1 Peter 2:13-17
13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every au-
thority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the
supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him
to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who
do right. 15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should
silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. 16 Live as free men,
but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as
servants of God. 17 Show proper respect to everyone: Love
the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.
Studying what the Bible teaches concerning the subject of a
Christian’s relationship with secular government, Romans 13:1-7,
1 Timothy 2:1-7 and 1 Peter 2:13-17, there are the three pri-
mary portions of scripture in the New Testament that speaks to this
topic. But also, if we study portions of the book of Acts, we can see
how the Apostle Paul, a Roman citizen when being persecuted, or
on trial speaking to a Roman governmental authority or even before
a King, is an example of respect, submission but also boldness.
Please read, Acts 16:16-20, Acts 22:23-30, Acts 24:1-26:32. 1
Peter 2:13-16
What Paul wrote the Roman Christians and wrote to his spiri-
tual son Timothy to teach the Ephesians Christians; it was one thing
to write and tell others what they should do and how they should
act, but it is totally different to exemplify the very same respect
and submission that he wrote about when he himself was being
persecuted or being questioned.
Luke 12:11-12
“When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and
authorities, do not worry about how you will defend
yourselves or what you will say, 12 for the Holy Spirit
will teach you at that time what you should say.”
If we would ever be in a situation because of our being a Chris-
tian, would we be bold but at the same time be respectful and sub-
mitting? It would not be easy, but not impossible. This becomes
possible when our emotions are submitted to and are under control
of the Holy Spirit. When this happens in us it allows the display and
flow of agape love through us. Likewise, this is how the fruit of the
Spirit is displayed in our character. We see this display of agape
love in Paul and in others many times and under many different
difficult situations throughout the book of Acts.
As was stated last week about the meaning of the word
“submit”, it is important to repeat and to remind us again, be-
cause as with Paul in Romans 13:1,5 the apostle Peter also uses
the word “submit”. We need to understand its application in the
context of what Peter wants all the Christians to know who were “…
scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and
Bithynia…” 1 Peter 1:1.
David P. Seemuth – “We should note that the apostle does
not use the word “obey” though he had access to words that
would clearly mean “obey” rather than “submit”. The focus of
the word “submit” is the voluntary choice to be subject to the
person or authority. It is not the demand of the other that
brings the submission but the desire within the person that pro-
duces the submissive posture. So, therefore, this is not a weak
response to power but a powerful expression of Christ’s love of
a believer. This posture of loving submission, even to the au-
thor-ities of the government, is not without limits. The believer
still makes choices of what are appropriate areas for submis-
sion. The believer is not to break God’s moral requirements for
the sake of secular authorities…”
The following excerpt from the late Warren Wiersbe concerning
1 Peter 2:13-17 was written in 1980’s and fits so well into our
current social and political context we are experiencing today.
When he wrote this commentary over thirty years ago, there were
those who he called “zealous but ignorant Christians” and “overly
zealous saints”. Today people are no different, what is different is
the various social media sites on the internet that these persons
will express and expose their ignorance of God’s Word and their
spiritual immaturity. It is important for us to learn to apply the
Apostle Paul’s advice in Romans concerning these “zealots”.
“Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judg-
ment on disputable matters.” Romans 14:1
“We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of
the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should
please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.” Romans
15:1-2,
“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you,
in order to bring praise to God.” Romans 15:7
Pastor John
“It is important that we respect the office even though we can-
not respect the man or woman in the office. As much as possible,
we should seek to cooperate with the government and obey the
law; but we must never allow the law to make us violate our con-
science or disobey God’s Word. Unfortunately, some zealous but
ignorant Christians use these differences as opportunities for con-
flict and loud sermons about “freedom” and “separation of church
and state.”
When a local church constructs and furnishes a building, there
is a local code that must be obeyed. The government has no right
to control the pulpit or the business meeting, but it has every right
to control matters that relate to safety and operation. If the law
requires a certain number of exits, or fire extinguishers, or emer-
gency lights, the church must comply. The state is not persecuting
when it sets up the code, nor is the church compromising when it
obeys the code. But I know some overly zealous saints who have
disgraced the name of the Lord by their attitudes and actions relat-
ing to these matters.
If we are sincerely submitted to authority “for the Lord’s
sake, (ver.13)” then we will show honor to all who deserve it. We
may not agree with their politics or their practices, but we must re-
spect their position (see Romans 13:1-7). We will also “love the
brotherhood,” meaning, of course, the people of God in the
church, including the overly zealous saints.
“Fear God” and “honor the king” go together, since ” for
there is no authority except that which God has established.
The authorities that exist have been established by
God.” (Romans 13:1). We honor the king because we do fear the
Lord. The tenses of these verbs in the Greek indicate that we
should constantly maintain these attitudes. “Keep loving the
brotherhood! Keep fearing God! Keep honoring the king!”
As Christians, we must exercise discernment in our relationship
to human government. There are times when the right thing is to
set aside our own privileges, and there are other times when using
our citizenship is the right thing.”
