Not so very long ago, one of the men in our church mentioned that he had gotten the Bible on CD and was listening to it when he walked on the treadmill. This inspired me to break out my Bible on CD. While I’m not as productive to listen on the treadmill (I need something a bit more distracting me while I’m walking), I have put the New Testament in my car and I’m listening as I drive to and from work/baseball/CAP/etc. It has been a great blessing, but also difficult at times.
Last week, I decided to listen to the “General Epistles” (Hebrews, James, I & II Peter, I – III John and Jude). We often overlook these great books in favor of the meat that is found in the letters Paul wrote, but there is meat to be had in these books as well.
I said it was difficult earlier, and what I mean is that there are things that I hear when listening that are not always easy to apply to my life. This was the case when I was listening to I Peter last Thursday. After listening to I Peter 2, I had to do some additional study when I got home. I was convicted by what I found.
Let me again say that I am not generally a political person. I’m not fond of the direction I see our current administration going, and I will often freely hint of this to people I’m speaking with. Especially with those whose political ideology is close to my own. However, I’m not so certain this is the right response. There are several places in the New Testament where we are taught how to respond to our leaders, but three in particular refer to how to relate to our overall leader.
I Exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. ~ I Timothy 2:1-2
The teaching here is very clear. We should be in prayer for those in authority, especially for the civil leaders. Paul says that this is so we can live a “quiet and peaceable life”. This is not the life that some Christians strive for. We believe that in order to have our religious freedoms protected, we have to fight for our rights. However, God tells us here the key to living a “quiet and peaceable” life is that we pray. If we spent time praying for our leaders like we should, perhaps there would be less of a need to fight over political issues.
Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme… ~ I Peter 2:13
Here we find the main principle taught in the New Testament about authority. Submission is repeated over and over as our correct response to our authority. Since the election of our new President, I’ve heard several people make comments about how “they better not come to take my guns, or they’ll have a fight on their hands!!” Brothers and sisters, there is no Biblical right to have a gun. “I have a constitutional right to by guns!” Yes, that is so, but you also have a Biblical responsibility to submit to your leaders, even if they contradict themselves. Let me remind you that this passage, as well as Romans 13 (which begins “Let every soul be subject to the higher powers…”) were both written either during or after the reign of the Emperor Nero. It was in this environment that Paul and Peter both command us to live in subjection to civil authority as long as it doesn’t violate God’s law.
Now, I get to stand on my soapbox and pick out one of my pet peeves. Although I have to be careful to remember that it has only been a few years since God showed this to me and before He did, I was a grievous offender. That pet peeve is quite simply the Speed Limit. This is a law established by our civil authorities that we easily find excuses to disobey. “Well, they don’t pull you over if you are only five miles over.” That is not an excuse to disobey. “But I’ll be late to church if I don’t speed.” So, be late and remember to leave earlier next time. Just something to consider. Obedience doesn’t just mean we don’t murder or steal, it also means we don’t speed or disobey traffic laws as well.
Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. ~ I Peter 2:17
This was the verse that started me on this path. This was the verse that, when I heard it last Thursday, convicted me. “Honour the king.” It is such a simple phrase, and yet so difficult when we disagree with the “king”. Let me remind you that when Peter wrote those words, Nero was either the Emperor or had recently been the Emperor. Remember that, according to historians of the time, Nero was the first Roman Emperor to begin extensive torture and execution of Christians. This was the man that Paul and Peter said to submit to. This was the man that Peter said to honor.
Just to clarify, the word honor there is the same Greek word used in Ephesians to refer to the commandment “honour your father and mother”. Remember as you think on this, do you want your childred honoring you the way you honor the “king”?
CC
