I love the study of history - learning about past civilizations and cultures. What it was like to live in the Roman Empire during its 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’ work and lifestyles were quite unlike those that existed in America during the 18-19th centuries. They were not only crop harvesters and blacksmiths and domestics… 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 advisers, athletes, mechanics, personal bodyguards and the list goes on.
In many ways, I found that the relationship between the Roman slave and slave-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. In addition, we will touch upon Scriptures which provide admonition directly pertaining to the responsibilities of employees and employers.
I. Duty of Employee: Obedient Labor (Colossians 3:22).
“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 indifferently and sluggishly until the supervisor or the boss shows-up and starts paying attention to our work. Under the sudden scrutiny by our superior, we suddenly perform our job with everything we got. We suddenly demonstrate great attention to detail and diligence.
Instead of just going through the motions at work, the Christian laborer will always put their heart into their 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 their job, the Christian worker will give their all because they are not laboring for merely their earthly boss, but for their heavenly ‘Boss’ - Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men.” We do not merely 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.”
When the Christian employee has this attitude, it will be demonstrated in two major ways -
A. The Christian employee 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 churches of Christ have 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. Rather than being subject to the employer, the union member is subject to the union leadership. 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 the mere threatening to strike, they can be very disruptive.
I recognize that there are 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 on the job. 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 person able to work still harder. Nor does it offer a worker escape from difficult situations; it enables them 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 outsiders and not be in any need.”
B. The Christian employee will not be a dishonest worker.
Titus 2:10, “not pilfering, but showing all good faith that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.” Pilfering is not a term that is commonly used in modern conversation; but, it in this context it would refer to the employee stealing products and supplies, wasting products or supplies, reselling goods, embezzling, padding expense account, etc.). Over the last three decades, one statistic has remained consistent - one out of three companies that go bankrupt each year do so as a result of employee theft, costing businesses at least $60 billion a year.
A survey done some years ago found that an overwhelming 79 percent of workers admit they have or would consider stealing from their employers. Only 10 percent of workers said they have not stole from their employer/business and never would. 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 feel 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 (Colossians 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 sincerely 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.” The admonition expressed by James is not new. Moses delivered God's view of employers who deal unfairly with their employees when it comes to paying wages. Deuteronomy 24:14-15, “Don't withhold pay from hired workers who are poor and needy, whether they are Israelites or foreigners living in one of your cities. Pay them each day before sunset because they are poor and need their pay. Otherwise, they will complain to the LORD about you, and you will be condemned for your sin.”
God has made it clear that the employer must be faithful to the original agreement or contract that they 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. The employer must pay his employees the agreed amount on the agreed date. God expects even more from the employer in regard to wages: 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 condemned 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 fare very well on Judgment Day when they are called to account for their business practices; especially those who operate factories in third world countries because they can get-away with 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 intentionally 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 just 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/her 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.
In closing, 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 or both. In every facet of our lives, God wants us to be lights in this dark world and the salt to the earth.
