October 6 | 1 Peter 2:13-17

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DAILY READING

1 Peter 2:13-17

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REFLECTION

Submit for God's Sake

By Pam Mann

This had to be a tough passage for Peter to write. After all, who wants to be told to submit for God’s sake? Peter writes to believers scattered throughout the Roman Empire. No matter where they go, believers are misunderstood, maligned, and accused of disloyalty to the government. For God’s sake, Peter exhorts his readers (including us) to submit to every human authority. We are free in Christ, but, for God’s sake, for the sake of the Gospel, let us submit to those in authority over us.

Given what we know of Peter, this is a message he must first preach to himself. He’s never been timid about telling his superiors how he sees things. After Jesus prophesied that he would die and be raised, Peter tried to set his rabbi straight (Matthew 16:23; Mark 8:33) and merited Jesus’ rebuke: “Get behind me, Satan!” Before the Jewish leaders who had warned Peter and John to preach no more about Jesus (Acts 4:18-20), Peter and John answered: “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Later, in Acts 12, as opposition to the Gospel ramps up, Peter is arrested. Then an angel miraculously leads Peter out of prison. Perhaps this is a key to what Peter expects will happen when believers submit to governmental authorities. In our obedience to God, we

could find ourselves in tough situations which can display God’s power. Is Peter explaining to us that submitting to earthly authorities shows our trust in God’s supreme authority? We believe that God is present and at work in our lives. We fear and love God foremost. If obeying God gets us in hot water with earthly authorities, we can trust God to get us through the consequences.

I once attended a training seminar for cross-cultural workers planning to live in countries closed to the Gospel. One of the speakers (I’ll call Gustav) had worked in such a closed country where people visiting him had defied the government. The perpetrators safely returned to their home country, but Gustav was arrested for their infraction. Gustav’s supporters had been praying for months to open the hearts of his neighbors to consider the Gospel. Sadly, he had seen no progress. Now, he was arrested falsely and placed in prison! Bummer! Weeks passed. He felt defeated and cried out to God. In idle hours, he practiced his language skills and made friends with a particular man who constantly raised questions about the Christian faith. As the weeks passed into months, Gustav realized he was freely having regular faith conversations with a man earnestly eager to know Jesus. These jailhouse faith discussions were hosted by the hostile government. What an irony that this is how the prayers of his mission supporters were being answered!

Peter exhorts us to honor the emperor, to submit to governing authorities, because God is, in fact, in control of us all. No other power thwarts the plans of God the Almighty. We can show respect to everyone because our God is present, aware of every detail, and powerful to work in His timing.

PRAYER

Thank you, Lord, for Peter’s example and exhortation. Keep us respectful of those in authority over us and grateful for Your ultimate sovereignty over everyone and everything.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

PAM MANN

I first joined UALC when my husband (then my fiancé) and I were college students involved in youth ministry. God has used UALC to nurture our family’s faith, even in our years outside the U.S. I’ve participated in UALC ministries with kids, art, prayer, exercise, ESL, and Bible teaching. I do all the fun church things.