Work Harder. Be Better.
As Erika Kirk reported on Instagram, these were words that Charlie Kirk wore on his wrist until he gave his red bracelet to an admirer. At first glance, these words might appear to be Pelagian (a belief that one can save oneself by good works) or evidence that God favors those who work for him. But understood properly, these two exhortations are deeply and even necessarily Christian. And we need to understand why, and how such self-motivation is necessary for the doctrine of vocation and for filling our lives with good works that please God.
Good Works: Necessary After But Never Before Salvation
If there is any place in Scripture that gives us a theology of good works, it is Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus. In Ephesians 2:10, Paul writes, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” In context, this charge to do good works follows one of Paul’s most ardent claims: good works cannot save you. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone. And no two verses in Scripture make this point more clearly than Ephesians 2:8–9: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
Truly, working harder and being better justifies no one. At the same time, however, no one who is justified by grace is devoid of good works. In fact, the same people who were set apart by God before the foundation of the world for salvation (Eph. 1:4–6) are the ones for whom God prepared good works (Eph. 2:10). And when the child of God, who was born in sin and unable to save himself (Eph. 2:1–3), is made alive by God (Eph. 2:5), then he or she will not only do good works, but they will discipline themselves for the purpose of doing those good works (cf. 1 Tim. 4:7–8). And such self-discipline, which is empowered by the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22; 2 Tim. 1:7), might include wearing a red bracelet that says: Work Harder. Be Better.
Indeed, when God brings a sinner from death to life, he expects that they would work. That is the point of Ephesians 2:10 and it is also what Paul says in Titus 2:14, when he says that Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” In these verses, the works that God has in store for his people are not simply visible works, powerful works, or plentiful works. All of those things may be true, but not necessarily the case. God sees the Christian’s many hidden works and holds them, his workmanship in Christ, as precious.
No, what makes God’s works evidentially his is the truth, beauty, and goodness of his works. Man is not saved by good works, but the saved man will do works that are good. In other words, as he works for the Lord he will be sanctified, even as this man blesses and benefits others. Still, such sanctification is not automatic. It is all too easy to do works that appear to be good to others, all the while becoming increasingly corrupt within oneself. Judas appeared to be a good worker, until it was proven otherwise (Matt. 26:14–16). And Demas appeared to be a faithful servant of the Lord, until the pleasures of the world became too enticing (2 Tim. 4:10).
Accordingly, good works are not simply defined by their earthly impact or their visible intent. God knows the heart, and he knows whether the works done in the name of Christ are truly good; he also knows whether they give the appearance of godliness, all the while denying God’s power (2 Tim. 3:5). In our fallen world, there are many who appear to bear good fruit for the Lord until they dry out and descend into sin. Conversely, there are others who appear to be unfruitful or foolish in their early works, but by God’s grace, they keep working. And God, in his mercy, renews their minds, strengthens their hands, and honors their labor because they have continued to abide in Christ. In John 15, this is what Jesus taught his disciples. Those who abide in Christ by God’s word and prayer will bear fruit that lasts. For when it is the Lord doing the work in them, they will continue to run the race with perseverance and God will get all the glory.
Returning to Ephesians 2:10, believers will walk in all the works planned out for them before the foundation of the world. And in this way, they will work hard and get better. In all, good works do not save us, but they are necessary for our sanctification and for the building up of the church.
Moving from Theory to Practice
That being said, good works do not happen because we have a good theology of grace and works. Yes, doctrinal clarity is essential, but so is action. Working harder and being better do not happen by accident. And not surprisingly, in the same letter that Paul defines the purpose of good works, he also gives instructions for walking in light (Eph. 5:8), love (Eph. 5:2), wisdom (Eph. 5:15), and holiness (Eph. 4:17). Indeed, after explaining how the church is built up by the good works of those who are members of Christ’s body (Eph. 4:1–16), Paul goes on to explain common ways that Christians must conduct themselves (Eph. 4:17–5:21). And these ethical imperatives lead him to give instructions to wives and husbands (Eph. 5:22–33), children and parents (Eph. 6:1–4), as well as bondservants and masters (Eph. 6:5–9), and all of this before turning to the evangelistic efforts that come about when the saints move from the household of God to engage the powers and principalities in the world around them (Eph. 6:10–20).
In Ephesians, Paul shows us how a sound doctrine of grace leads to a life filled with good works—and good works that cover every square inch of creation. Indeed, from the altar to the city, Paul explains how true worshipers of God can adorn their lives with good works that glorify their Savior (cf. Titus 2:8). Still, such Christ-honoring works do not happen by accident. Instead, we must have our minds renewed by Scripture. And in what follows I want to explore how Ephesians 6:5–9 provides at least seven Christ-centered ways we can work harder and be better.
Acknowledging the cultural differences (and exegetical challenges) that stand between Paul’s instructions to masters and slaves in Ephesus and our own modern, free-market, post-slavery context in America, there are numerous ways Paul’s words continue to speak to marketplace Christians today.[1] And by walking through these five verses, I intend to show how (points 1 and 7) Christ motivates, (2) supervises, (3) sanctifies, (4) hires, (5) provides an example, and (6) evaluates his followers. In so doing, these five verses connect Sunday to the rest of the week, as Paul teaches Christians how Christ should be present with them in all that they do.
1. For a short primer to some of the differences between slavery in Paul’s day and slavery as found in the antebellum South, see Clinton Arnold, Ephesians, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010), 419–20.
Seven Christ-Centered Ways to Work Harder and Be Better
1. Christ is the Ultimate Motivation for Work
In Ephesians 6:5–8, Paul addresses slaves (NASB, NIV, RSV, HCSB) or bondservants (ESV), and he calls them to “obey” their earthly masters (“masters according to the flesh”). Why? For the sake of Christ. Verse 5 reads, “Obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ.” Paul explains that in obeying earthly masters, those in the service of another are evidencing their commitment to Christ.
There are many ways this teaching has and can be abused by those in authority, but written to those under authority, Paul is urging Christians to respect and obey their “employers” for the sake of Christ. In fact, in Paul’s letter to Philemon, the Apostle sends Onesimus back to his earthly master, so that the man who ran away can return, since he has now been redeemed by Christ. In the short account of Onesimus, this bondservant’s conversion to Christ changed his relationship with his heavenly Lord as well as his earthly master. And thus, as a servant of Christ himself, Paul charges Philemon to receive back his servant Onesimus, who has now come to faith. Paul says in verses 15–16,
For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
If Ephesians 6 (along with Colossians 3) gives us the doctrine of vocation, the letter of Philemon illustrates the same. And in both places, the ultimate motivation for the worker—whether bond or free—is the chance to serve Christ. This is the change that Paul saw in Onesimus, his true child in the faith (Philemon 10), and it was the reason why he was confident to send him back to Philemon. Likewise, Philemon’s own submission to Christ is equally evident in Paul’s words to him. As Paul concludes his letter, he trusts that any wrongdoing that Onesimus might have done to Philemon could be charged to Paul’s account (Philemon 17–21). Such a presumption on Paul’s part stems from his knowledge of Philemon, and of Philemon’s own motivations.
Indeed, the whole letter of Philemon is suffused with men and women who are serving others because of their commitment to Christ. Thus, we learn that motivations for good works cannot arise from vices like selfish ambition (Phil. 2:3), vain conceit (Gal. 5:26), hedonistic pleasure (Phil. 3:19), or desire of riches (1 Tim. 6:5, 9–10). But neither can good works ultimately be motivated by the best of human virtues (e.g., prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance).
We can give thanks to God for the natural man who forsakes vice to strive after the four cardinal virtues, but ultimately anything not done by faith is sin (Rom. 14:23) and anything not done for Christ is subject to loss (Matt. 16:26; 1 Cor. 3:10–15). Fruit that lasts comes from a heart that abides in Christ (John 15:1–5), and we should not be afraid to affirm this absolute truth. To be sure, this ultimate motivation does not eviscerate other, lesser human motivations, nor does it deny their importance, especially in a world filled with believers and unbelievers. Still, as Christians, other motivations must be trained to serve the first motivation—to serve Christ.
In all that we endeavor to do, therefore, the Spirit-filled believer will long to glorify Christ. And this motivation will animate every good work. As Paul says in Colossians 3:17: “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
2. Christ is Your Vocational Supervisor
If Christ is your motivation, then he must also be your daily supervisor. As Ephesians 6:6 puts it, the servant of Christ does not work “by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers.” As Galatians 1:10 indicates, the man who seeks to please others cannot serve Christ. And why? Because such a commitment to pleasing others above God ensures motivations that can be misled or corrupted. In its original context, Galatians 1 is about the gospel and those who preach it, but because all Christians are witnesses of the truth, it has application vocationally, too.
For those who dare to let Christ be their ultimate motivation, they will also need to learn from him how to conduct themselves faithfully in a world filled with traps and temptations. It is one thing to say in the abstract, “I will glorify God in my work.” It is another thing to do it. For while Scripture does not record Jesus doing most of the vocations that his followers will pursue, every vocation is filled with difficult relationships, temptations to cheat, and opportunities to take advantage of others. In other words, every vocation is fundamentally moral and in need of Jesus’s instruction.
Whereas the natural man may look to book-selling experts or industry leaders to find help with work, the Christian does that too—but only after letting Jesus supervise his daily conduct. Fundamental to every vocation is the need to make decisions and to base those decisions on general wisdom and technical knowledge. Yet, before seeking wisdom about what to do in a given task, we must ask a more basic question: Will I serve God? Or will I serve man? As Jesus says, “No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other” (Matt. 6:24). In context, Jesus is talking about God and money, and Paul seems to be making a similar point in Ephesians 6. Every worker will be working to please Christ or some other human individual or collective.
Therefore, we must learn from Paul that no matter the company, the institution, or the office, the Lord claims precedence over them all. Christians bought by Christ’s blood are not first and foremost slaves of their earthly master; they are slaves of Christ. And thus, what he says matters most. And more than that, knowing that we are slaves to Christ frees us to do all that he commands us to do, even if that means ruining our career tomorrow by refusing to participate in a job-preserving or career-advancing lie.
Equally, seeing Christ as our supervisor does not mean that Christians are free to reject the authority of their earthly supervisors, but just the reverse: Christ’s oversight motivates us to humbly respect and obey our earthly “lords.” This is why Paul uses the word “obey” when speaking to servants, and this support for earthly authority and submission is not something to throw off but to embrace with wisdom and zeal.
3. Christ is Your Sanctifier
If Christ’s supervisory role calls us to affirm our allegiance to him, it also beckons us to work with zeal, virtue, and excellence—or, simply working harder while being better. In truth, our earthly masters may not see our lack of effort or character deficiency. Others may not care. As long as the job gets done, the results justify everything else. Right? Too many are the work environs where productivity is prized, not integrity. And equally, too many Christians accept poor work in the name of grace.
But does such work please the Lord? Not according to Ephesians 6.
Unrighteousness cloaked by effectiveness is not what pleases the Lord, nor is a consistent devotional life (e.g., reading the Bible every morning) sufficient to pass off a pattern of shoddy workmanship. As Proverbs speaks about honest scales (Prov. 11:1; 16:1) and righteous speech (Prov. 10:11, 20), it also commends hard work (Prov. 10:4; cf. Eccl. 9:10) and skilled labor (Prov. 22:29). Truly, God expects his sons and daughters to do more than get work done. He longs for them to reflect his character in their labors, and to be improved by the work itself.
Truly, if it is common to spend between 40–60 hours per week working, then it is vital to fill that time with works of faith and labors of love. Alternatively, if we compress our faith, hope, and love into the parts of the week where we are only reading the Bible, singing in church, meeting for Bible study, or leading family worship, then most of our waking ours are devoid of motivations that match our faith. But if we can pursue work as an extension of our faith and a vehicle for our love, then we soon discover that the two great commandments—to love God and love neighbor—are the animating principles of our daily work.
Notably, we see this truth in Ephesians 6:6, as Paul calls for Christ’s disciples to do the will of God from the heart. In other words, work for the Christian is not just a means to some spiritual end (e.g., evangelism at the water cooler or making money for the church). Nor is daily labor the necessary but wasted time in between more important things—Sunday worship or specific church missions. Rightly understood, work is the place—perhaps the most enduring and challenging place—where Christians can put God’s will into practice. And this is true for the man who goes to work six days a week or deploys for six months at a time. It is equally true for the single woman who has taught school for three decades or the mother of three littles, who spends her days running from feeding to cleaning and repeating.
In short, when Christ is your motivation and Christ is your supervisor, then Christ will also be your sanctifier, as he uses your work as a place to test your heart and train your affections. Indeed, anger, boredom, envy, frustration, disappointment, and pride are just some of the reactions that come out of your heart when you work—not to mention what comes out of your mouth. And this is as Christ intends. Regardless of your vocation, the thorns and thistles of the curse will rub your flesh raw and expose what your soul is really like. But take heart, if you are working as unto the Lord and doing the will of God from the heart, he will use work as a means of immense sanctification.
So, work as a bondservant of the Lord, doing his will from the heart. For this testifies to his daily grace and his unchanging greatness. Indeed, seek to be productive, but don’t miss what the Lord is doing in you, as he calls you to serve him from the heart.
4. Christ is Your Hiring Manager
If Christ is our motivation, supervisor, and sanctifier, it should not surprise us that he is also the one who “hires us.” Yes, I am speaking metaphorically here, but stay with me. While not denying the reality of HR departments and earthly hiring managers—as well as the need to update resumes and learn job interviewing skills—we need to recognize that Christ is ultimately the one who provides our work and the one who employs us. Practically, remembering this reality does two things at once. First, it keeps the sovereignty of God at the forefront of our thinking and praying. And second, trust in Christ’s sovereign rule leads, guides, and directs us in our vocations.
Grounding this point in Ephesians 6, Paul’s words do more than draw the implicit connection between God’s sovereign rule and man’s work. He actually says that in fulfilling our calling, we are to “render service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man” (Eph. 6:7). Affirming the human element in our work, Paul’s words heighten our calling to serve the Lord himself.
Once again, Paul’s point of view is radical. It grates against any sense of self-achievement that deceives us into thinking that we can offer service to God on our own terms. Likewise, it crushes the desire to boast in one’s resumé, education, or workplace accomplishments (cf. 1 Cor. 4:7). To the self-confident, sought-after contractor, this godly way of thinking is repulsive. But to the Lord who opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble (Prov. 3:34), this exactly what he wants. Equally, when we are faced with a human supervisor who despises us for our Christian faith or biblical ethics, we can remember that the Lord is the ultimate hiring manager. And this gives us confidence to keep serving him, with or without the support of others.
So, Paul’s words remind us of who ultimately signs our contract and gives us our daily bread (cf. Matt. 6:11): the sovereign Lord of heaven and earth. And this means that as we work for him, we can trust him that by our honest work we will eat (2 Thess. 3:6–12) and provide for others (Eph. 4:28). The alternative is to look proudly upon the work of our hands like Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4:29–30) or to look anxiously upon the fields like the heathen (Matt. 6:25–34). In either case, we might be working hard, but we won’t be working in faith. And so, if we are going to work harder and better, we must remember who ultimately employs us. It is the Lord who owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Ps. 50:10). Thus, just as our ultimate motivation should be the Lord, so too the Lord is our ultimate hiring manager.
5. Christ is Your Example
In addition to overseeing our labors, Christ also teaches us how to “work.” Importantly, such work does not justify us, but it does sanctify us and glorify the Lord. As we observed from Ephesians 2:10, those who have been saved by faith and not by works (Eph. 2:8–9) have prepared for them by God good works to walk in (Eph. 2:10). For some, these good works include labors in the church, as Paul says in Ephesians 4:12–16. But many good works will be done “outside of church,” as the Lord sends his saints into all parts of the earth. Still, whether good works are pursued in the church or the world, the Lord is our model for all good works. And helping us to see what good works look like, Paul gives three ways to work in verses 6–8.
In three consecutive participles (italicized below), Paul says
- doing the will of God from the heart,
- rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man,
- knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord.
In these three actions, Paul teaches Christ’s disciples how to work like Christ. First, he calls us to learn the will of the Lord. Because Christ is the perfect example of God’s will, this instruction leads people to watch the Lord in his work. In this way, we can say Christ is our model, example, or guide. To be sure, the Lord doesn’t teach us medicine or metallurgy, but he does teach us principles of mercy and justice, wisdom and goodness. These impact every area of work and therefore apply to all people, regardless of calling.
Second, by learning from Christ, we learn how to have a good will in serving the Lord. Just as Christ did everything in service to his heavenly father, so must we. Hence, one of the most important habits a Christian can cultivate for “success” is the study of God’s Word, especially the person and work of Christ. Only those who know Christ and his ways, can render service with a good will. Indeed, it is one thing to abide by company rules for the sake of a job, but it another to abide in the love of Christ as you let the word of Christ rule in your heart. The former may be sufficient to keep your job, but the latter is what the Lord requires, as it ensures that our vocations become vehicles of active service to the Lord.
Third, our motivation to do the will of the Lord is increased by looking to the future reward that God promises to those who work by faith in Christ. Indeed, faith impels Christ’s followers to labor in love; however, hope is also needed. As the workplace affords the Christian laborer multiple chances to love his neighbor, it also comes with difficulties. In response, how will the Christian press on without growing discouraged or turning from the Lord’s ways? The answer that Paul gives is to keep looking to the future reward. By sowing good seeds in the hope of a reward, the follower of Christ looks forward to a harvest that goes beyond company goals. This is what empowers God’s people to endure. And again, no one has modeled this better than Christ, who died on the cross in hope of what it would achieve when he rose from the dead (cf. Heb. 12:1–2).
For all these reasons, Christ’s humble obedience to the Father and his sacrificial exercise of love and justice on the cross models for all Christians the way they can and must work for God’s glory. Therefore, we should look to Christ and learn from him how to work regardless of where that labor is found.
6. Christ is Your Workplace Evaluator
In Ephesians 6:9, Paul turns from slaves to masters. Again, he puts Christ at the center of his instructions. Importantly, Paul uses the same perfect participle (knowing) in both verses to address slaves (Eph. 6:8) and masters (Eph. 6:9). And in between Paul says the reward from Christ is irrespective of social class or economic condition: “knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free.”
With an economic valuation that comes from heaven, he encourages masters and slaves that their eternal rewards are not dependent on their earthly standing. Rather, the reward comes from God, who looks at the heart (cf. 1 Sam. 16:7). Moreover, by saying in Ephesians 6:9, “Masters, do the same to them,” he stresses the reciprocal nature of masters and slaves. In this way, he relativizes earthly status, while ennobling all forms of work.
In principle then, Paul teaches that the value of work is based on someone’s relation to Christ and eternity, not to his income level, educational background, or business success. To be clear, those things are not unimportant, for each of them come with a particular stewardship to serve Christ. But ultimately, one’s value before the Lord is not based on his or her works; it is based upon their standing in Christ.
“Well done, my good and faithful servant,” is the uniform praise that God gives to all his children regardless of their earthly standing (cf. Matt. 25:14–29). And thus, Paul’s words teach the Christian laborer to be content where they are and to grow where they are planted. If possible, they can and should seek to be more free or effective (see 1 Cor. 7:17–24). A holy ambition is good and right.[2] But ultimately, our value and worth are found in Christ’s perfect work and not in our good (but not yet perfect) works.
2. For more on holy ambition, see Tyler Cox’s forthcoming Christ Over All article.
7. Christ is the Ultimate Motivation for Work
Finally, we return to the first point, because Paul returns with masters to his opening point. The ultimate motivation for work is the glory of God. And we see this point in Ephesians 6:9 when Paul says, “Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.”
Again, these words are meant to humble masters, and to prevent them from abusing their power. Like the men or women who serve under them, they too are to use their position to reflect God’s character. Only in this case, their position of authority requires genuine humility that looks like kind-hearted service to those under their care (cf. Mark 10:42–45). Why? Because they too are servants under the wise and loving care of Christ, their master in heaven.
Negatively, Paul warns those with authority to stop threatening and motivating others by fear of punishment. Likewise, he urges faithful service by means of considering Christ. In this way, Paul concludes this section like he began, with a Christ-centered motivation for masters to glorify God with their lives and their livelihoods.
Remembering Christ’s Perfect Attendance
In the end, Paul finishes his instruction about submission (going back to Eph. 5:21) by stressing the fact that God in heaven is looking down on all actions and attitudes of his people. And he calls masters (and all of us) to attend to this fact: God is always present.
Enthroned in heaven with all creation under his feet, Christ is never absent from the world and its various places of labor. And while false motives and unjust practices abound in the world, God is calling Christians to do more than bring Jesus to work. He is calling Christians to realize he is already there. As “little Christ’s” (i.e., Christians) we are to see him in our daily workspaces so that we might work to reflect his glory more and more.
Indeed, for Paul, who at times worked in the marketplace to provide for himself (see Acts 18:1–3; 1 Thess. 2:9), such service included far more than just making money for ministry or being a witness to co-workers—although both of those motives existed. For Paul, working unto the Lord, whether as a slave or a master, was a call to do everything with an eye to the Lord and with an awareness of his presence. In a few words, it was a calling to work harder and be better—by God’s grace and for God’s glory.
Such a motive should grip all of Christ’s followers today, too. Though the economic systems of the West are far different from first-century Ephesus, these inspired words survive the test of time. As long as occupations of authority and vocations of submission exist—and usually our places of employment consist of both—these words give us sound counsel for our daily labors. Thus, we can apply Paul’s words today, because they are centered on Christ and the calling of disciples to work as unto the Lord, by remembering that in all we do we can look to Christ, so that we might look like Christ.
To that end may we labor.
