Last 5 Days
Be subject for the Lord's sake
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.
18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
In this segment of Peter’s letter, from chapter 2:13 to 3:7, he calls Christians to “be subject to (2:13, 18, 3:1)” different forms of authority. Christians are called to give up striving for power and authority over other human beings and instead to pursue the good of others, submitting to them. Christians might feel that this submission does not include submitting to non-Christians, but Peter argued that it does include them, and names the significant ones in many of their lives: Caesar and his governors (2:13-17), their unbelieving masters (2:18-25) and their unbelieving husbands (3:1-7). Peter was acutely aware of how Christians were being persecuted by these human authorities and despite their wrongdoings, he exhorted them to submit to these authorities.
Peter’s idea of Christian submission sounds foolish and counter cultural in the world we live in. We are taught to get even when someone hurt us. An eye for an eye. We are called to fight for our own rights and not suffer for the wrongdoing of others. However the Christians were called to submit to authorities, even the foolish ones, so that we can put to silence their ignorance (v15). We submit to human authority, despite their wrongdoing, so that we may continue to be a living testimony of God’s goodness to those around us, especially to win the non-believers to faith. It is for the Lord’s sake that we submit to the authority of men.
The principle is summarised in verse 17. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. Peter encouraged the Christians to keep their conduct honorable. It was easy to be honorable towards people who respected the Christians. However, Peter wants Christians to be honorable even amidst people who persecuted them. If we respond in hate to those who persecute us, how are we different from the others? How do we express the love of Christ?
Peter brought about the ultimate example we ought to model after, the suffering of Jesus Christ. Jesus is God, all powerful and mighty, and without sin. He had all reasons to call fire upon the sky to destroy the foolish men who nailed Him to the cross, yet the bible tells us that He was silent before those who persecuted Him, and gave His life to love the same hands who killed Him.
Dear brothers and sisters, the Son of God, Jesus Christ has modelled such submission and humility for us, and as followers and disciples of Jesus, we are also called to submit and humble ourselves to be subjected to the authority of men for the Lord’s sake, in order that we might help people to come to see and know the great and mighty love of God. Are we willing to be subject to others for the Lord's sake?
