Read Ephesians 6:5-9; Colossians 3:22-4:1.

Introduction⤒🔗

Does the name “Stradivarius” mean anything to you?

The name “Stradivarius” is synonymous with fine violins. Antonius Stradivarius insisted that no violin constructed in his shop be sold until it was as near perfection as human care and skill could make it.

Why did Stradivarius hold himself and his employees to such a high standard of excellence? Was he interested in satisfied customers who would buy again? Was he interested in making a name for himself? No. Antonius Stradivarius was interested in the glory of God. He observed: God needs violins to send His music into the world; and if violins are defective, God’s music will be spoiled.¹

Like Antonius Stradivarius, we are to be concerned to glorify God; not only in church, but also on the job. Are you honoring God at work? Let us consider how we are to do so as employees and as employers.

Christian Employees, You Are to Honor God, by Doing a Good Job for Christ←⤒🔗

The command of Scripture is, “Servants, obey your masters.” The Christian employee, is to obey his employer, his foreman, his supervisor. Do the job assigned you; do what you are told to do. The one exception being an order that causes you to violate God’s commandments, such as being told by your boss to lie to customers or steal a competitor’s trade secrets. What about working on the Lord’s Day? As a Christian, as far as possible, we should seek to honor the Lord and be a witness for Him by observing the Lord’s Day as distinct, a day set apart to acknowledge the Lord our God and worship Him. However, whereas the Old Testament covenant nation of Israel was required to strictly observe the Sabbath, we do not find that same requirement being demanded of Christian servants in the New Testament, the majority of which no doubt was employed or owned by pagan masters.

The Old Testament Sabbath was a sign of the covenant: declaring that the LORD’s people were set apart to be devoted to Him in worship and to enjoy His rest:

I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between us, so they would know that I, the LORD, made them holy. Ezek. 20:12

The separation on the seventh day of the week from all secular work was a reminder that the LORD’s people have been separated from the world to be devoted to the LORD their God, in worship, life, and fellowship.

Then the LORD said to Moses, ¹³Say to the Israelites, You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the LORD, who makes you holy... ¹⁶The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. ¹⁷It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever. Ex. 31:12-13,16-17a

Today, in the midst of present-day pagan society, our honoring the LORD by worshiping Him on the Lord’s Day and honoring His day as sacred is a witness to the world; a witness that we belong to Christ and that He is Lord.

The Christian employee is commanded, “obey your masters [your employers] with respect and fear.” The Christian employee must not harbor an attitude of defiance, resentment or resistance; rather, he is to recognize that the authority his supervisor exercises over him is part of the structure of authority instituted by God. Consequently, he is to respect and reverence that authority, recognizing its divine origin and sanction.

Christian employee, serve your employer in the “sincerity of your heart.” The Christian employee must not merely go through the motions of work; rather, he must put his heart into his work; doing the best he can, giving it his best effort. The Christian employee is not to merely render service “for the sake of appearance as those who seek to please men.” That is to say, he must not merely put on a show of hard and diligent work when the boss is around, he must not just try to impress him; rather, he is called to do his best, to give his all to the job, even when the boss is not looking over his shoulder. The Christian employee is to do “the will of God from the heart.” He is to recognize that it is by God’s providence that he is presently in the situation in which he finds himself, this is part of his Christian calling, and, consequently, he is to give his best effort for Jesus’ sake.

Christian employee, serve your employer with a spirit of “good will.” We must bear in mind Matthew 7:12 and apply it to our present work situation, as opposed to laboring under a spirit of defiance or despair: “In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” As Titus ministered to the congregation under his care, he is exhorted by the Apostle Paul, ”teach servants to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, ¹⁰and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive” (Titus 2:9-10).

Some would seek to justify stealing, (be it the theft of materials or the stealing of time by lack of performance), as a way of compensating for low wages or poor working conditions. But consider what it says in Ephesians 6:8, “each one will be paid back by the Lord for whatever good he does.” The LORD Himself issues this promise: “those that honor me, I will honor” (1 Sam. 2:30).

Christian employee, view your service to your employer as a part of your service to Christ: “Servants, obey your masters...as though you were serving Christ” (vs. 5); “as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart” (vs. 6); and “Render your service with good will, as doing it for the Lord” (vs. 7). Also take into consideration Colossians 3:23-24, “Whatever you do, work with all your heart...You are serving Christ the Master.” This full and spiritual perspective on life lifts our work out of the realm of hopeless drudgery and elevates it to the position of sacred service offered to Christ. If Christ came to you and gave you an assignment, (“I want you to build a house for Me; or type a letter for Me; or bake a loaf of bread for Me”), how would you feel? How would you approach the task? View your present job for what it truly is, namely, your assignment from Christ. Now, how is that going to affect the way you do your work?

Christian employee, remember that you shall receive your just reward (your worthy wages and a lot more) from Christ. The Apostle Paul assures the Christian servant as he offers his daily work as an offering of service to Christ his Lord: “[know] that each one will be paid back by the Lord for whatever good he does, whether slave or free man” (vs. 8). In this present world there are distinctions between men of varying ranks, in the context of first-century society Paul addresses slaves and free men, but there is no such distinction before Christ: each one shall be treated as his work deserves.

The Lord sees all that you do for Him, the more menial the task the greater is His appreciation, and He is faithful to reward you. In this regard, may 1 Corinthians 4:5b be encouragement to us: “[The Lord] will bring to light the things hidden in darkness...and then each one shall receive from God the praise [he deserves].” In this passage, the phrase, “the things hidden in darkness,” is referring to the good deeds done for the Lord that have gone unnoticed or unappreciated or unrewarded in the world and in the church. This is evident from the fact that when these deeds are brought to light, they receive praise from God. This would certainly not be the case if the reference were to deeds of sin. As a means of incentive and encouragement, let us take Matthew 25:21 and always keep it before us as we engage in our everyday labors: “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share in the joy of your lord!’”

Thus, with regard to the Christian employee, the Spirit-filled life manifests itself in a willing acceptance of the job he has been assigned and a respect for the God-ordained authority under which he labors, with the knowledge that he is working for Christ, his Lord.

Christian Employers, You Must Honor God, by Showing Respect for Your Employees for Jesus’ Sake←⤒🔗

In verse nine, the Christian employer is exhorted, “treat them [i.e. your employees] in the same way.” Christian employers are to treat their workers in the same way that God requires the employees to treat them: “Servants, obey your masters with respect and fear in the sincerity of your heart as though you were serving Christ” (vs. 5). Christian employers are to treat their workers with the same spirit of respect and dedication that God requires the employees to exhibit towards their supervisors and bosses, and with the same awareness that they are serving Christ.

The Christian employer also must remember Matthew 7:12, “In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Christian employers are to treat their workers with the same spirit of good will that God requires the employees to exhibit towards their supervisors and bosses: “Render your service with good will, as doing it for the Lord, not for men” (vs. 7).

Christian employers must seriously take into consideration Colossians 4:1, “Masters, treat your servants with justice and equality, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.” The Christian employer is exhorted to do what is just, that would include such things as just wages, honorable treatment, safe and pleasant working conditions, reasonable time requirements, taking into consideration the employee’s family obligations. The Christian employer is exhorted to do what is fair, this means treating his employees equally and without favoritism in pay or job assignment or job expectation in such areas as timeliness, job performance, etc. The Christian employer must seriously take into consideration the warning issued by the Apostle James,

Behold! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. ⁵You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.Jas. 5:4-5

The Christian employer must not use his workers as a means of gaining for himself a share of “the good life” at their expense: getting the most out of them, giving the least to them, so that the employer may become rich without any concern for his workers or just compensation for their labor. The following account is an example to avoid: Pat McDonald had worked in a shoe factory in Manchester, New Hampshire, for forty-two years in an age when there were no pensions or vacations. In his last year, he was called in by his boss and told, “Pat, I think you’ve outlived your usefulness to us. We think we’ve had your best years. I’m afraid we don’t need you here anymore.” Pat Mc Donald’s sons determined that the same would not happen to them; so they packed up, moved out to California, and opened a chain of restaurants. You may have heard of them.²⁸

Christian employer, remember that your present position has been assigned to you by Christ the Lord, just as He has seen fit to assign your employees’ position to them; you, too, are “doing the will of God,” and you, too, must do it “from the heart” (vs. 6). You are to fulfill your role of employer to the glory of God and in service to Christ. You are to fulfill your role of authority in a manner that is worthy of Christ and reflects the way Christ graciously and righteously employs His God-given authority. Paul commands Christian employers, “stop threatening [them];” i.e. don’t brow-beat your workers, don’t bully them; don’t take out your frustrations on them; don’t derive a sadistic pleasure out of wielding power over them and subjugating them to your authority and your will. Such a wielding of authority is of the devil; it certainly is not Christ-like.

Christian employer, remember that you are accountable to Christ, “knowing both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him” (vs. 9). Both you and your workers have a common Master who is in heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ, and He is no respecter of persons; He shows no favoritism. Both you and your workers stand on an equal footing before Him: He will judge all men on the basis of divine justice and equity. Not only are the slave and the freeman equal before the throne of God (vs. 8b), but also the laborer and the master.

Therefore, employer, carry out your assignment of management in a manner that is worthy of the name of Christ, doing so with the kindness, compassion and righteousness that is characteristic of Christ. Carry out your God-given assignment of management in such a manner that you have nothing to fear on the day of final accounting, but can likewise look forward to a divine commendation and reward.

Thus, with regard to the Christian employer, the Spirit-filled life manifests itself in a fair and considerate treatment of his employees, exercising the God-given authority entrusted to him in a way that is worthy of Christ and has nothing to fear on the day of judgment.

Conclusion←⤒🔗

As a Christian, are you honoring God in the workplace? As a Christian employee, are you honoring God by doing a good job for Jesus’ sake? As a Christian employer, are you honoring God by showing respect for your employees for Jesus’ sake?

Discussion Questions←⤒🔗

1. What commandment does the Apostle Paul give to Christian servants/employees (cf. Eph. 6:5a), and in what manner are they to carry out this exhortation (cf. Eph. 6:5b)? What does Paul stress (cf. Eph. 6:5c)? How should this effect the way you do your work as a Christian employee? What must you as a Christian employee recognize about the position you are presently occupying? See Eph. 6:6b. Does this mean that you must perpetually remain in your present position? Note 1 Cor. 7:21b and Prov. 22:29. What incentive and assurance does the Lord provide for conscientiously serving Him in the position in which He has placed you? See Eph. 6:8,

Servants, obey your masters with respect and fear in the sincerity of your heart as though you were serving Christ... Eph. 6:5

Servants, obey your masters...tinot [merely] for the sake of appearance as those who seek to please men, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. Eph. 6:6

Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let it concern you; (but if you are able to become free, take advantage [of the opportunity])...1 Cor. 7:21

Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.Prov. 22:29

The Hebrew word translated “skilled” also has the meaning, “diligent.”

Render your service with good will, as doing it for the Lord, not for men; ⁸knowing that each one will be paid back by the Lord for whatever good he does, whether slave or free man. Eph. 6:7-8

2. What should a Christian employee do if his employer orders him to do that which is contrary to the moral law of God? Should not the Apostle Peter’s reply to the Jewish authorities serve as a guideline for a whole spectrum of authority/subordination relationships? See Acts 5:29. Is it safe to violate our conscience; what risks do we take by doing so? Note Heb. 4:7b. What assurance does the Lord give us when we seek to render our primary obedience to Him? See Heb. 13:5; note Psl. 33:18-19,

But Peter and the apostles answered, 'We must obey God rather than men.'Acts 5:29

Today, if you shall hear his voice, do not harden your hearts... Heb. 4:7b

He himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' Heb. 13:5b

Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his mercy, ¹⁹to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. Psl. 33:18-19

3. The “servants” whom Paul addresses in his epistles were slaves; does the Bible promote slavery, or does it merely acknowledge the universal reality of slavery throughout the ancient world? What would have happened if the apostles had encouraged Christian slaves to revolt against their masters? What did the Jewish leaders fear would happen if Jesus had led a political revolt against Rome? Note Jn. 11:48. What, in fact, did happen when the Jews revolted against Roman tyranny? See Lk. 21:24,

If we leave him alone, everyone will believe in him; then the Romans will come and take away our place and our nation.Jn. 11:48

...they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. Lk. 21:24

4. What biblical teaching undermines any conception of one man being inherently inferior to another? See Gen. 2:27; Prov. 22:2; Job 31:13-15. What identity does each Christian have in relation to his fellow believers in Christ Jesus? See 1 Cor. 12:13; Col. 3:11. How does the Apostle Paul expect this spiritual equality in Christ to be lived out in the church and before the world­ what counsel does Paul give Philemon with regard to Onesimus, the converted slave? See Phlm. 15-16. What is significant about the fact that Philemon must accept Onesimus as a brother “both in the flesh and in the Lord”? What impact would it have on the world to see in their communities Christians of different racial and ethnic origins living together in Christian love and fellowship?

And God said, Let us make man in our image, in our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth. ²⁷So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Gen. 1:26-27

The rich and the poor have this in common, the Lord is the maker of them all. Prov. 22:2

If I have denied justice to my servant or my maidservant when they had a grievance against me, ¹⁴what could I do when God confronts [me]? What would I answer when called to account? ¹⁵Did not he who made me in the womb [also] make them? Did not the same one form us both within our mothers? Job 31:13-15

Indeed, by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether [we were] Jews or Greeks, whether [we were] slaves or freemen, and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.1 Cor. 12:13

In the Christian’s new identity in Christ Jesus;

there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. Col. 3:11

Speaking of Onesimus, the returned slave, the Apostle Paul writes to his owner, Philemon, (and to the whole congregation of the church that met in Philemon’s home):

perhaps he departed fora while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, ¹⁶no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, as a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. Phlm. 15-16

5. What commandment does the Apostle Paul give to Christian masters/employers (cf. Eph. 6:9a)? What does he mean when he tells Christian employers to treat their employees “in the same way”? Note Eph. 6:7a. What else are Christian employers required to do? See Col. 4:1a. What must the Christian employer remember as he exercises his God-given authority (cf. Eph. 6:9b)?

And masters, treat them in the same way, and stop threatening [them]; knowing both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him. Eph. 6:9

Render your service with good will, as doing it for the Lord... Eph. 6:7a

Masters, treat your servants with justice and equality, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven. Col. 4:1