Workplace Respect

1 Timothy 6:1-2

Historical Context

In this time most of the Christians would probably have been slaves. They would have had little control over their lives, their masters had legal authority over every part of their life. The master would have directed their effort and set plans for their future. This would have been a very difficult existence.

In applying these verses, I’ll be referring to the employer-employee relationship. We don’t live under the conditions the early church did. The moral argument against slavery in the US has been presented and has won. We do however have employers that we answer to every day. With the average American working between 45-50 hours a week, our employers have a great deal of control over how our time is spent, and we have the opportunity in this relationship to illustrate Christ-like character.

Working for an Unbelieving Boss

“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.”
1 Timothy 6:1

The believing employee is to work for his employer like he is the best boss ever. Notice, this verse doesn’t say anything about how nice the boss is, how good the benefits are, or how skilled a leader the employer is. As far a the believing employee is concerned, they are worthy of our best effort.

What’s at stake here is the name of God and God’s teachings. How the believer handles work reflects on Jesus Christ, and His teachings. If our work ethic doesn’t match up with what they know of the character of Christ we do a disservice to the testimony of Christ. If our attitudes don’t match up with the teachings of God’s word we shine a bad light on the doctrine of God.

When a believer goes to work, works hard, and does it all with a good attitude he paves the way for the gospel to be presented with power.

Working for a Believing Boss

“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.” 
1 Timothy 6:2

For the believing employee-employer relationship, there should be no less honor given.

In the time when Paul wrote this, the slave and his master being a part of the same church could have made for some awkward workplace dynamics. Imagine a slave is also the pastor of the church and the master is one of the newly saved members. This is not an impossible situation. But what good would it do to the cause of Christ for the Christian slave to slack at his work just because his master was a Christian?

If you work for a believer, give them the day’s labor they are paying you for. Work in a way that shows unbelieving coworkers the character of Christ. You will do nothing for the “name of God and his doctrine” by slacking at work.

Your Turn

We live in one of the most mobile job markets in history. With this mobility comes the flexibility to choose different work, different workplaces, or even promotion within an organization that changes the relationship to people who were supervisors. However, this mobility does not change the teaching of these verses.

Go to work and work hard.

Punctuality and diligence will start you out on a great footing for being a testimony at work.

Serve your employer the way you would serve God.

How you work will reflect on God, so serve in a way that will reflect well on Him. This will need to be a constant focus and goal.

Why Do We Love Santa Claus?

He sees you when you're sleeping 
And he knows when you're awake 
He knows if you've been bad or good 
So be good for goodness sake 

You better watch out! 
You better not cry 
You better not pout, 
I'm telling you why 
Santa Claus is coming to town

— “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” by John Frederick Coots and Haven Gillespie

Christmas time shows how our culture loves Santa. He has songs, movies, jokes, and lore. You learn from these of his many characteristics; he’s loving, forgiving, all-knowing, good, and wise. We love him because of what he stands for: seeing the good in people, rewarding good behavior, and giving selflessly.

Santa is an interesting character. He has some fun movies and songs. We like to see “Santa” hats around, sing songs about reindeer with glowing noses and think about masses of elves making Christmas presents. There is nothing wrong with a good story, sometimes though these stories create a substitute for what we really need.

In movies like “Miracle on 34th Street” you’re confronted by an unfortunate comparison between belief in Santa Clause and belief in God. Santa is seen as an all-knowing, all-loving, and ultimately good being. It’s presented as though all you have to do is believe in Santa and you’ll have a great Christmas.

When you examine the truths of Scripture, you find that these attributes best describe God, not Santa. Here’s a couple that the Bible attributes to God.

God is all-knowing

1 O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. 
2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off. 
Psalm 139:1–2

This is great! God knows everything about you. The understanding that God sees and knows everything about us is the motivation behind the Fear of the Lord.

Being omniscient, He is the best accountability for us to do right. He is also able to be perfectly just based on His perfect knowledge.

God gives all good things

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” 
James 1:17

God is the giver of every good gift. All of the best things in life come from God. He knows the things we need and He even graciously gives us the things we want.

Why Santa and not God?

People seem to like Santa and not God because Santa Clause doesn’t demand any permanent, or eternal accountability. He comes around at Christmas time but is conveniently absent for the rest of the year.

The stereotype of Santa gives us what we want but God gives us what we need all the time. We need God’s perfect gifts all the time, we don’t NEED everything we WANT. We need the accountability that comes with God being all-knowing. We may want to hide things from Him, but the fact that He knows everything about us and still forgives and restores our relationships should bring us great comfort.

What about the Pastor?

1 Timothy 5:17-25

Timothy’s primary mission in Ephesus was to establish leadership in the churches. He was also to teach how to deal with problems in the church. How to treat the pastor would be an important part of these lessons. His teaching would be very important in this, but his example would set the precedent for how pastors would be treated for years to come.

The Reward of the Elder (Pastor)

17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.
1 Timothy 5:17–18

For “elders” in this section think “pastors.” The phrase, “especially they who labour in the word and doctrine” indicates that these are the pastors of the church. Paul wanted these churches to take care of their pastors.

Pastors are to be considered worthy of a “double honor” if they “rule well”. Ruling well means they maintain the order and focus of the church. The double honor could be looked at in a couple of different ways. Some say it means that they should be given monetary compensation for their labor with the respect due to their office. Others believe it to mean that pastors should be paid double the average income of the church. Either way, the pastor is to be rewarded for his efforts.

I can imagine the scenario, a man is ordained as a pastor from within the church. He is laboring, teaching God’s word, and guiding the church. But the church is slow to reward his effort by meeting his physical needs. They may have had a great deal of respect for him, but the meeting of those physical needs was still wanting. Paul is trying to make sure that this teaching was given.

The temptation in some churches, it seems, is to reward the pastor with respect but not care for his physical needs. This must have been the case in Paul’s day as well, verse 18 is all about rewards that meet physical needs in return for labor.

Application

The point here isn’t to make up some pastoral pay scale, it’s to remind that the pastor who is doing the work God called him to should be respected and be rewarded for his efforts in a way that will meet his needs.

Accusations Against a Pastor

19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.
20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.
21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.
1 Timothy 5:19–21

Pastors are humans and aren’t perfect. There may come a time when a pastor will be in sin and need to be held accountable for it. This is a very serious situation, so specific instructions are given.

Require at least two witnesses of an accusation against a pastor. The respect referred to in verse 17 applies here. Require witnesses. This would also help to protect against people with an agenda against the pastor.

Then those who are in the wrong rebuke before all. When a pastor is caught in sin, he must be rebuked. He is to be an example of walking with God, when he is caught in sin he needs to be an example of godly repentance.

Accusations and rebukes shouldn’t be done with any respect of persons. No matter how much you like your pastor, if he is in sin he must be called on it.

Choose Wisely

22 Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.
23 Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.
1 Timothy 5:22–23

The idea of laying on hands would indicate that the authority of a local church has signed off on a person as being qualified to be a minister of God’s word.

No pastor should be ordained to service in a hasty way. Give the man being considered time to prove himself before ordaining him.

Lots of prayer should go into it. Men who are unqualified have been the ruin of many churches. This was probably a contributing factor to Timothy’s stomach problems.

In our day pastors still need to be chosen wisely. Allow men who are gifted the opportunity to serve in the church. This will help to train them and give the church a chance to see their character. Don’t be so quick to bring in an outsider. When someone from another church is called to pastor you haven’t had the chance to observe his character. Try to train up from within. There is a lot to be gained from bringing people from within a church into leadership.

God will Reveal Sin and Good Works

24 Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.
25 Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.
1 Timothy 5:24-25

God will be just in every situation. You can count on Him to reveal sin and to reward good works.

Your Turn

Church member:

Value your pastor. Try to get to know him and his family in a personal way. Seek his counsel, and value his teaching. Be sure to provide for his needs and if problems come up handle them in a biblical way.

The key in this is to not allow anything to turn into a conspiracy and to not feed a problem until it becomes a scandal.

Pastor:

Care for your church. Be a faithful steward of God’s word and work. Follow the example of Christ so that you can be the example that your church needs.

If there is a failing, confess it.

Seek out someone to be accountable to for your spiritual growth.