4 Pillars of Citizenship

Intro

Last week, we talked about something that has been seen by many believers in recent years as quite controversial — obedience to the Governing Authorities. You’ll remember how Peter says we are to willingly put ourselves under the government and its laws so that we will bring honor to God and silence slander of outsiders. This week we will add to this sentiment, but also view a few more things about being Gracious Citizens and God’s people. Nothing new, because you may see here that Peter might be sort of summarizing his last few statements. Let’s look!

1 Peter 2:17 CSB

17 Honor everyone. Love the brothers and sisters. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Each of these four things will serve as our outline this morning

Pillar 1: Honor Everyone

What is Honor?

The sense of the word is “respect”. What does that mean?

Means: “look upon with consideration” or to ascribe value

Who deserves respect?

Earned instead of given?

“Honor everyone”

Everyone is to be seen as valuable.

Genesis 1:27 CSB

27 So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female.

God did not make any of Creation in His image but human beings. Then He became a HUMAN

John 1:1 CSB

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14 CSB

14 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Honor When?

The tense of this Greek verb — promptly, in a timely manner. It is not bound to any measure of time, but says in this moment honor whomever is in your presence.

Pillar 2: Love the Brothers

Love?

While we honor everyone, special love is due the Brethren.

If I’m with a good friend, or an acquaintance, and my mother needs me for something, I would be right and justified to leave that moment and go to my mother. Why?

Family over friends (obviously in the world there are exceptions to this. This is the way we are to love the family of God. While we meet the needs of outsiders as we have opportunity, we are to be especially conscious to the needs of our brothers in Christ.

Galatians 6:9–10 CSB

9 Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.

John 13:35 CSB

35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Pillar 3: Fear God

Fear?

Reverence

The sense of this word “fear” is to show reverence and to stand in awe of God.

Reverent Prayer — Example

Reverence looks like:

Deuteronomy 10:12 CSB

12 “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you except to fear the Lord your God by walking in all his ways, to love him, and to worship the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul?

Not half-hearted hymns, wandering-minded prayers, thoughtlessly taking the Communion. Whole heartedly giving yourself to God.

Romans 12:1–2 CSB

1 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Pillar 4 — Honor the Emperor

This is the tougher one for many believers throughout history.

Questions:

Where are the boundaries?

When does this honor need to end?

Are there exceptions?

I’ve wrestled here myself.

History

Neronian persecution began in 64 AD, this letter was written, as we will see in later chapters, under some persecution the Church was facing. Could have been Nero, could have been civil persecutions. This letter does not say, nor does the likely dating of 60-64 AD. Therefore, we aren’t sure whether the Emperor was yet persecuting the Church

Active Verb

What interests me is that, where “honor” was used before it’s grammatically a very prompt and timely thing. This is not — it is an active verb, meaning it continues without a given end. Peter says we honor the ruling authorities as placed there by God, and we keep on doing so.

When ungodly? Greedy? Wicked? Supporting evil things? YES!!!

Placed by God?

Daniel 4:17 CSB

17 This word is by decree of the watchers, and the decision is by command from the holy ones. This is so that the living will know that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms. He gives them to anyone he wants and sets the lowliest of people over them.

Yes, God is sovereign over our government — not us.

Conclusion

Some challenging things? These four things are almost as if Peter is summarizing the last few statements he’s made about citizenship.

“Honor everyone” goes to honorable conduct among the gentiles, perhaps

“Love the Brothers” he talked about all the way back in 1.22-2.5

“Fear God” goes back again to chapter 1 and the command to holy living from a few weeks back.

“Honor the Emperor” we talked about last week, in submitting willingly, or freely, to all human authorities

Now, does any one of us perform these perfectly? No. Can we, by God’s grace in Christ Jesus, grow up and mature? Yes!

Perhaps one of these “Pillars of Citizenship” have stepped on your toes — and that very well may be a good thing! Lean into that, and ask God to reveal to you why it’s difficult to you!

These four things are what makes a Christian the citizen he/she is meant to be in Christ, so let us commit to being this kind of citizen to praise and honor of God.