Working with Christ in Mind

Our jobs and careers are a major part of our lives. In 2019, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics conducted an American Time Use Survey. It found that employed Americans spend significantly more time per week working than in any other activity besides sleep. If you’re employed, I don’t need to tell you this since your job demands a disproportionate amount of your time, more than your church and perhaps even more than your family.

Thankfully, Paul doesn’t overlook this significant part of our lives when he speaks to the church in his letter to the Ephesian Christians. You see, Christ doesn’t desire to transform our behavior only at church and at home, but at work as well. The text is Ephesians 6:5-9.

Do we accept this challenge, or do we separate our work lives from our church and family lives? We should view all three zones of life as platforms to reflect the grace of God.

Christians should be exemplary employees and employers.

We live in an age, culture, and generation that despises work and disrespects people. We look for every possible way to complain, to find any form of inequity or injustice and to leverage that to our advantage, using it as an excuse. If our boss treats us poorly, we use that as an excuse to complain and perform at a low level. If an employee performs badly, we threaten them with harsh words

Just as we should rise above cultural and social stereotypes in all our personal relationships, we should do the same in our vocations and careers. We should conduct ourselves on the job in a way that is “worthy of our calling” as children of God and followers of Christ (Eph 4:1). We should be a different kind of worker or boss. In other words, the best workers and employers should be Christians. As believers, we should not behave as Christians at home and at church, but then separate our work lives and behave on the job in a different and unchristian way.

Now, though Paul’s instructions apply to us today, we need to clarify an important difference between his first-century social and economic paradigm and our own.

Slavery pervaded the Roman Empire.

By some estimates, as many as 30-40% of the population in the Roman Empire were slaves, which means by extension that at least that many and probably more of the believers in the church at Ephesus (and other churches) were slaves. The empire relied so heavily on slave labor that to abolish it outright would collapse the empire, an outcome that would be detrimental to all.

First-century slavery differed from the slavery that haunts America’s past in that a person’s race was not a factor. Instead, people entered slavery as prisoners of war, infants who had been rescued from abandonment, victims of kidnapping, children of slaves, and even by voluntary choice, whether for a set term of bondage or a lifetime. Many, if not most slaves would find themselves freed from their bondage, as early as 30 yrs. old and often with a monetary gift if they had served well. Many held honorable, skilled positions as doctors, teachers, accountants, and captains and maintained good relations with their masters, even after receiving their freedom. Even so, many slaves were poorly treated and nearly all had severe limitations.

The gospel encouraged gradual, Christlike change.

By reading Paul and other New Testament (NT) writers, we find a fascinating approach to this challenging social and economic problem:

• On one hand, the NT never encourages or endorses slavery.
• On the other hand, the NT never encourages believers to overthrow this practice in a revolutionary or subversive way.
• Instead, the clearest instructions (such as our passage) teach believers how to behave within the current system in a Christlike way.

Eventually, the Roman empire collapsed along with its slave-based economy. Christianity played a role in the changes. Nevertheless, our goal in this passage is to discern principles we can apply to our situation.

As followers of Christ, we should “walk worthy of our calling” by facing these labor challenges in a Christlike way. To do this, we should apply Paul’s instructions to slaves and masters to our modern work relationships in submission to the Spirit of God.

God holds employees and employers to the same standard.

Notice how Paul follows his instructions to slaves with “and you, masters, do the same things to them” (Eph 6:9). This follows the pattern of mutual submission that results from the worship and fellowship of a Spirit-filled church (Eph 4:21).

God doesn’t treat upper management better or worse than entry-level employees. He doesn’t treat a journeyman differently than an apprentice, or a student differently than a teacher. He doesn’t treat a CEO differently than an intern or a high-income earner better than an hourly, minimum-wage employee. Whether slave or free, he treats us equally.

God will compensate you correctly.

Have you ever had a job where your pay was less than you deserved? There are many reasons this happens, sometimes malicious, sometimes simple clerical or computer error. Since errors like this occur, when I worked at a restaurant in high-school I would calculate my earnings by multiplying my hourly rate by the hours on my timecard. Then I would compare my calculations with my paycheck to ensure I received the proper amount.

God never makes a clerical error, never shows favoritism, and never discriminates. He treats all his children fairly and keeps accurate records of your work. Though this principle applies to your entire life, clearly, it applies to your work. God knows every good thing you do as an employee or employer and will reward you accordingly in eternity.

With this assurance in mind, let’s consider the principles Paul gives for Spirit-filled labor relations between employees and employers.

Treat one another with dignity and respect.

“With fear and trembling” doesn’t mean to be frightened or scared (Eph 6:5). It means to take a person seriously rather than view them with disdain, contempt, or hatred. You don’t have to like your employer, for instance, but you should still treat him or her with respect because (a) your employer is a human being and (b) your delegated authority. To enjoy a peaceful, orderly society we must follow rules of decency and respect. This is God’s way.

Employers and supervisors should take a similar approach. Though they don’t “obey” their employees, they should lead them with dignity and respect as equal human beings. Paul expands this further when he tells masters to “give up threatening” (Eph 6:9).

Work and lead from sincere, generous motives.

When Paul says, “in sincerity of heart,” he confronts hypocrisy and selfish motives at work (Eph 6:5). As you know, there’s a lot of imposture in the workplace on all levels. People will say and do anything to get ahead, but not to do a good job for the sake of doing right. As believers, we should always intend to do an “honest day’s work.”

This word also implies generosity. As employees we shouldn’t be stingy with our time. We should show up on time and clock out after we’ve put in our full time. We shouldn’t cut corners or bend rules for personal advantage. As employers, we should also be generous, paying what people deserve and more rather than pocketing it all for ourselves.

Don’t just try to make a good impression.

Paul says, “not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers” (Eph 6:6). It seems that he made up the first word because it doesn’t appear anywhere else either in or out of the Bible before that time. It means to do something only when it someone notices. Yet believers will work and lead at a high level in the workplace whether anyone sees or not. We shouldn’t work hard when the supervisor comes around but slack off when she’s gone.

Keep a good and positive attitude.

Paul says, “with goodwill doing service” (Eph 6:7). Goodwill refers to a good attitude and a positive mindset. It describes someone with an eager, upbeat perspective, which is a refreshing quality to have at work, is it not? Especially today!

Of all people, we who are believers should have the most cheerful, optimistic attitude on the job, but do we? Or do we feed off the pessimism and negativity of people around us and complain about everything they complain about?

Work as though Christ is your Master.

Because he is! Perhaps you’ve noticed I’ve skipped over a few things in these verses. Perhaps you’ve also noticed that the things I skipped have a similar theme:

• “as to Christ” (Eph 6:5)
• “as bondservants of Christ” (Eph 6:6)
• “as to the Lord” (Eph 6:7)

Believers work with a bigger picture in mind and a greater cause at heart. Whether we’re an employee or employer, we view what we do as an opportunity to serve and honor Christ. We know that Christ is our master and God is in charge.

No matter who you work for – whether they’re a Christian or not – Christ is your ultimate supervisor watching over your work. The same is true for employers. We treat our employees as well as possible because we know that whatever position of authority we have, we answer to Christ just as much as our employees do. He will not treat us any more favorably because we’re in charge.

If you’re self-employed, Christ is still your master.

Have you wondered whether this message applies to those who are self-employed, working as freelancers or running their own, single-person business with no employees under them? If so, then wonder no more for Christ is master of the self-employed, too. You, too, should do your best with the resources God provides. Whatever services or products you offer, be sure to do so in an excellent manner that brings glory to God.

Make God’s will your top priority.

Paul says, “doing the will of God” (Eph 6:6). This means that when you’re on the job, you should do what God wants you to do. This is an important disclaimer because it authorizes us to disobey our employers or disregard our employees when they pressure us to do something that violates God’s will.

Today, if your job requires you to do difficult and uncomfortable things, you should do them. Yet if your job requires you to do things which are clearly and directly sin and violate the will of God, then you should humbly and graciously abstain, even if it places your job or career advancement at risk.

This in mind, not every uncomfortable and inconvenient thing your job requires of you is sin – unfortunately. In such cases, you should do these things with the grace and patience of the Lord. This is the will of God.

Take a personal inventory.

As we take Paul’s teaching to heart, here are seven questions to ask yourself as an employee to see whether you are walking worthy of your calling in the workplace.

Employees

• Are you treating your superiors with respect?
• Do you have a positive attitude?
• Do you join in complaining and gossip?
• Do you perform well only when people are watching?
• Do you work with your employer’s best interest in mind?
• Do you do what’s right even if it sets you at a disadvantage?
• Does your job prevent you from doing God’s will?

To those who are supervisors or employers in the workplace, here are seven questions to ask yourself to see whether you are walking worthy of your calling.

Supervisors/Employers

• Do you treat your employees with respect?
• Do you have a positive attitude?
• Do you lead with positive affirmation or threatening words?
• Do you behave well only when you’re being reviewed?
• Do you make decisions with your employee’s best interest in mind?
• Do you do what’s right even if it sets you at a disadvantage?
• Does your job prevent you from doing God’s will?

To those who are self-employed in the workplace, here are seven questions to ask yourself to see whether you are walking worthy of your calling.

Self-Employed

• Do you treat your clients with respect?
• Do you have a positive attitude?
• Do you keep good records and pay your taxes?
• Do you behave well only when people are watching?
• Do you make decisions with your client’s best interest in mind?
• Do you do what’s right even if it sets you at a disadvantage?
• Does your job prevent you from doing God’s will?

To be this kind of God-honoring, Christlike employee, employer/supervisor, or business owner requires the grace of God that only comes by submitting to the Word of God and depending on the Holy Spirit.

Wherever you work, as an employee or an employer, you are serving the Lord in your job. Your hard work and positive attitude may go unnoticed with no immediate results, but that’s okay. Your heavenly Father sees you from heaven and will reward you perfectly in due time.

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Thomas Overmiller serves as pastor for Faith Baptist Church in Corona, NY and blogs at Shepherd Thoughts. This article first appeared at Shepherd Thoughts, used here with permission. This version is edited for length, the full version is here.

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Photo by Hobi industri on Unsplash