‘For The LORD’S SAKE’—1Peter 2:13—3:12
A. CHRISTIAN GOVERNANCE-&-GOVERNMENT--II—1Peter 2:13-17
So far in our study of 1Peter we have examined the fact that
Christians are...CONSIDERED ALIEN(1:1-2)...
We’ve examined...WHAT’s So GREAT About GOD—(1:3-12)
Discovered God’s means of...UNLEASHING Your SPIRITUAL VITALITY/Vigor—(1:13-21)
And we’ve found the importance of LOVING THE BRETHREN(1:22—2:12).
Now we are going to see how those truths play into the scheme of SUBMISSION...the give-&-take of relationships in our world.
And particularly, the role Submission plays in the Christian’s relationship with government.
Attention:
After the presidential election last week(Nov. 8, 2016), there were protest marches in some of the larger US Cities. They were disappointed with the election results...so they complained about it. Who does that? Eerily, there are many people who absolutely have to have their way so that they cannot take it when they do not get what they want.
It’s unnerving to me that there are people who are held by such emotionally driven fear, that they literally feel their lives are hanging in the balance because of a new president. Oddly enough, such people blindly assume they are at odds with the president & his agenda before he even gets into office to prove himself!
BUT, Americans don’t have to stage a revolt to oust some ‘wind-up’ blood-thirsty fascist dictator who has wrongly assumed control. A peaceful transfer of power is one of the things that makes America the most blessed & uniquely independent nation on earth! We are a country of the people & by the people...even though we not see things eye-to-eye. That’s the beauty of individually population-based elections. That’s the beauty of representative government.
Coddled & indulged people whine & belly-ache, threatening to leave the country because their hope is seated in human government rather than in the God who has ordained the order arising from said governance.
More pointedly, such people need to realize that their ‘genuine’ salvation has always been before them. The bottom line is that their genuine hope, rescue, & peace is found in Christ Jesus alone!
Americans indeed have a love-hate relationship with government.
BUT...
Peter maintained & pressed the importance of Christians operating within the bounds of secular governance
Christian submission is indissolubly linked/tied to secular governance.
How do Christians properly relate to secular governance & vice-versa?
6 facets of Christian governance.
We’ve found previously that Christian governance & Government addresses...
1. The SUBMISSION To/Of GOVERNANCE(:13a-c)
2— Christian governance & Government also addresses...
The REACH of GOVERNANCE(:13d-14a)
Explanation:(:13d-14a)At every level/As a whole/Fullness/Entirety
2:13d—“Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme,”
2:14a—“or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers & for the praise of those who do good.”
:13d-14a—
“...whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him...”
This is to be directed toward all of the highest levels of government as well as to the lowest. Submission to the entire range of governance is because its entire gamut is intended to be tied together in cohesively presenting God’s sovereignty.
Christians are to submit to these heads(Rom. 13:1) knowing that they all integrally carry out both the just punishment of evildoers as well as “the praise” of doers of good.
Rom. 13:1-2—“Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, & the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, & those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.”
Governmental Reach touches every outward part of our lives for good or for bad. The reach varies from being largely ‘hands off’(libertarian) to entirely invasive(totalitarian), to anything in-between.
“King”—basileuv—Noun Masc.—1) Leader of the people, prince, commander, lord of the land, king. Strong—A sovereign(abstractly, relatively, or figuratively).
“Supreme”—uperecw—Verb—1) To have or hold over one; 2) To stand out, rise above, overtop—2a) To be above, be superior in rank, authority, power—2a1) The prominent men, rulers, 2b) To excel, to be superior, better than, to surpass. Strong—To hold oneself above, i.e. figuratively--To excel; participle(as adjective, or neuter as noun)--Superior, superiority. Used 5X.
From—uper—1) In behalf of, for the sake of; 2) Over, beyond, more than; 3) More, beyond, over. Strong—“Over”, i.e. (with the genitive case)of place--Above, beyond, across, or causal, for the sake of, instead, regarding; with the accusative case--Superior to, more than.—&—ecw or scew—1) To have, i.e. To hold; 2) To have i.e. Own, possess; 3) To hold one's self or find one's self so & so, to be in such or such a condition; 4) To hold one's self to a thing, to lay hold of a thing, to adhere or cling to. Strong—a primary verb; To hold.
“Governors”—hgemwn—Noun Masc.—1) A leader of any kind, a guide, ruler, prefect, president, chief, general, commander, sovereign—1a) A “legatus Caesaris”, an officer administering a province in the name & with the authority of the Roman emperor—1a1) The governor of a province, 1b) A procurator, an officer who was attached to a proconsul or a proprietor & had charge of the imperial revenues—1b1) in causes relating to these revenues he administered justice. In the smaller provinces also, which were so to speak appendages of the greater, he discharged the functions of governor of the province; & such was the relation of the procurator of Judaea to the governor of Syria., 1c) First, leading, chief—1c1) Of a principal town as the capital of the region. Strong—A leader, i.e. Chief person(or figuratively--Place) of a province. Used 22X.
English=“Hegemon”(a supreme leader)
From—hgeomai—Verb—To lead, i.e. Command(with official authority); figuratively--To deem, i.e. Consider.
“Sent”—pempw—Verb—1) To send—1a) To bid a thing to be carried to one, 1b) To send(thrust or insert) a thing into another—Pempw is the general term & may even imply accompaniment(as when sent from God). Strong—apparently a primary verb; To dispatch (from the subjective view or point of departure, whereas ihmi[as a stronger form of eimi] refers rather to the objective point or terminus ad quem, & stellw denotes properly, the orderly motion involved), especially on a temporary errand; also--To transmit, bestow, or wield.
Argumentation:
Prov. 21:1—“The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.”
As rivers flow finding their equilibrium thru channels or courses which are allowed or limited by natural or physical barriers, so the kings heart, being in the hand of the LORD, also finds its effectiveness toward others thru secular directing channels. God must “turn it” by His desire...especially thru the limiting or allowing factor of freewill.
2Tim. 1:8-11—“Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us & called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose & grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death & brought life & immortality to light through the gospel, to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, & a teacher of the Gentiles.”
Judges 16:18-30—“When Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent & called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up once more, for he has told me all his heart.” So the lords of the Philistines came up to her & brought the money in their hand. Then she lulled him to sleep on her knees, & called for a man & had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to torment him, & his strength left him. And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” So he awoke from his sleep, & said, “I will go out as before, at other times, & shake myself free!” But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him. Then the Philistines took him & put out his eyes, & brought him down to Gaza. They bound him with bronze fetters, & he became a grinder in the prison. However, the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaven. Now the lords of the Philistines gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, & to rejoice. And they said: “Our god has delivered into our hands Samson our enemy!” When the people saw him, they praised their god; for they said: “Our god has delivered into our hands our enemy, The destroyer of our land, And the one who multiplied our dead.” So it happened, when their hearts were merry, that they said, “Call for Samson, that he may perform for us.” So they called for Samson from the prison, & he performed for them. And they stationed him between the pillars. Then Samson said to the lad who held him by the hand, “Let me feel the pillars which support the temple, so that I can lean on them.” Now the temple was full of men & women. All the lords of the Philistines were there--about three thousand men & women on the roof watching while Samson performed. Then Samson called to the LORD, saying, “O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, just this once, O God, that I may with one blow take vengeance on the Philistines for my two eyes!” And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars which supported the temple, & he braced himself against them, one on his right & the other on his left. Then Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” And he pushed with all his might, & the temple fell on the lords & all the people who were in it. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life.”
*Dan. 3:1-6—“Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits & its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. And King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather together the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, & all the officials of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. So the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, & all the officials of the provinces gathered together for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up; & they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then a herald cried aloud: “To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, & languages, that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, & psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down & worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up; & whoever does not fall down & worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.””
*Judges 17:6; 21:25—“In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”.....“In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”
Anarchy & vulnerability reign in the absence of godly government.
*Prov. 21:2—“Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the hearts.”
*1Tim. 2:1-4—“Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, & giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings & all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet & peaceable life in all godliness & reverence. For this is good & acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved & to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
The Reach of Governance outwardly touches everything & everyone that is within the sphere of the king’s influence.
Illustration:
Governance in America is pictured as a tree or hand which has many branches/fingers:
Federal Branches—Lower branches, mimic this order & vice-versa.
Executive—President
Cabinet—Advisors, Executive dept. heads
Legislative
Congress
Senate
House of Representatives
Judicial
Supreme Court
District Courts
Circuit Courts
State Branch—mimics Federal Branches
County Branch—mimics Federal Branches
County Commissioners
Municipal Branch—mimics Federal Branches
Mayor & Mayoral Council
City Manager
City Commissioners
As God’s governance touches every level of human life, so secular government effects/reaches our lives...
*Thus it is vital that Christians are involve themselves directly & indirectly in that governance!
Application:
?Does your governance honor God by addressing The REACH of GOVERNANCE?
?Does your Governance declare God...Is it Righteous/Christian?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Coddled people protesting the presidential election results(Nov. 8, 2016) before the new president has been given a chance to be proved.
Action:
Christian governance & Government addresses...
2. The REACH Of GOVERNANCE(:13d-14a)
1. The SUBMISSION To/Of/In GOVERNANCE(:13a-c)
Presented 11/13/2016am to:
FBC Cbelle
206 Storrs Ave. SW
Carrabelle, FL 32322
