Biblical Responsibilities at Work
Notes
Transcript
I. Employees
I. Employees
1. Slaves?! Really?
1. Slaves?! Really?
Ancient Slavery was an important part of Romans society, with slaves making up as much as 1/4 of Roman Society. The church would have had a percentage higher than this, as it tended to attract the lower levels of society rather than the upper crust.
Ancient Slavery was not exactly like slavery in pre-Civil War America.
Slaves could be any skin color, so there wasn’t any way to tell who was a slave by what they looked like.
Slaves sometimes had jobs we today consider skilled professions, such as teacher and doctor.
Not every situation was abject misery, for example, Jesus once healed the slave of a Centurion, who was dear to him Luke 7:2; Prov 29:21;
And a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die.
He who pampers his servant from childhood Will have him as a son in the end.
Sometimes a slave might have an opportunity for freedom - the generosity of his master might free his slaves at his own death, or even before; he might be permitted to earn a little money to buy his freedom. Paul definitely taught that a slave should use every legal method at his disposal to gain his freedom, but should not run away. 1 Cor 7:21-23; Phlm 12-16
Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it.
For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave.
You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.
I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,
whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel.
But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary.
For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever,
no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
Having said that, the ancient slave couldn’t go where he wanted, or choose to leave if he wished; conversely, he might be sold if the master was dissatisfied, and be permanently removed from his wife and children.
Clearly, the New Testament doesn’t seek to overturn slavery; neither does the Old Testament. However, both testaments seek to regulate slavery so much that if practiced it ceased to be the human rights violation that we usually associate with it, and that it could easily become in the hands of an unscrupulous master. Also, if the New Testament’s regulations had been practiced, slavery would have died out in time without violence. the US had to fight a bloody war to end slavery, still today more American lives were lost in the Civil War than in all other wars combined. It’s not even close.
Slavery in the Old Testament was regulated even more closely than in the NT
Israelites could permanently enslave foreigners, however, since they were only supposed to engage in defensive wars with foreigners, and they were supposed to exterminate the Canaanites, the only way they could acquire foreigners would be through voluntarily selling, or the slave market - which required other nations practicing slavery first - or through defensive wars.
Israelite slaves, however, were not to be permanently enslaved, but could be bought for a term of six years Exod 21:2, unless he plainly wanted the arrangement to continue. Masters did not have the right to release an Israelite slave if the slave didn’t want to go.
If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years; and in the seventh he shall go out free and pay nothing.
If any slave was maimed in any way, even if he only lost a tooth, the slave was to be given his freedom Exod 21:27
And if he knocks out the tooth of his male or female servant, he shall let him go free for the sake of his tooth.
A runaway slave was not to be returned to his master Deut 23:15
“You shall not give back to his master the slave who has escaped from his master to you.
Kidnapping to sell into slavery was punishable by death Deut 24:7
“If a man is found kidnapping any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and mistreats him or sells him, then that kidnapper shall die; and you shall put away the evil from among you.
Female slaves who were treated as concubines could not be sold, but could only be given her freedom if the master didn’t want her anymore Deut 21:14
Thus, in the NT, slaves could have a variety of situations, some good, some bad, but all had to put up with whatever they got.
2. Application to Employees
2. Application to Employees
So the obvious difference is that Employees have the right to find a different job, if they don’t like where they are at. However, if you have decided to stay at your current job, as long as you and your boss decide to maintain your job, you have an even greater obligation than a slave - you chose to serve your boss, a slave did not.
Paul’s advice to slaves, therefore cannot help you much if you are trying to decide to look for a different job or not, but it is directly applicable as long as you have the job.
3. Respect your Boss
3. Respect your Boss
Paul expected slaves to respect their master, even if their master was not a good one. 1 Pet 2:18
Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.
Thus, he expected them to respect the office, regardless of whether or not the master himself was worthy of respect.
Paul treats slaves as moral agents, able to do right and wrong; that was not normal. Thus, you can never use your position as an excuse to not do right. If a slave could be expected to do the right thing, even in a culture that constantly told them they couldn’t, what excuse do we have?
4. Don’t just Look Busy
4. Don’t just Look Busy
“Eyeservice” as “people-pleasers” means to only work hard when the boss is looking; to not care about whether you’re actually doing what your supposed to be doing, but only making your boss think you’re working hard.
5. Do your Job as if Jesus was your Boss
5. Do your Job as if Jesus was your Boss
With a sincere heart
As you would Christ, as bondservants of Christ, doing the Will of God from the heart
Rendering service to the Lord
This is a clear rejection of a distinction between secular and sacred work. The job of a slave could be mundane, and certainly wasn’t expected to be fulfilling and “fun.” A Slave might be serving an unsaved master, who would certainly ask him to do many things that don’t look like “ministry for Jesus.” yet, the Slave was supposed to do those boring things with the same heartiness that they would if they were directly doing them for Jesus.
Ministry is a noble task that will be rewarded 1 Tim 3:1, 13. However, the Biblical perspective is that there aren’t two kinds of jobs, those that will gain rewards in eternity and those that are worthless. Instead, your attitude to your job is what is important. Christian Leader’s reward comes from the greater spiritual responsibility they choose to take on; however, “Clergy” who abuse their office aren’t more holy, but much less. James 3:1
This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.
For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.
Those who are not called to ministry should not imagine that their job’s don’t matter for Jesus. They do, if you do your job with the same kind of energy you would give Jesus.
6. There are spiritual rewards for “secular” work done the right way
6. There are spiritual rewards for “secular” work done the right way
Biblical statement of rewards - a wise slave will end up better than a foolish son Prov 17:2
A wise servant will rule over a son who causes shame, And will share an inheritance among the brothers.
God will reward the smallest action Matthew 10:42
And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”
This may be during the present age
Or after it 1 Cor 3:12-15
Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.
If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.
If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
Diligent hard work is honorable Prov 10:4; 12:24; 13:4; 21:5
He who has a slack hand becomes poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich.
The hand of the diligent will rule, But the lazy man will be put to forced labor.
The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.
The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.
The Example of Joseph Gen 39:1-6; 20-23
“Slave or Free” means that this observation applies equally to masters.
II. Employers
II. Employers
1. Do the Same to Them?
1. Do the Same to Them?
That is, do good to them as well. This is consistent with the OT demand Lev 25:43.
You shall not rule over him with rigor, but you shall fear your God.
Also, God expected Jews to give their slave a rest on the Sabbath, just as everyone else. Exod 23:12
Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest, that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female servant and the stranger may be refreshed.
Notice that God does not demand that all slave owners immediately free all their slaves. Why? Because freedom doesn’t always work in every situation. Sometimes, the laws of the land don’t allow it, and the slaves would be so discriminated against they would starve. Sometimes, the slaves have a good relationship and would prefer to stay. However, Paul is clearly pushing Philemon to free Onesimus, even if he definitely doesn’t order him to do that.
Instead, God demands that the owners treat their slaves well.
2. Give up threatening
2. Give up threatening
A. Masters did have absolute power over their slaves, including the power of life and death. They could therefore beat the slave, sell him, maim him, etc. The Christian master must give up abusive tactics.
B. But why would a master be tempted to do that, other than pure evil? Prov 29:19 Remember that unless a slave had internalized Paul’s command, he had very little incentive to work hard. He earns no money, has no property, can’t usually earn any property. If he works hard, or is lazy, as long as he avoid punishment, he gets exactly the same thing. Thus, even normally nice masters would often resort to abuse to make the slaves work for them. Since it was culturally acceptable to do that, no one thought much about it. Until Paul came along.
C. Of course, threats and abuse aren’t confined to the slave system. Employers today can’t get away with nearly as much, but they can still choose to be a good or bad boss. Also, you have a much more immediate reward for doing the right thing - you get to keep your employees, and your company will see a boost in productivity. So if a master could be held accountable for treating his slaves right, what excuse do you have?
3. Remember you have a master, too.
3. Remember you have a master, too.
A. The Motive for doing what is right is that someday you must give an account to your own master for how you treated your slaves. 2 Cor 5:10; Matt 16:27
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.
B. You know how this works - The Christian has no condemnation, including for how you treat your employees Rom 8:1. However, the judgment seat of Christ is a judgment of reward, like at a gymnastic event; the Great White Throne is a judgment of punishment, like at a courtroom.
4. There is no partiality
4. There is no partiality
A. In the ancient world, the powerful assumed they would get special treatment, exempt from the punishment. Slaves could get crucified, a Roman citizen was exempt, regardless of what he did.
B. We’ve got a word for this problem, and it’s not just the powerful that suffer from it: Entitled. It happens when our desires, even desires for good things, turn perverse. “I demand. I’m owed. I have the right to insist. What I want matters most.” we can all fall into that trap sometimes. But some people never acknowledge that there is a choice to be made. They only see one path—fulfilling their desires. These are the Entitled. The core attitude of the Entitled person is this: “I have the right to the things that I want, and I will punish whoever stands in the way of my desires.”
A couple is talking about hiring a technician to do electrical work. When the wife asks about affordability, it quickly escalates into an argument. The husband is so annoyed by the wife’s questions, he abruptly walks out of the house thinking, “How dare she question me!”
A friend feels hurt that one of her girlfriends went out to dinner with another friend. She ignores her calls for three days.
C. The goal is to control and hurt those they think have offended them. Those around them may either not feel free to or be unaware of their entitled behavior.
D. Key beliefs of the entitled:
It’s all about me. They have such an enlarged view of self that they are only capable of seeing their own needs and desires. They earnestly believe that their view of life and relationships is true and right, but this is a distorted sense of reality.
You and I only need to listen to me. The entitled typically ignore or interupt others. Sometimes they end an argument by giving in, but later do what they wanted to all along.
Rules are not for me to follow. They are to keep me happy. Their love of personal comfort and control usually results in a double standard: “do as I say, but not as I do.” Others around them are not capable of getting all of the rules these people set for them, though they may contort themselves trying to do so.
My anger is justified. They simply think they are right, and don’t see their anger as a problem. “my anger is your fault.” They are master blame shifters. Many times those around them may begin to feel responsible for things they are not responsible for, since the entitled person can be very convincing.
Other people attack me. when someone brings a complaint or even just a concern, the entitled person interprets it as an attack. Suggestions of any kind are unwelcome. Due to this fact, people will avoid bringing things up, which means that issues do not get dealt with Biblically, and therefore the problems compound, leading to a deteriorating relationship.
I don’t have to appreciate what you do, but I demand that you appreciate what I do. These people have a “bank account” mentality - they have a flawless memory for the deposits of good deeds, but completely disregard any good deeds others have made.
E. The Root of these key beliefs is a worship problem. it’s not just that the entitled lack empathy, are self-referencing, and punishing. Underneath the key beliefs and damaging behaviors is that they see themselves as the center of their world. As the entitled claim the center, they require everyone else to be devoted to them—not God—and expect to be treated accordingly.
They demand to be “worshipped.” Though they would never put it that way, they functionally believe that they should be the object of other’s concern and care - a form of worship.
They demand obedience from others. They set up their own rules that exist for their comfort and expect everyone else to abide by them. When these rules are violated, they will not respond with the forgiving grace of God, but rather with the burning anger of one who feels violated and justified in punishing.
They are not obligated to anyone. The entitled ignore God’s call to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matt 22:37-39) and they feel justified in doing so. Others must love them—but they do not love reciprocally.
In sum, they have a uniquely severe worship problem. They have a perspective on life that is not reflective of God’s established reality and it cripples their relationship with him.
C. This means God does not take sides. He isn’t automatically on the side of the rich masters, nor automatically on the side of the poor slaves. He sees perfectly, and dispenses justice. He won’t be on your side; you better make sure that in any dispute, you are on his. I do not believe Paul is writing to those who are entitled to everyone, as those sorts of people are very unlikely to be persuaded by a letter, even from the Apostle Paul. But those who have been acting entitled simply because they were responding to the cultural expectations, but were otherwise humble Christians, these sorts of masters are likely to change.
D. For a modern-day employer, he or she cannot get away with everything that the ancient master could, but as I’m sure you all know, modern-day employers can still act entitled. Paul’s guidelines will not help you figure out who to hire and fire, but as long as you and your employees choose to continue the work relationship, it is directly applicable.