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as requested by MarinesWife
1 Peter 2:11-3:12 This is the second section of exhortation in the letter. In the first part, Christians are called toward holiness. In this section, they are exhorted to submission. The key to understanding the section lies in verse 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." It is imperative that we live our lives in such a way that unbelievers can tell there is a difference between our way of living and theirs. With that idea constantly in mind, Peter outlines four different areas in which Christians are to be in submission, and gives us an idea of what that kind of submission would look like.
1. Civil government "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right." 2:13-14 How do we demonstrate submission? "Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king." 2:17 I think Christians often think the way to submit to governors is to obey the civil law. I think more is in view here. We ought to show respect and honor, to the office and to the people holding them. That doesn't mean we agree with everything they say or do, but it also means "gritting your teeth and obeying the law" is not sufficient to demonstrate submission. It is possible to deal with an enemy honorably and with respect, so it is also possible to similarly treat a governor, regardless of our like or dislike of his views or actions. This is not how the pagans act...we are called to live differently.
2. Worldly Masters "Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh." 2:18 How do we demonstrate submission? By showing respect (v. 18) and suffering injustice, with Christ as our example. My husband works part-time at a local University and full-time at a local factory while he is also pastoring. Without naming names or pointing fingers, I can easily identify areas and circumstances where he is treated unjustly. I'm sure most wives can think of injustices our husbands have been handed in their work environments. A Christian is called to respect his employer, regardless of that employer's merit. He is also called to suffer injustices with the same attitude that the Lord Jesus showed. Listen to what Peter says: "But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 1 Peter 2:20-23 This is not how the pagans act...we are called to live differently. 3. Wives to husbands. "Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives" 3:1-2 This is a commonly visited passage for women desiring to biblically submit to their husbands. What does submission to a husband look like? Obedience and respect are the textbook answers. Peter exhorts us to at least two more. The first is to be beautiful. That's a surprising answer, but it's right there in the text! The beauty Peter speaks of is that of the gentle and quiet spirit that is precious to the Lord. So when we cultivate gentleness and quietness (in spirit, thought, action, speech...), we are submitting to our husbands. The second is to be fearless like our foremother, Sarah. This is a hard thing to accomplish in 21st century America, but it is Peter's exhortation nonetheless. We need to let go of the reins that our husbands desire to take, and do so without worrying about what will happen if he forgets to make the mortgage payment, or if he wants to change jobs, or move to a different location, or change churches, or use a different curriculum. We show submission to our husbands by trusting in the One who leads our husbands. This is not how the pagans act...we are called to live differently. 4. The Brethren "Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble." 3:8 What does submission to the brethren (particularly, the local church) look like? Peter gives a list from verse 8 to verse 12, and none of these need special explanation, but there is one that stuck out to me: seeking and pursuing peace in the body of Christ. This is one way we can dramatically stand out from the world. Seeking peace is hard, because it often requires refusing to fight for what we think is right or important. Our congregation is going through growing pains as our attendance has grown past the capacity of our current facility. There are all kinds of decisions and plans and discussions occurring about the best way to handle this wonderful problem. We can handle it one of two ways. The first way would be for people to debate, persuade, convince, argue, pressure, etc., until the ones with the most power and influence get their way. The other way is to honor the desires of others over ourselves. To fall all over each other in trying to make sure our brothers' concerns are met. To refuse to grumble about decisions made or coalition-build to guarantee the outcome of later decisions. This is not how the pagans act...we are called to live differently, that they may see our good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. |
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