In chapter 2, verses 11 and 12 of his first letter the Apostle Peter gives two principles that should govern Christian behavior. These principles are to abstain from sinful desires, and to live good lives. But it is one thing to give principles and quite another to put them into practice. How do these principles actually apply to our daily lives? In the rest of his letter Peter gives several practical examples of how the followers of Christ should conduct themselves. He begins with how the Christian should act towards the government. In chapter 2, verses 13 through 17 he writes: “Therefore subject yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether to the king, as supreme; or to governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evildoers and for praise to those who do well. For this is the will of God, that by well-doing you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: as free, and not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God. Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.”
Peter writes that the purpose of government is “for vengeance on evildoers and for praise to those who do well” (NIV, “to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right”). But who gives government the authority to do this? Before discussing what the relationship of the followers of Jesus to government should be, it is important to understand the answer to this question. The Apostle Paul clearly writes, “…there is no authority except from God, and those who exist are ordained by God.” (Romans 13:1) And it is for this reason that Peter instructs the followers of Jesus to submit to government. Since it is the function of government to punish wrong and reward good, and since Peter has already established that the follower of Jesus should live a holy and righteous life, the Christian should have no reason to be afraid of government.
Peter says that a follower of Christ should submit to government “for the Lord’s sake.” Even if a ruler or a government is not worthy of respect, the Christian is still to submit because government has received its authority from God. The Apostle Paul writes, “Therefore he who resists the authority, withstands the ordinance of God; and those who withstand will receive to themselves judgment. For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Do you desire to have no fear of the authority? Do that which is good, and you will have praise from the same,” (Romans 13:2-3)
But this raises another question. What should the follower of Christ do if a ruler or government abuses its God given authority and power? Throughout history there have been governments and authorities that have even persecuted Christians. What should a follower of Jesus do then? Peter forcefully says that it is God’s will for the Christian to do good. This is the only option a Christian has if he is to be pleasing to God. Some think that if disrespect is shown to them that they, in turn, have the right to be disrespectful; that abuse should be repaid with abuse, and violence with violence. But this kind of behavior has no place in the life of a follower of Jesus. Peter writes that it is by doing good that the ignorant talk of foolish men will be silenced, not by disrespect, hatred or violence. We all need to examine our own actions to see whether we are following God’s will in this matter.
Peter does not specify who he means when he mentions foolish men. But it really doesn’t matter who they are. Their ignorant talk will be silenced by the good that Christians do. Are these foolish men making accusations against the followers of Jesus to the government? If so, it is the responsibility of Christians to disprove the accusation by doing good. Are these foolish men in the government? Even if they are, the Christian must still reply to their foolishness by doing good.
How far should submission to government go? When Peter instructs the followers of Jesus to live “as free” he is clearly saying that they are not slaves of the state. And, in chapter 2, verse 9 he had already said that Christ’s followers are “…a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession…” The implications are clear. The ultimate loyalty of a Christian belongs to God and not to the state. Some might say that since God has appointed or established government that the government can require people to do anything it wishes. But, a government has no right to ask a Christian to do anything that is contrary to God’s will. Should a ruler or a government do so, then the Christian must respectfully refuse.
Just as a government has an obligation not to require anything of a Christian that is in violation of God’s principles, so too the followers of Jesus also have an obligation. Peter writes that they are not to use their freedom as an excuse to do evil. A Christian is to do good regardless of whether the government is good or bad, whether it is wise or foolish, whether it works for the good of Christians or whether it persecutes them.
Though the followers of Christ are free men, Peter says that they are bond-servants of God. They are God’s slaves for at least two reasons. The first is that God has purchased them with Christ’s blood as Peter reminds us in chapter 1, verses 17 through 19. The second reason that a Christian is a slave of God is that Jesus has bound the Christian to himself with cords of love. As Peter wrote in chapter 1, verse 8, “whom not having known you love…” God has enslaved us by his love. And it is this relationship of love for God that motivates a Christian to act in an appropriate way towards others. It is our love for God that will enable us to do what Peter instructs in verse 17, “Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.” The word Peter uses when he says we should “fear” God carries the idea of reverence.