(Colossians 3:22 - 4:1)
One does not have to know me very long before they become aware of the fact that I love the study of history - learning about past civilizations and cultures. What it was like to live in the Roman Empire during the first two centuries particularly fascinates me.
An area of Roman life that I found to be rather interesting was the position of slaves. In Paul’s day, half of the Empire’s population were slaves (60 million strong). Most of these slaves’ lifestyles was quite unlike those that existed in America during the 18-19th centuries. They were not only crop harvesters and blacksmiths… the Roman slaves were usually educated or skilled individuals who were teachers, craftsmen, merchant sailors, beauticians, doctors, secretaries, cooks, waiters and waitresses, treasurers, messengers, groundskeepers, political assistants or advisors, athletes, mechanics, personal bodyguards and the list goes on.
In many ways, I found that the relationship between the Roman slave and Slav master back then is fairly comparable to today’s relationship between the typical employee and employer in the business world. With that in mind, I do not believe we would be overly presumptuous to apply Paul’s instructions for yesterday’s Christian slave/slave master to today’s Christian employee/employer.
I. Duty of Employee: Obedient Labor (Vs. 22).
“Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on the earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.”
It should be noted that the Apostle condemns “external service” or “eye-service”, referring to the practice of performing a task with everything we got only under supervision of our superior. When the boss or supervisor isn’t looking or nearby, we don’t labor quite so diligently but are rather sluggish.
Instead, the Christian laborer will always put his/her heart into his work out of respect for the Lord’s wishes. Ephesians 6:6, “not by way of eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.”
On his/her job, the Christian workman will give his all because he/she is not laboring for merely his earthly master, but for his/her heavenly Master - Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men.” We do not work for pay or ambition or to satisfy an earthly master; we work so that we can take every task and offer it to Christ. All work is done for God so that His world may go on and His men, women and children have the things they need for life and living. Thus, as Ephesians 6:7 instructs, “With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men.”
RAMIFICATIONS OF THIS ATTITUDE -
A. We will not be an argumentative or disruptive worker.
1 Timothy 6:1, “slaves regard their own masters as worthy of all honor so that the name of God and our doctrine may not be spoken against.”
Titus 2:9, “Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative.”
The Church has historically taken a negative view on membership in labor unions due to the fact that labor unions prevent a direct relationship between the employee and their employer. Labor unions, by their very nature and purpose, do not hold the employer with much honor and oft times are quite argumentative. Through the means of strikes or threatening to strike, they are very disruptive.
I recognize that there have been companies and employers that have been and are guilty of abuse and negligence toward their employees. However, the Scriptures do not provide circumstances in which it is acceptable to be argumentative nor disruptive.
1 Peter 2:18-19, “Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a man bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly.”
Christianity never in this world offers escape from hard work; it makes a man able to work still harder. Nor does it offer a man escape from difficult situations; it enables him to meet situations better.
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, “make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you; so that you may behave properly toward out-siders and not be in any need.”
B. Will not be a dishonest worker.
Titus 2:10, “not pilfering (stealing products and supplies, wasting products or supplies, reselling goods, embezzling, padding expense account, etc.), but showing all good faith that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.”
One out of three companies that go bankrupt each year do so as a result of employee theft, costing businesses between $60 billion and $120 billion a year. A survey done a couple years ago found that an overwhelming 79 percent of workers admit they have or would consider stealing from their employers. Of those who have stolen from their employer, 49 percent said they steal out of greed. 43 percent said they do it to get back at their employer. Only 8 percent of respondents said they steal because they need to.
The Christian is to be an up-right, honest employee in which their employer can place complete trust. By showing integrity at the workplace, the Christian shines brightly as a good example and brings honor to Christ.
II. Obligation of Employer: Justice and Fairness (4:1).
“Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in Heaven.”
Although he/she is a master of others, they are still the servant of God. No master or employer can say, ‘This is my business and I will do what I like with it!’ Instead, they must say, ‘This is God’s business. He has put me in charge of it. I am responsible to Him!”
A. Just and fair wages for employees -
Luke 10:7, “Jesus said, “the laborer is worthy of his wages.’”
James 5:1, 4, “Come now, you rich (owners of land who had hired hands), weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.” (Referring to Deuteronomy 24:14-15).
The employer will be faithful to the original agreement or contract that he entered into with the person they hired. They must pay what was agreed to on the day agreed to. God will punish the employer who unilaterally changes the contract after the employee has performed their labor.
Malachi 3:5, “’I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely, and against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and those who turn aside the alien, and do not fear Me,’ says the Lord of Hosts.”
The Christian employer will not pay the least amount of wages as possible. They will not strive to get the most out of a worker for the least amount of pay. This may be a foundational principle of capitalism; however, it is condemn by God. The godly employer pays a fair wage or salary even if it lowers the margin of profit.
There are a lot of owners of American companies who will not fair very well on Judgment Day when they are called to account for their business practices by which they operated factories in third world countries because they could get by paying oppressively tiny wages.
B. Sincere Interest and Compassion Towards Workers and their Needs -
Leviticus 25:43, “You (employer) shall not rule over him (employee) with severity, but are to revere your God.” The godly employer will not be hard-driving and work their employees to death. Nor will a godly employer intentially compromise their employees’on-the-job safety.
Ephesians 6:9, “Masters,… give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in Heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.” The Lord does not look favorably on the employer who tries to unnecessarily cut labor costs by threatening shorter hours or lower wages so as to increase the profit margin. Nor does He approve of threatening loss of employment to compel the employee to work beyond what is reasonable and necessary. God does not support breaking the backs of workers in the pursuit of personal or corporate wealth.
Job 31:13-15, “If I have despised the claim of my male or female slaves when they filed a complaint against me, what then could I do when God arises, and when He calls me to account, what shall I answer Him? Did not He Who made me in the womb make him, and the same One fashion us in the womb?”
Job realized that God desires a relationship between the employer and employee where the employee feels welcome to bring to his employer’s attention concerns and even grievances in a respectful manner. The Christian employer will operate his business or company in such a way that two-way communication is valued. The godly employer will strive to create a non-intimidating environment or atmosphere for his/her workers.
When an employer makes it clear that they genuinely value and respect their employees, they will be blessed by increased employee loyalty and worker productivity.
Well, I think we can appreciate how the Lord has provided for us practical, real-life instruction for those of us who are either employers or employees. In every facet of our lives, God wants us to be lights in this dark world and salt to the earth.
