1 Peter 2:11-3:7 “Living a Life of Submission”

READ: 1 Peter 2:11-3:7

Verses chosen for meditation: 1 Peter 2:18-20

¹⁸ Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. ¹⁹ For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. ²⁰ For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.

REFLECT

This letter was written likely during an outbreak of persecution under emperor Nero. Questions were stirring up within the Christian community. Should they escape or resist? Should they tone down or hide their outward signs of faith? Peter’s readers needed clear guidance on how to respond, with their lives in danger. They also needed some explanation of the meaning of suffering. Why does God allow it? Does God care?

Peter’s response in chapter 1 did not focus on the “whys” of suffering, but rather on the results of suffering. Suffering can refine faith, like how a furnace refines impure metals. Suffering shifts attention from the rewards of this world (wealth, status, power) to more permanent everlasting rewards in the life to come. If Christians can maintain their faith through persecution, a watching world will have to acknowledge the source of that faith, God Himself.

Peter’s guidance is wise indeed. Often, intense persecution led to growth spurts in the church. If they are resolute in their faith, should they then retaliate their persecutors with force? Peter offers further advice here in chapter 2, to submit to human authorities. In 1 Peter 2:13-17, he urges Christians to honour (respect) everyone, even the emperor who led the persecution.

If there was any doubt whether this submission was conditional, today’s verses made it clear. Submit to masters with all respect, not only to the good and considerate ones, but also to the unjust and evil ones (v18). Yes, unjust authorities too! How do Christians fathom that? Does it mean they obey everything their earthly masters say?

RELATE

Peter here, is urging us to treat every human with respect under any circumstances. That is the human value in God’s eyes. But we must distinguish between obedience and submission. The Bible teaches unconditional submission, but not unconditional obedience.

We are called to obey our earthly masters, under the condition that it is still within the moral will of God. When our earthly masters start asking us to sin, contradicting God’s laws, that is when we must choose to obey God instead. However, even when we disobey our earthly masters, we must do so in a posture of submission. When we refuse to follow an order to sin, our attitude towards those issuing that order is still one of respect. As John Bevere puts it: Submission deals with our attitude toward authority. Obedience deals with our responsive actions toward authority. In situations where we need to make a stand to obey God, we state our convictions in meekness. That is necessary disobedience, but with submission.

Conversely, there are times that though we obey, it is done without submission. In other words, we obey with a stinking attitude. I find myself doing this many times. It can be showing my reluctance and complaining attitude towards my parents/teachers while doing what they instruct. I may follow what my co-workers/bosses want, but with displeasure or even gossip, because I think my ways are better. I could simply not like the person instructing me (but nothing wrong in his/her instruction), so I obey with a “black” face or bad speech tone. These instances are never helpful, whether for my own freedom of service or being a good witness for kingdom advancement purposes.

So, it is possible to obey without submission, and disobey with submission. When we obey without submission, it is not good witness to a watching world. But when we submit under any circumstances, our humble witness can powerfully show the love of Christ. The form of this submission is unique to the Christian witness. We are called to serve others, go the extra mile, and suffer injustice without demanding our rights.

Our submission brings us to situations where we endure injustice and choose not to repay an eye for an eye. If Christians respond in kind (good for good and evil for evil), we are merely victims when treated unjustly. We become resentful, seeking opportunities to repay evil with aggression. But if we endure injustice and evil patiently, and still submit, we become more than conquerors in Christ (Romans 8:37), breaking the chain of bondage. We show our confidence in God’s justice, without feeling the need to avenge ourselves. We show that our service is not forced, but voluntary, even to people who treat us unkindly. Suffering this way, will bring value to our Christian witness (v19).

Not all suffering brings honour to God. If we are at fault in our service, and suffer due to the consequences of our negligence, irresponsibility or aggressive retaliation, then there is no value in our witness (v20). We only have ourselves to blame in those situations. However, if we endure unjust punishment while doing good, and find strength to still submit with respect, we are displaying the grace of Christ to observers. This teaching is hard to understand, and even harder to apply, but Jesus modelled it for us in his life on earth. Many were also able to know our God through such displays from Christians living a life of submission for the sake of the Lord.

REST

Dear Lord Jesus, help us to live a life of humble submission to others, including times of injustice. Thank you for showing us the way through your life. May we draw strength and wisdom from that, and bear good witness. Amen.

Chris Chong