Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Employment (01/26/12)
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TITLE: Ambassadors In The Workplace | Previous Challenge Entry
By Doug Laird
02/01/12 -
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Most of us spend at least one third of the 24 hrs. we are given each day to glorify God, sleeping!
It is during our sleep that our subconscious minds sift through and file all the information that we recently fed it.
For those of us who work outside of the home, at least half of the remaining 16 hrs. are consumed preparing for, commuting to, working in, and then traveling back home.
Accordingly, at least 1/2 of our 16 conscious hours that we are given to glorify God each workday are spent in some way associated with our employment.
Failing to function as an advancing disciple in our work environment leaves God and the things of God out of a significant part of our post salvation spiritual life.
It is in the work environment that most of us encounter the greatest amount of interaction with other people.
The divers forms of employment are what allow God to make use of an advancing disciple in virtually every occupation to accomplish the Great Commission.
The Great Commission consists of the marching orders that were given to the believers of the Church Age.
The Great Commission consists of proclaiming the Gospel to unbelievers, and to make disciples out of those who are been born again.
Leaving one’s faith at the door of the workplace may be politically correct, but it is Biblically incorrect for an advancing disciple.
Satan has managed to have this “politically correct” philosophy take roots where it can do the most damage.
The Great Commission, and not worldly gain, is what defines the primary objective of an advancing disciple’s post salvation spiritual life (Mark 8:36).
The English word, “disciple”, is a translation of the Greek word, “m-a-t-h-e-t-e-s”, meaning to be a student in a teacher-pupil environment.
The primary “Teacher” during the Church Age is God the Holy Spirit.
As of the end of the Apostolic period of the Church Age and the completion of the Canon of Scripture (96 AD), God the Holy Spirit (1Cor 12:18.) selects those He chooses to be pastor-teachers to study and teach those He brings to a local assembly or ministry.
However, in the capacity of a disciple, each and every born again believer is also commissioned to evangelize unbelievers and to edify believers in his/her personal periphery.
Each work environment has its various limitations on when this spiritual activity can be exercised, but what does not vary is the non-verbal testimony of our daily lives within the workplace.
In a work environment that is dominated by the attitude of getting the most out of doing the least, employers, their delegated representatives, and employees who function via Biblical principles will stand out in the crowd.
One’s non-verbal testimony includes his/her attitude as well as performance.
While the “bottom line” of profit and/or loss has the last say in the “business” world, representing the Lord Jesus Christ is what has the last say for an advancing disciple.
One cannot function in the “ways of the world” and simultaneously glorify God.
Loyalty to one master generates resentment towards the other (Matthew 6:24).
Born again believers who are employers or those who function in their behalf not to abuse, or be allowed to abuse, their positions of authority (Ephesians 6:9).
Employers are to grant justice and fairness, knowing that they also have a Master in Heaven.
Employees who are born again believers are to honor the authority of the boss on the job (Ephesians 6:5).
Such an employee is called to do his/work as if he/she were performing the tasks directly for the Lord (Ephesians 6:7), knowing that the Lord is ever present and knows all that we do or don’t do.
One’s performance on the job speaks much about his/her character and nature.
Besides being the right thing to do, the difference that a born again employer, boss, or employee exhibits is what God the Holy Spirit will use to draw inquirers to ask why this is so.
This is what opens the door of opportunity either to evangelize an unbeliever, or to edify a fellow believer in the workplace.
Note that principles of employment and spiritual combat are both addressed in the same (Eph. 6) chapter of Scripture!
2Cor.5:20 ambassadorships in the devil’s world are what secular employment is all about.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
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Nice job...God Bless you~
You integrated the topic in a quite creative way. It's always nice to read something that makes me think.