1 Peter 2:13–16

In 1 Peter 2:13 we have nothing to do with the rules of religion on earth. Colossians 2 declares that they were nailed to the cross and taken out of the way. The apostle urges the believing Jews to behave well among the Gentiles, and to be in subjection to every human creation or institution for the Lord's sake. This he explains as civil government: "whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good." Christian Jews must not be unruly like their unbelieving brothers.

A republic had its claim no less than royalty. The only relation revealed for the believer is subjection. There is not one word here, or anywhere else in the New Testament, about the believer exercising authority in the present evil age. The grace of Christ is the pattern for every Christian. "For the Lord's sake" does not mean His relation to the human creation, though He is indeed Lord of all. It means His appeal to the saints themselves, that they obey Him in submission to the powers of the world.

As honour is not at all based upon their personal character, we have nothing at all to do with their origin, how they got their power, or how they use their power. All that we have to do, as believers, is to own God and the magistrate. Perhaps the magistrate, or the king, does not own God himself. That is a serious thing for him, but it does not change our relation.

It would be wholly inconsistent for those who take the place of strangers in this world to attempt to form these institutions or appoint the authorities. We are, however, to be subject to them, and this with the highest motive, for the Lord's sake. We are to be subject to subordinate as well as to supreme authorities, and, again, for the reason that we view them all in relation to the Lord. Whether they exercise their authority in the fear of God or fail to do so, we are to view them as sent by God for the maintenance of the government of the world.

Are we, then, advocating a blind subjection to earthly rule? By no means. When human commands conflict with the word of God, this same apostle has taught us how to act. He, with the other apostles, told the Sanhedrin: "We must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29).

It is our duty to obey and submit ourselves to them in all things. The one condition is that they do not call on us to disobey God, or do violence to conscience. If they do this, we must — what? Resist? No, but suffer.

These scattered Christian Jews might well resent the Gentile authorities over them, whether kings or governors. They might resent the many ordinances and laws and regulations that had been set up too. Still, they were to submit. Government, they had to recognise, was a divine institution. The Christian is of course free, for he stands in the liberty of Christ. Still, he must not use his freedom as "a cover-up for evil" — in any way to vent his anger on others. He must regard it as liberty to serve God, and the service of God demands the subjection to rulers laid down here.

The Spirit makes a distinction, even while He commands subjection to all: the king is supreme, and the governors are sent through him to punish evildoers and to praise those who do well. "Sent through him" points to the king's authority as the higher one. If God had been meant here, the phrase would, I believe, have been "by," and not the in-between word "through." Anyone can see how odd the mistake would be. It would make the divine commission belong not to the king, but only to the governors he appoints.

The aim of government stated in the last part of verse 14 is quite clear. It is to punish evildoers and to encourage those who do well. God laid this broad duty on Noah after the flood. We hear of neither king nor magistrate in the world before the flood... "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in His own image" (Gen. 9:6) first laid the basic foundation of human government as it stands. Life belonged to God, and He gave this principle to Noah.

The exhortations that follow view the believer in relation to the institutions and authorities of this world. It would be wholly inconsistent for those who take the place of strangers in this world to try to form these institutions or appoint the authorities. We are, however, to be subject to them, and this with the highest motive, for the Lord's sake. We are to be subject to lower authorities as well as to supreme ones, and again for the reason that we view them all in relation to the Lord. Whether they use their authority in the fear of God or fail to do so, we are certainly to see them as sent by God to maintain the government of the world.

The place of the Christian is complete obedience to the governing authorities, even if Nero were king. Nero could not touch my portion, which is heavenly. So whatever the question is, unless it interfered with my obedience to God, I would not mind. He could only bring me into "the lion's mouth," and this might turn into a testimony. He could not touch my resurrection life... I take my example from Christ, who appealed to no one but God. Yet even in the darkest hour of wickedness, when God's priests were pressing the Roman authorities to crucify His Son, the Lord says, "You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above."

There is also a praise that should never be taken lightly. Doing practical good, and submitting readily for the Lord's sake to human institutions, calls out this praise from the rulers of this world. It can be won with honour even from the very worst of human governments. On the other hand, someone who shares in the heavenly calling, whose name is registered above and whose rights as a citizen are there and not here, can never consistently seek the reputation of a social or political reformer.

Other Scriptures clearly show that the only limitation to our subjection to men is the fear of God. When men insist upon direct disobedience to God, we must set God first (Acts 4:19). So here the order is, "Fear God. Honour the king."

In many passages the will of God has reference to the eternal counsels of God, as we read, "who works all things according to the counsel of His will" (Ephesians 1:11). In other passages the reference is to God's will for His people in their daily path (1 Thessalonians 4:3; 1 Peter 2:15, etc.).

Those who belong to Christ have nothing directly to do with governing the world. Scripture says plainly that they are not of the world, just as He was not... Now is the time to suffer with Him, and to look to be glorified with Him later. So meanwhile we should be all the more eager to submit to every human institution (the literal word is "creation"), not only to a king as the highest authority, but also to the governors he sends out from time to time to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. Our real interests are above; but this is our duty for the Lord's sake.

The word of God plainly tells His people to obey the governing authorities (Romans 13:1; Titus 3:1; 1 Peter 2:13-17). It is not for us to question how that authority came to power, or what kind of person holds it. Our part is to obey. But when the will of man clashes with the word of God, and tries to force that will on our consciences, we must obey God rather than man (Acts 4:19).

A weighty reason follows. "For this is the will of God (and are we not sanctified for obedience — the obedience of Jesus?), that by doing good you should put to silence (literally, muzzle) the ignorance of foolish people."... The true and fitting answer to the world's spiteful hatred is a godly life. For all men, not just some, are foolish if they do not know God. That is why they take a malicious pleasure in blaming His children for their own evils.

By submitting to authority and doing good, the Christian puts to silence the ignorance of foolish men. They accuse the believer of rebelling against authority (Luke 23:14-15; Acts 24:12-13). We are free from the world. But we must not use that freedom to speak evil of this world's rulers. We are to give ourselves wholly to the service of God.

My own desire would be that you should not answer back, but that by a holy and blameless life you put to silence the ignorance of foolish men... Your best answer is "perfect silence."

Dear friends, stand firm; and I beg you, abound in the work of the Lord, and by doing good put to silence the ignorance of foolish people... Remember the word, "When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things." If you are called Beelzebub, you know well why you should bear it, returning blessing for cursing. It is a privilege we rarely have, to be like our Master.

For he is free. He does not depend on the government, though he respects it. He depends on God. And such liberty must not be twisted into mere self-will, because it is really liberty to please God as His willing servants.

The Christian is of course free, for he stands in the liberty of Christ. Still, he must not use his freedom as "a cloak of malice" — in any way to vent his anger on others. He must treat it as liberty to serve God, and serving God demands the subjection to rulers set out here.

Here the Christian receives the place of being completely free. He does not belong to the world; he belongs to heaven. He does not use his liberty as a cloak of maliciousness. He lives as the servant of God, seeking only to be a servant. Now a servant's business is simply to follow the will of his master, and God's will is that I should submit.

The true and fitting answer to the spiteful hatred of the world is a godly course of living… This steady well-doing does not give up the liberty with which Christ set us free. We live by the Spirit, so we are to walk by it too, instead of wearing liberty as a cloak of malice — which is what our enemies claimed we did.

By subjection to authority, and by well-doing, the Christian would put to silence the ignorance of senseless men. Such men charge the believer with rebellion against authority. We are free from the world. But we are not to use our freedom to speak evil of this world's authorities. Instead we are to devote ourselves wholly to the service of God.

"Servants of God" (verse 16). This is the last of the descriptions the apostle uses in this chapter, and it takes in all the rest. The word translated "servants" is really "bondmen," and speaks of those wholly devoted to the will of God. Notice the instructions that surround this description: "Be subject… to the emperor… to governors"; "Honor everyone"; "Love the brotherhood"; "Fear God"; "Honor the emperor"; "Servants, be subject to your masters." Wherever we are, whatever our sphere, our conduct should match our position as "servants of God."

He is free: he is not dependent on the government, though he respects it; he depends on God. And this liberty must not be twisted into mere self-will. It is liberty to please God as His willing servants.

The liberty of the saint is not licence to do his own will. If anything could have taken away the liberty of the Lord Jesus, it would have been hindering Him from always being obedient to the will of God. All that moves in the sphere of man's will is sin… The essence of sanctification is having no will of our own… True slavery is being enslaved by our own will. True liberty means having our own will completely set aside.

Obedience to the powers that be is the plain direction of the word of God for His people. We are not to raise questions about how the authority came to power, or about the character of the person who holds it. Our part is to obey. But sometimes the will of man clashes with the word of God and tries to force that will on our consciences. Then we must obey God rather than man.