Authority and Government. We should follow the leadership of those God has placed in authority over us, unless they ask us to violate God’s word. He holds them responsible for their actions. God is our ultimate supervisor.
- Biblical Principles on Authority
- Video
- Summary Statements
- Principles That Work
- Practical Questions
- Your Elevator Speech
Biblical Principles on Authority
Ephesians 6:5-8
5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.
Employees are to ______________________________their employers.
Work as though you are working for ________________________ (vs. 5).
Should our motivation for working hard be only to impress the boss when he is looking at us?
Who ultimately, will reward good works (vs. 8)?
Colossians 3:22-24
22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Based on what these verses teach, if a worker is disrespectful of his or her boss and does poor work for him, what other Person is that worker showing disrespect toward?
Proverbs 24:21
21 Fear the Lord and the king, my son,
and do not join with rebellious officials,
1 Timothy 6:1-2
6 All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered. 2 Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers. Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare[a] of their slaves.
How am I to regard my boss (vs. 1)?
Why?
How do I treat a Christian boss (vs. 2)?
Romans 13:1-7 Submission to Governing Authorities
13 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.
6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; [or] respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
How should I treat employers, police officers, judges, presidents, kings, etc.?
Who gave them their authority? The voters?
Who do I oppose if I resist their authority (vs. 2)?
And what happens to me if I resist their authority?
Whom am I to respect (vs. 7)?
Video
Summary Statements
- We work for the Lord (Colossians 3:24).
- The ultimate reward for the believer will come from God (Ephesians 6:8)
- God commands us to honor those in authority over us. All authority is established by God. (Romans 12: 1-7).
Principles That Work
- The way we respond to the boss we can see shows our commitment to the Lord we cannot see.
- We should follow the leadership of those placed in authority over us.
- We should carry out responsibilities with proper actions and a proper attitude.
- Remember that God holds us accountable for our work.
- We have a responsibility to submit to our leaders even when we believe they are providing poor leadership.
- God holds leadership responsible for their actions (Ephesians 6:9).
- We prove to our supervisors our commitment to God when they see we are able to follow their leadership.
- Failing to submit to authority is wrong, unless the authority asks you to violate God’s word.
- Your work should reflect an understanding that God is your ultimate supervisor, and He will make the eternal performance evaluation of you and your supervisor.
Practical Questions
In light of what you have studied, how do you evaluate your past response(s) to your supervisor(s)?
What do you need to do differently?
List three (3) ways you can improve your response(s) to your supervisor.
What could you say or do for your supervisor to demonstrate your submission and service to him or her?
Career Skills
Your Elevator Speech
Develop an “elevator speech” that you can use throughout your job search process – basically with anyone you talk with. An elevator speech is a common term used to provide a short description of you in a very impactful way that a listener can understand in a very short period of time what you are capable of doing. It can be used for many purposes including answering one of the standard interview questions – “tell me about yourself”.
To be successful in your job search, it is helpful to view yourself as a brand. You are unique and you can fulfill a role in the right place.
With this in mind, your elevator speech should include the following:
- Who you are today, your career goals, and target job
- Your top skills and traits
- What makes you unique
- A high-level description of key experiences
- What you can do for an employer
Write it out. Time yourself. Get feedback. Refine it. And most importantly – practice.
Here is the Attitude.
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