Believers in the World

I Peter 2:11–17
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If we are going to witness to the lost people around us, we must live honest lives before them. We must “walk our talk.” Our good works must back up our good words (Matthew 5:16). It’s a tragedy when unsaved people reject Jesus and His Word because of the inconsistent lives of professing Christians. Our real battle is against our inner passions, not against people. We are to be in the world but not of it (vv. 11-12). As foreigners and strangers here, we should not surrender to the evil desires of the world or to the passions of the flesh. Even if people falsely accuse us of wrongdoing, we should strive to do what is right, trusting that on the day of judgment, our accusers will testify honestly before God of the good things we have done. Kenneth Wuest said, “Our manner of life is honest when our lives are in accordance with what we are inwardly: cleansed, regen­erated children of God." 

It is the will of God that Christians should be subject to their governments. The Roman Empire was authoritarian, and it was the duty of each citizen to follow the rulers in absolute obedience (vv. 13-17). If Peter could urge believers to submit to the authority of a ruler like Nero, certainly Christians should sub­mit to government officials today. The word “ordinance” (v. 13) does not refer to individ­ual laws but to the institutions that make and enforce the laws. It is possible to submit to the institutions and still disobey the laws. An example of this would have been Daniel and his three friends who refused to follow the king’s dietary regulations. They disobeyed the law but the way they did it proved that they honored and respected the king (Daniel 1). We may not agree with the policies and practices of those over us, but we must respect their position. Peter makes four summary points (v. 17): (1) “Honor all men”, never taking someone for granted, (2) “Love the brotherhood”, fellow Christians (1 John 3:14), (3) “Fear God”, awe and reverence (Proverbs 1:7), and (4) “Honor the King”, respect those who have been placed in authority by God. 

Application

Discuss with your family things that the government may ask us to do that we as Christians cannot do. Then talk about how we must handle these situations in light of the Scripture we have just read.