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Christian Ethics: Lesson 009

Christian Ethics Free Course:  LESSON NINE: EMPLOYMENT

The Technological Revolution is changing the Western understanding of work.

Gone is the time when all but the favoured few had to work for their — very existence, when to be unwaged meant almost certain death – or at least terrible destitution. Today we talk of the post-industrial society, of the virtual abolition of work as we have known it and of a booming leisure industry.

But there is another side to the matter. We are not finding the transition easy. The millions of unemployed, often on meagre incomes and in deprived environments, don’t greet this as a new day of creative opportunity. Instead, many are bitter, alienated, disillusioned and depressed. Saved from starvation maybe, but not from the loss of hope.

The Technological Revolution makes man the worker permanently redundant. Self-monitoring factories declare even the machine-minder obsolete. Unless the shop-floor worker can be retrained and relocated he has no future. Mass unemployment is inevitable – unless someone comes up with some bright ideas! However, first we must comment briefly on the two dominant economic theories of our society as they affect employment.

CAPITALISM AND COMMUNISM

A. CAPITALISM:

Capitalism insists that the rich and the poor will always exist and should seek peaceful cc-existence for their mutual benefit. The wealthy put their wealth to work to produce more wealth. The labourer generates this wealth and is rewarded with a living wage. In a free enterprise system, excess capital will be used to generate more jobs, and unlimited expansion of the economy is theoretically possible.

Capitalism has been strongly undergirded by the falsely-named ‘protestant work ethic’ which teaches that diligent work is a moral duty, whatever the job and the working conditions. This ethic (actually a humanist one born out of the Renaissance) has been criticised on many grounds.

For example:

*It tends to slot people into a role appropriate to their class, thus denying the opportunity for a person to ‘break out.’

*It uses people as units of labour rather than treating them as whole people. A person’s identity becomes determined by what he does, rather than by who he is. Little wonder that the redundant worker feels such a loss of personal identity!

Raw capitalism itself is open to abuse by sinful human beings.

Alienation, inequality and hardship are the common lot of the worker in such a system. There are other problems:

*Untrammelled trust in the power of the free market means that many suffer at times of dramatic change, as with the Industrial Revolution and now the Technological Revolution

*Enterprise is commonly motivated far more by the financial benefit to the investor than by the benefit to society as a whole.

*There is no honourable place for those dispossessed of their jobs. They are the failures of society and little effort is made to develop new work – the market motivation isn’t there.

B. COMMUNISM:

Socialism seeks to tackle these issues by proposing a cooperative economic system in which the means of production is common ownership vested in the state. Communism goes much further by insisting that the means of distribution should also be state-controlled, thereby moderating the market to ensure a fair distribution to all.

The weakness of communism is its implicit belief in the perfectibility of man outside of Christ and its utopian conviction that through revolution a new society will be born. Because it is idealistic, such societies have required repressive force in order to operate the theory.

Socialism also fails to take account of the inherent selfishness in sinful men and women. Its mammoth state industries have generally produced inefficient management and an underestimated workforce.

Socialist systems exalt the worker and, like capitalism, over-identify a man with what he does.

Capitalism is broadly associated with the Conservatives (UK) and the Republicans (USA), while socialism/communism has been the political philosophy of the Labour Party (UK) and of the Democrats (USA).

In Britain the contrast has been vividly demonstrated in conflicting party policies of free enterprise and state ownership, respectively.

Neither system has been able adequately to produce a society where there is full and satisfying employment. So is there a better way? The Bible doesn’t propose an economic theory but it does provide an approach to work which can dramatically change the face of labour.

2. THE BIBLICAL DOCTRINE OF WORK

The Bible’s view of work has to be understood with reference to three other concepts: the Sabbath; Service and Salvation.

A. THE SABBATH

Read Gen Ch. 1. What did God do at the end of each day?

See, for example, verse 25. Then notice from Gen. 2:1-3 what God did when He had finished creating the universe: “By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day He rested from all His work.” (Gen 2:2)

From these two passages we can draw certain principles:

1. WORK IS HONOURABLE.

God did not consider Himself above labour.

2. WORK IS GOOD.

Work should be of a kind whose product can be described as ‘good.’

3. WORK GIVES SATISFACTION.

The worker should be able to contemplate and appreciate the worth of his labours at the end of each day.

4. WORK SHOULD ALSO INVOLVE REST.

Work should be done to a rhythm which includes a day of rest every week.

5. WORK SHOULD PRODUCE RESULTS.

There should be a sense of completion about each week’s work.

From the beginning, God intended our labours to be satisfying – a far cry from the view of working life as a necessary drudgery whose only respite is the weekend, and let’s hope it’s not raining! Consider also Psalm 127:1-2 and Eccl. 5:10-12.

The Sabbath was created for the blessing of humankind – See Mark 2:27.

It was instituted as a day of rest and recreation, of fellowship and worship, of blessing our fellow human beings.

Honouring the Sabbath kept a check on commercialism with its attendant evils of greed, debt, stress, materialism and exploitation. Little wonder that desecration of the Sabbath brought the judgement of God upon Israel. See how Nehemiah dealt with the issue during the restoration of Jerusalem – See Neh. 13:15-18.

By Jesus’ time, this blessing of God had been turned into a legalistic curse. Jesus restored a proper understanding of the Sabbath by His own approach to it.

He also saved us from dead works and put the Sabbath principle into our hearts. The primary emphasis under the new covenant is not on the observance of a day (important though that may be) but on living all our days in the rest which comes from grace (Hebrews 4:1-1 l). This sets us free to enjoy the creation ordinance of one day’s rest in seven and to make rest in God, not our daily labours, the source of our identity.

B. SERVICE

In contrast to the modern world, the Scriptures do not force a divide between the sacred and the secular. Consequently, all work is a ministry to God and to our fellow-human beings. Sacrificial love is to mark our tasks. Such love will produce diligence, punctuality and excellence.

Both employees and employers are called to serve one another. Hence, there is a concern for each other’s well-being. This abolishes the need for confrontation between workers and management and instead allows co-operation. It may lead to creating jointly-owned companies.

C. SALVATION

The Fall brought a curse upon all creation and not least upon work.

A new factor came into being (Genesis 3:l7-19). What does Solomon call it (Ecclesiastes 2:17-23)?

Redemption lifts the curse (Galatians 3:l3-14). This will not ultimately be seen until the new creation at Christ’s return, but the principles of the new age are already operating. Our work should fit in with God’s ultimate plan, which is: “through Him (Christ) to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross. (Col 1:20)

We are to bring these principles to bear upon work.

1. They will make us examine the type of work we perform.

Not just any work will do. Is the product truly beneficial to the human race, a good gift from God? Try to identify some products which you consider to be decidedly unhelpful to society.

2. We will be concerned about the conditions we work under.

Do they uphold the dignity of men and women? Or degrade them by putting them in a soul-destroying environment or one that is dangerous to their health, or in a job whose demands threaten their family life?

3. We will want the work to give opportunity for a person to express his creativity and individuality.

This will enable a person to take pride in his job and feel he has actually produced something at the end of the day.

To summarise, the Scriptures teach a harmonious rhythm of work and rest, which is service to God and an expression of the process of reconciliation. It has none of the modern contradictions and conflicts.

3. DEFENDING WORK

The political polarities of Western societies drive those on the left to emphasise the right to work, while those on the right stress the responsibility to work. This is unfortunate because rights and responsibilities go hand in hand, for both workers and management.

A. THE RIGHT TO WORK.

This term has taken on a particular meaning: the responsibility of governments so to order their policies that all members of society are granted the human right of paid employment.

Biblically, we cannot speak of the right to work but we can speak of the rightness, or appropriateness, of work. God gave Adam a responsible job in Eden: “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” (Gen 2:15)

Constructive work, beyond nest-building, is something which distinguishes people from the animals. A government which by its policies denies this, lowers human dignity.

Furthermore, work should have its reward. This is much more than merely a pay-packet. It is unfortunate that our society has so limited the concept of reward. Job satisfaction needs to include a sense of achievement, of producing something worthwhile, of creative expression, of appreciation by others (Matthew 25:l4-30) – nobody thanks the unemployed.

But the pay-packet is important! In l Corinthians 9:7-12 Paul argues that even preachers are entitled to some material reward for their labours (see also Luke 10:7; 2 Timothy 2:6).

The Scriptures command us: “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. “ (Proverbs 3:27)

The sober fact is that, though the unemployed aren’t starving, they are far from well-off and most don’t have sufficient resources either financially or environmentally to live a life of creative leisure.

In fact, enforced idleness pot only gives opportunity for dissipation but creates loneliness, boredom told lassitude through lack of stimulus.

It also contributes significantly to, the rising crime rate.

It is a poor, not to say perverse, leadership that cannot find anything for people to do! At the very least, it shows a lack of creative initiative unworthy of those elected to govern the modern economic state.

Christians have a responsibility to speak out on this issue.

B. THE RESPONSIBILITY TO WORK

The responsibilities of an employer are clear:

1. He must pay the labourer worthily.

The employee needs a living wage commensurate with the work done, sufficient to keep him and his dependents in health and honour. Woe to the employer if he withholds it: “So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud labourers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me," says the LORD Almighty.” (Mal 3:5)

2. He must provide a safe environment for his employees.

Deuteronomy 22:8 reminds us of our responsibility for the safety of others.

3. The work conditions and hours should not grind the face of the poor

4. He must deal fairly with employees, as to the Lord.

And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that He who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favouritism with Him.” (Eph 6:9)

The worker must be taken on as a person, not merely as a unit of labour. Workers, too, have responsibilities:

1. To serve wholeheartedly as to the Lord (Ephesians 6:5-7).

This includes showing proper respect for a boss together with enthusiasm and willingness when working. Those working for Christians should not take advantage of the fact (l Timothy 6:1-2).

2. To work honestly and not steal (Ephesians 4:28)

3. To provide for their own family (l Timothy 5:8)

Scripture has a specific command for those who are wilfully idle (2 Thessalonians 3:6- l 0): “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” (2Th 3:10)

C TRADE UNIONS AND EMPLOYERS’ FEDERATIONS:

The trade union movement arose because of the failure of employers to observe biblical principles. Banding together to defend certain basic human rights was the only way. Unfortunately, the whole process – which started with the best motives – has led to a sharp economic and political division.

Should a Christian join a trade union or an employers’ federation? The answer lies in balancing two passages of Scripture, both of which were written to Christians:

I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people – not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world.” (1Co 5:10)

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” (2Co 6:14)

One passage tells us to stay in the world, the other to come out. We are to be involved in the world and its affairs as salt and light (Matt. 5:13-16), but not to be compromised in our testimony by that involvement. In particular, a Christian must not be yoked to an unbeliever. This applies to covenanted relationships where we become dubbed with the other person’s values and actions.

The issue then has to be decided on merit. How much commitment is required? Is there a real say? What is the strike policy?

Believers have vital contributions to make in industrial relations.

Indeed, it would help if our divinely-given wisdom dominated! Blessed are the peacemakers.

4. CREATING WORK:

Many things need doing in our society which will not naturally attract capitalists motivated only by profit. The government could, by redirecting part of the nation’s wealth, create jobs which may not be strictly of economic necessity, but neither are they a mere playing at work by creating artificial jobs in local government.

For example, we could as a nation begin to clear up some of the mess of our past ‘achievements’ – derelict ground, inner city wastelands, spoilt countryside, defunct architectural monstrosities.

We can embark upon building houses for people instead of expecting people to fit economic units of accommodation. We might also build fine parks, elegant architectural testimonies to a generation with hope, new cultural resources. Our heritage could be given a face-lift. Our roads could be dramatically improved.

In the caring areas we could provide research and resources for the growing numbers of elderly and disabled people in our society. We could create real opportunities for deprived youngsters. Our casing professions could be properly staffed without that necessarily meaning wasteful inefficiency.

We could invest in leisure facilities for all. Craftsmanship could be revived as true art. Educative leisure could enhance the lives of many.

Even tourism could be developed as a worthwhile industry instead of an offering of over-priced trash. Think of some more ideas.

Believers should put pressure on the government to take initiatives in creating worthwhile jobs, but the church should also take initiatives of its own, not least taking advantage of government funding where possible – provided there are no positively anti-Christian strings attached.

This is part of the church’s care for the needy in society and shouldn’t be seen as peripheral to the gospel. We should consider projects like:

*Drop-in centres for the unwaged.

*Initiating projects for the good of the community.

*Helping the unwaged put together CVs, application forms, coping with interviews.

*Motivating those who have lost motivation.

*Using unwaged Christians in the charitable service of the gospel.

*Helping the unwaged obtain their social security benefits.

*Providing educational facilities to those who need retraining.

*Organising pressure groups on local councils and government to do something about the problems.

*Helping wives and mothers to develop home and community- based employment which keeps them in touch with their children and offers creative outlets for their talents – see Proverbs 31:10-3l

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.” (Ecc 9:10)

QUESTIONS:

1. Think about and evaluate the kind of work that you do.

2. Assess what your church is doing about unemployment.

3. Obtain information that will be of use in advising the unemployed.

PERSONAL WORK:

1. Examine your own attitudes to your job, if you have one. Are they pleasing to the Lord?

2. Write down a report of your week’s work as your boss might see it.

3. Assess your leisure activities. Are they worthwhile and recreative?

 

 

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9 Comments on "Christian Ethics: Lesson 009"

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  1. Wale Adedayo says:

    I think it is important to assist the less privileged in this very important area. But one also need to be very careful so you don’t overreach yourself by doing too much good. Why? I was privileged to start an assistance for the less privileged programme in my home town about three years ago. Beneficiaries till date number about 500, because I have now included people from other towns.

    Unfortunately, because of doing too much good, I nearly went bankrupt! The number of people with job or even ANY skill whatsoever was just too much. My programme include a short training (6 – 9 months) and an after graduation provision of self-employment equipment for the graduate trainees. It is primarily in two major areas (tailoring and hair dressing). Because of the large number of requests for assistance, I had to tactically withdraw from the scene in the last few months.

    Individuals in countries like mine where the government is practically insensitive to the needs of the people should carefully do a preliminary survey of what your capability should be annually. If it is only 10 people you can assist to either get into work or self-employment or pay for their school fees or pay for their apprenticeship in a year, just go ahead and do it irrespective of further requests. Once you are down, your family too will surffer for no fault of theirs. And you are required to provide for them. Doing good should not be too much!

  2. Lebohang Mphunye says:

    The topic about Capitalism and Communism has opened my eyes especially the scriptural revelation making up the relations in the workplace. May God bless your ministry.

  3. UNSWER:
    1/Let us see what Paul the Apostle of Christ where working on to earn moneys for food and travel .In my heart will say I do serve Christ yet with this education I am willing in God and if is His will in Christ to improve that standard of preaching in other languages .Apostle Paul lived among Macedonians and has preached to them .To evaluate my worked in Christ as Servant of Lord I can say one think. It is true; we are on the end of times .Observe you people all the messages Christ has left us a signs to follow .We are closer to end of times, that many people think that we are..
    2/As an International body of Christ united in Fellowship(RAWM) we have a prayer site where we from India, Australia ,Africa ,USA, Europe and other parts of world place request for prayers for the any health ,job home .

    Mathew 6:8-15
    8Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
    9After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
    10Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
    11Give us this day our daily bread.
    12And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
    13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
    14For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
    15But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

    3. Add prayer in Christ before one apply for position

    Improve his-hers application with resume form. Resume has to be neat and clean yet added all information of regular address with phone number and at least two previous reference .State in it if the person is conscience worker and punctual . His –hers background, good punctuality .History of education, experience in field which he-she applies. Provide training for interview so he-she knows what to say. In our days malty task is regular expectation among international job offers.

  4. Rev. Alaina Damewood says:

    Term sabath orginaly was term stolen from pagan roots even before jewis tradition. There for to use the sabath a only day to worship god i discourging others to worship god everday and that it is ok to go with pagan belifes. Their for we should use every wakeing day to worship not just on sundays.

  5. james says:

    you are doing a good job,sometimes i wonder,you know a lot of things,politics,healthy,family matters. well done.

  6. I believe that man was created to work as God was working at the very beginning. Work glorify God but on the other hand God wanted us to have a rest of day that we called Sabbath. It is not just taking rest but to have a fellowship with Him and to receive blessings form God.

    Though the communism does not care God, they are still working under God’s control. It is true without work man become lonely and idleness will destroy the blessings of God. Working not only to earn money it is also good for our physical health and when we are in a good health we can praise God more. that is the reason God created us.Even Adam and Eve had to take care the whole creation.

    Jesus also says that as person is working he is worthy to receive what he worth. Even a cow should not be forbidden while she is working.

  7. Capitalism is a social-sestem and signs
    From production that is characterized by the private.
    Possession of production resources,which capital as a sourse of income for his owners can.
    An analysis is how you do your work aqnd not in person.
    a merger be assumed to create work and better financieen.
    explanation about comunisme.
    It is good to work,it makes payment.
    Rhythm is important,this includes rest,seeking the result.
    A communist-find that everyone is like you and that your money bter to the goverments may given and communists no freedom of speech

  8. Camelon Roberts says:

    If a capitalist is motivated purely by profit, then that could easily lead to the sin of greed. But the greatest contributors to society are often the most sucessful capitalists – that is, capitalism, competing to earn a living and hopefully enough to leave an inheritance for your children, is not a bad thing. (Indeed, it is well spoken of in scripture. The ‘proverbial woman’, the investment of the talents, Jacob, et cetera.)

    Ecclesiastes perhaps sums up the true problem;
    ‘Better a handful with quietness then two handfuls with much toil and chasing after the wind’ (Ecc 4:6)
    And ‘The fool folds his hands consumes his own flesh/ruins himself’ (Ecc 4:5)

    That is to say, striving after ‘more and more’ and working yourself to death for the sake of profit will only lead to a life of toil and strife. Likewise, doing absolutely nothing or living a life of leisure and idleness will lead to a ruiness poverty, starvation of body and spirit. The best way is to work, taking each day as it comes, and be content with the status an average amount of work brings. It is true harder work brings greater sucess (But no one could say that the proverbial woman was not a hard worker, so these verses are not saying do not work hard, or take it easy at work – but rather do not become a workaholic or work beyond the limits of the body.)

    There are two things I would have liked to see discussed more, for they are questions I have.

    For those on social security, or with disabilities, often there is work they -can- do, just not to the extent or in the same areas that the general populace can. Yet to retain benefits, it becomes very difficult for them to do any work at all. So perhaps, rather than helping people obtain benefits which in turn mean they cannot work at all, or very little, and that our responsibility feels ‘absolved’, we would do well as a church to start really taking care of those in distress, rather than having the government do it for us? To take in the wido or the disabled, or to provide food and clothing, and help them ourselves to find the occupation that they can do – for it is a rare person who cannot do ‘anything’ at all, and bewing able to contribute is very important. Even a part time job at a soup kitchen or the church office might do far better to restore body and spirit to someone who cannot work full time or is unemployed then automatically shuffling everyone onto the government dole.

    The second question – how does work, and the manner of work, differ between women and men? It was men who were cursed to toil by the sweat of their brow, and while women work too (such as the proverbial women and her management of a home business and other affairs, it seems unfair to me that women in today’s society now seem to have to bear up under that curse to. Men cannot have children, so is it truly fair that we now expect women to do the work of men? It is one thing to say that a woman might choose to do a certain job and another to raise a generation where the girls have had to learn to be both girls and boys at the same time – and that the men have to repress the innate fear that their female co-worker might be injured on the job to keep up with today’s views on what gender equality means (no matter how competant she is or even if she is better, it’s ingrained)

  9. Benita Paschel says:

    Examine your own attitudes to your job, if you have one. Are they pleasing to the Lord? Presently, I do not work a full-time job, but any assignment that the Lord gives us is work and we are to labor joyfully to the best of our ability without complaining. As a boss, I would want my employee to work towards perfection in every area, such as attitude, being on time and production. Outside recreation is personal time with family/friends, etc. and should be utilized towards unifying with the Body of Christ. Whatever you do, do to the Glory of God.

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