7 (MSG)
7 And work with a smile on your face, always keeping in mind that no matter who happens to be giving the orders, you’re really serving God.
Many times this will take a purposeful act of our will and a pushing of our emotions to the side. Some people are easy to work for and some are not. If God has put us in that assignment He knows we are well equipped to handle the situation and bring the Kingdom of God forward in that place. The question is this; will we choose to do His will or ours? Will we choose to whine and play the victim or will we take Him at His Word and choose to be the victor, the more than a conqueror He made us to be in Christ Jesus? Ephesians 6:8 goes on to tell us that in our obedience, our submission to our employer, our main reward is not from our employer but our Lord.
Ephesians 6:8 (MSG)
8 Good work will get you good pay from the Master, regardless of whether you are slave or free.
Notice the capital ‘M’ in Master meaning our Lord not our boss. I will pick up right here tomorrow.
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
