1 Peter 2:16-17

1 Peter 2:16-17 “Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. (17) Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.”

We are free in Christ. Free from the bondage of sin. However, this does not give us a license to sin, rather, it gives us the freedom and the ability to honor God. To serve Him! This freedom we have been given through the blood of Christ is not to be misused. I like what Chuck Smith says:

“You’re not really free to live after the flesh or the lust of your flesh; you’re free not to live after the lust of your flesh. That’s a freedom the world doesn’t have; they’re bound by their flesh. They’re slaves to their flesh. But freedom that we have in Christ is that we don’t have to live after our flesh anymore. Thank God. What a glorious freedom. So don’t use that freedom just as a cover. Well, I’m free in Jesus. I’m not under law, under grace I’m free. Don’t use that as a cloak for maliciousness.”

Smith, Chuck. “1 Peter 1-2,” C2000 Series. The Word for Today. Blue Letter Bible.

As a result of this awesome freedom we have in Christ we should live to serve God willingly and joyfully. Also, showing everyone respect, loving fellow believers, fearing God, and honoring earthly authorities. We have already seen these principles in previous passages:

• Love the brotherhood – 1 Peter 1:22 “…you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.”
  
• Fear God - 1 Peter 1:17 “…live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.”
• Honor the king - 1 Peter 2:13-15 “Submit yourselves…to every authority instituted among men…”

How many times do we live as free men?  Or do we just act like we have been defeated by sin?  As Christians we are free!  Free to live for Christ!  Wow, what an incredible truth we need to apply to our lives.

 Application:

•  Realize that we are free from the bondage of sin through Christ.
•  Thank God for our freedom through Christ!
•  Be Aware of areas in our lives that we might misuse the freedom we have and STOP.
•  Live as servants of God.
•  Show respect for everyone, Love fellow believers,  Fear God,  Honor authority.

1 Peter 2:13-15

1 Peter 2:13-15 “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, (14) or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. (15) For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.”

This passage looks pretty straight forward to me. We are to submit ourselves to all earthly authority for Christ’s sake. Sounds easy enough right? Well, when you look a bit deeper there is more to be found. First the word submit. According to BlueLetterBible:

This word was a Greek military term meaning “to arrange [troop divisions] in a military fashion under the command of a leader”. In non-military use, it was “a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden“.

What caught my attention about this was the “voluntary attitude of giving in” part. How many times do we submit, yet unwillingly. Begrudgingly we agree to obey, but inside we are revolting. We are to voluntarily submit! That is what pleases Christ.

Next, the phrase “every authority.” The KJV says, “…every ordinance of man…” According to BlueLetterBible the word used for”authorit” and “ordinance” literally means “building or creation.” Out of all the times it is used, it is only used as “ordinance” once in this passage. Pretty interesting. So authority here is implying more then just the laws placed over us by government. It is implying EVERY creation of man that we are under. One of the commentaries I have been consulting regularly has the following to say about this very passage:

13. every ordinance of man–”every human institution” [ALFORD], literally, “every human creation.” For though of divine appointment, yet in the mode of nomination and in the exercise of their authority, earthly governors are but human institutions, being of men, and in relation to men. The apostle speaks as one raised above all human things. But lest they should think themselves so ennobled by faith as to be raised above subordination to human authorities, he tells them to submit themselves for the sake of Christ, who desires you to be subject, and who once was subject to earthly rulers Himself, though having all things subject to Him, and whose honor is at stake in you as His earthly representatives. Compare Rom 13:5 , “Be subject for conscience’ sake.”

Jamieson, Robert; A.R. Fausset; and David Brown. “The First Epistle General of Peter.” Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible. Blue Letter Bible.

So though Peter has spoken about being strangers in this world, raised above human things, etc… In this passage he is clearly showing us that we are to submit to those placed in authority over us. These human institutions are ordained by God and our submission to them pleases him.

We are also to submit to these authorities voluntarily because it causes those opposed to us to be silenced. Our critics are silenced by our willful obedience. How can they have anything to criticize if we truly live as Christ commands? How much more could those opposed to us criticize us (and rightly so) if we were constantly disobeying or bickering about obeying God ordained authorities?  However, obviously we are not to obey these authorities if what they compel us to do violates what our King of Kings commands.  We must obey God above all else.

Application:

•  Realize  that government and all other forms of human authority are ordained by God.
•  Realize that we should submit willingly to authority because it pleases Christ and silences critics.
•  Willingly submit to authority without grumbling, for Christ’s glory.