The Book of Colossians Pt. 49 The Christian Employer/Manager

We have learned much from the book of Colossians. In our last few posts, we have dealt with God's role for a Christian wife, a Christian husband and Christian parents raising their children. 

This was followed by looking at the Christian slave relationship. Slavery has been illegal in America for about 160 years, therefore we noted that the best way to understand what Paul is teaching us, is in the employee employer relationship. 

Thus, we looked at what a Christian employee should be like and in this post we look at the supervisor's role. 

Masters were to treat all slaves equally and fairly. 

Colossians 4:1  Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven. 

Slaves in the ancient culture faced a hard life with often deplorable conditions. They had no recourse under Greek or Roman law and could not expect to receive justice or equity. 

Justice and equity required that slaves should have proper food, proper raiment, periods of adequate rest, and no more than moderate work. 

Paul wrote to Christians who happened to be Masters or slave owners, in order to remind them that they were never to view a slave as inferior. 

Masters were not to defraud their workers. 

James 5:1-4  Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. 2)  Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. 3)  Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. 4)  Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. 

The apostle James had something to say about rich men in that time who abused their power over slaves. He told them that their wealth represented an illicit fortune. 

He gave a specific example. They made slaves gather in the harvest from their fields. However, they cheated them out of their hard earned wages. 

The point he makes is that God takes note of Masters who cheat their workers and He takes note of business owners or managers who defraud their employees. 

Is this a real problem today? I worked for a retail company for nine years before I found other employment. Friends of mine stayed their many more years. 

The original company was soon purchased by an unethical company, who raided the pension fund. All my friends lost all that they had accrued in their pensions. 

There was no specific law preventing them from doing this, but it is exactly what James was writing about. 

Christian masters were held to the same moral standard as the slaves. 

Ephesians 6:9  And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him. 

In the same passage where Paul spoke of doing all things as unto the Lord, he also applied this action to "masters" that they would remember God sees their work. God sees how they treat their slaves.

In the modern sense a supervisor, manager or business owner has a responsibility to treat their employees with dignity, respect and to compensate them fairly. 

Managers, supervisors or business owners are not to be verbally abusive toward their employees. They are not to demean them or threaten them in any way.  

They are not to take advantage of their employees. Why" Because God sees what is going on and holds them accountable. 

The idea of no respect of persons with God, means that He will apply His judgement without regard to any wealth, education, status, accomplishments or any other thing. 

1 Timothy 6:1,2  Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. 2)  And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort. 

Paul gave a good summary statement about the will of God for servants and masters, or employees and employers. Those who are Christian slaves or workers, are to give high regard to their master or supervisor. 

Christian slaves or workers who have a believing master or supervisor, are not to despise them, because their supervisor is a brother in Christ.

Instead, workers and slaves were instructed to perform their duties faithfully because their supervisor is also a believer in Christ.  

Deuteronomy 24:14,15  Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates: 15)  At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin unto thee. 

The idea of oppressing a hired servant is taking advantage of him because he is poor and in desperate need of earning an income. The word "oppress" means doing anything violent, extorting, deceiving or exploiting your workers. 

God demands that employers make a prompt and accurate payment of wages to their employees.  He sees what goes on and He will not allow an unethical manager to slide by. They will be judged for their sin. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

How should Christian managers, or business owners conduct themselves with regard to their employees?

They should never look down upon the people who work for them.

They should treat all workers (good or bad) with respect and dignity. 

They should never defraud or hold back any wages or benefits that an employee is entitled to. 

They should set an excellent example for their employees to follow.

They must remember that God holds them accountable for how they treat their employees. 

May the Lord apply this word to people's hearts wherever it is needed and may He be glorified by our response to His word.

Bob