Living in Submission to Christ before a Lost World
Living in Submission to Christ before a Lost World I Peter 2:11-17
(V. 11) The words:
“sojourners”= Aliens, refers to persons living in a foreign country where they had no rights of citizenship.
"pilgrim"= Exiles means primarily, "one who journeys." Primarily referred to a person who was staying temporarily in a country which was not his or her permanent home.
He warns them to beware of fleshly lusts, v. 11
Abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul ...
There ar two reasons assigned in this verse to support the renunciation of fleshly lusts: (1) the readers are sojourners, and (2) the lusts make war against the soul. The metaphor of warfare is an apt one for the Christian life. That life is a constant struggle against many enemies, both within and without. The social order itself is basically hostile to Christianity, and the inward desires of the flesh and of the mind also constantly tend to erode spirituality.
These, Christians ought to avoid, considering,
1. The respect they have with God and good men: They are dearly beloved.
2. Their condition in the world: They are strangers and pilgrims, and should not impede their passage by giving into the wickedness and lusts of the country through which they pass.
3. The mischief and danger these sins do: "They war against the soul; and therefore your souls ought to war against them.’’
Learn, (1.) The grand mischief that sin does to man is this,
--it wars against the soul;
--it destroys the moral liberty of the soul;
--it weakens and debilitates the soul by impairing its faculties;
--it robs the soul of its comfort and peace;
--it debases and destroys the dignity of the soul,
--hinders its present prosperity,
--and plunges it into everlasting misery.
(2.) Of all sorts of sin, none are more injurious to the soul than fleshly lusts. Carnal appetites, lewdness, and sensuality, are most odious to God, and destructive to man’s soul. It is a sore judgment to be given up to them. (Matt. Henry)
On some occasions, Christians reveal their true nature by what they choose to do. At other times, they make themselves known by what they refuse to do.
(V. 12) By your good works which they behold ...
"The good works here were not what are commonly called acts of benevolence." The thing which the non-Christian beheld was the beautiful moral conduct of the Christians, emphasized by their adamant refusal to indulge in the sensualities of paganism.
May glorify God ...
Peter had learned his lesson at the Master's feet, because Christ himself taught this same principle in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:16).
In the day of visitation ...
Whether the day here is understood as the final judgment, or some time of future conversion, it yields the same basic meaning; because "The glorification of God on the day of judgment would presuppose their previous conversion."
Peter declared that the best defense against unbelievers’ unfounded charges was a lifestyle which was totally above reproach. He encouraged his Christian friends to squelch slander by conduct which was consistently good, upright, and winsome.
As Christians, be Good Citizens (2:13-17)
--Be Subject to Those Who Govern (2:13-14)
For Peter, being submissive to civil authority was a basic mark of good Christian discipleship. His viewpoint here is the same as the apostle Paul’s as expressed in Romans 13:1.
“Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.”
He also is reflecting something Jesus said: “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (Mt 22:21)
(V. 13) In this passage as well as in Ephesians 5, this word for “submit” is very closely related to the word for “humility” which is found in 3:8 as a summary of this whole passage.
The implications of Christian humility for Christian living are first given generally in 2:13–17, and then specifically as they relate to servants, wives, and husbands.
To every ordinance of man is a difficult phrase to translate; perhaps, “Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution.” Peter writes that they are to be subject to the king because he is supreme; the king or ruler at this time was the Roman Emperor Nero. Christians respected the office regardless of the personal ethics of the man because they believed he had been appointed by God to rule. (KJV Bible Commentary)
--Do Right/Do Good (V. 15)
For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— (1 Pe 2:15)
Regarding the nature of slanders against the church, Barclay pointed out that:
They were accused of cannibalism ..., this took its rise from a perversion of the words of Jesus, "This is my body ... this is my blood, etc." They were accused of killing and eating a child at their feasts.
They were accused of immorality and incest. The famed Agape, or love feast, was misrepresented as a sensual orgy.
They were accused of turning slaves against their masters.
They were accused of "hatred of mankind."
They were accused of disloyalty to Caesar, due to their refusal to worship the emperor.
By your good works which they behold ... peter urged them to practice a high level of Christian integrity and behavior that would make their opponents seem ignorant and foolish. He encouraged them to squelch all slander against them by their sterling quality of piety and appropriate righteousness.
--Live As Free People (V. 16)
As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God [1 Pet. 2:16].
16 You are free, but still you are God’s servants, and you must not use your freedom as an excuse for doing wrong. (Contemporary English Version)
16You are free from the law, but that doesn’t mean you are free to do wrong. Live as those who are free to do only God’s will at all times. (The Living Bible)
Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. Live as servants of God. (New Century Version)
You are not slaves; you are free. But your freedom is not an excuse to do evil. You are free to live as God’s slaves. (New Living Translation)
“The relationship of the believer to other people is a testimony which speaks louder than the message from the pulpit. You see, the believer in Christ has a liberty which the man outside of Christ does not have. Believers have a marvelous liberty in Christ Jesus. I personally believe that I could go places and see things which the average Christian could not. Although I don’t think I would be hurt by them, I avoid them because of my testimony. I don’t want to use my liberty as a cloak of maliciousness; that is, I don’t want my weaker brother to be hurt by what I do. We must remember that although we are free, we are the servants of God.” (JV McGee)
--Be Committed Citizens (V. 17)
Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king [1 Pet. 2:17].
The Christian is to have respect for every individual as a person.
“Honour all men.” A Christian should respect other human beings. He doesn’t say to love all men—believe me, some of them are very unlovely!
“Love the brotherhood.” While we respect all men, we are to love the brotherhood, meaning other believers. The Gk. Word is Agape. It carries the idea “to keep on loving.” It was to be a spontaneous, unmotivated love which God gives to everyone with no thought of return.
“Fear God.” Certainly we as believers are to reveal by our lives that we are God-fearing people. Means to “hold in awe or reverence.” The writer of proverbs used the same word: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” (Prov. 1:7)
“Honour the king.” “We owe an honor to the office of the man who rules over us. I have never voted for a president whom I really wanted. I have always voted against the other candidate. I have never known a president who I felt was really capable. However, regardless of who is president and regardless of his inability, he should be honored because of his office. I am not impressed by some Scripture-spouting, pious individuals who attack the president of the United States. The office is to be honored.” (JV McGee).
Peter wanted his friends to give the emperor the same kind of respect which he had asked them to give to all other people.
Honor and respect does not mean we cannot disagree. Peter was forced into civil disobedience in Acts 4. He warned that we should obey God rather than men.
Through all of this, we must see that our behavior and actions have an impact on others. Peter insists that our lives be lived in such a way that “by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. (1 Pe 2:12)