Along with Romans 13:1-7, 1 Peter 2:13-25 instruct us to honor the authority of the government to the extent that is doesn’t conflict with God’s word. (For the Lord’s sake v13, cf. Acts 5:27-32)
Dealing With the Government and God’s Word
There are a lot of new laws, and disregard for old laws coming into play these days that make it very difficult for a dedicated Christian to honor the government. The Christians in Peter’s time were facing a lot worse than this. They were even at a disadvantage because they, as citizens, had no control over their government or who was in charge.
There are churches being persecuted today for simply obeying God’s word. What’s more, they are suffering for shedding light on the scriptures for others. We know that darkness does not like the light, and those events are the proof. (John 3:19-21)
How do we deal with a government that is both sanctioned by God’s word and Breaking God’s word?
In times like these, where the government and its citizens seem to have abandoned God, it is very important that Christians get back to the basics. We need to do our best to be on our best behavior. This is the weapon of choice against the ignorance and foolishness of those people. (1 Peter 2:15) Peter goes on to encourage goodness in the face of mistreatment as this is worth something in the sight of God. (1 Peter 2:20)
As we face these discussions with our secular friends, we can stand tall with our faith and God’s word as our shield and sword. (Ephesians 6:17) To do this we need to:
- Practice impeccable behavior
- Get good with our scriptures
- Understand the weakness in the other’s arguments and remove the weakness in ours.
Most of all … Trust God’s plan and keep fighting the good fight. (1 Timothy 6:12)
Daily Bible reading for August 23
Psalm 21
1 Samuel 9:1-10:16
Lamentations 1
1 Peter 2:11-3:12
August 23, 2013
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