For those new to this series: Each blog explores the household commands of Colossians 3:18 to 4:1 through four heavenly views: beginning in God, fulfilled in Christ, embodied in the Church, and expressed in the home. This is not about tradition but transformation. Not about roles but reflection. Each post traces how Christ fills and redeems the ordinary with the glory of His presence.
Whatever You Do: Working for the Lord
“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men… It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” (Colossians 3:23–24, NASB95)
When No One Is Watching
There is a kind of work no one sees. Not the kind that earns applause. Not the kind that builds a résumé. This kind of work is hidden in dishwater and diapers, in overnight shifts and forgotten fields. It is done by hands that are tired and hearts that wonder if it even matters. But the Lord sees. And He remembers.
In Colossians 3:22–25, Paul writes not to the masters, the fathers, or the rulers, but to the bondservants—the ones beneath notice. The ones under obligation. The ones often silenced by station.
Paul, through the Spirit, speaks directly to them. Not to lessen their burden, but to lift their vision. Their work, however lowly, becomes holy. Their labor, however invisible, becomes worship. Because their true Master is not in Rome. It is Christ Himself.
This is a Christian view of work that descends from heaven, not one built from the ground up.
View 1: God’s Work Through His Servants
In the Beginning — Work as Worship
Key Passages: Genesis 39:2–4; Genesis 24:2–9; Exodus 31:1–5; Nehemiah 4:6
God does not just bless work—He participates in it. In Joseph’s service under Pharaoh, Eliezer’s obedience to Abraham’s commission, Bezalel’s craftsmanship in the tabernacle, and Nehemiah’s wall-building resolve, we see that labor is not beneath God’s presence. It is a stage for His glory.
God guided Eliezer’s journey, filled Bezalel with the Spirit, remained with Joseph in captivity, and strengthened a people to rebuild. Work was never just economic in Israel. It was covenantal. Through human hands, God fulfilled heavenly purposes.
Core Belief: God fulfills His redemptive purposes by working through those who trust and follow Him.
Why it matters: If we disconnect our work from God’s mission, we reduce it to survival. But when we see our tasks as part of God’s unfolding story, even the mundane becomes meaningful.
View 2: The Servant Who Labored for Our Redemption
In Christ — The Perfect Example of Work and Service
Key Passages: John 5:17; Philippians 2:7–8; John 13:12–15; Hebrews 10:12
Jesus is not distant from toil. He joined His Father’s work, even when it meant sweat, tears, and blood. He washed feet. He bore the cross. He fulfilled righteousness through a servant’s life and a Savior’s death.
From the form of a servant to the final cry, “It is finished,” Jesus reveals that true work is love in action. His is not the story of escaping lowliness but entering it with holy purpose.
Core Belief: Jesus fulfilled the ultimate work of redemption and now expresses His life through ours.
Why it matters: If we serve apart from Christ, we serve in our own strength. But when Christ works in us, our labor flows from His finished work and takes on eternal meaning.
View 3: The Church as Co-Workers With Christ
In the Church — A People Empowered for Kingdom Work
Key Passages: 1 Corinthians 3:9; 2 Corinthians 6:1; Philippians 2:13; Colossians 1:29
The Church is not a workforce of employees. We are co-laborers, empowered by the Spirit and partnered with the Son. Whether preaching or parenting, serving tables or leading teams, we work with Christ, not just for Him.
This is not a call to overwork—it is a call to dependency. “I toil,” Paul writes, “with all His energy that He powerfully works within me.”
Core Belief: The Church works with Christ, through His strength, for His glory.
Why it matters: When we believe it’s all up to us, we burn out or give up. But when we labor as co-workers with Christ, our striving becomes Spirit-filled partnership.
View 4: Work as Worship in the Home
In the Home — Ordinary Work for an Extraordinary Lord
Key Passages: Colossians 3:22–25; Titus 2:9–10; Matthew 25:40; Revelation 22:3
Colossians 3:22–25 speaks into the hidden corners of daily life: the teacher, the delivery driver, the stay-at-home parent, the caregiver, the janitor. Christ is not absent from the ordinary. He is the One we serve.
Greek Words for Work in Colossians 3
- ὑπακούετε (hypakouete): obey with attentiveness
- ἔργαζεσθε (ergazesthe): work with wholehearted engagement
- δουλεύετε (douleuete): serve as one who belongs
This is not cold duty—it is willing devotion. It is not for the eyes of men, but for the smile of Christ.
Core Belief: Believers honor Christ when they work from the heart, for His eyes, and in His name.
Why it matters: If we see our jobs as background noise, we miss their beauty. But when Christ is our Master, even the smallest task becomes an act of worship.
A Final Word to the Worker Christ Sees
To every unseen worker: your work is not wasted. The Master you serve is not unjust. He remembers the late-night cleanup, the unpaid overtime, the hidden faithfulness. Your labor is not lost in the noise—it is recorded in heaven.
He sees. He strengthens. He rewards. So keep going, not because the world applauds, but because Christ smiles.
“God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name.” (Hebrews 6:10)
Whatever you do—mow lawns, study textbooks, build spreadsheets, or change diapers—do it for the Lord. Work from heaven to earth, and let your labor become worship.
Go Deeper
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