What Makes Business Christian? :: Part 3

Oct 23 | Pastor J.D. | 3 Comments |

Today we’re looking at the 3rd characteristic that makes business “Christian.” Below are the links for the previous characteristics that I posted.

Christian work is:

- 1. Creation-Fulfilling

- 2. Excellence-Pursuing

3. Today’s topic – Holiness-Reflecting:

If Christians work for God, that should inherently make them work with excellence. But knowing that God sees everything we do should also make us with integrity. Our work can be Christian insofar as it conforms to the highest standards of ethics.

The apostle Paul gives us a guide in this. Many people feel like their work is a grind, like they are mere slaves to the whims of their boss’ wishes, but in the book of Colossians, Paul speaks into a situation with actual slaves and masters. Now, this wasn’t as extreme a system of oppression as was tragically practiced in our own country. Still, being a slave in the first century—we might say “indentured servant”—significantly limited a person’s freedom, more than most of us can imagine. Into this context Paul says, “Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven” (Col 4:1).

For those of us with modern sentiments, we might want Paul to say something more like, “Masters, free your slaves, because it’s just plain wrong.” Yet in looking for advice like this, we are likely to miss how radical the standard is that Paul puts forward.* Even an indentured servant of the first century had little expectation of fairness from his master. Then, as now, the people with power often held themselves to a different standard than everyone else. Justice? Fairness? Kindness? Excellent ideas in principle, but in reality, if fairness and kindness don’t lead to a bigger bottom line, then they simply aren’t relevant.

But God does not approve of such spineless injustice. Into a system of injustice and unfairness He requires a higher standard, one reflective of His holiness. He intends for this holiness to be put on display in every aspect of life, particularly in the way that people work. As Christians, our work ought to make it obvious that we serve a God of justice and kindness. This means that Christian bosses ought to be less concerned with what they can get away with and more concerned with the fact that they are accountable to a heavenly Master for their actions with their employees. It means that Christian workers ought not to cut corners or lie about how much work they have been putting in. It means that business ethics really matter—that they matter much more than regular church attendance—because the ethics of a Christian in the workplace are meant to mirror the character of God. And our God is just as displeased with cheating or underpaying as He is with murder (cf. Prov 11:1).

*Don’t assume, however, that God never intended to abolish slavery. In fact, biblical passages like this form the backbone of anti-slavery movements, those successful movements of our American past as well as current struggles worldwide.

3 Responses to “What Makes Business Christian? :: Part 3”

1. Michael says:

   October 24, 2011 at 1:00 pm

   Amen to that last sentence! In 1 Corinthians 6, the greedy are even listed among the wrongdoers that will not inherit the kingdom of God. Unfortunately, the first time some Christians will come to understand that their greed separates them from the God they placed their faith in will be when God “repays each person according to what they have done. To those who by persistence in doing good sought glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who were self-seeking and who rejected the truth to follow evil, there will be wrath and anger…. This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.” (Paul, Romans 2)
2. Blair says:

   October 24, 2011 at 3:59 pm

   Great post JD! I’m loving these posts and think they have an incredible value to Believers in the workplace. Thanks for your bold proclamation of the Gospel and helping me to see how that should play out in my daily life. Praise be to His name!

   Thanks,
   Blair
   Durham, NC
3. Austin Gentry says:

   October 31, 2011 at 10:36 am

   Absolutely, thanks for your thoughts regarding slavery, the logic that there was indeed a social and economic dynamic between the master and slave is of course, always implied, but the position of each in terms of how each should and ‘would’ treat each other has just eluded my understanding of it. And it makes all the difference. Thanks so much JD, and the sermon sunday was killer.

   Thanks again,
   Austin Gentry
   UNC