7. A Strategy for Living in Christ For A Hostile World
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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.
So, if you were asked what the message was about today, I would ask you to think it through before answering.
You see, the message of this text concerns the way in which our Christian faith alters our perspective on life, our attitude toward the world.
What he wants from us, what the Holy Spirit wants from us, is an attitude toward life in this world, toward relationships of various kinds, toward other human beings, that is profoundly, obviously, powerfully shaped and determined by the reality that we are strangers and pilgrims passing through this world. We must have a kind of spiritual detachment appropriate to people who are such and who are living not for anything they will obtain in this world but for the glory of God (Rayburn)
Peter gives us a principle of how we are to go about this:
Principle: Be Subject for the Lord’s Sake To Every Human Institution
Principle: Be Subject for the Lord’s Sake To Every Human Institution
The command: Be subject
The command: Be subject
God has called Christians out of the world in order to serve him as his ambassadors, as his priests, declaring and displaying his rule so that those around us might come to "glorify God on the day of visitation” (2:9-12). But, at the same time, we are to “be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution” (v 13). (Sanchez)
The word Peter uses here for “be subject” or “be submissive” has a military context and it may help us to understand Peter’s point here.
The idea is that when a sergeant or commander calls “fall-in,” that you get to your assigned place to fill your role and function within the unit — the idea is of a fighting formation, and each individual had their place, a role and responsibility, in relation to every other person in that formation.
So Peter’s imperative here is a command to take our place and fill-it up with the best effort we can.
To Whom Are We to Submit? Every human institution.
To Whom Are We to Submit? Every human institution.
The simple reading of the Greek text here would be “be subject for the Lord’s sake, to every human creature” or, in colloquial English, “be subject to everyone.” (Rayburn)
What Peter will do in these verses and in the paragraphs to follow is to show us what that looks like in the various spheres of life.
God has created human institutions or spheres of authority to govern and order our various parts of life. Basically, these spheres of life are the family, the church, our neighbours, and the civil government.
The Family
The Church
Our Neighbours
The State
None of us exist only in one of these spheres; we exist in several at once. And in each of those spheres of life, we occupy a particular place/a role/a function in relation to everyone else. We are, regarding each of these spheres , to use the old language of the Westminster Larger Catechism’s discussion of the command “honour your father and mother,” in our relations, a superior, an inferior, or an equal to everyone else.
Superior
Inferior
Equal
For instance, just to think of the sphere of the family, I am husband to Marie; an adult child of my father; a brother (the eldest brother) to my two brothers, and uncle and great uncle to their children and grandchildren; father to my adult children, and Opa to my young grandchildren. And we won’t even begin to discuss cousins.
You probably can start figuring out the web of relationships you are in. In each of those relationships we have duties to everyone else, but more importantly, to the Lord, Who has sovereignly placed us in those relationships.
Peter’s principle here, then, is that
Christians must live well by giving each type of relationship its due.
(Jobes)
The Reason For Our Submission: For the Lord’s Sake / Because we are free in Christ
The Reason For Our Submission: For the Lord’s Sake / Because we are free in Christ
This submission is a willing obedience to God to fill and fulfill our duties according to His Word, to be glorifying Him in every relationship we have in this life.
The reason for our submission is two-fold:
For the Lord’s Sake (v. 11)
Because we are free in Christ (v. 16)
For the Lord’s sake
For the Lord’s sake
everything we do, ultimately must be to glorify God. We will do it “for the Lord’s sake.” If I love my neighbour as myself, if I seek the benefit of one ahead of myself, the right and proper reason is because I live to do God’s bidding. My life exists to bring honour and glory this way. Is it that way with you? Does our every thought, action, word, and motivation pass this test?
Because we are free in Christ
Because we are free in Christ
We once were enslaved in our old way of thinking and doing, before Christ. Sin had dominion over us, according to Romans. Now in Christ, we are freed from that tyranny. But we must see that this freedom is a gift from God — we are freed from the tyranny of sin and Satan, and have been give a new nature that will seek to please God. And that new nature will seek to please Him! as it was the delight of our Lord Jesus to do the will of His Father — “Behold, it is written in the Book of the Law, I delight to do your will,” so it is for us who have been born again by God’s grace. Our freedom involved a change of heart and a change of masters.
Throughout his teaching, Peter affirms that Christians have been set free from their former way of life so that they can become slaves of God and live in obedience to him rather than as they once did. (Jobes)
And this freedom must never be used as an excuse of cover-up to do whatever we please. We are freed to do as we ought.
Just as when a teenager earns his or her driving license, it is a license to operate a motor vehicle responsibly, not to have the “freedom” to go hooning all over the neighbourhood!
Another analogy is helpful: If we were visiting a foreign country, we would be expected to obey its laws. I’m from Texas, and we drive on the left side of road. Now that I am in Queensland, I must respect the laws of this State, even if it means driving on the opposite side of the road. If I get pulled over for driving on the left side of the road here, it will hold little weight with the magistrate if I contend that as a Texan, I’m free to drive on the left side of the road. My freedom means that I must submit to the “powers that be” to quote Paul, because they are established by God.
Honour those in Civil Authority
Honour those in Civil Authority
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.
In verses 13-17, Peter explains that, regardless of the type of government over us, we have a responsibility to earthly authorities. Though we are citizens of another kingdom serving another King, during the time of our exile on this earth we must submit ourselves to every governing authority placed over us by God. Why? Because this is the will of God. (Sanchez)
Something to remember about the emperor in those days — the Roman emperor—the authority—was an object of worship. (Sanchez)
So, is Peter ordering Christians to worship the emperor? Absolutely not.
17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
Peter specifically distinguished one’s attitude toward God (“fear”) from one’s attitude toward the emperor (“honor”).
Peter is clear. The emperor is not divine, so he is not to be worshiped. No ruler is to be worshiped.
Believers are to honor the king and show him respect because of his office, but they are not to fear him. Only God is to be feared (cf. 1:17). Peter may have been taking a swipe at the emperor cult here. Indeed, Peter was quite clear that his readers were not to fear other human beings (1 Pet 3:6, 14)
6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.
14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled,
and that only God should be feared as the sovereign Lord. (Schreiner)
28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
We honor the emperor, just like we honor everyone else. And we must honor everyone. (Willson)
17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
We learn from the rest of Scripture that the only absolute authority in this universe is God. All other authorities exist by His placement of them over us in the various spheres:
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.
They are subordinate to God, answerable to Him for their conduct. And because they rule in the authority given to them by God, when and if they order those under their administration to do anything that is contrary to God’s Word, then they are not to be obeyed,
29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.
But that isn’t Peter’s lesson in this passage:
It may be tempting for Christian believers, especially in pagan societies, to construe their loyalty to Christ as a license for rebellion against the ungodly authorities that govern them.
In Peter’s view, Christians must be subject to even pagan authorities, even those as ungodly as the Roman emperor.... Not only must Christians be subordinate to secular authorities, but they must also “do good” (2:14; ἀγαθοποιέω, agathopoieō), for by doing so they will silence slander against Christians, as is God’s will. (Jobes)
What Peter is teaching “... is, that obedience is due to every de facto government, whatever its origin or character... The early Christians were not called to examine the credentials of their actual rulers, every time the prætorian guard chose to depose one emperor and install another. The people of England were not free from their obligation to William and Mary when once established on the throne, because they might think that James II was entitled to the crown.
We are to obey “the powers that be.” They are in authority by the will of God, which is revealed by facts, as clearly as by words. It is by Him that “kings reign and princes decree justice.” “He raiseth up one, and putteth down another.” (per Hodge)
What is my attitude toward those who govern?
English Standard Version Chapter 2
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Do I pray for them and humbly submit to their lawful commands?
Christians are to behave well and to do good!
Christians are to behave well and to do good!
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.
Yes, believers are to be people of good morals, so as to not to attract negative attention. But we also are called upon to “do good.”
How could the authorities ...observe the good works of their Christian citizens? Well, if they were of good character, they wouldn’t appear before them in courts, for one, and if they were people actively promoting good in their society, it would be noticed.
What is “doing good”?
What is “doing good”?
“Doing good” is a general term that Peter uses to explain part of the responsibilities that Christian slaves have toward their masters (v 20) and Christians wives toward their husbands (3:6). “Doing good” describes a general generous posture toward others that shows itself in how we act toward them. In other words, in any given situation, we are to seek the welfare of others. (Sanchez)
This thought fits quite well with the Exile and Diaspora theme here in 1 Peter. The Prophet Jeremiah’s instructions to those in exile is this: (per Jobes)
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.
Israel was told that their exile would last only 70 years. They were to live in peace within Babylon, and when we think of Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and Daniel, we see how some of the Jewish exiles even served the foreign government.
We too are exiles on this earth, and our exile will only last until Christ returns. Until then, we Christians should be the best citizens of earthly governments. We are not to use our freedom ”as a cover-up for evil” (1 Peter 2:16).
As Christians, then, we are to be fully involved in our society, avoiding pietistic withdrawal. All of life is to be lived under the Lordship of Christ and therefore the state is also to be an arena where Christians are to show godly behaviour—indeed it should be recognised that for Christians to serve within the state is a high calling as, when the state is working as it should (2:14), it is an instrument for serving God’s purposes within the world. (MacLeay)
We must constantly examine the quality of our Christian living. Are we as local believers and as a church known for our good deeds and our involvement in serving others? Are there ways we could be doing a local level which would demonstrate Christian love and be a means of silencing criticism? (MacLeay)
Two Imperatives
Two Imperatives
17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
We close our look at Peter’s with two imperatives that we haven’t covered yet:
First, he commands that we “honor everyone.” Humans bear God's image, so they are to be honored. To honor someone is to treat them as valuable, as a person of worth. We treat others with the dignity due to them as God' creatures.
This was a real game-changer for those of Peter’s day — everyone included slaves! He has just made one’s response to the slave next door no less than one’s response to the emperor. (Green)
Then, second, over and above this honoring, there is a special bond among believers—we are to “love the brotherhood.” Peter will have more to say about what brotherly love looks like (4:7-11).
So, if we were to sum-up Peter’s instruction here in our verses this morning, I think we could safely say that it is this:
“Be absolutely His!”
In regard to the government of our land or any land we are to think and to say, “I am absolutely Christ’s!” “If I honor you it will be because Christ directs me to. If I disobey you and suffer your punishment, it will be because I am Christ’s first and foremost!”
Whether you are thinking about government, employment, even marriage. “Be absolutely His!” Politics, governments, nations, they come and go. They are not the meaning of life. They have a role to play that may be of some importance in its own way. Keeping the peace, preserving order, punishing evil, etc. But, mainly, they are just another context in which and before which Christians can live out their life trusting God and serving God.
This brief, shining moment, our life in this world, is our only opportunity by faith to love and serve the Lord who gave himself for us. That conviction is what is to determine a Christian’s attitude to this world.
Works Cited or Consulted
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