1 Timothy 6:2 (KJV)
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.
There is a contrast between verses 1 and 2.
Verse 1 addresses the Christian whose master is an unbeliever. The testimony of the Christian is paramount so that Christ and His doctrine are not blasphemed. It can be incredibly challenging to work for an unbeliever in a world filled with unbelievers. The cursing, swearing, profane living, and, worse, the utter disrespect for our Savior is sometimes infuriating. We feel like we ought to lash out at those who lash out at our Lord and God. Who wants to work in that kind of environment? Wouldn’t we be justified in “sticking it to” those who attack our faith? I’m reminded of things I heard while working as a union ironworker, where members of the union felt it was their duty to cheat the employer whenever they could. Somehow, the company paying their wages was the bad guy simply because it had the money to pay them. We hear similar things about the government—it’s so corrupt that some people feel obligated to cheat the system whenever possible.
However, God’s Word instructs the Christian to take a different approach. We are to count even unbelieving, profane masters as “worthy of all honor, that the name of God and His doctrine be not blasphemed.”
Verse 2 is perhaps even more challenging. Here, we have the Christian whose master is also a Christian. Since they are brothers in the Lord, shouldn’t the master give the employee a break, cut him some slack, and ease up on his responsibilities? This reminds me of the young man working for his father’s company. It’s reasonable for him to start on the lowest rung of the employee ladder—after all, he needs to learn the ropes. But, as the boss’ son, does he really have to work as hard as everyone else? After all, one day, he’ll probably be their boss. My sons experienced this early in their careers as plumbing apprentices, working alongside the owner’s sons. As a result, when my oldest son’s oldest son came of age, my boy didn’t hire him. A couple of years after my grandson went to work for a different company in a different trade, my son’s manager asked about hiring him. My son said he could, but it would be the manager’s call, and his kid would have to work for him, not for my son.
It’s a blessing to work for a Christian employer—maybe even more so if the employer is a member of the same church. But that doesn’t give the employee permission to slack off at work. In fact, he ought to work even harder.
The point of the chapter boils down to this: Whatever state you find yourself in, be content.[1] And in that state, work to glorify God.
#FaithAtWork #ChristianIntegrity #WorkToGlorifyGod #ContentmentInChrist #BiblicalWorkEthic
Honoring God in the Workplace: 4 Biblical Principles for Working with Integrity
[1] 1 Timothy 6:2 (KJV)
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.
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