Authority in the workplace

 

This is Part 4 (of 7) in my series, Kingdom Principles: Authority

Let me begin by addressing the elephant in the room. I know that all of these passages deal with servants and masters. This was real life in Rome and the early church. Of course, I am not endorsing slavery or servanthood. What I am saying is I believe there are general principles here that relate to our attitude and conduct at work.

Ephesians 6

5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; 

6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; 

7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: 

8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. 

9 And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.

This is utterly radical! Why? Because Ephesians 5:22-6:9 is controlled by 5:18-21, be filled with the Spirit … Submitting yourselves one to another. 5:22-6:9 then fleshes out how we submit to one another, what it looks like. Servants, submit to their masters, we get that; but masters submit to their servants? Yep! I see this as a principle applying to work.

Employees - Be obedient (submission is implied); do your job. v5,6,7 work as if you’re working for the Lord, not men. v8 Your company may not reward you, but the Lord will.

Bosses / supervisors – do the same things unto them, that is, “Act in the same affectionate, conscientious manner towards your [employees] as they do towards you.”¹

Colossians 3:22-4:1

3:22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: 

23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 

24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. 

25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons. 

4:1 Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.

Similar to Ephesians. Obey, do your job: fearing the Lord; whatsoever you do, do it as unto the Lord; knowing the Lord will reward your attitude and actions; after all, we are really serving Christ, even at work. You shall receive the reward.

“No matter what kind of a job I am doing, I am a witness for Jesus Christ ... I am giving an extra effort. I am not complaining. I am going an extra mile. I am doing more than what is required of me. That my life might be a good witness for Jesus Christ.”² (See also 1 Timothy 6:1-2 and Titus 2:9-10)

And for those who own the company – pay your people, take care of them; you also have a master in heaven. James 5:1-4 speaks to the owner who doesn’t give what is just and equal.

1 Peter 2:18-25

18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. 

19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. 

20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. 

21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 

22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 

23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 

24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 

25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

Peter devotes the most space to this matter. He also only addresses the servants. I think this is because there were mostly or only servants who were believers in these churches. And notice how he dwells on suffering. This is one of the themes of 1 Peter: the suffering for Christ they were currently facing, which was only going to get worse (4:12 the fiery trial which is to try you)

Peter says: Submit to those over you, the good and gentle, as well as the difficult and ornery. Then he tells us how to endure the suffering: suffer for doing the right thing. Christ is our example in suffering: he did no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth, yet he was reviled, beaten, abused. And when he was reviled, beaten, and mocked, he didn’t threaten and reproach his tormentors. Instead he committed himself to the Father. Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps. This is powerful stuff. This is sobering: If, when you do well and suffer, you take if patiently, this is acceptable with God. What's really neat is the Greek word for acceptable is the word for grace (charis). Thayer's Greek English Lexicon gives as the first definition charis or grace, "properly, that which affords joy, pleasure, delight." We can please the Almighty! We delight the Him when we follow in the steps of our Lord, and when we suffer unjustly, we bear it patiently and commit ourselves to the Lord.

Peter’s focus then changes from Christ’s suffering as an example to Christ’s suffering as redemptive: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. This whole passage takes my breath away! All I can say is, Thank you, Lord!

 

NEXT: Authority and the Church

 

¹ Adam Clarke, commentary on Ephesians 6

² Chuck Smith, sermon on Ephesians