‘For The LORD’S SAKE’—1Peter 2:13—3:12
A. CHRISTIAN GOVERNANCE-&- GOVERNMENT--III—1Peter 2:13-17
So far in our study of 1Peter we have examined the fact that
Christians are...CONSIDERED ALIEN(1:1-2)...
We’ve examined...WHAT’s So GREAT About GOD—(1:3-12)
Discovered God’s means of...UNLEASHING Your SPIRITUAL VITALITY/Vigor—(1:13-21)
And we’ve found the importance of LOVING THE BRETHREN(1:22—2:12).
Now we are going to see how those truths play into the scheme of SUBMISSION...the give-&-take of relationships in our world.
And particularly, the role Submission plays in the Christian’s relationship with government.
Attention:
County Employees
A fellow stopped at a rural gas station, filled his tank, & took a break by his car while drinking a soft drink.
As he relaxed, he watch a couple of men working along the roadside.
One man would dig a hole two or three feet deep & then move on. The other man came along behind him & filled in the hole. The men worked right past the fellow with the soft drink & went on down the road. Overcome by curiosity, the fellow headed for the first man.
"Hey there," he said to the men. "Can you tell me what's going on here with this digging?"
"We work for the county in the Roadways Improvement Department,” one of the men said. We’ve been blessed with a grant from the state.
"But one of you is digging a hole & the other is filling it up. Isn't that a waste of the money?"
"Well," one of the men replied, Me, Rodney, & Marvin, we’re the Tree Installment team. I dig the hole...Rodney puts the tree in the hole...& Marvin fills the hole. But Rodney’s out sick today.”
A typical stereotype of Government inefficiency!
Americans have a love-hate relationship with government.
We typically assume that any government work is easy, pointless, & hindered by layer upon layer of what we call ‘red tape’—Cumbersome self-defeating, contradictory, & burdensome laws—which plays itself out in making citizen’s lives miserable.
Peter pressed the importance of Christian submission to secular governance.
Peter expected the submission of Christians to secular governance.
Christian submission is linked to secular governance.
What is the relation between Christian obedience to secular governance?
OR
How are Christians to properly relate to secular governance?
6 facets of Christian governance.
We’ve found previously that CHRISTIAN GOVERNANCE-&-GOVERMNMENT addresses...
1. The SUBMISSION Of GOVERNANCE(:13a-c)
2. The REACH Of GOVERNANCE(:13d-14a)
3—Christian Governance-&-Government addresses...
The MISSION Of GOVERNANCE(:14b)
Explanation:(:14b)Emissaries of punishment & praise
2:14b—“or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers & for the praise of those who do good.”
“...for the punishment of evildoers & for the praise of those who do good.”
2:13-14 reveals 3 essential purposes for government—MNTC
1)Restrain evil.
2)Punish wrongdoing.
3)Promote (public) good.
Why are Christians to submit to those heads of state who are seeking to maintain good over evil?...
Because this is what God has ordained to occur for the furtherance of His witness. He has set them in place(Rom. 13:1) with the intention of ministering to mankind in general & specifically to His people for “good.”(cf.-:15)
Rom. 13:1—“Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, & the authorities that exist are appointed by God.”
Governments are intended for honoring good works & being a terror to evil works.(Rom. 13:3-4).
Rom. 13:3-4—“For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, & you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.”
Evil vaunts itself with the intent of expelling that which is “good.” And thus doers of evil must be punished. “Evildoers” are a detriment to all that is “good” in any government.
Government gets in trouble when it reevaluates & renames good as evil & evil as good(Isa. 5:20; Prov. 17:13).
Prov. 17:13—Whoever rewards evil for good, Evil will not depart from his house.”
Isa. 5:20-21—“Woe to those who call evil good, & good evil; Who put darkness for light, & light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, & sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight!”
Mat. 6:21-23—“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”
As a lamp, the eye chooses what your heart will ‘feast’ upon.
Therefore:
1Tim. 2:1-4—“Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, & giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings & all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet & peaceable life in all godliness & reverence. For this is good & acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved & to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
The secular idea of “good” is subjective...It has flexible bounds. It changes with the times, governments, cultures, societies, etc.
God’s “Good” is objective...It has decisive bounds. It remains reliably constant.
Ps. 33:12—“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.”
Thru removing the influence of evil for the sake of “good,” a governing authority is allowing the “good” to flourish. They are seeking the welfare of the “good.”
Thru simultaneously removing the influence of evil & replacing it with the “praise” of the doers of “good,” any governing authority is making room for, encompassing, & proclaiming God’s “good.”
And so “...secular rulers, even if unknowingly, are performing a religious"(God-promoting) "function.”—NICNT in--‘Romans’
“Punishment”—ekdikhsiv—Noun Fem.—1)A revenging, vengeance, punishment. In 2Co 7:11 -- meeting out[doling out] of justice; doing justice to all parties. See Lu 18:3, 21:22. The word also has the sense of acquittal & carries the sense of vindication. Strong—Vindication, retribution. Used 9X.
From—ek/ex—Prep.—1) Out of, from, by, away from. Strong—a primary preposition denoting origin(the point whence action or motion proceeds), From, out(of place, time, or cause; literal or figurative; direct or remote).—&—dikh—Right(as self-evident), i.e. Justice(the principle, a decision, or its execution).
Not personally determined...but governmentally/federally/nationally/corporately punished.
“Praise”—epainov—Noun Fem.—1)Approbation, commendation, praise. Strong—Laudation; concretely--A commendable thing. Used 11X.
From—epi—1) Upon, on, at, by, before; 2) of position--On, at, by, over, against; 3) To, over, on, at, across, against. Strong—Over, upon, etc.; of rest--At, on, etc.; of direction--Towards, upon, etc.—&—ainew—1) To praise, extol, to sing praises in honor to God; 2) To allow, recommend; 3) To promise or vow.
Argumentation:
God’s MISSION for any GOVERNANCE is To make a distinction in expelling wickedness:
Deut. 9:1-5—“Hear, O Israel: You are to cross over the Jordan today, & go in to dispossess nations greater & mightier than yourself, cities great & fortified up to heaven, “a people great & tall, the descendants of the Anakim, whom you know, & of whom you heard it said, ‘Who can stand before the descendants of Anak?’ “Therefore understand today that the LORD your God is He who goes over before you as a consuming fire. He will destroy them & bring them down before you; so you shall drive them out & destroy them quickly, as the LORD has said to you. Do not think in your heart, after the LORD your God has cast them out before you, saying, ‘Because of my righteousness the LORD has brought me in to possess this land’; but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is driving them out from before you. It is not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart that you go in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD your God drives them out from before you, & that He may fulfill the word which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob.”
Deut. 7:7-8—“The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the LORD loves you, & because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand, & redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”
Egypt under Pharaoh was an oppressive government against the Hebrews. There was some degree of purpose which God had in His people being there in the first place—He prospered them & manifested His superiority over false gods. Not that His people would be tormented & tortured but that they might be doers of good in its midst, & as testifiers of the wickedness of following false gods.
Mat. 7:18-24—“A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down & thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, & done many wonders in Your name?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, & does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:”
Mat. 10:5-8—These twelve Jesus sent out & commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, & do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.”—Governance!
1Cor. 5:12, 13—“For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.”
1Tim. 2:1-4—“Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, & giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings & all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet & peaceable life in all godliness & reverence. For this is good & acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved & to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
Rom. 12:16-21—“Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Gal. 5:19-23—“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, & the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”
The intent of Governmental Regulation in general is good/It is there to prevent the abuse of certain aspects of life by others/It has potential to broaden the horizons of others to keep them from being selfishly & destructively opportunistic upon others/MISSION Of GOVERNANCE
Illustration:
Taxes are levied at varying levels/One reason taxes are so complicated is that they ‘attempt’ to level the field as it were—A noble concept!—Those with less keep more & those with more keep less/That is why tax laws are so complicated/Unfortunately ‘sin naturally get into’ the system/MISSION Of GOVERNANCE
Florida Lemon Laws/MISSION Of GOVERNANCE
Truth in advertising/MISSION Of GOVERNANCE
TV & Movie ratings/To protect our kids from the inappropriate & misguided mindsets of the film-makers/MISSION Of GOVERNANCE
Property rights are simultaneously guaranteed to those who qualify & removed from those who do not/MISSION Of GOVERNANCE
Consider the fallout over the Apalachicola River Drainage Basin or the Colorado River Drainage Basin/Water usage by cities & farmers along the stretch of both those rivers negatively effect the water availability & water quality at the end/Legislation involving 3 states for the Apalachicola River & at least 5 states + 2 Mexican states for the Colorado River/MISSION Of GOVERNANCE
Application:
?Does your governance honor God by addressing the MISSION Of GOVERNANCE?
?Does your Governance declare God...Is it Righteous/Christian?
4— Christian Governance-&-Government addresses...
The SILENCE Of GOVERNANCE(:15)
Explanation:(:15)
2:15—“For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men--“
Why are Christians to submit to those heads of state who are seeking to maintain good over evil?
Because this is what God has ordained to occur. He has set them in place(Rom. 13:1). They are intended for the sole purpose of ministering to us for good. They are intended for honoring good works & being a terror to evil works.(Rom. 13:3-4).
Thru individual & corporate Christian obedience to God, allowed thru secular governance, “the ignorance of foolish men” is “silenced.” Submission is key to silencing the ignorance of fools.
The “ignorance of foolish” people describes a willful rejection of truth...An attempt to by-pass God.
Their’s is a sinfully driven rejection which refuses to accept accurate knowledge & truth. Thereby many operate & govern in “ignorance.”
To operate outside the open & available knowledge of God is a “foolish” endeavor. “Foolish men” press their chosen “ignorance” upon others...offering others only a small part of the full & true story of God & mankind. Such fools willingly “suppress the truth in unrighteousness”(Rom. 1:18).
Rom. 1:18-19—“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness & unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.”
Thru their right actions—“by doing good”— Christians bestow moral knowledge to their world, thereby “silencing” that which opposes God’s right(-eousness).
Moral knowledge is a knowledge of right & wrong. It is determined by God rather than being subject to & born out of individual & naturally biased opinion & reasonings. Thru a Christian’s “doing good”(not just ‘saying’ but “doing”), God’s standard of right & wrong is spread abroad by means of its ‘practical application,’ i.e. by the “doing” of “good.”
The “silence” arising from the “doing” of God’s “good” speaks loudly to & of, the moral state of governance. The formerly “foolish” elements of discord no longer have a discernible voice in the midst of a nation given to hear God’s “good.”
By “doing” God’s “good”—physically, emotionally, & spiritually caring for the downcast, for the undeservedly needy, for citizenry, for those made in God’s image—we declare the inherent worth of all men, women, & children to God.
In prioritizing God’s “good,” His people declare the inherent worth of all God’s creation aside from mankind, along with the inherent evil-ness of sin(that seeks to destroy it).
Rampant self-service abuses & destroys a nation because it abuses & destroys both people & nature. To pad one’s pockets at another’s expense, is an affront to God, & is an affront to good governance.
“Will”—yelhma—Noun Neuter—1) What one wishes or has determined shall be done; 2) Will, choice, inclination, desire, pleasure.
“Doing Good”(See :20)—agayopoiew—Verb—1) To do good, do something which profits others; 2) To do well, do right. Strong—To be a well-doer(as a favor or a duty). Used 11X.
From—agayov—a primary word; “Good”(in any sense, often as noun)—&—poiew—Strong—To make or do.
“Put to Silence”—fimow—Verb—1) To close the mouth with a muzzle, to muzzle; 2) metaph.—2a) To stop the mouth, make speechless, reduce to silence, 2b) To become speechless; 3) To be kept in check. Strong—from fimov(a muzzle); To muzzle. Used 8X.
“Ignorance”—agnwsia—Noun Fem.—1)Not knowing, ignorance. Denotes a willful, hostile rejection of the truth. Strong—Ignorance(properly, the state). Used 2X.--Here & 1Cor 15:34.
From—A(as negative particle)—&—gnwsiv—1) Knowledge signified in general intelligence, understanding. Gnwsiv denotes knowledge by itself. Gnwsiv applies chiefly to the apprehension of truths. Strong—Knowing(the act), i.e. by implication--Knowledge. English=‘Agnostic.’
“Foolish”—afrwn—Adj.—1) Without reason; 2) Senseless, foolish, stupid; 3) Without reflection or intelligence, acting rashly. Strong—properly--Mindless, i.e. Stupid, by implication--Ignorant, specially--Egotistic, practically--Rash, or morally--Unbelieving Used 11X.
From—A(as a negative particle)—&—frhn—The midrif(as a partition of the body), i.e. figuratively & by implication, of sympathy--The feelings(or sensitive nature; by extension[also in the plural]--The mind or cognitive faculties).
Argumentation:
*Gal. 5:19-23—“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, & the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”
Every governing authority recognizes that civil stability is maintained thru what the church knows as the fruit of the Spirit! ‘Good government’ in it’s enforcement of, occasional badly thought thru laws, know this as it brings suffering upon all. Even wholly ‘ungodly government’ recognizes the worth of “doing good.”
*1Pet. 3:13-17—“And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, & always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness & fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.”
*Ezek. 36:17-23—“Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own ways & deeds; to Me their way was like the uncleanness of a woman in her customary impurity. Therefore I poured out My fury on them for the blood they had shed on the land, & for their idols with which they had defiled it. So I scattered them among the nations, & they were dispersed throughout the countries; I judged them according to their ways & their deeds. When they came to the nations, wherever they went, they profaned My holy name--when they said of them, ‘These are the people of the LORD, & yet they have gone out of His land.’ “But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations wherever they went. Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; & the nations shall know that I am the LORD,” says the Lord GOD, “when I am hallowed in you before their eyes.
*1Tim. 2:1-4—“Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, & giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings & all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet & peaceable life in all godliness & reverence. For this is good & acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved & to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
*1Pet. 2:11-12—“Beloved, I beg you as sojourners & pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.”
*Job 5:15-16—“But He saves the needy from the sword, From the mouth of the mighty, And from their hand. So the poor have hope, And injustice shuts her mouth.”
1Sam. 2:1-9—“And Hannah prayed & said: “My heart rejoices in the LORD; My horn is exalted in the LORD. I smile at my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation. No one is holy like the LORD, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God. Talk no more so very proudly; Let no arrogance come from your mouth, For the LORD is the God of knowledge; And by Him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty men are broken, And those who stumbled are girded with strength. Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, And the hungry have ceased to hunger. Even the barren has borne seven, And she who has many children has become feeble. The LORD kills & makes alive; He brings down to the grave & brings up. The LORD makes poor & makes rich; He brings low & lifts up. He raises the poor from the dust And lifts the beggar from the ash heap, To set them among princes And make them inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’S, And He has set the world upon them. He will guard the feet of His saints, But the wicked shall be silent in darkness. For by strength no man shall prevail.”
*Ps. 63:1-11—A Psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah. “O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry & thirsty land Where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, To see Your power & Your glory. Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow & fatness, And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips. When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. Because You have been my help, Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me. But those who seek my life, to destroy it, Shall go into the lower parts of the earth. They shall fall by the sword; They shall be a portion for jackals. But the king shall rejoice in God; Everyone who swears by Him shall glory; But the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.”
Ezek. 33:13—“When I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, but he trusts in his own righteousness & commits iniquity, none of his righteous works shall be remembered; but because of the iniquity that he has committed, he shall die.”
*Rom. 10:1-4—“Brethren, my heart’s desire & prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, & seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”
Php. 3:8-9—“Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, & count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ & be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;”
Rom. 3:19-23—“Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, & all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law & the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all & on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned & fall short of the glory of God,”
*2Cor. 10:3-6—“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments & every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, & being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.”
Illustration:
One of our membership wisely asked prayer to remove a spirit of Jealousy from themselves & the church/Jealousy can cause you to complain & get upset about what others are rightly doing/Jealousy sees the righteous actions of brothers & sisters in Christ as a threat rather than the obedience to Christ that they truly are/*Steadfast continuance in the power of the Holy Spirit, shuts down jealousy, by proving our actions as righteous being derived from the Lord!/SILENCE In GOVERNANCE
Application:
?Does your governance honor God by addressing the SILENCE In GOVERNANCE(:15)?
?Does your Governance declare God...Is it Righteous/Christian?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
I dig the hole...Rodney puts the tree in the hole...& Marvin fills the hole. But Rodney’s out sick today.
Action:
Christian Governance-&-Government addresses...
3. The MISSION Of GOVERNANCE(:14b)
4. The SILENCE In GOVERNANCE(:15)
1. The SUBMISSION To/Of GOVERNANCE(:13a-c)
2. The REACH Of GOVERNANCE(:13d-14a)
Pts. 3-4 Presented 01/15/2017pm to:
FBC Cbelle
206 Storrs Ave. SW
Carrabelle, FL 32322
