Ephesians: Our Identity In Christ ~ Part 25
How To Win At Work
Ephesians 6:5-9
5. Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ;
6. not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.
7. With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men,
8. knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.
9. And masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.
(Ephesians 6:5-9)
Many of us view physical work as a burden. It is something to be avoided. Rather than something which gives us dignity, work is viewed as demeaning. Why is this? Why do many view work as a burden? Whatever happened to the idea of the dignity of work? I heard of a man applying for a job. The manager reviewing the application said, “I'm sorry I can't hire you, but there isn't enough work to keep you busy.” The applicant replied, “You'd be surprised how little it takes.”
The Bible, gives the real wisdom of the ages. God's Word speaks directly to the issue of work. It holds the worker and the employer accountable it dignifies work, and the worker. In fact, as we will see in our text, it gives us a formula for how to win at work.
This passage addresses the responsibilities and duties of slaves and masters. At first glance, you may be tempted to conclude that this passage has no relevance for today. This would be a mistake. As we will see, there is a direct application which can be made to employee/employer relationships.
It is interesting to know that the Roman Empire is estimated to have had as many as 60 million slaves. It is also estimated that from one-third to one-half of the populations of large cities like Ephesus and Rome were slaves. Just as Philemon in the Colossian church was a master, some in the Ephesian church were also masters.
It is true that many slaves were horribly mistreated. In many cases they were considered as property. Aristotle, in his Nicomachian Ethics refers to a slave as “a living tool.” Gaius, the Roman lawyer, confirmed the right under Roman law that a slave could be bought and sold and was not a legal person. In the Institutes he says, that “…it is universally accepted that the master possesses the power of life and death over the slave.”
Even though many slaves were mistreated, there is evidence that, by the time of the Christian era, changes had been introduced. In the First Century, under Roman law, many slaves were being set free. In fact, Augustus Caesar was so concerned about it that he introduced legal restrictions to stop the trend. Slaves, even while they remained the possession of their masters, could own property --- including other slaves. Slaves were used in all kinds of jobs. The Romans delegated almost all work to them. A slave could be a teacher, doctor, or administrator. From custodian to C.E.O., slaves were the backbone of society. In the Hebrew society, slaves had even more rights, including the right to be set free in the seventh year. In many respects, the position of bond servant could be compared with that of employee today. There are some significant differences, but there are some important similarities. The position of master could also be compared with that of employers.
Employees
5. Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ;
6. not by way of eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.
7. With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men,
8. knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.
9. And masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.
(Ephesians 6:5-9)
This is the advice given to employees. It is also very practical, it is a formula for how to win at work. It centers on a simple command. It is the same command we have heard given to wives and children. It underscores the importance of both authority and submission in God's plan. The instruction to employees is simple: be obedient, in other words, follow directions and do a good job. But the command to be obedient is not issued in isolation. There are a number of important qualifiers. This obedience does not exist in a vacuum. It is not only important that we obey, but it is actually more important how we obey. It is how we obey that will enable to us to win at work.
We are to obey respectfully. In other words, we are to obey with a right attitude. As employees, we are to be obedient to those who are our employers, with fear and trembling. This is speaking of respect. Showing respect for a person in a position of authority is both right and wise. It is right because it preserves order in society, and because it respects authority, it is right because God commands it. It is wise because it hurts us to do otherwise. In fact, we not only become known as insubordinate, disrespectful employees, but we bring the name of Christ into reproach. 1 Timothy 6:1 says, “All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God's name and our teaching may not be slandered” (NIV). If you want to win at work, show respect to your boss.
We should obey honestly. In other words, we should have a right conscience. Your obedience should be in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; not by way of eye service, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ. Our work should be done in integrity. It is dishonest, and shows a lack of integrity, when we only appear to be working hard every time our boss comes around. We are to work honestly, and in integrity. Only as we do so can we receive our pay with a right conscience. If you want to win at work, then work honestly.
We are to obey whole-heartedly. In other words, we must have a right perspective. Obedience should be in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ . . . doing the will of God from the heart. Our work should be done whole-heartedly because we understand that we are working for the Lord. In Colossians 3:23 we read, “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men.” 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Sometimes the task we are assigned to perform is an unwelcome one. We can only do our job whole-heartedly if we view what we are doing as unto the Lord. We must see our work as serving God. Is it possible for a housewife to cook a meal as if Jesus were going to eat it? It is possible for doctors or nurses to care for patients as if they were serving Jesus Christ? Is it possible for lawyers to help clients, or accountants to audit books, or secretaries to type letters, or salesmen to market products as if in every situation they were serving our Lord? It is! It is, if we have the right perspective.
There's a story about Sir Christopher Wren, one of England's greatest architects. Approximately three centuries ago, when he was building St. Paul's Cathedral, he was said to have taken a walk among the workers, most of whom did not know him. To one he asked, “What are you doing?” The man replied, “Anyone can see I'm cutting stone.” He put the same question to another and was told, “I'm earning five shilling two-pence a day.” He moved on and asked a third, who replied, “Why, I'm helping Sir Christopher Wren build a great cathedral to the glory of God.” Which man do you suppose had a right perspective? If you have that kind of perspective, you can work whole-heartedly because your work will be to the glory of God. If you want to win at work, work whole-heartedly.
The Christian worker will not be guided by false, ulterior motives but will serve his or her employer conscientiously and with sincerity. This kind of inner commitment can take place only when we recognize that in serving their employers they are rendering obedience to their heavenly Lord, Christ. The performance of their earthly tasks is related to his rule over their lives. Ultimately, then, the distinction between the sacred and the secular breaks down. Any and every task, however menial, falls within the sphere of his lordship and is done in order to please him. Their work is done ‘as to Christ’, their obedience is rendered ‘as slaves of Christ’ (v. 6), their wholehearted service is performed ‘as to the Lord’ (v. 7), because they know that they will be rewarded ‘by the Lord’ (v. 8) for every good that is done. These instructions provide a specific application of the apostle’s comprehensive exhortation of Colossians 3:17, ‘Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him’.
We must also obey pleasantly. In other words, we must maintain a right spirit. We are told that our obedience must be with good will as we render service, as to the Lord, and not to men. We must choose to maintain a right spirit, a spirit of good will, as we perform our work. We must avoid being cynical, sour, negative, and especially belligerent. The very tone of our voice can make a big difference. It is really true that you feel better when you smile. Life is easier when you choose to be happy. Yes, I do believe that happiness is a choice. If you dwell on the negative, the problems, the hang-ups, you will quickly begin to see only those things.
But the slaves are reminded of a significant reason or motivation for their conduct: they are serving the Lord and not simply other people. As they engage in wholehearted work for their masters, so in that very action they honor and glorify their heavenly Lord.
Remember the exhortation found in Philippians 4 to think on the good things. As we do, we will maintain a right spirit. If you want to win at work, work pleasantly.
Finally, we must obey trustfully. In other words, we must develop a right hope. Our work must be done knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free. A right hope trusts in the Lord to reward us. Although I would suggest that if we follow the Lord's advice as employees we will find many rewards from our employers, we must remember that our ultimate reward comes from God. We are serving Him, and He will reward us. The Christian slave will not be guided by false, ulterior motives but will serve his or her master conscientiously and with sincerity. This kind of inner commitment can occur only as slaves recognize that in serving their masters they are rendering obedience to their heavenly Lord, Christ.
The content of what they have been taught is that their heavenly Lord will reward them for the good that each one does. No doubt many slaves had performed good deeds that were not noticed by their masters and so not appropriately rewarded by them. As a result, Christian slaves, like others, might have gone out of their way to ensure that any service they performed caught their masters’ attention. But they did not need to respond in this way. Nothing escapes their heavenly Master’s gaze. However they may be treated by their earthly ‘lords’, they still have a Lord who at the end of the day can be trusted to reward them. He notices the good deeds of each and every one of them—note the stress on ‘each one’—so that none will miss out on being rewarded for any good that has been done. There is no promise here of an immediate reward or release from slavery; rather, the assurance that when they, along with all other believers, stand before the judgment seat of Christ, they will be rewarded for the good deeds they have done (2 Cor. 5:10). Consistent with the rest of the New Testament (indeed, the whole Bible), Paul assumes that judgment is according to works (cf. Rom. 2:6). There is clearly a connection between good deeds and reward, although the content of the reward is not spelled out here.
Our hope is in Him. Our trust should be in Him. However, I believe that God will see to it that we are blessed in our labor here on earth. We may not get every promotion we want, or every salary increase we think we deserve, but we will be blessed. And if we truly trust Jesus, then we will be able to leave it in His hands. If you want to win at work, work trustfully.
Employers
And, masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him. (6:9)
Just as in the relationship between husbands and wives, and parents and children, so in the relationship between employers and employees there is a command for both. The command to employers concerning employees is to do the same things to them. Here is the Golden Rule in action. Employers are to treat their employees as they would want their employees to treat them. If employers want respect, they must show respect. If they want honesty, they must be honest. If they want integrity, they must show integrity. If they want pleasantness, they must be pleasant. There is a responsibility of employers to model the kind of behavior they want their employees to exhibit. Consistent with the rest of the New Testament (indeed, the whole Bible), Paul assumes that judgment is according to works (cf. Rom. 2:6). There is clearly a connection between good deeds and reward, although the content of the reward is not spelled out here. Not only slaves but also free persons and masters will stand before Christ at the judgment and receive recompense for the deeds they have done. The additional words, ‘whether slave or free’, show that all will be similarly rewarded.
Employers are further exhorted to give up threatening. In the contemporary world employers controlled their employees through fear, since it is believed that fear produced greater loyalty. The perspective of Christian slaves, however, has changed. They have been delivered from the bondage of human intimidation, and now are ‘enslaved’ to the Lord Jesus Christ. Their service to their masters, then, is to be rendered out of reverence and awe for him. It will also be characterized by integrity and singleness of purpose—what is here called sincerity of heart. There is a good reason for this. Employers ought to treat their employees in a considerate manner knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him. Employers must understand that all people are equal in the sight of God. The employer/employee relationship is a social one, not an absolute one. One day all of us will stand before the Eternal God. We will there give an account of how we treated one another. Employers are not intrinsically better than their employees. There will be a day of judgement. Employers who bully and abuse their employees will be called to account. The Lord's words make sense in a very practical way as well. People work better and produce more in an environment of trust and security than they do in an environment of threats and hostility. It is right for the employer to treat the employee well. It is right because it preserves order in society, and because it respects authority, it is right because God commands it. And, it is wise because it hurts us to do otherwise. In fact, if we fail to do so, we not only become known as overbearing disrespectful employers, and we bring the name of Christ to reproach. Our Lord's management strategy is a very sound one. Contemporary studies of management styles in the best corporations in America and Japan prove this fact. Corporations who are person-oriented and not just profit-oriented are becoming the most successful business enterprises.
In order to deal with their slaves, owners were known to threaten beatings, harassment, or selling male slaves away from the households with the result that they would be parted forever from their loved ones. To them, Paul’s cryptic exhortation is outrageous. Nor does it refer simply to their doing good, as in v. 8. More likely it points to their attitudes and actions, which, like those of slaves, are to be governed by their relationship to their heavenly Lord. An outcome of this will be that masters will abandon the use of threats against their slaves. So, this clause rejects all forms of manipulating, demeaning, or terrifying slaves by threats. In the immediate context, slaves have already been instructed to show respect, sincerity of heart, and goodwill; now masters are urged to treat them in a similar manner.
The warrant for Paul’s appeals to masters is twofold, as once again he reminds his readers of a pattern of teaching familiar to them and to which he can appeal. Masters are motivated to treat their slaves in the same way because: (1) both the slaves’ Master and their own Master is in heaven, and both are accountable to him. Christian slaves have already been exhorted to render service to their earthly masters as to the Lord Jesus. Now Christian masters are reminded that they, too, are slaves, indeed fellow-slaves of the same Lord as their own servants. Masters, too, will render an account on the final day to this heavenly Lord for all that they have done, not least as to how they have treated their slaves (cf. Col. 4:1).
(2) The Lord to whom slaves and masters are accountable is completely impartial. At the judgment bar of God there is no ‘partiality’ or ‘bias’ with him. The higher social status that masters have, gives them no advantage whatever. He does not allow himself to be influenced by appearances. No ‘special deals’ can be made with him. Let masters, then, treat their slaves in the light of the fact that they are fellow-servants of this heavenly Lord.
The Bible is filled with practical advice about how to win. Here we have some down-to-earth teaching on how to win at work. Really, these principals can be applied to a variety of interpersonal relationships with great success. If we faithfully apply them in our lives, then we will not only discover how to win at work, we will also discover how to win at life.
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