EPHESIANS 6:5

“Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ;”

I have never been one to slack off work just because the boss wasn’t around, but I have known others who were like that. I had a job once that involved working with a partner. Let’s just say my work ethic and his didn’t exactly match. He was always wanting to take longer breaks and was late just about every day after his lunch break. But when the boss was around, he was a busy bee.

Paul addresses the slaves/masters or employer/employee relationship in today’s verse. In Paul’s first century world, it was common for slaves and masters to both come to Christ, thus affecting their relationship. Paul tells the slaves to remain obedient. They should not take their relationship as brothers or sisters in Christ to cause a problem in their “work” relationship. Those last three words of the verse are key – “as to Christ.”

APPLICATION

There are really a lot of verses about work in the Bible. We are told to work as unto Christ. Let’s look at a few, and as we do, assess how you are doing (if you are still gainfully employed). In 1 Timothy 6:1-2 we read, “1All who are under the yoke as slaves are to regard their own masters as worthy of all honor so that the name of God and our doctrine will not be spoken against. 2 Those who have believers as their masters must not be disrespectful to them because they are brothers or sisters, but must serve them all the more, because those who partake of the benefit are believers and beloved. Teach and preach these principles.”

In 1 Peter 2:18, Peter addresses the same issue. “Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are harsh.” Oooh, this is a hard one. It is easy to follow a leader or boss who is kind and fair, but the ones who aren’t make it quite challenging. But the Word is the Word, right?

The parallel passage to today’s verse is found in Colossians 3:23-24. “23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord and not for people, 24 knowing that it is from the Lord that you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” I think it is pretty clear. As slaves or employees, we are to serve our masters/employers well. Why? Because we are serving a higher authority. We want to please Him in all that we do.

Father, forgive me when I have not served my bosses well. Help me be an obedient and submissive servant.