Living in Holiness

Submit

1 Peter 2:13–20 NIV

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.

Foundational Biblical Principles:

God is sovereign - God is over all things. He is in control and the ultimate authority. Nothing that occurs happens without God’s knowledge and no power or authority has been given without the Lord’s consent

God is working all things out for His glory and our good - God has a very intentional plan that is unfolding in creation. The aim of this plan is to point those far from the Lord back to Himself.

It is with this understandind that Peter calls the hearers and us to submit to every authority instituted among men.

The word submit is the the word hypotasso which is used again by Peter to explain the relationship of master to slave later in this book.

We are to submit for the Lord’s sake or because of our devotion to God. Our submission has nothing to do with our support or favor with the earthly power and everything to do with our relationship with God.

1 Peter 2:13–15 NIV

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.

We are submit to the authorities over us because God has placed these authorities over us and our submission is a recognition of His authority and power. In our submission, the Lord states that he will work good and his glory. Our submission will be used by God to silence those who stand in ignorance before the Lord. To deny our submission is to deny God’s sovereignty.

True Freedom

1 Peter 2:16–17 NIV

Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.

We are free. We are free to serve, glorify and make much of the Lord. we are free to be obedient to Him. For many of us, the issue is our freedom. We define freedom as the opportunity to choose as we desire. But true freedom is lived out not in absence of limitations. True freedom is lived out under the authority and leadership of the Lord.

Some of us have to make the conscience choice today to submit to the Lord or to continue to stand against Him in a fight for our American Liberities. In otherwords, some of us have to choose to be Christians first and Americans second.

Christ was excersing true freedom as he submitted to Roman rule and went to the cross.

Living Out Holiness

1 Peter 2:18–20 NIV

Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.