As Unto the Lord

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism. Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

Colossians 3:22-4:1

These are words to Christian slaves. At this time, one half of the inhabitants of the Roman Empire were slaves to the other half. Most households had several slaves, thus they formed an important part of the economy of the empire. People often ask, why do the Scriptures not directly address the problem of slavery? Why were masters not instructed to free their slaves? The answer is that conditions were not ripe for that. Several attempts to foment revolt among the slaves had already occurred in Roman history. The slave Spartacus had already led a revolt that was crushed with an iron fist, resulting in even worse conditions for slaves.

We need to apply these words of the apostle in the realm of our work today. When you commit yourself to work for somebody you are, in a sense, obligated to them for the hours involved. Employers cannot control the rest of your life, but to some degree they have a right to control your life during working hours. We are to work as unto the Lord. That is to be our motivation. It is the Lord Christ we are serving. Every employee ought to write that down and put it where he can see it at work. Do not ever work for anyone else, as a believer; work only for the Lord. Your employer may pay your salary, but it is the Lord for whom you are working. If you do that, both the quality and the quantity of your work will improve because you are working out of gratitude and love to the Lord. And there is a reward involved. He is making reference to the judgment seat of Christ, the time of appraisal when every believer will stand before the Lord who will give judgment as to what he has been doing in life. There will be reward for that which is done from a proper motive of thanksgiving and glory to God.

Employers, be concerned about how generously and justly you treat your workers! Again, it is all to be done in light of the great appraisal which is yet to come, when hearts will be revealed. Here is revealed God's concern for justice and fairness. Some scholars suggest that perhaps in those days of slavery, masters were being gently exhorted here to provide means by which slaves could build up a financial fund whereby they could eventually buy their freedom. Thus, in time, conditions and attitudes toward slavery would change and the practice would disappear from the empire. That is what eventually happened. Without a violent overthrow, without revolution of any kind, the preaching and teaching of equality in Christ changed the atmosphere of the Roman Empire and slaves at last were set free.

Father, how searching these words can be as your Spirit takes them and probes the depths of my heart in regard to my work. Grant to me that I correct what is wrong in my own life in the light of this word. Amen.