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1 Peter 2:13 – 17 “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to the king as the supreme authority, or to governors as those sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorance of foolish men. Live in freedom, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Treat everyone with high regard: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king (emperor, chief.)”
Today our news is full of descriptions of riots and demonstrations that have convulsed many American cities. Sadly, many of these demonstrators have no compassion for the citizens of the cities that have been destroyed. These extreme actions are being defended as acts of social justice against an unjust system. But are these expressions Biblical? No!
Consider the situation in Peter’s day. The Emperor Nero had assumed the throne of the Roman Empire and was behaving in an increasingly bizarre fashion. The persecution of Christians was ramping up. Eventually Christians would be used as living torches at parties in Nero’s garden. Talk about injustice!
It is in this setting that Peter is writing to the very people who may wind up as targets of persecution, advising them to submit to the civil authorities. This admonition must have had a bombshell effect among believers! Why is Peter giving such advice? Is he crazy?
The key to answering this question comes in the beginning of these verses. Christians are to submit themselves to every human institution for the Lord’s sake…For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorance of foolish men. Once a believer has dedicated his life to Christ, he or she no longer gets to choose when to obey and when not to obey. One of our pastor friends used to say that “God is in management while we are in advertising.” Christians are to be walking advertisements to the goodness and the love of God. We do not submit because a ruler is worthy, but for the Lord’s sake.
Does submitting to authority mean that we must turn into doormats? Absolutely not! Christians should be speaking out for the poor and disadvantaged and doing everything they can to help them. But we are to be instruments of God’s love and grace, not of anger and hatred. True movements for social justice help the poor and do not ignore them or make their situation even worse. Christians are to be people of peace and not of hatred.
Are there times when Christians might not submit? Yes. One question that is being faced by Christians throughout the U.S. is whether or not to worship in groups. It seems incongruous that huge numbers of people can be allowed at all kinds of social gatherings but not in churches. There are no easy answers and each church must be responsible to the Lord for its choices. But gathering in a worship service is a far different thing from destroying neighborhoods as part of an unruly mob.
To submit to authority means that we are people of free will who can freely choose to submit. “ Live in freedom, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Treat everyone with high regard..” When we submit to authority, we are choosing to exercise our freedom to demonstrate the goodness of God, his grace and his peace.
Ultimately, Peter submitted to being crucified for his faith. As a sign of humility, Peter requested to be crucified upside down, rather than occupying the same orientation as Jesus when he was crucified.
Who left their mark on history? Everyone remembers Nero for his cruelty. But people remember the early Christians for their love, their graciousness, and their willingness to submit and to die for their faith if necessary. And in the end, it was the Christians who triumphed and not Nero. The Roman Empire crumbled, but the church of Jesus Christ remained.
PRAYER: Father God, we beg you to hear us this morning! Give us the courage to submit, even when things are difficult and the grace and wisdom to know when we must quietly continue to follow you, even if it is at the cost of our very lives. In the matchless Name of King Jesus, we pray with thanksgiving. Amen.