For modern readers, the acceptance of temporary slavery in the Bible seems difficult to accept—although we recognize that ancient slavery was not the same as slavery in the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries—and we can be thankful that slavery is illegal everywhere today, at least technically. But instead of viewing biblical teaching on slavery as outdated, we would do well to abolish modern forms of involuntary servitude and follow and promote the Bible`s protection for economically disadvantaged members of society. If overwork is our main danger, then we must find a way to honor the fourth commandment without introducing a false new legalism that pits the spiritual (Sunday worship) against the profane (Monday to Saturday work). If avoiding work is our danger, we must learn to find joy and meaning in working as a service to God and neighbor (Ephesians 4:28). And God spoke all these words and said, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” You will have no other gods beside me. “Thou shalt not make a carved image for yourself, or an image of anything that is in the sky, or of what is on the earth, or of what is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down to them and serve them, for I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God who witnesses the injustice of the fathers against the children of the third and fourth generation of those who hate me. The second commandment raises the question of idolatry. Idols are the gods of our own creation, gods who we believe give us what we want. In ancient times, idolatry often took the form of physical objects. But it`s really about trust and dedication. What do we ultimately place our hope for well-being and success on? Anything that is incapable of realizing our hope—that is, anything other than God—is an idol, whether it is a physical object or not. The story of a family forged by an idol with the intention of manipulating God and the catastrophic personal, social, and economic consequences that follow are memorably told in Judges 17–21.

The ninth commandment honors the right to reputation. [1] It is used explicitly in court proceedings in which what people say reflects reality and determines the course of life. Court decisions and other judicial proceedings wield great power. Their manipulation undermines the ethical fabric of society and is therefore a serious offence. Walter Brüggemann says that this commandment recognizes “that living together is not possible if there is no space in which the public can trust that social reality will be reliably described and reported.” [2] Today`s workplaces are subject to laws, regulations and customs with procedures, tribunals and appeals to interpret and apply them appropriately. We must obey these legal structures, as Paul also affirmed (Romans 13:1). In some countries, laws and regulations are systematically ignored by those in power or circumvented through bribery, corruption or violence. In other countries, companies and other workplace institutions rarely intentionally break the law, but may try to violate it through pesky lawsuits, political favors, or lobbying against the common good. But Christians are called to respect, obey, support and seek to strengthen the rule of law. This is not to say that civil disobedience never has a place.

Some laws are unfair and must be broken when change is not possible. But these cases are rare and always involve personal sacrifices in the pursuit of the common good. On the other hand, undermining the law for selfish ends is unjustifiable. Divine law includes any body of law that is perceived to come from a transcendent source, such as the will of God or the gods – as opposed to man-made law or secular law. According to Angelos Chaniotis and Rudolph F. Peters, divine laws are generally considered superior to man-made laws,[1][2] sometimes assuming that their source has resources beyond human knowledge and reason. [3] Those who believe in divine laws could give them greater authority than other laws,[4][5][2] for example, assuming that divine law cannot be changed by human authorities. [2] According to Deuteronomy 17:9, priests and judges—or, as we might say today, the spirit and the letter—are essential to the law. If we get caught in knots and exploit legal formalities to justify questionable practices, we may need a good theologian as well as a good lawyer. We must recognize that the choices people make in “secular” work are theological issues, not just legal and technical.

Imagine a modern Christian asking his pastor to reconsider an important decision at work when ethical or legal issues seem complicated. To make it worthwhile, the pastor must understand that work is a deeply spiritual endeavor and that he must learn to offer useful help to staff. Maybe a first step would be simply to ask people about their work. “What actions and decisions do you take on a daily basis?” “What challenges do you face?” “What things would you like to have someone to talk to?” “How can I pray for you?” Modern employers could abuse desperate laborers in the same way that old masters abused slaves. Do workers lose this protection simply because they are not really slaves? If this is not the case, employers have a duty not to treat workers worse than slaves.