基督徒在家中和工作中的表現
歌羅西書三章18節至四章1節
18你們作妻子的，當順服自己的丈夫，這在主裡面是相宜的。
19你們作丈夫的，要愛你們的妻子，不可苦待他們。
20你們作兒女的，要凡事聽從父母，因為這是主所喜悅的。
21你們作父親的，不要惹兒女的氣，恐怕他們失了志氣。
22你們作僕人的，要凡事聽從你們肉身的主人，不要只在眼前事奉，像是討人喜歡的，總要存心誠實敬畏主。
23無論做甚麼，都要從心裡做，像是給主做的，不是給人做的，
24因你們知道從主那裡必得著基業為賞賜；你們所事奉的乃是主基督。
25那行不義的必受不義的報應；主並不偏待人。
1你們作主人的，要公公平平地待僕人，因為知道你們也有一位主在天上。
信息分享
家庭之中最基本的人倫關係當然是夫妻關係。倘若夫妻二人沒有按照基督的教導來彼此相待，他們的家又怎能有基督徒的氣息？任何一方若是執著自我，就很難建立基督徒的家庭。丈夫在家中擔當了領導角色，卻不表示他可以任意而行，不顧及家人的需要。
「兒女」不單指兒童，還包括已成年的子女。基督徒透過敬愛父母，便最能顯示出對主的愛了。父母同樣有他們的責任。他們既不應管教過嚴，也不該忽略管教子女，父母的責任是要訓練和鼓勵子女。訓練包括了管教，甚或在有需要的時候作出處罰。馬丁路得說過：「要一手拿著杖來管教兒女，一手拿著蘋果來奬勵他們。」
此外，保羅還教導作僕人和主人的，我們可以把它理解為今天的僱員和僱主關係。保羅強調基督徒必須勤奮工作，我們應該成為一個勤力的僱員。我們不可因為自己是基督徒而偷懶，反之，要更加勤力。而且，我們還可透過做事的方式來表明我們是屬乎基督的。
作僱主的，同樣要緊記自己要向基督交賬。他們不可按照信主之前的方式來做生意。基督已作了他們的主人，因此，他們也要向主人負責。這包括他們對待僱員的態度和經商的方式，都要合乎基督的教導。
這就是基督徒的生活方式，你是否覺得標準過高？只要基督住在我們心裡，加力給我們，我們就必能達到。
THE CHRISTIAN AT HOME AND AT WORK
Colossians 3:18 - 4:1
18 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them.
20 Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord.
21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
22 Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God.
23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,
24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
25 But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.
1 Masters, give your bondservants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
Message
The basic relationship in a home is, of course, between husband and wife. If these two do not act in the way Christ wants them to, how can there be any Christian atmosphere? Any marriage where one partner is selfish or self-centred is not fulfilling the pattern of Christian marriage. The position of leadership for the husband does not mean he pleases himself with no concern for his family.
'Children' includes all ages up to adulthood. One of the best ways Christian children can show their love for the Lord is by their attitude toward their parents. Parents have their responsibilities too. They must neither over-discipline nor neglect their children. The duty of a parent is to train and encourage. Training includes discipline or even punishment when needed. Martin Luther said 'Use the rod but keep an apple alongside it for when your child does well'.
Paul also has a word for slaves and masters. We would say employees and employers. Paul insists that a Christian must be conscientious in his work. Christianity ought to make us a better and more efficient typist, clerk, labourer, farmhand or whatever. Being a Christian does not let us avoid hard work, it should make us work harder. Even in the way we work we can show that we belong to Christ.
Employers, too, need to remember that they are accountable to Christ. They cannot run their business any way they want to. They are responsible to Christ as their own master. This includes the way they treat their employees as well as show they manage the whole business.
All these are ways in which our Christian life is to be lived and how it should be seen by the world around. Too high a standard ? Not if Christ is with us to help us reach it.