1 Peter 2:13-18 Bible Teaching

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SILENCE

When we come back we’ll pick it back up at 1st Peter 2 verse 12
1st Peter 2.18

Okay last week we left off with reading and talking about these fascinating verses 9-11 which say

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.”

Peter continues with this line of thought, saying:

12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

Then in an extension of this thought he delves into a new and very important area, saying:

13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.

So in connection to his reminder that we are now of a very rich heritage established on high, and directing us to Abstain from fleshly lusts that war against the soul, Peter adds at verse 12:

12 Having your conversation (a word we’ve discovered in the King James better means your behavior or conduct) honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

Live your lives honestly (relative to who you are as we’ve read) among the Gentiles.

Now, back in verse 10 Peter said of his audience:

“in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.”

I think that he is speaking to people who were once unbelieving pagans but have now been adopted into the House of Israel through faith. But here he refers to the Gentiles, the group of which they once were part.

And he says these heathens who surround them are observing their conduct. So, he says, “keep your behavior honest” – which is another word in our day and age that is antiquated and is better understood as “beautiful, virtuous, good.”

Paul writes in 1st Thessalonians 4:12 something similar, saying:

“That ye may walk honestly towards them that are without.” There the Greek is a completely different word but means decoriously – a well appointed life.

Why? Peter tells us:

“that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

Apparently the Gentiles were buying into the rhetoric of the Jews – “these Christians are bad people.” So Peter tells them to show forth their good works, their good lives, the fact that they:

“abstain from the lusts of the flesh which war against the soul.”

What is the end result Peter hopes this will accomplish?

“they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

In the Greek the phrase “that they may, by your good works,” best means, “when they through close examination inspect your behaviors.”

Remember, nobody knew what a Christian was and new things are almost always vilified at the start.

The only way to tell if Christianity was the most superior form of worshipping God was going to be through the lifestyles of the Christians (as compared to the heathen world and the Jewish).

It’s interesting but one would be hard pressed to out-perform a devout Jew in terms of outward holiness and apparent devotions so through what means would the Christian prove the faith to be superior?

(beat)

Selflessness
Kindness
Turning the other cheek
Love . . . right?

So while they were being charged with all manner of vile behaviors Peter is telling them to live as a means to disarm these prejudices and prove that their charges were entirely unfounded.

We are faced with the same battle, my friends. And our response or solution is in the exact same place.

Christians around the world are often seen today in some rather vile light in my estimation.

We are warlike, refusing to submit to injustice, we are demanding our rights be kept, we are litigious, and some of our more “fringy” brother and sisters are better known for what they despise in this world (abortion, gays and the like) rather than who they adore in the world to come (Jesus).

So when we are being closely inspected – when we become friends with those who have yet to receive Him put the heart of Jesus that beats within us out to them.

Again, why?

“they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

Essentially, when they are convinced that your life is full of virtue and beauty they will in turn glorify God – when?

Peter says, “In the day of visitation.”

Many different opinions have been given for this phrase. And at first glance they all seem to have merit.

Some think when Peter uses the phrase it means:

“the day of persecution”
“some to the destruction of Jerusalem,” and
some to the time when the gospel would be preached among the Gentiles and their hearts would be ripe and ready because they have seen the good works of Christians and will receive the Good News most readily.

I personally like this last one the best because it seems to have the most utilitarian approach.

I mean, why would heathens worship and glorify God when they are persecuted or when Jerusalem was being destroyed just because they have observed the good lives of the Christians around them?

We tend to think of Peter speaking of that moment right then but remember, the end of Jerusalem was drawing nigh, he speaks to this event frequently, and by the time people were actually reading these words the end could have been upon them.

As the Christians maintained their composure and virtuous lives during these times, as they maintained respect for authority and others the heathens may see them and begin to glorify God in those treacherous times – or in the day of visitation.

Additionally, Peter frequently cites the Old Testament. And the line, day of visitation IS used therein – in Isaiah 10:3
Which says:

“And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory?”

Because of the verbiage Isaiah uses (desolation) and because he uses the phrase, “day of visitation” in association with them, I am further convinced Peter is speaking exactly to this setting – the coming desolation of Jerusalem and the witness these believers will have and leave on the on-looking heathens – including the Roman armies.

It is at this point that Peter introduces and interesting subject – obedience to men placed in power and their laws and ordinances.

Now I would strongly suggest that the context of this epistle suggests that Peter is giving the Christians an insight not only on how to honor God (by doing well in Jesus name) but also on how to literally survive what was coming down the pike.

And so he says (at verse 13)

13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;

As a believer and follower of Christ submit yourself to (better put) the creations of Man – their institutions, their ideas, their laws, their governments.

SUBMIT to them. Do them with a smile on your face.

The Greek word is “hupo” “tasso” – a term we’ve come across before.

Hupo means “under” and tasso means “ordinance, creation, law.”

Hupotasso – obedience, submission, subdued to. In this case, to people AND what they have set in place to govern.

Because I have truly gone the rounds with the principles presented here I have given them quite a bit of thought – before being a Christian, while becoming a Christian, and as a believer today.

From birth I was what the Greeks would call antinomian – utterly without law or respect to the laws of God or man.

This attitude continues to reside in my flesh and the only difference between my flesh and flesh that is incarcerated at the point of the mountain is I haven’t been caught being in total defiance to men and their rules and laws and institutions.

I am NOT exaggerating and mention it to get it on the record – where Christ was perfectly obedient I was perfectly disobedient.

No law of any kind on earth – rules at school, rules of the road, rules of government, rules of God – only having merit in relation to being caught and punished.

Got that?

When I was filled with the Holy Spirit I took my rebelliousness and clothed it in Jesus – using Him to my benefit to do what I wanted. The line, “All things are lawful,” was a clarion call while I conveniently ignored, “but not all things are expedient.”

Very, very slowly the Holy Spirit worked on my soul and brought me into more and more submission to things IN THE NAME of CHRIST.

See, it was ONLY Christ and His cause and purpose that could motivate my flesh to conform – because I knew He had saved me.

At this point I think I see clearly what the biblical direct is and now, understanding, I am compliant by Christ through His Spirit.

In and with this understanding and complicity I have searched hard to understand the biblical stance on this subject of being in submission to those placed in authority over us.

Let me point out that a few verses earlier that Peter went to great lengths to show that we are not of this world, that we are strangers and foreigners.

One of the ways many Christians today have approached the topic of being in subjection to the laws of Man is to occupy offices of power and make the laws of man conform to the Christian ethic.

It’s a gray area as we don’t find Jesus or his apostles setting this example and only men in the post apostolic era assuming these roles – and history clearly shows us what happens when we mix the ways of this Kingdom with those of the Kingdom on high.

I am not suggesting that believers not get involved in public office to help create a better world but draw the line at doing in in the name of Christianity.

The next thought I would propose (which is certainly biblically based) is to echo what Peter says here – every Christian ought to fully submit to the people placed over them in government, community affairs and the work place.

If we are slaves we submit to our master in Christ’s name. If we are prisoners we submit to the guards and wardens in Christ’s name. If we are, by and through the laws and means of Man placed in subjugation to anything man have created and that what we by law or ordinance are supposed to obey we obey.

Period. And we do it unto Christ. It is the humility and the obedience we offer up as a living sacrifice to Him.

Why? Because in and through this submission we are glorifying the principles He lived by when He was on this earth.

As a believer I am adamantly against Christians banding together in resistance to the ordinances of this world. Adamantly against because the scripture is adamantly against it.

This puts far right Christian movements that implement acts of civil disobedience to rest. It means we pay our taxes.

Christianity has NOTHING to do with gun laws, nothing to do with tax reform, nothing to do with ANY social evil BUT to share Jesus in word and deed – that is Christianity.

If a Christian, as an Captialist or a Christian as a Communist or a Christian as a Socialist has strong opinions over public policy they have the right to protest and resist as a capitalist, or communist, or socialist.

For me, I am a Christian first and therefore I respond first in the ways Christians are instructed by the Bible – and since that are the rules I live by, I therefore submit to the laws and ordinances of Man.

All we have to do is finish reading Peter’s words here and then add Paul’s words in the first seven verses of Romans 13 to know the stance:

Listen to what Paul says:

1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

The remaining question is, “Is there ever a time that a Christian is justified in disobedience?

Absofreaking lutely.

In Acts chapter four Peter and John are called in before the High Priest and many other religious authorities (put in place by God to define the Law). They had healed a man and as a result brought many people to Jesus.

They asked Peter and John by what authority they had done these things and Peter and John boldly said that the man stood there whole by Jesus Christ, whom they killed.

And then we read:

13 Now when they (the religious rulers) saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
14 And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,
16 Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.
17 But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.
18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

Notice some things about this:

The apostles held nothing back in their boldness for Jesus in the face of a threat.

Then they openly appealed to these men to decide whether their command on them was right or not.

Then they clearly and politely stated that they were going to deliberately and purpose ignore the order placed upon them and would continue to preach the truth that Jesus was the Messiah.

How did they determine what was the path they were to pursue? What was right in “the sight of God.”

How does God judge this command?!

(beat)

In other words if God disapproved of the command it was wrong. End of story. It was not a question that asked about their safety, their reputation, or their lives.

It was not a question of what was most beneficial to the survival of the organization – it was a question of – LISTEN – their conscience before God.

And in this we have a striking example of a number of very important and not all together simple factors.

The first point to consider is this biblical example is that the apostles said the whole matter is NOT what do you say but rather, “What does God want?”

If the action will please God it is the action to be taken. If it won’t, it is the action to be avoided.

But we have to note something interesting in this example. John and Peter said to those in judgement over them:

“Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, you decide! For (or But) we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”

In other words, “we cannot help but preach Jesus – and this is of God. Whether you think this is proper or right in the sight of God that is your decision (which I believe they are tacitly saying): We will take the hit – but we’re gonna do what we know is right in God’s eyes.”

So they certainly appealed to the men and their positions as judges.

In the very next chapter at verses 28-29 Peter and the apostles were again brought before these men of authority who said to them:

Act 5:28 “Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.
29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, “We ought to obey God rather than men.”

So there is the final point amidst all of this discussion– “we all ought to obey God rather than men.”

We have a number of factors – factors we could see as dangerous if we let them – coming together in this situation.

First we have the clear teaching we are to obey and submit to the ordinances of Man.

I would add we do this in every area that is not contrary to the will of God.

Peter and John appealed to conscience, and so therefore we have another element involved – what does the individual believe is God honoring.

This is a grand support for Subjective Christianity – because what some believe God is endorsing others are certain He is rejecting.

Peter appeals to conscience. What placed the idea that Peter was to preach Jesus to the detriment of His own safefty on his conscience?

Jesus did. He commanded the apostles to go out and do exactly what they were doing and to not fear men. And so they knew that they were doing the will of God.

Now, taking all these factors in, we have people who believe God wants them to resist governments in Jesus name.

They bear arms in Jesus name. They even blow up abortion clinics or protest gay parades in Jesus name.

We have people who believe they should lead a protest against Carl’s Jr (in Jesus name due to their advertisements) and others who believe God wants them to endorse and support Chik-Fillet because they have taken a stand against a part of gay lifestyle.

Do we say, “it is up to them and their Subjective Conscience to act in these ways, trusting that God has lead them,” or do we hold them to the same measurement that we hold the Apostles to and state:

“If Jesus tells us to do something we do it. Of course we would look to the Word to see if Jesus and His apostles lives endorse the activities people think they are subjectively lead to do in His name and if there is no precedence we could say, “not so good.”

So, for clarities sake:

We first obey God. And we discover His will NOT simply in our subjective notions but through His second witness, the written word.

Secondly, we obey and submit to the Laws and rules of Man if they are not against conscience (the law written on our hearts) and the Word of God (the Law written in ink.)

Thirdly, IF there is a conflict, and we choose civil, or community, or corporate disobedience, we do it – we rebel – as unto the Lord and for His cause.

That means we humbly act and completely absorb the legal ramifications and lawful fall out from our actions.

What I mean by this is IF we choose to preach the word in places that forbid it we ought to expect to be punished and to not resist punishment but willingly submit to it.

Let me wrap this up with an example.

Dietrich Bonhoffer. I love the brother and his mind. Bonhoffer believed that he had the responsibility to go and assassinate Adolf Hitler.

His Subjective Christian heart told him this was right and was of God. After all it could have ended with a lot of suffering being curtailed.

But Bonhoffer failed in his attempt and was put to death for his action.

I would suggest that if Bonhoffer consulted the New Testament he would have seen that his conscience as a Christian was not in harmony with the New Testament narrative, and therefore he was outside the pale of Christian action.

I no more think of his behavior as laudable than anyone who would have tried to end evil – a citizen, a soldier – but NOT as a Christian.

Furthermore, I think the execution was expected and reasonable. Receiving it was not heroic – it was a matter of rule and law. Try and kill a national leader you can expect to die in the process.

So in the end, IF and WHEN we as believers, who are law abiding, and submitting to the rules of Man, come across something in these rules and ways that we do NOT approve of, we have to first check out consciences and ask why.

We then have to check the word of God – new Testament not the Old because at the time when the New was being written Paul said, “the Old is about to pass away,” and we have to see if our actions and our rebellion can be justified by the teachings and life of Christ and His apostles.

Finally, we have to agree to the fact that acts of civil disobedience on behalf of what God wants will be met with repercussions.

The Apostles were put to death. The early Christians were fed to the lions for illegally professing their faith – we ought to expect the same and NOT resist it, or protest it, but to understand it, embrace it, and humbly submit to it.

Peter touches on the premise of obedience to rulers saying:

14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.

The term “governors, here is referring to “subordinate officers,” who have been appointed by higher magistrates – so its showing respect for all authoritai. (verses 15-16 – a great passage for me when I first became a Christian

15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: as free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

“With well doing, the will of God is we put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.”

Well doing – not fleshly well doing but spirit-led well doing. With love being a verb we might call love, Well-DOING.

That is how to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.

Then Peter adds:

“As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.”

The Jews naturally believed themselves to be freemen – they boasted of it according to John 8:33.