Family Matters – Part 4Family Matters – Part 4Joy in Your JobJoy in Your Job

Serving a Non-Christian BossServing a Non-Christian Boss

Serving a Christian BossServing a Christian Boss

Principles of Conduct on the JobPrinciples of Conduct on the Job

Family Matters – Part 4Family Matters – Part 4Joy in Your JobJoy in Your Job

Serving a Non-Christian BossServing a Non-Christian Boss Slavery – integral part of society, employeeSlavery – integral part of society, employee Slaves were acquired in different ways:Slaves were acquired in different ways:

1.1. Prisoners of war – Numbers 31Prisoners of war – Numbers 312.2. Purchased – Exodus 21:7Purchased – Exodus 21:73.3. Sold yourself – Deuteronomy 15:12-17Sold yourself – Deuteronomy 15:12-174.4. Received as a gift – Genesis 29:24Received as a gift – Genesis 29:245.5. Inherited – Leviticus 25:46Inherited – Leviticus 25:46

Family Matters – Part 4Family Matters – Part 4Joy in Your JobJoy in Your Job

Serving a Non-Christian BossServing a Non-Christian Boss O.T. guarded slaves rightsO.T. guarded slaves rights Distinction between Jewish and GentileDistinction between Jewish and Gentile “ “Under the yoke” – submissive serviceUnder the yoke” – submissive service Slaves – Slaves – doulos –doulos – person in submission to person in submission to

another person another person

Family Matters – Part 4Family Matters – Part 4Joy in Your JobJoy in Your Job

Serving a Non-Christian BossServing a Non-Christian Boss Masters – one with absolute authorityMasters – one with absolute authority Regard – estimate based on objective criteriaRegard – estimate based on objective criteria Worthy of all honor – 1 Peter 2:18-20Worthy of all honor – 1 Peter 2:18-20 Why show respect?Why show respect?

Martin Luther:Martin Luther:

To call popes, bishops, priests, monks, and To call popes, bishops, priests, monks, and nuns, the religious class, but princes, lords, nuns, the religious class, but princes, lords, artisans [sic], and farm-workers the secular artisans [sic], and farm-workers the secular class, is a specious device…. For all class, is a specious device…. For all Christians whatsoever really and truly Christians whatsoever really and truly belong to the religious class, and there is no belong to the religious class, and there is no difference among them except in so far as difference among them except in so far as they do different work…. Hence we deduce they do different work…. Hence we deduce that there is, at bottom, really no other that there is, at bottom, really no other difference between laymen, priests, princes, difference between laymen, priests, princes, bishops, or, in Romanist terminology, bishops, or, in Romanist terminology, between religious and secular, than that of between religious and secular, than that of office or occupation, and not that of office or occupation, and not that of

Martin Luther: (cont.)Martin Luther: (cont.)

Christian status. All have spiritual status, Christian status. All have spiritual status, and alland all

are truly priests, bishops, and popes. But are truly priests, bishops, and popes. But Christians do not all follow the same Christians do not all follow the same occupation…. A shoemaker, a smith, a occupation…. A shoemaker, a smith, a farmer, each has his manual occupation and farmer, each has his manual occupation and work; and yet, at the same time, all are work; and yet, at the same time, all are eligible to act as priests and bishops. Every eligible to act as priests and bishops. Every one of them in his occupation or handicraft one of them in his occupation or handicraft ought to be useful to his fellows, and serve ought to be useful to his fellows, and serve them in such a way that the various trades them in such a way that the various trades are all directed to the best advantage of theare all directed to the best advantage of the

Martin Luther: (cont.)Martin Luther: (cont.)

community, and promote the well-community, and promote the well-being of body and soul, just as all the being of body and soul, just as all the organs of the body serveorgans of the body serve

each other. (“An Appeal to the Ruling each other. (“An Appeal to the Ruling Class,” in John Dillenberger, ed. Class,” in John Dillenberger, ed. Martin Luther: Selections from His Martin Luther: Selections from His WritingsWritings [Garden City, N.Y.: Anchor [Garden City, N.Y.: Anchor Books, 1961], 407, 409, 410)Books, 1961], 407, 409, 410)

R. C. H. Lenski:R. C. H. Lenski:

If a Christian slave dishonored his master If a Christian slave dishonored his master in any way by disobedience, by acting in any way by disobedience, by acting disrespectfully, by speaking shamefully of disrespectfully, by speaking shamefully of his master, the worst consequence would his master, the worst consequence would not be the beating he would receive but not be the beating he would receive but the curses he would cause his master to the curses he would cause his master to hurl at this miserable slave’s God, his hurl at this miserable slave’s God, his religion, and the teaching he had religion, and the teaching he had embraced: “So that is what this new embraced: “So that is what this new religion teaches its converts!” Instead of religion teaches its converts!” Instead of bringing honor to the true God and the bringing honor to the true God and the gospel gospel

R. C. H. Lenski: (cont.)R. C. H. Lenski: (cont.)of his high and holy Name, as every of his high and holy Name, as every Christian should be anxious to do, this Christian should be anxious to do, this slave would bring about the very slave would bring about the very opposite, to the devil’s delight. (opposite, to the devil’s delight. (The The Interpretation of St. Paul’s Epistles to Interpretation of St. Paul’s Epistles to the Colossians, to the Thessalonians, the Colossians, to the Thessalonians, to Timothy, to Titus, and to Philemonto Timothy, to Titus, and to Philemon [Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1964], 694-[Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1964], 694-95) 95)

Family Matters – Part 4Family Matters – Part 4Joy in Your JobJoy in Your Job

Serving a Christian BossServing a Christian Boss No difference in treatment – maybe betterNo difference in treatment – maybe better Even though a brother ….Even though a brother …. Even though you may hold a position ….Even though you may hold a position …. Ephesians 6:5-8Ephesians 6:5-8 Colossians 3:22-25Colossians 3:22-25

Family Matters – Part 4Family Matters – Part 4Joy in Your JobJoy in Your Job

Principles of Conduct on the JobPrinciples of Conduct on the Job Serve your employer:Serve your employer:

1.1. Obediently – Eph. 6:5; Col. 3:22Obediently – Eph. 6:5; Col. 3:22

2.2. Completely – Eph. 6:5; Col. 3:22Completely – Eph. 6:5; Col. 3:22

3.3. Respectfully – Eph. 6:5Respectfully – Eph. 6:5

4.4. Eagerly – Eph. 6:5; Col. 3:22Eagerly – Eph. 6:5; Col. 3:22

Family Matters – Part 4Family Matters – Part 4Joy in Your JobJoy in Your Job

Principles of Conduct on the JobPrinciples of Conduct on the Job Serve your employer:Serve your employer:

5.5. Excellently – Eph. 6:5; Col. 3:23Excellently – Eph. 6:5; Col. 3:23

6.6. Diligently – Eph. 6:6; Col. 3:23Diligently – Eph. 6:6; Col. 3:23

7.7. Humbly – Eph. 6:6; Col. 3:23Humbly – Eph. 6:6; Col. 3:23

8.8. Spiritually – Eph. 6:6Spiritually – Eph. 6:6

Family Matters – Part 4Family Matters – Part 4Joy in Your JobJoy in Your Job

ApplicationApplication

Are you loving and serving Are you loving and serving Christ through loving and Christ through loving and serving your employer in a serving your employer in a biblical manner?biblical manner?

How is your witness on the job?How is your witness on the job?