Living Hope: Living Out Your Faith in a Hostile World

- Law-abiding people need have no fear of those who enforce the laws of the state. Instead, they are our protectors from wicked people. Only lawbreakers need to fear law enforcers. Unless you have broken the law, to see a police patrol car coming down your street should give you a sense of security rather than one of fear.

-I must confess, however, while driving to the church today, I passed a law officer clocking people on HWY 51. He pulled in behind me and I instinctively asked myself, “Now, what have I done?” All he did was keep going after I turned into the parking lot of the church. Naturally, I was relieved in more ways than one.

“ 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.” ().

1 Peter: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary Introduction

the focus shifted from an affirmation of the dignity and favored status of the believing community before God (1:3–2:10) to the conduct of the community in society and its interaction with hostile outsiders.

1 Peter 2:13–17 ESV

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

My Favorite Illustrations The Church in the State

The Church in the State

Certain things are clear from Jesus’ words in Matthew 22:20–21. Church and state are not to be united. Neither is to control nor invade the domain of the other. Some of the darkest days in history are those where one dominated the other. Caesar’s taxes should not be used in furthering the Lord’s work. The Lord’s tithes and offerings are not to be used for political purposes by either church or state. However, each has responsibilities to the other. The state should provide an orderly society in which the church can perform its mission. The church should produce the type of Christian character that is conducive to good government. In such a situation both church and state can realize their greatest potential.

Big Idea: Living out your faith in a hostile world means living as servants of God.

Theme:

WORDS

Institution - “Creation” or “agency”

Emperor

obey governing authorities because such obedience is God’s will.

Big Idea: Living out your faith in a hostile world means Christians obey governing authorities because such obedience is God’s will.

supreme

governors

- Law-abiding people need have no fear of those who enforce the laws of the state. Instead, they are our protectors from wicked people. Only lawbreakers need to fear law enforcers. Unless you have broken the law, to see a police patrol car coming down your street should give you a sense of security rather than one of fear.

Law-abiding people need have no fear of those who enforce the laws of the state. Instead, they are our protectors from wicked people. Only lawbreakers need to fear law enforcers. Unless you have broken the law, to see a police patrol car coming down your street should give you a sense of security rather than one of fear.

-I must confess, however, while driving to the church today, I passed a law officer clocking people on HWY 51. He pulled in behind me and I instinctively asked myself, “Now, what have I done?” All he did was keep going after I turned into the parking lot of the church. Naturally, I was relieved in more ways than one.

“ 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.” ().

For rulers TP] are not a terror

Bullet ‹✕ to good conduct, ✕›

Bullet but ‹✓ to bad

Sentence  ✓›. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority?

Sentence Then do what is good,

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. ().

-Slides: Trump, Biden, pelosi, Obama, Bush

Sentence and you will receive his approval,

Support 4 for he is God’s servant for your good.

Sentence [CD But if you do wrong, CD] be afraid,

Support for he does not bear the sword in vain.

Support For he is the servant of God, ‹ an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. › ().

It is important that we respect the office even though we may not respect the individual in the office.

-Some zealous but ignorant Christians use these differences as opportunities for conflict and loud sermons about “freedom” and “separation of church and state.”

-When a local church constructs and furnishes a building, there is a local code that must be obeyed. The government has no right to control the pulpit or the business meeting, but it has every right to control matters that relate to safety and operation. If the law requires a certain number of exits, or fire extinguishers, or emergency lights, the church must comply. The state is not persecuting when it sets up the code, nor is the church compromising when it obeys the code. But I know some overly zealous saints who have disgraced the name of the Lord by their attitudes and actions relating to these matters.

THREE clauses that charge Christians to submit to authorities of human institution:

having

Participial Clauses

Every human institutional head is the supreme authority. (v. 13)

Central theme: submit - to be willing to be obedient (not merely respect) to orders or wishes of others or showing such inclination

The New American Commentary: 1, 2 Peter, Jude (1) Submit to the Government (2:13–17)

The idea of willing obedience (or failure to submit) is evident in a number of texts: Jesus’ submission to his parents (Luke 2:51), refusal to submit to God’s law (Rom 8:7), refusal to submit to God’s righteousness, the church’s submission to Christ (Eph 5:24), the need to be subject to God (Jas 4:7), and the submission of younger ones to elders (1 Pet 5:5).

b. The idea of willing obedience (or failure to submit) is evident in a number of texts:

Jesus’ submission to his parents ()

refusal to submit to God’s law ()

refusal to submit to God’s righteousness

the church’s submission to Christ ()

the need to be subject to God ()

the submission of younger ones to elders ()

the necessity of doing what is right rather than doing what is wrongCommon to the exhortations is SUBORDINATION - the necessity of doing what is right rather than doing what is wrong

c. Common to the exhortations is SUBORDINATION - used as an illustration for the necessity of doing what is right rather than doing what is wrong

the necessity of doing what is right rather than doing what is wrong

1 Peter: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary Notes

Subordinate persons

Superordinate persons

2:13–17

free persons

emperor, governors

2:18–20 (25)

household slaves

masters/owners

3:1–6

wives

their own husbands

5:1–5a

younger persons

elders

d. Subordinate persons vs. Superordinate persons

Free vs emperor, governors

household slaves vs. masters/owners

wives vs. their own husbands

younger people vs. elders

Leaders sent out by the institutional head have authority. (v. 14)

by him those sent out for the punishment of those who do evil the praise and of those who do good (v. 14)

Peter did not criticize the Roman government or suggest it be overthrown.

God’s church has been able to live and grow in all kinds of political systems

These leaders have two jobs:

punish those who do evil

praise those who do good

Christians should be doing good. (v. 15)

This is the will of God

Someone may argue, “But, as Christians, are we not free?” Yes, we are free in Christ, but we must never use our freedom for ourselves. We must always use it for others. Sad to say, there are “religious racketeers” who prey on ignorant people and use “religion” to veil their evil actions. A true Christian submits himself to authority because he is first of all submitted to Christ. He uses his freedom as a tool to build with and not as a weapon to fight with.

Peter concludes with 4 imperatives:

Someone may argue, “But, as Christians, are we not free?” Yes, we are free in Christ, but we must never use our freedom for ourselves. We must always use it for others. Sad to say, there are “religious racketeers” who prey on ignorant people and use “religion” to veil their evil actions. A true Christian submits himself to authority because he is first of all submitted to Christ. He uses his freedom as a tool to build with and not as a weapon to fight with.

Honor everyone - show esteem towards (the greek verb used here for honor is stating a universally expected mode of behavior)

1000 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching Speak Kindly

Jeremy Taylor, seventeenth-century English bishop, used to counsel aspiring ministers to “speak kindly to everyone you meet for everyone has a problem.”

-Hurting people hurt people

- D. L. Moody once said, “The measure of a man is not how many servants he has, but how many men he serves.”

1000 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching Speak Kindly

Jeremy Taylor, seventeenth-century English bishop, used to counsel aspiring ministers to “speak kindly to everyone you meet for everyone has a problem.”

D. L. Moody once said, “The measure of a man is not how many servants he has, but how many men he serves.”1217

ii. Love the brotherhood - NRSV// “Love the family of believers”

-Peter is the only NT writer that uses the greek word for brotherhood here

-Peter - “rock” - knew the importances of leaning on one another in difficult times

-Peter reminded them of the priority of love, of the need to love fellow members of the family.

iii. Fear God

injunction here is placed in contrast to honoring the king/emperor. 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 ()

Greek word for fear here is phobeō and can mean fear, but when used in conjunction with God it generally denotes the feeling of awe and the demonstration of reverence and commitment.

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)

iv. Honor the Emperor

- One way Israel honored the emperor was to offer daily sacrifice for him in the Jerusalem Temple . Another was to include him in the regular prayers for kings and rulers, a practice continued by the Christians as well

One way Israel honored the emperor was to offer daily sacrifice for him in the Jerusalem Temple (Philo, Legat. 279–80; Josephus, Ag. Ap. 2.76–78). Another was to include him in the regular prayers for kings and rulers (cf. ; ; m. ʾAbot 3:2), a practice continued by the Christians as well

Verbs

Subject - to be or become inclined to willing to submit to orders or wishes of others or showing such inclination

Supreme - elevated in rank

Sent - dispatched

Sent - dispatched

Good - to do good for another person or behave or act in a good, proper, or satisfactory manner

Good - to do good for another person or behave or act in a good, proper, or satisfactory manner

Silence - conceived of as fitting a device on an animal’s snout or mouth to prevent it from opening

Honor - show esteem towards

Honor

Love - cherish

Fear - show reverence or respect

Honor - show esteem towards

1 Peter: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary Introduction

the focus shifted from an affirmation of the dignity and favored status of the believing community before God (1:3–2:10) to the conduct of the community in society and its interaction with hostile outsiders.

-