How To Start a Biblical American Revolution
I Peter 2:13-17
There is a letter written anonymously to a man named Diognetus somewhere between A.D. 130 and 200. Diognetus was a tutor of the emperor Marcus Aurelius, but there is really not much more known about him or why he received this letter.
I want to read just a portion of it to you; if you want to see more of it you can ‘Google’ the name, Diognetus, and you will be given a choice of several websites you can go to that have this letter and the sketchy information about Diognetus himself.
Here is a portion of what he wrote:
“Christians are not differentiated from other people by country, language, or customs; you see, they do not live in cities of their own, or speak some strange dialect…They live in both Greek and foreign cities, wherever chance has put them. They follow local customs in clothing, food, and other aspects of life. But at the same time, they demonstrate to us the unusual form of their own citizenship.
They live in their own native lands, but as aliens… Every foreign country is to them as their native country, and every native land as a foreign country. They marry and have children just like everyone else, but they do not kill unwanted babies. They offer a shared table, but not a shared bed. They are passing their days on earth, but are citizens of heaven. They obey the appointed laws and go beyond the laws in their own lives.
They love everyone, but are persecuted by all. They are put to death and gain life. They are poor and yet make many rich. They are dishonored and yet gain glory through dishonor. Their names are blackened and yet they are cleared. They are mocked and bless in return. They are treated outrageously and behave respectfully to others.
When they do good, they are punished as evildoers; when punished, they rejoice as if being given new life. They are attacked by Jews as aliens and are persecuted by Greeks; yet those who hate them cannot give any reason for their hostility.”
What struck me as I read over these words of this anonymous writer of long ago was that whereas the writers of the New Testament tell us how we should live and behave as believers, this writer was describing what he or she apparently witnessed.
Now since the letter is anonymous we cannot know whether this person was a Christian or not. I think the writer is a non-Christian because there is no mention of Jesus Christ in the letter at all, and he consistently refers to Christians as ‘they’, instead of ‘we’.
That’s not the point. What is important is that he is describing an entire counter-culture of people.
It would be interesting, to give to a large group of unbelievers the task of describing us as they see us. I have to say that I don’t think their letters would resemble the one I just read to you at any point.
Now I’m not pronouncing condemnation on Christians of the 21st century. By and large I believe that the people described in this letter to Diognetus are still all over the world today. The difference, I think, is that where in the first and second centuries of the church there was a clear distinction between the church and the world, now, as Paul Harvey once said, ‘the world is getting more churchy and the church is getting more worldly’ and what the world, that is, those of the world generally witness is the worldly church, which has very little to do with true Christianity and real Christians.
The key to these verses is vs. 15. Live your life so that it muzzles people who want to criticize and depreciate Christ and Christianity and the church. Your life can disarm people who want to shoot down your faith.
Someone who comes to mind in our day is Billy Graham. He has been around a long, long time - in the public eye. The press and critics have had every opportunity to find fault in Billy Graham. I haven’t heard Billy Graham criticized - have you? No. People who don’t like a thing about Christianity, people who don’t believe anything that Billy Graham stands for…Admire him. It is pretty hard to think of someone else like that, isn’t it?
If you look at verse 11 of chapter 2 you’ll see him repeat his address to them from the beginning of the letter: “I urge you as aliens and strangers…” You don’t belong to this world, so don’t live as though you do!
You know the old saying, “When in Rome do as the Romans do”? Well that is patently and diametrically opposed to Christian world view! What happens in Vegas, better be something you can bring home with you without shame! Because Peter, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, calls you aliens and strangers here and says, “Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles”. Then he tells them specific places where their behavior is on public display and they need to be careful how their lives look to the unsaved world.
It starts in vs. 13. As citizens of heaven, Christians submit themselves wholly to God’s authority in their lives. But the potential misapplication of this truth may lead some people to be so devoted to God that they become indifferent and even disdainful toward their world and thereby forfeit many opportunities for potential testimony. Believers’ detachment from the world must be balanced by proper respect for and humble submission to all the legitimate institutions of human authority.
Paul wrote in Romans 13 that Christians are to submit to government. Even though Peter and Paul lived in a time when the empire was openly sinful—with homosexuality, immorality, government corruption, abuse of women and violence—they never told their readers to defy civil authority. Jesus Himself had commanded, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” (Matthew 22:21)
For many people, I Peter 2:13 is very difficult territory. Here we are, the American people, a nation that was founded on rebellion against tyranny. But we have developed a culture of rebellion against authority.
The word “submit” is the key to this section. What Peter is telling his readers is this: place yourself in rank—military order—UNDER…” That word UNDER is the hard one. It means I willingly allow someone else to have authority over me! That’s tough for many people. Submission – its not a popular subject here in America. Can you think of a popular song or a movie or even a recent best selling book on the subject of submission? Defiance – the opposite of submission. We love that here in America.
Now there’s an easy list of movies, songs and best selling books.
Today we are living in days of pride and rebellion. James Dobson, in the book on the strong-willed child, says that there are twice as many strong-willed children as there are compliant children. And he also says that this rebellion against parents’ rules often starts very early in life. Rebellion, though, is not only a characteristic of the child and the adolescent. Most people, regardless of age, find it hard to submit to others.
Who do un-submissive people despise the most? Government officials, employers, teachers, police officers. What is the one thing that all of these people have in common? They all have a position of authority. These people are often not liked because people naturally don’t want to submit to their authority. People—Christians and non-Christians—are independent. We don’t want to submit to anyone. Even though a Christian’s citizenship is in heaven, we are to still accept the authority of our government. Jesus said “give to Caesar what is Caesar’s” (Matthew 22:21). In this part of I Peter, Peter talks about submission to government, submission to employers, submission in marriage, and submission to other Christians.
Vs. 17 and vs. 15 tie together. In vs. 17, Peter is saying, “Here is the kind of lifestyle attitude that will silence critics: honor EVERYBODY – even the lowest of society, even the disadvantaged, even the
disabled, even the ugly, the poor, the cantankerous and critical, even the mean and criminal.
Give respect to people
Then he says, let your love for other Christians be so much better than the way normal people treat
their friends…let your love for the brotherhood (other believers) be free of gossip, backbiting,
criticism, arrogance…
Then he says, “Fear God” – reverence, respect, commitment, sacrifice, devotion.
How do you treat your faith—out in public? How do you treat your God—out in public? When
you are in public, does anyone know that you reverence God? Does anyone know that you
serve God?
Then he says, “honor the king.” Respect the office. Respect authority. Realize that you may disagree
with their laws and policies, but you still respect them and give them the honor due their office.
Proverbs 24:21 says, “My son, fear the Lord and the king.” –that verse has the same verbe with two objects—and it means you have the same action toward both of them. You should have the same attitude about the king that you have about God! It doesn’t break it down into Fear God and put up with the king. It doesn’t say honor God and criticize the king. It doesn’t say obey God and disobey the king. It says fear them both…same verb with two objects.
Daniel and his friends in Daniel chapter 1 disobeyed the law—while at the same time honoring the king and respecting authority. They didn’t want their responsibilities to God to be ignored, so they disobeyed the law…but at the same time, they didn’t put their superior into jeopardy, they didn’t defy the king and tell him they refused to eat his fattening unhealthy food. They were still respectful in their attitude. Later on, when they were told to bow down to the statue, they respectfully said, “No, we will not worship something other than our God—and we are willing to suffer the consequences of our choice—and the whole time, they were talking to the king, they were doing it respectfully. Respect the office.
“…subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle showing every consideration for all men.”
Titus 3:1-2
This is very, very difficult for us to understand. In America, we believe all people are created equal. Whether we live that out, is something else altogether. Nevertheless, verse 16 would have blown away the Roman mindset. This is an unheard of concept. It was an accepted fact that all people were not equal. And this will become more specific in the next section I Peter when he talks about submission to masters, submission in marriage, and submission in employment.
Why do I do this?
Vs. 13 says, for the Lord’s Sake
Vs. 16 says give yourself as a slave to God.
Go to Colossians 3 with me:
3:18 as fitting in the Lord
3:20 well pleasing TO THE LORD
3:22 fearing the Lord
4:1 you, too, have a Master in heaven
Conclusion: 3:23 as for the Lord.
Therefore, I Peter 2:15 “…for such is the will of God.”
God cares how you live your life.
God wants to use the obedience and humility of Christians to attract attention to the gospel—and to confound the critics. BUT HE CAN’T ATTRACT ANYONE when Christians are stubborn and defiant and rebellious and cantankerous and critical of government and running down the government officials.
Before you say, “But how are we supposed to change things? How are we supposed to make a difference? Remember Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German pastor who stood by as the Nazis took over Germany and SAID NOTHING until it was too late. What’s going to happen to the United States if we don’t say something?”
OK. Here’s Peter’s response: I Peter 3:1-4 and I Peter 2:15.
If Christians would act like Christians, we would see our government turn around.
Peter and Paul didn’t cry out against slavery or a corrupt empire. They told Christians to act like Christians—and within a couple of generations both slavery and the Roman Empire collapsed. God did it once and I believe God can do it again.
This is not teaching us pacifism. Jesus certainly held his own during his earthly ministry and didn’t let people walk all over him. But he still treated people well – he did not sin, even in the worst of circumstances. But He let His character speak for Him.
See, submission is a general characteristic of public morality. He wants us to move beyond our own personal convictions, beyond our personal thoughts; He wants us to go right to behavior of how we act toward others. Christians are called to give up striving for power and authority over human beings and instead pursue the good of others –"17 Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king."
Submission has it limits – and this should be fairly obvious to us: It cannot be against the will of God. More specifically, it cannot be against what the Bible teaches. All authorities remain ultimately submissive to God. Whoever they are, whether they are believers or not, ultimately – God will allow them to go only so far. Also notice the methods of the rulers are not approved, nor are Christians called on to participate in their activities.
