1 Peter 2:13-17 - Submission to Pagan Authorities

The Word Read

Please remain standing for the reading of the Holy Scripture. Hear the Word of the Lord from 1 Peter 2:13-17:

1 Peter 2:13–17 ESV

13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Behold, brothers and sisters, this is Word of the Lord. Please be seated. Let us pray.

Summation and Diagnosis

I invite you to open up your copy of the Holy Scriptures to 1 Peter 2:13-17. As you do this, I want to read a passage of Scripture:

Romans 13:1–7 ESV

1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

Relating to governing secular authorities has always been difficult for Christians to navigate. In 2020, we went through a difficult season where Christians differed on how to relate to the government during the pandemic. Here in North Carolina, Governor Roy Cooper declared a stay-at-home mandate on March 30, 2020 which lasted until May 20, 2020. I worked at LIFE Fellowship during this time and we did not return to a full work schedule until October 2020. There were multiple complexities during this season and one of those were how does the church relate to secular authority.

One on side there were Christians claiming that we should obey the governing authorities and their mandates. On the other side, there were Christians saying we should disobey because our governing authorities were using their leadership positions to lead via fear tactics. Everyone had an opinion about Covid and everyone had strong opinions. Friendships were strained and even some destroyed as Christians left churches because they had been wounded by some within their own congregations.

Yet, we are not the first generation to ever deal with the question on how to relate to secular governing authorities. Furthermore, the issues we faced in 2020 were certainly not the most difficult the Church has had to face regarding governing power structures in her lifetime. With all this in mind, the sermon title is “Submission to Pagan Authorities.” I have the passage broken into two sections: 1) 1 Peter 2:13-16 - Submit to Secular Governing Authorities, and 2) 1 Peter 2:17 - Living Well. Again, the sermon title is “Submission to Pagan Authorities.” I have the passage broken into two sections: 1) 1 Peter 2:13-16 - Submit to Secular Governing Authorities, and 2) 1 Peter 2:17 - Living Well.

Let us come to our first section - submit to secular governing authorities in 1 Peter 2:13-16.

1 Peter 2:13-16 - Submit to Secular Governing Authorities

1 Peter 2:13–16 ESV

13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.

Peter gives the command “Be subject” to the churches. I want to stop here for just a moment to give us all an important note on the grammar. The word “be subject” controls the entire paragraph from 1 Peter 2:13-17. If someone were to ask you what 1 Peter 2:13-17 is all about, the answer is found in Peter’s command - “be subject to every human institution.”

However, there is an important prepositional phrase here - “for the Lord’s sake.” The motivation to submit to these governing secular authorities is not because they are in and of themselves good, moral, or upright. The motivation for us to be submissive is for the Lord’s sake. This is something we must continually keep in mind.

I think humanity is by nature skeptical of governing authorities and even hostile at times. Let’s look through Scripture to see if our natural inclination is rebellion against governing authorities. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve rebel against a perfect, loving, holy God who created them and how they were to live.

In Genesis 4, Cain is furious that his sacrifice is not accepted by the Lord while his brother’s sacrifice is acceptable. The Lord tells Cain that sin is couching at his door and he must rule over it. God Himself spoke words to Cain that would lead Him to life, but Cain in sinful rebellion murders Abel.

In Genesis 6, humanity becomes to multiply on the face of the earth. The sons of God take the daughters of man as their wives. The Lord looks upon the wickedness of man and sees that the thoughts of their hearts were continually evil - rebellious against God.

In Genesis 11, mankind desired to build a great city and tower up to heaven to make a name for themselves. We may read this passage and think there is nothing really that bad about humanity desiring to make a name for themselves in building a great city and tower. However, the purpose for building this is they desired total autonomy and a future without the Lord or living under His precepts. So, within the first 11 chapters of Scripture we come across multiple rebellions against the Lord.

In the book of Exodus, we find an extremely rebellious people in the Israelites as they wander in the wilderness. First, they are rebellious against the Lord. So much so, that the author of Hebrews uses them as an illustration of how not to live. Hear what the author of Hebrews writes in Hebrews 3:16-19:

Hebrews 3:16–19 ESV

16 For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? 17 And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

Yet, we also see in Numbers 12 that Aaron and Miriam, Moses own siblings, rebel against him! Then in Numbers 16, Korah rebels against Moses’ leadership. Humanity has proven itself to be a rebellious people

However, the Lord’s expectation for us is to be submissive to governing authorities in 1 Peter. So, why does Peter write “for the Lord’s sake” in this verse? Submitting to governing authorities is contrary to the natural sinful human heart. In submitting to governing authorities, there are two things that happen.

First, we recognize that the Lord is the one who puts governing authorities in their places, whether it be the emperor as supreme, governors, city council officials, mayors, senators, judges, congress officials, the president, etc. Interestingly, the word here for “institution” means “creature.” So, we acknowledge in our submission, that the Lord places His creatures in these governing institutions.

Second, we commit an act of worship unto Jesus in submitting to these rulers. Our desire should be to submit to our governing leaders as an act of worship. The Lord has placed them in their positions according to His divine will for His divine purposes. Now here is a complexity, since we are submitting to our leaders as an act of worship unto the Lord, we submit unless rules or commands are issued that would violate the Lord’s will found in Scripture. This is why it is so important for us to know the Word of God. If we know the Word of God, we are better able to discern what laws are violations of the Lord’s will verses laws that just annoy us or may impede on our sinful human hearts.

When I leave this building and head home I drive on South Pierce Street and then I turn into our development area. I really, really, really dislike the speed limit drops to 25 mph. I kind of think it should be 35 or 40 mph! It’s an annoying law, but not one that violates the will of the Lord.

Do you notice what the governors responsibilities are during this time? 1) Punish those who do evil and 2) Praise those who do good. Those in governing positions are called to keep evil in check. Now, we can certainly look back in history and see individuals who do not do this, yet even in their sinfulness their government keep their societies from spiraling into total anarchy.

The Romans would commend those who helped their communities. They would erect statues or grant them privileges. This is foreign to us today as our government does not do this. However, governing authorities are called to praise those who do good. Likewise, Scripture commends us to do good according to our ruling authorities.

Why? As verse 15 states, “For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.” Doing good, or living morally and ethically well as a good citizen, will silence slander against Christianity. By being good citizens, we demonstrate that we are not seeking anarchy in our societies.

So there is a tension we constantly hold as Christians living in exile on earth. We should be the best citizens of our nation, state, city, and community. We should desire the good of where we live. As the Lord tells the exiles in Jeremiah 29:7:

Jeremiah 29:7 ESV

7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

The welfare of our city should be important to us. This means that we add value to our cities, towns, and neighborhoods. In doing so, we silence or muzzle the slander against us by those who are rebelling against the Lord. However, the other side of this tension is we learn when it is necessary to resist laws that violate the will of the Lord. This comes only by knowing the Word.

Finding the balance and the right way forward can be extremely difficult. Think of the pandemic once again. I remember talking to pastors who had been in ministry for decades and they told me that the pandemic season was the most difficult they ever experienced, especially at first. Mandates and laws were constantly changing.

In March 2020, I put together a plan for our senior leadership at LIFE Fellowship detailing how the church could gather in light of the mandates that had been given. In Mecklenburg county, they had a mandate that only 100 people could meet indoors. So I devised a plan for us to meet throughout the week based on geographic locations. We would hold 6 services throughout the week to meet the need. By the time we had worked out all the details, a new mandate came out - only 50 people were allowed to meet in an indoor space. A few days later, 25 people, then 10. Then the stay-at-home order was put in place.

Now, to be honest, in my flesh I am one who will disobey a good rule if it doesn’t make sense to me. Furthermore, depending on how my flesh is doing that day, I will simply do the opposite of what someone tells me to do just because I’m in a grumpy mood. Thankfully, that has become less and less as the Lord mortifies the flesh in that specific issue. Needless to say, I was one of those folks who traveled to McDonalds everyday for a large Diet Coke just to rebel against mandates, rules, and laws that I deemed unintelligent. On the other hand, there were staff I served with that fell on the other side of the spectrum. They heartily believed that following the mandates was a part of being a good citizen for the sake of the Lord.

I remember thinking how can Christians who genuinely love the Lord and are actively pursuing Him come to such different conclusions on an issue. In this specific issue, there were some that believed it was the Lord’s will to submit to the mandates to be good citizens while others believed it was the Lord’s will to resist the mandates due to violations in Scripture. This is the tension we face as Christians. Seeking to submit and to do good, but also finding the times when we must resist all the while maintaining love for one another within the body of Christ. To be frank, this is difficult. However, the majority of our lives call for submission to secular authorities, for the sake of the Lord, showing ourselves to be good citizens thus muzzling the mouths of foolish people.

Do you see Peter’s advice to the church in verse 16? “Live as people who are free, but living as servants of God.” What freedom does Peter speak of here? Are we free from laws, mandates, guidelines, and rules? Of course not! So, what are we free from? The power and bondage of sin! Here the words of Scripture in Romans 6:1-4:

Romans 6:1–4 ESV

1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

and Romans 6:20-23:

Romans 6:20–23 ESV

20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Dear Church, do you hear the Word of the Lord? You've been set free from sin! The chains of weakness and weight of damnation have been cast off because of our savior! No longer are you a slave to sin, but instead are a slave to the almighty God! Our freedom is not from secular governing authorities or their laws, but from sin! The work of Jesus Christ has freed us from the bondage and power of sin. It is only in Christ alone where our victory is secure. Today, we look to Him for our freedom. A freedom that we could never earn on our own. A freedom earned by the brutal death of Jesus on the Cross. A freedom that came as the nail pierced the hands and the feet. A freedom purchased in the blood that came as the crown of thorns was twisted on his head. Our freedom from sin was bought by our great redeemer. This should move our affections. Our hearts should cry out “thank you, Jesus!” for we could never earn this freedom on our own. Without the perfect work of Christ, the chains of sin would drag us to the depths of hell without a glimmer of hope.

Yet, we have hope because the tomb is empty. As John testifies in John 20:11-16

John 20:11–16 ESV

11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).

Jesus, the great mercy seat, had risen from the dead. The tomb is empty. He has risen! Christ has risen indeed and bought our redemption.

We must also live into our freedom. We cannot live however we desire. We must not use our freedom as a cover-up for evil. This type of living is call antinomianism. On this, Ryan Reeves writes:

Antinomianism, then, is conviction-less Christianity. It sees repentance as a single event, not to be repeated. Walk the aisle and then just wait for heaven. Sermons are no longer to expose our sins, allowing us to admit our faults and confess them freely. The Christian life is more about ignoring sin and resting on a foggy concept of grace.

It is clear, antinomianism is unbiblical and spiritually dangerous. Our freedom in Christ does not mean we are free from living our faith. In context here, this means that we do not use our freedom from sin to ignore secular governing authorities. We must obey them and their laws, so long as they do not violate Scripture, living as servants or slaves to God.

1 Peter 2:17 - Living Well

1 Peter 2:17 ESV

17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

The second section, “living well”, gives us four commands - 1) Honor everyone, 2) Love the brotherhood, 3)Fear God, 4)Honor the emperor. When I first began to study this my immediate thought was, why are these four commands given here and in such a compact manner?

The commands form a chiasm. The first and the fourth commands pair with one another. The second and the third commands pair together and are at a higher level than the other pair showing their importance.

First, let us look at the first level - honor everyone and honor the emperor. These commands are broad dealing with societal relationships. All people are to be shown honor regardless if they are Christians or not. Every person is due honor because each person has been made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). Furthermore, the emperor should be shown honor as well. I was a middleschooler when news broke regarding Bill Clinton’s affair with Monica Lewinsky. I remember watching him give answers regarding their relationship. Every answer he gave, I had a snarky response because it was clear he was lying. After a few of those my Dad said, that is the president and you will show him respect. My Dad did not condone his actions, but he was teaching me to show honor to the office. Here is where it is probably hard for us to give honor - those in pagan governing positions. Instead of giving honor, we can tend to complain and tear down. I am already annoyed with the political ads and we are only just starting. The reason I am annoyed? The ads no longer tell me what a candidate believes. Instead political ads have become nothing more than smear tactics towards their opponents. So, I entirely get why we struggle with honoring those in office. However, we must remember that our Lord is sovereign and has placed them in those positions for His glory. We might not understand how that is possible, but it is His will that all governing authorities have their positions as creatures submitting to His providential plan.

Second, we love the brotherhood and fear God. The way this is written, Peter elevates these commands on a higher level. Loving the church is no new command. Jesus says in John 13:34-35:

John 13:34–35 ESV

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

The way we love one another speaks volumes to the world. We love one another when times are difficult as Christ loves us. This love we have for one another is supernatural. We could not love one another in this manner apart from the working of the Holy Spirit. As the Greek writer Lucian once said,

1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Love

It is incredible to see the fervor with which the people of that religion help each other in their wants. They spare nothing. Their first legislator [Jesus] has put it into their heads that they are brethren.

Lastly, we are to fear God. This is the reverent fear of God that is put within us that guides us throughout our lives. Ultimate loyalty belongs to the great of the universe for He is the one who created the universe and He is the one who caused new creation to happen within us. We revere God because He is the one who has given us our very breathe this morning. We owe our very existence to Him. He alone is sovereign over every single dust in the universe. Nothing is outside of His control and nothing in your life is too big or too small for Him. This God who we give reverence to also cares for our wellbeing.

Here is how we live well - we honor all, love the church, fear God, and honor those in governing leadership.

Conclusion

The Westminster Larger Catechism deals with submission to governing authorities in Question 127:

The Westminster Larger Catechism Question 127

Question 127

What is the honour that inferiors owe to their superiors?

The honour which inferiors owe to their superiors is, all due reverence in heart, (Mal. 1:6, Lev. 19:3) word, (Prov. 31:28, 1 Pet. 3:6) and behaviour; (Lev. 19:32, 1 Kings 2:19) prayer and thanksgiving for them; (1 Tim. 2:1–2) imitation of their virtues and graces; (Heb. 13:7, Phil. 3:17) willing obedience to their lawful commands and counsels; (Eph. 6:1–2,6–7, 1 Pet. 2:13–14, Rom. 13:1–5, Heb. 13:17, Prov. 4:3–4, Prov. 23:22, Exod. 18:19,24) due submission to their corrections; (Heb. 12:9, 1 Pet. 2:18–20) fidelity to, (Tit. 2:9–10) defence, (1 Sam. 26:15–16, 2 Sam. 18:3, Esther 6:2) and maintenance of their persons and authority, according to their several ranks, and the nature of their places; (Matt. 22:21, Rom. 13:6–7, 1 Tim. 5:17–18, Gal. 6:6, Gen. 45:11, Gen. 47:12) bearing with their infirmities, and covering them in love, (1 Pet. 2:18, Prov. 23:22, Gen. 9:23) that so they may be an honour to them and to their government. (Ps. 127:3–5, Prov. 31:23)

How will we live today? Will we live in accordance of Scripture submitting to governing authorities by doing good so that our enemies mouths might be stopped? Or will we live in rebellion to governing authorities? Remember, this passage is about submitting to pagan authorities. This is no easy task for us as we seek to navigate the complexities of life learning how to live well under our governing rulers. Let the Spirit of Christ guide us during these difficult times as we honor everyone, love the church, fear God, and honor those in secular governing positions.