Morning Musings with the boys at breakfast...
Submit, submit, submit. That six-letter word again...
We've had "submit to God" (James 4:7); "wives submit to husbands" (Ephesians 5:22); "submit to each other" (Ephesians 5:21); and now here in 1 Peter 2:13-17, especially verse 13, we are told "Submit yourselves"...under what motivation?..."For the Lord's sake". Submit ourselves to whom? "Every authority instituted among men". Boy, oh boy; the Christian life ain't easy! However when we love the Lord, we will acquiesce for Him.
This submission of ourselves to every authority instituted among men even means at school; even a very restrictive school with classroom monitors and prefects wielding metal detectors on authority of teachers and principal, submitting to school bag and body searches in a high school. Oh man! Submitting without resentment to those who may even be younger than you &/or the same age of fellow schoolmates. These are all easier said than done. Even thinking about it gets my goat and I'm not the one to have to endure the indignities.
I've just finished reading a book entitled God's Double Agent by a fellow named Bob Fu. He was a religious dissident in China but even as a student protested at Tienanmen Square. He barely escaped the annihilation because he had to take his girlfriend to the hospital. She had drunk some polluted water to ill effect. He was arrested and imprisoned eventually for "illegal" activities such as training new believers in Christ in God's Word.
This is a true story of "a Chinese Christian's Fight for Freedom". He also "currently runs ChinaAid (ChinaAid.org), a nonprofit organization that tirelessly advocates for the underground church in China, political dissidents, and those who risk their lives to defend them."*1 How is this being submissive to the authorities?
I think we can get a clue from Peter and John who were taken before the authorities (Sanhedrin) of their time who ordered them not to speak in Jesus's Name nor preach the message of Jesus. What was their response? "...is it right in God's sight to obey you rather than God?" (Acts 4:1-21 esp vs 19). Of course Peter qualifies his statement in 1 Peter 2:16 by saying, "but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God". We must be careful how we behave and not put the Lord our God to the test and be prayerful about when to or not to obey/be submissive to, the authorities as in Peter and John's case way back in Bible times, or in the Bob Fu case in these more recent times.
When we can and do submit, hopefully the authorities "commend those who do right". This submitting encompasses what 1 Peter 2:12 asks, "Live such good lives...that they may see your good deeds". When we live "good lives" by doing "good deeds" there's a high chance God will be glorified through our Christian living; maybe not by the earthly authorities but by others possibly by those who are the actual 'submitters'. Peter and John were blessed with many new Christians to build up in their most holy faith as was Bob Fu, for that matter. They passed on the baton, so to speak so that others could then pass on to others.
Let's take a look at the "good deeds" list we've been accumulating since chapter 1 of 1 Peter. On the list are: "being obedient to God the Father" (1:2); enduring suffering and proving your faith (1:6, 7); "being self-controlled" (1:13); being "holy as God is holy" (1:14); "getting "rid of all malice, slander of all kinds, deceit, envy" and in so doing showing how we love the brothers and sisters in God's family (2:1-3); "craving pure spiritual milk" (2:3); living such a sanctified life that we are seen as "aliens and strangers" (2:11); able to declare God's praises (2:9) and that without hypocrisy (2:1).
In our submission we recognize and acknowledge Jesus as Lord of all (Matthew 28:18). Jesus was given authority in heaven and on earth. Anyone who has authority was given it by God therefore whether the one in authority is good or bad, we still have to respect the position and "show proper respect to everyone". When we do and do good we: "silence the ignorant talk of foolish men". (vs 17).
We see that when we use proper Christian manners, we will submit to all the governing authorities and "show respect to everyone" (1 Peter 2:17). I like that. This comprises a major part of living in and among God's family as well. When we are His children we have a huge family; a world wide one--a "world wide web", if you like, called "the brotherhood of believers" whom we are called upon "to love" (1 Peter 2:17). Love them who are near and far.
I like what this fellow Phillips Brooks had to say so long ago:
"The Christian life was not meant to live in solitude forever, nor is it suited to it. It is a social life. All its movements suggest and prophesy a brotherhood. That brotherhood of believers is the Christian church."
We are God's people, people. Remember also what Jesus had to say,
Let us have that love, that fondness and affection for one another; a helpful kindness developed through submission to God, definitely, and to "every authority instituted among men" and among God's family, the Church. When we submit with all due respect for everyone, "slaves to masters (employees/employers) whether they be good or not"; to unjust suffering for Christ's sake is commendable. Even our Lord Jesus Christ Himself endured even though He had no sin whatsoever.
It is of great interest to note that in 1 Peter 2:22 we read that in Jesus "no deceit was found in His mouth". By contrast, we were instructed back in chapter 2:1-3 to "get rid of," among others, "deceit". Jesus had absolutely none to get rid of. Isn't that marvelous!? Jesus is "the Way, the Truth and the Life" (John 14:6).
Jesus gained eternal life and forgiveness of sins for us, giving us His righteousness and by His wounds we are healed. (Read 1 Peter 2:18-25). If we endure unjust recriminations perhaps good will also come out of it for others as Bob Fu was able to help some of the men in his prison cell. Through Jesus's suffering we have now returned to our Good Shepherd and Overseer of our souls...we are in His safe keeping now. Submit for Him out of our love and gratitude for all He's done for us. Praise the Lord for His overwhelming mercies!
*1 God's Double Agent by Bob Fu; Baker Publishing Group; Grand Rapids, MI; Copyright 2013
~ERC 2016~
No comments:
Post a Comment