A situational aside
Because this is the internet, I cannot be sure of where you live, dear reader. Also, I have no idea when it is you are reading this. Maybe I will be the only person who ever reads this. So, it may be difficult to assume your situation. But, here is mine. I live in the USA. Our government, at least by design, was one meant to serve the people of the US, not the other way round. Supposedly, we vote representatives into office who then serve the will of those they represent. When we study the concept of being subject to authorities it is important to keep this in mind. We have no emperor. Our homes are not in occupied territory under military rule of an emperor who recently overthrew the previous emperor who also ruled via military government, etc.
Christ and the apostles lived in the Roman empire. Most cities and regions in which the apostles traveled as missionaries were under Roman rule. Many of these places were formerly under Hellenic rule, conquered by Alexander. Some were under Persian rule prior to that. I think we should keep this chain of empires in mind as we read the following verses and study what it means to be subject to worldly authorities.
13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
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.
1 Peter 2:13-20
A plan, which didn’t happen!
I know this is a rather large chunk of scripture for me to aim at studying in a single day. In truth it will likely take me a couple days. But, the reason for studying this all together, at least on our first day of encountering these verses together, is that they seem to me rather dependent on each other. I am going to try initially to break these down into commands and justifications. We will look at what we are called to be and do, and how we can transpose these requirements into our lives here and now. Naturally, I will be writing as a person living in the US in the 21st century. I am certain, if we can find the central kernels of truth here, you can apply it to your situation as well, no matter where or when you are reading this.
Be subject
First, be subject. We have: Be subject…to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors. Then, we have, Servants, be subject to your masters. Basically, I think we can read both of these like this.
God is sovereign
God is sovereign. Peter says it right there. For this is the will of God. If you find yourself subject to an absolute authority, as a whole people in the case of the emperor and his representatives, or as an individual in the case of a servant under a master, remember this first fact. God is sovereign. Though it may seem unjust that you are in the plight in which you find yourself, you must recognize that it is God’s will. Remember, we are only talking here about following the first requirement – be subject. There are, of course, requirements for those in positions of absolute authority. We will get to those. But, for now, let’s look at what is required of those under absolute authority as far as being subject.
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
Romans 13:1-7
When is an elected official an emperor?
Again, God is sovereign. If we have rulers or masters, we ought to remember the fact that it was God Himself who appointed them over us. But, what if you live, as I do, in a nation where we do not have an emperor? The fact is that we vote to place our representatives in office. They are by nature (if not by practice) subject to us. Do we have to obey them? In my opinion, as far as elected officials go, we do not. In fact, they ought to be obeying us.
Again, God is sovereign, and therefore we must believe that it was His will which directed the formation of our government. Our government was established as a rejection of tyranny. While those who now “serve” seem to believe themselves “in power” vs “at our service,” the fact remains that the vehicle of their appointment remains the will of the people. Therefore, we are not subject to them as rulers. So, are we required to be subject to those who by definition are subject to us? I think not. When these elected folks take on the role of tyrants, I think it is our duty to remind them that they are appointed to serve us, not the other way round.
To whom then are we to be subject?
To whom then are we to be subject? What is our rationale for determining when we live in a society where government, at least in name, is of the people, by the people, and for the people? Peter says that we are to be subject to those sent by [God] to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. Whom do we have in authority over us which fill this function? I could be wrong, and I have not thought this through completely. But, off hand, it seems like this would be law enforcement, judges, and other local officials who essentially “keep the peace.”
What is our duty when representatives become dictators?
So, how are we to properly be subject when our elected officials which ought to be serving us decide to rule us as tyrants? What I would ask is this: If they are not by law actually our rulers, then might it not be our duty – in being subject to God’s authority, in doing good, in living as people who are free, and people who are servants of God – to remind them, with all due respect, of their actual status? Should we not remind them that our government is not over the people, but of the people, by the people, and for the people?
This seems obvious to me. We are not living in occupied territory, subject to the dictates of a distant emperor. We are free men living in a free country. This country is, at least by definition, ruled by us, the people. So, tyrannical dictates be damned. They are only tyrannical in nature since there is no official tyrant to dictate them.
Generations of ne’er-do-wells
We do have judges, law enforcement, etc., which God has placed over us to punish evil and praise good. I think we should submit ourselves to their authority.
But, our elected officials are are meant to serve us. It’s true that we are to blame for sending generations of ne’er-do-wells to Washington and the state capital. So, in a way, (in nearly every way, actually) we are getting what we deserve. God is sovereign after all. But, my point is that if you just step back, read what Peter wrote, and read what our Constitution and Declaration of Independence state, you will grasp my meaning. We the people are supposed to be the rulers, and the elected types are supposed to be the subjects.
A madman, a robber, a kidnapper
I don’t think Peter would say, “If a strange man breaks into your house and tells you he is now your master and you are now his servant, you should submit and do whatever he wishes with respect.” This is not a God-appointed authority. This is a madman, a robber, a kidnapper.
Who is the real General?
Or, imagine a General finds the need to carry out a special assignment. It requires two individuals. The General looks through his officer corps and determines two he deems worthy of this grave and important mission. He calls them in. He tells them their mission to go forth and carry out his will. The two officers declare themselves honored, salute the General, and leave. A week later they go on television and announce that they intend to carry out the General’s wishes, just as they promised, someday in the distant future. But, first they require the General to resign his office, reduce his rank to that of a private, and recognize the two officers as Generals themselves. What’s more, they require the General-come-private to be on-call, awaiting any special assignments they might dream up themselves. And, the (former?) General is warned that when they call he best step lively.
Now, would you say that this General, if a Christian, is required by Peter and Paul to be subject to the two newly self-minted Generals? Is this usurped power, like that of an emperor invading a sovereign nation? Or is this just tomfoolery?
Well, that’s all the time I have today. A whole lot of rambling! But, there’s some solid scripture inside. I hope this was at the very least thought provoking. Maybe you have some thoughts on what it means to be subject to authority? I’d love to hear them!
Tomorrow, we can look at what it means to “do good.”
