基督徒在家中和工作中的表现
歌罗西书三章18节至四章1节
18你们作妻子的，当顺服自己的丈夫，这在主里面是相宜的。
19你们作丈夫的，要爱你们的妻子，不可苦待他们。
20你们作儿女的，要凡事听从父母，因为这是主所喜悦的。
21你们作父亲的，不要惹儿女的气，恐怕他们失了志气。
22你们作仆人的，要凡事听从你们肉身的主人，不要只在眼前事奉，像是讨人喜欢的，总要存心诚实敬畏主。
23无论做甚么，都要从心里做，像是给主做的，不是给人做的，
24因你们知道从主那里必得着基业为赏赐；你们所事奉的乃是主基督。
25那行不义的必受不义的报应；主并不偏待人。
1你们作主人的，要公公平平地待仆人，因为知道你们也有一位主在天上。
信息分享
家庭之中最基本的人伦关系当然是夫妻关系。倘若夫妻二人没有按照基督的教导来彼此相待，他们的家又怎能有基督徒的气息？任何一方若是执着自我，就很难建立基督徒的家庭。丈夫在家中担当了领导角色，却不表示他可以任意而行，不顾及家人的需要。
「儿女」不单指儿童，还包括已成年的子女。基督徒透过敬爱父母，便最能显示出对主的爱了。父母同样有他们的责任。他们既不应管教过严，也不该忽略管教子女，父母的责任是要训练和鼓励子女。训练包括了管教，甚或在有需要的时候作出处罚。马丁路得说过：「要一手拿着杖来管教儿女，一手拿着苹果来奖励他们。」
此外，保罗还教导作仆人和主人的，我们可以把它理解为今天的雇员和雇主关系。保罗强调基督徒必须勤奋工作，我们应该成为一个勤力的雇员。我们不可因为自己是基督徒而偷懒，反之，要更加勤力。而且，我们还可透过做事的方式来表明我们是属乎基督的。
作雇主的，同样要紧记自己要向基督交账。他们不可按照信主之前的方式来做生意。基督已作了他们的主人，因此，他们也要向主人负责。这包括他们对待雇员的态度和经商的方式，都要合乎基督的教导。
这就是基督徒的生活方式，你是否觉得标准过高？只要基督住在我们心里，加力给我们，我们就必能达到。
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.