We are talking about how to have faith and practice our faith in a culture and society that rejects God. Peter is writing to Christians who are living in similar circumstances. How can you have faith when you feel the pressure of society? In our last lesson we looked at how Peter reminded us that we are strangers and exiles. We do not belong here. Open your Bibles to 1 Peter 2 and we will begin in verse 13 as we look at how to live before God in a culture that has turned against God.
Subject to Every Human Authority (2:13-14)
“Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution” (ESV). “Submit to every human authority because of the Lord” (CSB). How are Christians to live in a society that has turned against the Lord? Christians are to submit themselves to every human authority and every human institution. Friends, please underline the word “every.” We submit to every human authority. Peter seems to know that there is going to be innate resistance to this teaching. So he wants to make sure we understand that he really does mean every human authority. Peter says even if it is the emperor as supreme or to governors. Every means every. Every human authority is in view. This means that we submit to the president of the United States. This means we submit to the governor of Florida. This means we submit to the mayor of Palm Beach County. This means we submit to the mayor of our town that we live in. We submit to local ordinances and neighborhood rules. We submit to the IRS. We submit to law enforcement. Every human who is placed in a sphere of authority, God says we are be subject to them.
Please notice that this does not say that we submit to them if they are godly. It does not say that we submit to them only if we agree with them or voted for them. It does not say that we submit only if we like them. It does not say that we submit only if they are doing right or making moral decisions. There is no condition placed here which is so often what we want to do. We do not rebel against any authority. We do not resist any human authority. We have seen this truth in the life of Paul in our study of the book of Acts. Please notice that Paul submitted to the human authorities even when they were breaking other human laws. Friends, laws were broken when Jesus was tried and crucified. But Jesus submitted to it. We submit to every human authority. Our feelings about that authority is not relevant.
We practiced this during the pandemic. There were many rules and ordinances that were put into effect. As Christians we follow those rules. I know Christians who said that they can’t tell me to wear a mask, or sit outside, or whatever upsetting rule it was and rebelled against it. We are not to do that. We submit to every human authority. When we were told by authorities to sit with physical distance, we roped off the pews and seats so that we could obey. When we were told by authorities that indoor places required masks in the county, we followed that rule. There was only one thing the authorities said that we could not follow. They told churches and places of worship to stop meeting. But we cannot submit to that because that was in direct violation of God’s command that we must assemble and worship. So we put our faith in God and did everything we could to be careful. Here is the point: we do not put ourselves forward as rebels against authority.
I would also like to point out that the kind of government is not in question either. This command would not be differently applied if we had been born in a different country. It does not matter if we lived in China. We would submit to every human authority. It did not matter if we lived in Canada. We would submit to every human authority. It did not matter if we lived in Russia or a Middle Eastern country. We submit to every human authority. It does not matter what the system of government is. It does not matter if we lived in an Islamic country. It does not matter if we lived in a persecuting country. We submit to every human authority and institution.
Why do we do these things even if we disagree with the laws or the lawmakers? Why do we submit to every human authority, even if we think they are wrong? Look at verse 13 again. We do this for the Lord’s sake. Our submission to earthly authorities is displaying our submission to God. We submit to the president because we are submitting to God. We submit to the governor because we are submitting to God. We submit to HOA rules because we are submitting to God. We submit to the mayor because we are submitting to God. We submit to the IRS because we are submitting to God. We tell ourselves that we are not doing for the sake of the human authority but for God. I will submit because that is what God wants me to do. I will submit because that is how I am honoring and worshiping God today. We are not pictured as living in the kingdom of God and resisting and fighting against the kingdom of his world. We live in both and we submit to both.
God’s Will (2:15)
Why is this so important? Look at verse 15. It is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorance of foolish people. What is the “doing good” that Peter is talking about? The “doing good” is submitting to every human authority. Peter is pointing out that we are going to take away an argument that the world will have against Christians. They are going to say that we are lawbreakers and rebels. Please think about how in the book of Acts how often this charge was made against Paul. Paul’s response was that he was not breaking any laws but had lived in good conscience before all people and before God. We silence people by obeying human authorities, not rallying against them. We do not riot against authorities. We do not rebel against authorities. We do not fight against authorities. The reason why is so that we do not play into the very thing the world will want to say against us. We do not want them to discredit Christ and the gospel because we prove them right by breaking laws. Did Paul resist authorities? No. Did Stephen resist authorities? No. Did Jesus resist authorities? No. We are taking away any thought from the mind of the world we deserve punishment as lawbreakers.
I hope that we will see something important in what Peter says. We are repeatedly taught in the scriptures that we are here to do good to all people. One of the ways that we are pictured as doing good in the world and among people is by submitting ourselves to every human institution for the Lord’s sake.
Using Freedom (2:16)
Verse 16 is very important for us to hear from Peter. Live as people who are free. But we do not use freedom for evil but for living as servants of God. You might be free people with rights. But you are still God’s servants. Notice that Peter does not care if we think we have certain rights. You still must live as servants of God and servants of God submit to every human authority. As soon as we think, “I have a right,” Peter says but you are still a servant of God. Your rights and freedoms do not free you from God’s laws or government laws. If you are free, then use your freedom to serve God.
Summary (2:17)
Peter ends this teaching with a simple, memorable summary in verse 17. First, honor everyone. No one is excluded. Honor everyone. Honor your neighbor. Honor unbelievers. Honor the people who make your coffee and pack your groceries. Honor people you disagree with. Honor people on social media. Honor people who are hurtful and rude to you. It does not say, “Honor everyone except….” The teaching is to honor everyone. Can you think about what our world would look like if everyone honored everyone? Christians are to lead the way. Honor everyone.
Second, love the family of faith. We need to love each other. We do not slander each other. We do not speak against each other. We do not go behind each other’s back or act maliciously toward each other. We do not undermine each other. We do not avoid each other. We do not cause problems or strife with each other. We love each other. We seek the best interest of the other person and do not elevate ourselves. We care about other Christians, seek their interests, and do good toward them. Love the family of faith.
Third, fear God. Everything we do is because we fear the Lord. Do not forget why we are doing what we are doing. Do not forget that your freedom is so you will serve God. Your rights are for serving God. Your breath is for serving God. Your life is for serving God. You exist for God.
Finally, honor the emperor. So we honor the president with our words and with our submission. We do this for the Lord’s sake. God has established these rulers and leaders.
When the world is turning against God and his people, we keep doing good. In particular, our good is observed in the world by submitting ourselves to every human authority. Honor everyone. Love the family of faith. Fear God. Honor the emperor. This is God’s will for our lives.