Whatever: Our Work Belongs to God

The text for this post is Colossians 3:22-4:1

²²  Bondservants, 

       obey in everything

           those who are your earthly masters, 

       not by way of eye-service,

                              as people-pleasers,

       but with sincerity of heart,

                                         fearing the Lord. 

²³ Whatever you do, work heartily, 

                                           as for the Lord

                and not for men,

                    ²⁴ knowing that from the Lord 

                    you will receive the inheritance as your reward. 

                    You are serving        the Lord Christ. 

²⁵ For the wrongdoer will be paid back

     for the wrong he has done,

                   and there is no partiality.

^4:1 Masters,

         treat your bondservants

                                       justly and fairly,

         knowing that you also have

 a Master in heaven.

Recently, using the context of the Christmas story, I wrote about some guidelines for a holy family…guidelines that tend to push everyone’s buttons—whether they are wives or husbands, children or parents. Today I want to finish that list of ancient “household” relationships, that of slave and master (or employee/employer in today’s economy).

A bondservant (Greek doulos) was a slave. It was a very familiar concept in that day. As the Expositor’s Bible Commentary describes it,

[From 1/3 to] more than half the people seen on the streets of the great cities of the Roman world were slaves. And this was the status of the majority of "professional" people such as teachers and doctors as well as that of menials and craftsmen. Slaves were people with no rights, mere property existing only for the comfort, convenience, and pleasure of their owners…Paul deals with the duty of slaves in the context of the family because slaves were considered a part of the household.

We need to see that this slavery was an economic (not racial) structure predating our current employer/employee economy.

What is different today? Today, in most places in the world, slavery is not legal. In that day, slaves were not free and had no rights. This situation usually came about as a result of debt or capture in war, though some were trafficked by “enslavers” (1 Tim. 1:10). It is interesting to note that while the church as described in the NT didn’t set out to change society through wielding worldly power, but through wielding the “subversive” kingdom powers of love, humility, meekness, peacemaking, etc. As Christianity took hold slavery was abolished until later times. The NT lays the groundwork for Christians to begin relating to each other as brothers and sisters regardless of whether they were slave or free.

What is the same? In many places, human trafficking (for the sex industry or for cheap labor) is still practiced even where it might be illegal. However, if we expand our understanding of the economic bandage we are in today it is not hard to see that when we are in debt we are actually bondservants of the lender and are not truly free—student loans, credit cards, car loans and mortgages are our major sources of debt.

What does it mean? Paul was speaking to the church in a culture where many in the church would have been either slaves or masters and redefined how they were to relate and work as unto Christ. We too need to work and relate to others in the workplace in such a way that honors God and adorns what is true about him. Debtors and lenders alike serve the same God and should treat each other as family in Christ.

Slaves: Obey in everything (v. 22) To listen and obey, to harken to a command. The one ualifier here is that this does not extend to doing things in violation of the Gospel as found in Scripture. Remember that Paul was writing specifically to Christian households.

Masters: Treat them justly and fairly (4:1) This was something new. In the parallel passage in Ephesians 6:9 Paul tells masters to “stop your threatening.” I love Curtis Vaughan’s statement about justice as opposed to charity.

Though in the Roman world slaves had no rights, Paul does not hesitate to teach that duty is not all on the side of slaves. Masters also have obligations. Maclaren observes that Paul did not counsel masters to give their slaves "what is kind and patronizing. He wants a great deal more than that. Charity likes to come in and supply wants which would never have been felt had there been equity. An ounce of justice is sometimes worth a ton of charity.[i]

We cannot consider this passage without reading the backstory to these commands.  It can be found in Philemon 8-20. After initial greetings, Paul gets right to the point,

      Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus— I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.)  I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel, but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord. For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

     So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account.  I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.

While I don’t have space to develop this concept here, I hope you can see how this letter completely turned the slave based economy upside-down by Paul’s identification of the slave as “brother”, “my child”, and “my very heart”. He made a strong case, but gave Philemon the freedom to do the right thing without being forced to do so.

So what does this passage in Colossians teach us about our work, where we spend most of our week and most of our energy each week? Is our reaction upon reading it an eye-roll followed by a "Whatever..."; or do we get excited to think that whatever we do we are supposed to do wholeheartedly as service to our Lord and Savior?

In this New Year we should see our work and relationships the way God does...

1) See our work as Witness (v. 22)

       “…not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers,

       but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.” 

The way we work is a witness, either for or against the message we proclaim.

• It should be sincere not just for show. “Eye-service” simply means working only when the boss is watching. We probably all know someone who panders to the boss and has no greater motivation than that human recognition.
• It should be wholehearted…[lit. with soul] one of my favorite words—enthusiasm—works here. Our work should reflect well upon the God who is always working, and all that he does is done well.

Why should we work this way? Because we get to serve Jesus…even if the boss doesn’t notice. There was once a man on a construction site who was always “witnessing” on the job and not working. He always thought the foreman telling him to get to work was persecution. Finally a more mature brother came alongside and told him that if he didn’t work hard then he should keep his mouth shut about his “faith.” Paul also wrote on the subject of work as witness to Titus, the pastor on Crete, who had to deal with people that culturally self-identified as “always being liars, evil beasts, and gluttons” (Titus 1:12).

     Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.

     Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior. (Titus 2:7-10)

Amen! This year let our work-ethic adorn the gospel we proclaim!

2) See our work as Worship (v. 22-23)

The words used to describe how we should work are heart words:

• “sincerity”(v.22) Work, like worship should be sincere. The Greek phrase literally means that there are “no folds in our hearts.” What an apt metaphor.
• “heartily” (23) literally means “with soul” or working from the very center of your being.  Why the heart language? Because our work is worship of someone or something. For whom does our soul work? Who is it that we value most of all?

“For the Lord” (23) Our work becomes worship when we do it for the Lord, even the most basic of tasks is given dignity in the Lord…who came to serve and even washed his disciples’ feet. Because our work is worship it will quickly reveal whether we serve God or money (Matt. 6:24). Our work is not primarily for worldly gain (v. 22-23) which means that the quality and attitude with which we work/worship doesn’t depend on someone other than the Lord’s recognition and appreciation.

—Spoiler  Alert #1: Our works [like art] may not be appreciated by the world in our

lifetime, (1 Cor. 4:11-13). I remember the day when Christians in the old USSR could only get menial jobs, as street sweepers, subway cleaners, museum proctors, etc. However, at the time as a result of their hard work they had the world’s cleanest subways! Even when the world looks down on us, such “kingdom work” matters more than we can know!

3) See our work is preparation for eternity (v.24-25; Romans 5:3-5; Titus 2:11-14)

While we don’t work to earn our way to heaven, our work can prepare us for our eternal responsibilities in heaven. Two of my trademark sayings are: “Life is just boot camp for eternity” and “Life’s tough…then you get a job.” Paul wrote to the Romans about the character-building cycle we face in working through trials,

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit…” (Romans 5:3-5)

• Reward (v. 24). Our reward doesn’t come from people with any certainty, but we will receive it from the Lord. What appreciation we get from others, is merely the frosting on the cake. And while some disagree, it is my opinion that you can have too much frosting (e.g., the filling in a Costco sheet-cake). We will receive what we are due, and receive it in full from the Lord, which brings me to the next point.
• Retribution (v. 25). The wrongdoer… will be punished by the Lord. This may not happen in this life. The placement of this verse is between instructions to the slave and the master, indicating it applies to both.
• No partiality (v.25) While the retributive wording here seems to focus more on the wrongdoing slave, the parallel in Ephesians 6 focuses more on that of the masters. The differences in wording are probably in response to local circumstances in each of those churches. The point is that our work, be it as one who has power, or as one who is powerless, is important to God. Whatever position we are in, we should honor the other and work for the Lord.

This forward-looking aspect of our work is seen also in the letter to Titus, which presents our witness, worship, and preparation for eternity all together…

 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. (Titus 2:11-14)

—Spoiler Alert #2: Our works can’t be hidden forever. (1 Cor. 3:10-17; 1 Tim. 5:24-25; Luke 12:3)

4) See that our work is not wasted or forgotten (v. 24; 1 Cor. 15:57-58; Gal. 6:9-10)

Isaiah 44:21-22 says that the Lord doesn’t forget his people even after seasons of failure and even rebellion. He wants us to return to him. Our work on his behalf matters and will have lasting results if we are working with the Lord instead of against him.

•         It isn’t pointless drudgery, it actually counts for something. “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (1 Cor. 15:57-58) As a result we are also encouraged to keep going!

•         Don’t quit just because we don’t see immediate results. “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. ¹⁰ So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” (Gal. 6:9-10)

Finally, we should,

5) See our work as effective despite opposition (1 Corinthians 16:8-10)

But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

When Timothy comes, see that you put him at ease among you, for he is doing the work of the Lord, as I am.

Paul’s example makes it clear that the presence of opposition doesn’t mean that you are ineffective; in fact opposition may reveal how effective you actually are!

So, where should we repent and look at our work and relationships differently this year?

Do we need to see it as witness, worship, a preparation for Eternity, purposeful and lasting, or not swamped by opposition? Remember that our relationships with those we work with or for, are an important element in the holy family of Christ.

“It is one of the most intriguing features of Colossians that a letter that starts out utilizing so many cosmic themes should be so grounded—at the end—in the specific setting of the ancient household. But this illustrates Paul’s point made throughout: instead of seeking the “extra” or “higher” things, Christians should look to their own community and their present experience of God, for they will find the manifestation of everything they so fervently desire.”[ii]

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[i] Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol. 11, p. 352.

[ii] Luke Timothy Johnson, The Writings of the New Testament, 355.