In Touch Ministries

Guest (Male): When you and I are mistreated on the job, we're to respond like the Lord Jesus Christ responded. In so doing, what do we do? We establish the truth of the Gospel. That we who profess the name of Jesus Christ, not only profess that, but we demonstrate it on our job when our employer knows he's mistreating us, we know he's mistreating us, and we respond in love. I want to tell you, my friend, that is a far greater testimony than standing in a church building and doing anything.

Guest (Male): What's your attitude about your job? Before you talk about working conditions, recognition, or pay, listen to In Touch, the teaching ministry of Dr. Charles Stanley. God calls believers to think differently about our jobs. Stay with us for a lesson in how to become an influential Christian in the marketplace.

Dr. Charles Stanley: Do you work for somebody you don't like? Do you like the way you're paid? Are you satisfied with how much you're paid? When you leave work on Friday afternoon, do you spend about half the way home blessing out your employer? Do you think if you could just get rid of half of your employees that you'd feel so much better? If you could just about every three months go by and get yourself a whole new cast, things would be better in your business?

Do you pray for your employer? Do you pray for your employees? Are you honest and just and fair with those you work for? Do you have a critical spirit, or do you go the second mile in helping them to do their best and to prosper in their business? What is your attitude? Now the attitude of an unbeliever is one thing. But God says for the believer, there are some very definite attitudes, some very definite actions that ought to be true in all of us who are employers or employees who name the name of Christ.

So, I want us to begin by looking at what the Scripture says first of all in admonitions to those who are employees. What does God have to say to all of us who work for someone else? Well, let's look if you will in First Peter chapter 2, verse 18. He says, "Employees, be submissive to your employers with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle but also to those who are unreasonable."

You say, "Well, I was afraid we were going to get to that verse." Because sometimes you may work for someone who is extremely unreasonable. I did not say that they commanded you to violate a spiritual principle; they're just unreasonable. Listen to what he says: "With all respect we are to be submissive, not only to those who are good and gentle but also to those who are unreasonable."

How in the world could we ever justify God saying that we are to be submissive to those who require of us things that we consider very unreasonable and unfair? Well, there is a major verse in all of these passages that is the real key to what God's after in this whole matter of relationships between employees and employers. Listen to what he says now in verse 19. He says, "For this finds favor."

What finds favor? When employees submit to the requirements of employers. We are to be submissive, he says, even to those who are not gentle, those who are harsh, those who are ugly, those who are unreasonable, those who put tasks upon us that are more than we think is right. He says, "For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God, a man or woman bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly."

Now he says when you and I do what is required of us, and we think it's tough, it's hard, it's harsh and unjust, he says when you and I obey those in authority over us, God says we will find favor in His eyes. Now, my friend, the next time you complain and moan and groan and go to somebody else that you work for and you just let your boss have it behind his back, you remember that you are violating the word of God.

And I figured I wouldn't get a single amen on that, and I didn't. There's some things you can just naturally guess. Listen to what he says: "For this finds favor if for the sake of conscience toward God a man bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if when you sin and are harshly treated you endure it with patience? For if when you do what is right and suffer for it, you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God."

Now, he says when we sin and then we get penalized or we're mistreated, he said there's no reward in that. But when we are mistreated, treated unjustly, requirements are harsh, we don't think it's fair and we endure it, we bear up under it and go ahead and do what is required of us, twice he says, "This finds favor with God." Our responsibility is to respond in love, respecting and honoring the employer even when we're mistreated.

And to remember this: he says you and I find favor because what he's done is this. If God put you in a bad position or allows you to be in a tough position, what He's doing is giving you the privilege of demonstrating the life of the Lord Jesus Christ in visible, living human form so that those about you can see the way Jesus lived. You are, where you work, the living Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Now, usually the response is when you get mistreated, "I'm quitting, I'm going to find myself another job, I'm getting out of here." My friend, could it be that God has placed you there and trusted you with ill-will and trusted you with mistreatment in order that He may demonstrate through you His wonderful Gospel? Is it that you're prone to just want to get out because you're mistreated?

Nobody respects you, nobody loves you, they don't live up to what they promised you, so you want out. Is it better to get out or is it better to give a strong, undeniable, unforgettable witness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? According to the Scripture, he says you will pattern your conduct after the life of Christ if you hang in there and respond in love.

Now, that is the attitude the employees are to have toward the employer. But now what about our service? What kind of service is this that you and I are to render? So, I want you to turn back if you will to Ephesians chapter 6 and also in Colossians chapter 3. Listen to what he says. Verse 5 says, "Employees, be obedient to those who are masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ."

Now, he says this service of ours and our work, he says we are to view our work in this light. First of all, it is not to be done as to the employer, but it is to be done as if we are doing it to Christ or for Him. "As to Christ, not by way of eye-service, that is, only working when somebody's looking over your shoulder to see that you're doing a good job; as men-pleasers, that is, working our hardest to impress someone else, but as employees of Christ." Did you get that?

"As employees of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart." You say, "Now, wait a minute. You don't mean to tell me that I'm to work for my employer as if he were Jesus." Let me ask you this. Which is easier in your thinking: that a slave submit in authority with no rights whatsoever to a slave master as if he were Christ, or you in this society in which we live submitting to your employer as if you were submitting to Christ?

If he says that for slaves, my friend, the principle is still here: that employees are to work and they're to carry out their labor as if the labor is for the Lord, not for a human employer. Now, let me ask you a question. Wouldn't that result in better production, better products, on-time delivery if we were doing it as if for Jesus? He says that an employee is to work as if the work is unto Christ.

Now, I want to tell you something, there's not a single one of us who would cut corners or punch out ahead of time if Jesus were the employer. And for the believer, this isn't an option. This isn't a suggestion. This is the way Christian employees are to work. Their service as unto the Lord Jesus Christ who is their heavenly employer. Listen.

According to the Scripture, he says that no matter what our job is, if you assume the responsibility on your job, you're to carry it out as if you're to treat your employer as if he were Christ. You are to be obedient, respectful of him or of her, and the work is to be done of the same character as if Christ were going to examine the work. Now, brother, that puts a whole new twist in our labor.

But that's what he's saying. Look if you will in Colossians chapter 3. Same thing almost. "Slaves or employees, in all things obey those who are your employers on earth, not with external service, that is, just doing it to get by. Your heart's not in it." Listen. Did you know that a clock-watcher is a poor testimony? He's talking about clock-watching employees.

"Not with external service as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord." You are subject to the Lord in your employment. "Whatever you do, do your work heartily, put your whole heart into it, as for the Lord rather than men." If you look at it coming from Him, you won't want to fight, you won't want to get ugly, you won't want to say some things you shouldn't say.

But you see, the key is where we see it coming from. Now, I don't believe you can do a sloppy job with a clear conscience. You say, "Well, they mistreat me." That's not the issue. Other folks get by with it. That's not it. "I deserve more than they're paying me." You should have settled that before you got there. Listen, you can give 40 reasons for doing a poor job, but you can't give me one single biblical reason acceptable before God. Not a one.

That's the spirit he's talking about here. Now, look if you will back over in Titus just a few moments and I want you to notice something he says and makes it very, very clear. Chapter 2, verse 9. And it's amazing how people do this who are Christians and brag about it. Chapter 2, verse 9. "Urge," he says, "urge the employees to be subject to their own employers in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative."

Pretty straight, isn't it? You don't argue with them. Secondly, "not pilfering or stealing from them." If you don't have the authority to walk out 30 minutes early, you have just stolen what you were paid for working for 30 minutes. That's stealing. Now, I can understand a lost man doing that, but God says for believers, no way can you justify that.

Lost man can't justify it either, but he says, "no argumentation and no stealing." Listen. "But showing all good faith that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect." Our good, righteous, just, fair conduct is going to draw them to the Savior. But I wonder how many Christians are willing to give a little bit and compromise a little over here in order to gain just a little bit more? He says, "No, there's no way that you and I can justify that."

He says we are to be submissive, that our spirit is to be one of wholehearted service. We're to be honest. And it's interesting here that in First Timothy—go back to First Timothy a moment—he says if you work for a Christian employer, you know what? He says, "Let those who have believers as their employers not be disrespectful to them, but because they're brethren, let them serve them all the more."

You're to work harder. You're to do more if you work for a Christian employer. You say, "Is that what that means?" There's only one way to interpret that verse. Because you're working for a brother or sister in Christ, you do a little bit more. Now, you say, "Where is my security? That is, what does God say about if I'm willing to do this?"

First of all, we just read in First Peter that he says we're going to be favored by God. That is, God's going to favor us for a good testimony. Then if you'll go back to chapter 6 of Ephesians, he says verse 8, "When you and I are good responders, knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free."

That is, God rewards us for our faithfulness. Now, your employer gives you a paycheck, but he says God will reward you in greater ways if you and I are faithful to Him. So, there is accountability in our labor for whomever we work for. Whoever it might be, he says we're going to receive a reward, we're going to be held accountable before Him.

So, for the employee, the responsibility looks pretty heavy. Submission, service, our spirit must be that of submission, throwing our whole heart into it, giving it our best because we're serving Him, not serving man. Now, what about the employer? You say, "Boy, I'm waiting to get to that one." Well, it's very interesting what he says in Colossians and Ephesians. Go back to Ephesians chapter 6.

Listen to what he says. Verse 9: "Masters or employers, do the same things to them." That is, the Golden Rule is the rule for employers. Treat your employees exactly the way you want to be treated. Listen. And he says you don't do it by intimidation and threats. Employers are not to lord it over their employees with intimidations and threats of firing.

He says, "Give up threatening, knowing that both your Master, your Master and your employee's Master is in heaven, and there's no partiality with Him." If the employee mistreats the employer, they have to pay the penalty. If the employer mistreats the employee, they have to pay the penalty. Back over to Colossians chapter 3. He says chapter 4, verse 1: "Masters, grant to your employees justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven."

It is the responsibility of the employer to pay a fair wage and to provide the right kind of working conditions and to have the right kind of spirit and to treat the employees with respect and honor. For the truth is, employers and employees who know the Lord Jesus Christ are brothers and sisters in the Lord. And you see, the principle of love always prevails over everything else.

There is in no fashion for no reason are we to mistreat a brother or sister. That doesn't mean there'll not be sometimes difficulty and discipline and very difficult situations. But the principle is: what is our spirit? It is the spirit of loving forgiveness, discipline, and instruction. Before you let somebody go, be sure they understand why.

It has nothing to do with you being angry; it has to do with that you want the very best for them. And an employer who has to let someone go because of wrongdoing or because of lack of discipline on the job or because of creating disharmony should explain to them why and in the spirit of Christian love say to that person, "I am responsible to God as your employer."

They may say, "Don't give me this religious bit." Let them say anything they want to. Acknowledge that you're responsible to God to be a good employer and you're going to have to give an account to God for the way you treat your employees, and therefore to let them get by with wrongdoing, you're going to have to give an account to God.

Very clear he says there's no partiality with God in the treatment of employees and employers. God says, "Fair and just." Remembering that there is a day of accountability. Now, you say, "Why did Paul say so much to these churches to the slaves and not very much to the slave owners?" Because there were probably a hundred to one slaves versus slave masters in the church.

But it's clear how we should treat one another. You see, there is power in submission. There's an awesome power in submission to authority. Jesus was submissive to His Father's authority. He's given us an example. He said, "I only do the things that the Father tells me to do." We're to be submissive to authority. And there is power in submission. There is persuasiveness in loving submission.

And my friend, if you're not a Christian, I want to encourage you to surrender your life to Christ. Submit yourself to the authority of God. You know why so many people are not submissive on their job? I'll bet you if you take a little poll here's what you'd find: if they're not submissive to their working authority, they're not submissive to spiritual authorities, and they're not submissive to God's authority.

It's amazing how that works in people's lives. There is power in submission. There is freedom in submission. And God says there is blessing in submission because God assumes the responsibility for the blessing. And I want to encourage you, my friend, to trust the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, submit to His authority, submit to the authorities of government, church, labor, and watch God begin to free you, liberate you, promote you, prosper you.

God will favor those who walk in submission to Him. And then I want to say it again to all of you who are Christians: wherever you work, you have a responsibility before God to leave this trail behind you wherever you're working. A godly testimony of what the Christian life is all about. That's what all of these admonitions have as their goal: that our message, the message of the truth of the Gospel, is unhindered and untarnished by our life.

Guest (Male): Thanks for joining us today on In Touch, the teaching ministry of Dr. Charles Stanley. How do you view your job? Is it misery or ministry? If you see work as an opportunity to serve God, it becomes a way to reach others for Jesus Christ. If you'd like to find out more about how to live for Christ on your job, visit our website at intouch.org. And to hear this message again, click "Today on Radio". And order a copy of Dr. Stanley's message today, "Christians in the Marketplace", visit our online store. That's intouch.org. Or call or text us. The number is simply 1-800-IN-TOUCH. And you can write to us at In Touch, P.O. Box 7900, Atlanta, Georgia 30357.

Guest (Male): What's more important: your job or your faith? Hear a story coming up in today's Moment with Charles Stanley.

Dr. Charles Stanley: I was talking to a young lady about a story she told me. She worked for this particular man, and he asked her to do something that she didn't believe was really right in her eyes. She says, "No, I'm not going to do it." Even though it was going to profit him and her. She says, "No, I'm not going to do it."

So, he argued with her about how profitable it would be, nobody would know but them, and he rationalized all the things about his request. And it sounded really good, she says, but deep down inside everything in me said, "No, that is a violation of the truth, it is deceptive." Now, it wasn't an outright lie, but it was deceptive, which is to lie. She said, "No." So, what did he do? He fired her for two weeks.

Two weeks later he calls her back, apologized, said, "I want to ask you to forgive me, you were right." He said, "I've not—" this man wasn't even a Christian—he says, "I've not had a good night's sleep since the day I fired you." When she told me this, now he's going to church for the first time in his life.

A good witness, someone who was willing—listen—who was willing to lose her job for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, he now is adorning her doctrine, the Gospel of Christ.

Guest (Male): You can learn more about following Jesus regardless of the consequences at intouch.org. And if today's program has encouraged you to become the person God intends you to be, we'd love to hear from you. Are you under the protection of the Good Shepherd? You are if you've trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation from the penalty of sin. You can learn more about that when you join us again for In Touch, the teaching ministry of Dr. Charles Stanley. This program is a presentation of In Touch Ministries, Atlanta, Georgia, and remains on this station through the grace of God and your faithful prayers and gifts.