Since Easter we have been looking at Jesus’ disciple Peter and his first letter. This is a man who walked with Jesus when he was on the earth. He was one of the twelve disciples. His life was transformed by the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ and he became one of the leaders of the early Christian church. I think what he has to say to the church is important. Yet his letters are often overlooked. In this short letter, found at the end of our NT, Peter is trying to help the Christians understand how to live out their new life in Christ. Since he has risen from the dead into a new life, Peter says he has given us all new birth and living hope.
Two weeks ago we read in Peter that once we receive Christ by faith we become strangers on this planet. The issue of illegal immigration has been in the news, but for Christians the ironic twist is that we are the foreigners here. This is not our home anymore, we are just passing through this place. Now we are citizens of God’s kingdom, heaven, therefore we live according to a different set of values and guidelines than the rest of the world. As citizens of God’s kingdom we don’t follow popular opinion polls, we follow the King of kings. Yet at the same time we still have to live here and we are still citizens of this nation. How do these two citizenships interact with each other? How do we live as citizens of two worlds?
The Christians in Peter’s day found themselves in a tough predicament because they were trying to live for God in a world run by pagans, non-Christians, whether it was in the political realm or the work realm. Many times the pagan religious life (worship of false gods) intertwined with the political, social, and economic realm, it was hard to get away from it because it was so ingrained in their culture. Interestingly many Christian leaders are saying we are now in a post-Christian culture. It used to be a few short decades ago that even people who were not Christian still had a Biblical worldview, and Christian values. Not so anymore, our culture is becoming more like Peter’s day with a smorgasbord of religions and belief systems. The problem they struggled with and we may be struggling with today is, as a Christian how do we live with those in authority over us when they don’t share our values?
Christians Must Submit to Governing Authorities (Political and Legal Realm)
First, Peter addresses the political and legal realm. Peter begins this passage by saying, “submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king (aka Emperor or Caesar), as supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong, and to commend those who do right.”
While we are citizens of God’s kingdom it does not mean we can ignore earthly authorities. We don’t live above the laws of the land. As Christians, we must submit to them just as everyone else does. The Apostle Paul even went one step further, writing in Romans 13:1:
“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”
Both Peter and Paul agree we should submit to our governing authorities because God himself has established these authorities to keep the peace. They punish those who do evil, and reward those who do good. If we do not submit to the authorities of our land we are disrespecting God who established them. Paul continues in Rom. 13:2 “Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.” We are to submit and not to rebel. What does it mean to submit to those in authority? It means obeying the laws of the land, this particular week we are reminded it also means paying our taxes (Rom 13:6).
When we submit it is actually a step of faith because it is not our natural instinct. Our natural instinct is to dominate. By submitting even to non-Christian authorities acting in unChristlike ways we are trusting in faith that God will correct the situation. We have faith that God will provide justice rather than taking justice into our own hands.
Respect Everyone/Honor the King
But going back to Peter’s letter he goes one step further. In verse 17 he says, “Show proper respect for everyone, love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.” It isn’t enough just to live by the rules of the land, out of fear and reverence for God, we must also honor the king. Of course we don’t have a king, we have a president and governor, but the principle applies nonetheless. Think of the President or Governor you have liked the least (please don’t mention any names). Perhaps it’s a person whom you disagreed with their policies and viewpoints, or one you thought had morale character problems, or didn’t provide leadership. When you have talked about that individual with others would you say you honored and respected them in your conversation? You may say, ‘But you don’t understand he or she failed the American people, or the people of Michigan.’ Be very careful what you say because you are treading on dangerous ground.
Before you think Peter doesn’t understand what it means to honor and respect a leader who doesn’t measure up, consider the situation Peter face when he wrote his letter. Nero was the Roman Emperor. He was known for his lustful pleasures, his lust for power, he even killed people in his own family out of his ambition and neurosis. He was also the first Emperor to strike down Christians, some think he actually became insane. Not exactly the kind of person you want in authority over you but nevertheless Peter says as Christians we must respect even the most disreputable leaders.
Unlike the political world of the Bible we live in a democracy “of the people, by the people, and for the people,” and along with that comes the sense that we have the power, we have control, our voice and vote count (unless you’re Democrat in Michigan or Florida). We are under the illusion that we are in control. I say illusion not because I am criticizing our government, but because God is ultimately in control. Yet along with that power we have comes the expectation that leaders will do what I want them to do, and we begin criticizing our leadership because we didn’t vote for them, they aren’t from our party, or we feel they are not representing us, or doing the right things in office. Yet we are told here to honor and respect those who are in authority over us, even submitting to them, because God has placed them in authority. This doesn’t mean we have to agree with them, or that we shouldn’t express our opinion if we feel it is right and just, but it does mean we treat those leaders with the honor and respect they deserve. When we fail to honor them, we fail to honor God, who has placed them in authority over us.
What happens when those who are in authority abuse their power or do unjust things, things that God does not approve of? Issues like committing perjury, slavery, segregation, favoritism of rich, abuse of the poor, the list goes on and on as we look at just our own short political history as a nation.
When Peter and the other apostles were brought before the Sanhedrin (the Jewish religious authorities) the second time and were told to quit preaching about Jesus being raised from the dead they replied, “We must obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29)!” And that’s exactly what they did, they went on to declare that Jesus was raised from the dead and God exalted him to his right hand. They ignored their what the leaders told them to do because they had to follow God.
We submit to the authorities unless we are told to do something which is in conflict with God’s character, values, or commandments. If there is a conflict we must say like Peter, “I must obey God rather than man.” We cannot compromise with God. People like Martin Luther who would not submit to the Roman Catholic Church, or people like Rosa Parks was told to sit in the back of the bus, she refused because it required her to do something which was inconsistent with the God who created all people in his image and treats them alike.
Peter says, we should expect to be persecuted for doing good, the right thing. In fact, it should be welcomed because it brings us reward in heaven. We know from history that Christians during the first few centuries, including both Paul and Peter, were killed for their faith, because they would not bow their knee to Caesar and declare that he is Lord. Why? Because they believed Jesus is Lord and no one else, and they would not compromise. Later in chapter three and four of 1 Peter (1 Peter 3:8-14; 4:12-16) Peter tells us we as Christians will suffer just for being Christians and doing good. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t honor those very same people.
Christians Must Submit To Authorities in the Workplace
Peter then switches over to talk about how Christian should submit to authorities in the work environment. Let’s say your boss is being a jerk, he treats you harshly. He criticizes your work at every opportunity. She doesn’t consider you for a promotion even though you work harder and longer hours than everyone else. How should we as followers of Christ respond? Should we quit? Should we start a little anti-boss campaign, gossiping with other employees about the boss behind their back? Should we start cutting corners at work, or lie about the amount of time we have worked just to show them? Peter says, “Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect.” I think we could apply this to today by saying it this way, employees submit to your boss with all respect. He continues, “not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God.”
This is so contradictory to our Western culture. Our culture says if someone mistreats you at work or anyplace, do it back to them. After all they deserve it, they brought it upon themselves. Or perhaps you’ve heard this, ‘Don’t get mad, get…even.’ As Christians our response is different than our culture. We don’t respond to hardship the way the world does. We don’t sink to their level. We don’t respond evil for evil. We don’t compromise our faith and our integrity by acting like the world, retaliating with words, gossiping about them behind their back. We respond the way Christ would.
Peter reminds us of how Jesus responded to harsh treatment as a model for our behavior. “’He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’ Yet “when they hurled insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered he made no threats. Instead he entrusted himself to him who judges justly (referring to God).” In fact, when Jesus was on the cross he actually prayed for his Father to forgive those who persecuted him. He said, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing (Luke 23:34).”
Jesus submitted to those over him even though they were unjustly punishing him for crimes he did not commit. Jesus’ suffering was part of God’s plan to bring forgiveness to all who would believe, by his wounds (stripes) we are healed.
As Christians we seem to believe that God would never condone our suffering, God wants us to be happy, right? And if we are not happy, then obviously it is not what God wants so we should do whatever it takes to get out of the situation whether it is a work environment, a marriage, or a friendship, even if it means being deceitful (lying), gossiping, yelling and swearing, backstabbing to accomplish this, as though the ends justify the means. Peter tells us this is not so, we will suffer like Jesus for doing good, but whoa to the person who chooses to take the easy way out. We should never lose our integrity even when we are enduring suffering.
Jesus said, “blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven (Matt. 5:10-12).”
It’s easy to be a Christian when times are good, and people are nice to us, but when situations at work turn for the worst and we are mistreated and people talk behind our back, that is when our faith is put to the test, and it is at that point people see us for who we really are. They see how solid is our faith foundation on Jesus Christ. People are watching us to see how we behave. That is when we are a true witness for Christ. Backing up a little bit, in the verse 12, Peter writes, “12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” Every day at work we are a witness for Jesus Christ, whether that is for good or for bad. Peter reminds us we will be rewarded for enduring suffering come from God.
Can we submit to our employers and treat them with respect even though they we feel they may be making a wrong decision, even though we may disagree with them, even though they may be harsh with us? Are we keeping our Christian integrity in the workplace by respecting those over us and even those who work with us (respect all people)?
Perhaps you’re thinking to yourself, Pastor Matt, I just can’t accept that God would want me to do this. I challenge you this week to read over this passage and these other passages this week and ask the Holy Spirit yourself what the truth is (Ephesians 6:5-9; Colossians 3:22-25; Romans 13:1-8).
