This Sunday I gave the sermon at all three of our services. This time we had Q&A at two of them, of which I regret some things, and think later I could have answered things better. Overall I was greatly encouraged by my church for their thinking on this issue and know that this is not necessarily an easy thing to live out.
I felt like this was one of the first really pastorally sensitive sermons I had given and was quite nervous. On Monday I had a different breakup and wrote something on Wednesday only to pretty much scrap that whole thing and re-write this on Friday. This was also more of a dense talk with not many stories or analogies, but I think the immediacy and counter-cultural nature of the issues had people listening.
Peter - Retaliate or Retreat?
When Jesus was walking on the water Peter wants to get out of the boat with him and he does, but then he sink because he doubts.
Peter is the disciple who said Jesus was the Christ, he nails it, but then a few verses later Peter tells Jesus what the Christ is to be like and Jesus calls him Satan.
Peter in the Gospels seems impulsive and rash. He wanted the kingdom to come, he wanted Moses and Elijah to set up camp at the Transfiguration. He wanted Jesus to be the Christ, the one to save Israel. He was keen for it. And even though he kept on getting swatted down from time to time, he was on board with Jesus. At the foot washing, he wanted his whole body to be washed. Do all of me, I’m all in.
At the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was praying deeply, for he was deeply distressed. Peter was one of the disciples nearby, asked to watch out, but he fell asleep. And then in the dark, Judas turns up with a mob armed with swords and clubs. Judas greets Jesus with a kiss and then all of a sudden the mob seizes Jesus, they take him, and good old Peter pulls out his sword. Because the best way to stop a bad person with a sword is to be a good person with a sword. And so he swing and probably because he wasn’t that great of a swordsman, and was maybe aiming somewhere else, he hit Malchus, a servant of the high priests and chops his right ear. And Jesus, while being arrested, rebukes Peter. He says, “put your sword away, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword” (Mat 26:52). And Jesus heals Malchus’s ear, before being dragged off to be whipped and trialled and executed.
And so in coming to our passage today, it is amazing to think that it was Peter, the one who was willing to draw swords when threaten, and the one who was willing to deny the truth about Jesus when asked - he writes this. He doesn’t seem like the excited Labrador anymore. He is serious and hopeful, he is realistic and deliberate.
And so Peter talks about how Christians are to submit to structures they find themselves in, under governments, as a slave (and next week in marriage and in chapter 5, in the church). We are to follow the way of Christ, who submitted and suffered when doing good.
What do you do when you feel like you are backed into a corner? Are you a fight-or-flight person?
Peter tells the Christians to do neither. They are not to retreat from the world and form their own little community away from society. They are also not to retaliate and overthrow the system.
Instead, Peter is telling the Christians to live within the structures they find themselves in and to do good there. They are not to be seen as lawless or disruptive in society. But like how Jeremiah told the original Exiles
Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” Jeremiah 29:7 (NIV)We are still to be in the world, living our lives, not putting up fences form the evil people around us, not setting up our own little colony - but living and interacting and working alongside those who do not know the marvellous light we have been called into or the great mercy we have been shown.
Summary
For today and next week, you might want to think of a target with 3 concentric circles. These circles are the structures we may find ourselves in, from governments to work to marriage. But we must remember that the general principles that we have already seen in this letter still apply. There are like the background colour of the target. This represents who we are under God.
Verses 11-12, help remind us what his background colour might look like - as it is sort of the summary of what we have seen:
Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. 1 Peter 2:11–12 (NIV)While the original readers may have been actual exiles from Rome, they are to remember that this world is not all there is. There is an inheritance and salvation that is awaiting them, although for a little while they may have to suffer various trials.
They are to change their life around, to repent if you will, from their empty way of life and instead to be like their heavenly Father, who is holy. Their lives are to be marked as good. They are to do good deeds, even if someone accuses them of doing wrong.
Good deeds
In our passage doing good is mentioned three times, and all three times they all seem to have a slightly different result.
In verse 12 doing good may mean some people will accuse you of doing wrong, but the good deeds themselves may show the glory of God.
In verse 15 God wants them to do good for it will silence the talk of foolish people. Accusations against them will be seen as false because of their good deeds.
And in verse 20 God will commend those who suffer because they have been doing good and enduring it.
Doing going and suffering because of it is a repeated refrain further into this letter too.
So it would be helpful to know what doing good means.
First off, whatever doing good is, it seems people’s response isn’t a great litmus test. Some may speak ill of you and accuse you of wrong, you may even suffer for doing good. The world and those around you may think that when you are doing good, it actually isn’t the right thing to do. It says, don’t speak up when you see something wrong, it is none of your business. Don’t be honest with the budget numbers for next year so your project can get more money. Don’t admit the fault is at your end and that it was you or the department's mistake. Depending on your station in life, applying your Christian morals may not make life pleasant for you.
Secondly, doing good is an action and it is possible. We have a strong understanding that we are not saved by our works, and that we can not earn our salvation by our actions, but we may forget that once we are saved, the work that we do is good. We aren’t saved by our good works, but we are saved for good works.
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)Doing good is living consistent with your belief in Jesus. It is an action done to improve or help someone or society, in the standards the God has set. It involves putting your interests, needs and the welfare of others before you. It may not have a positive outcome for you in the short term, but it is something that God is pleased about. It is your faith in action. It is something that comes from obedience to the truth of the Gospel. It is loving God and loving others.
Good works are the opposite of evil. We are to turn from our evil desires we had in the past and be obedient children to God and to be holy for He is holy. We are to see the characteristics of God and take them on.
And Peter says, in doing good around others, and for others, some may notice. Some may ask why you are a little different. Why they feel like you are a safe person to talk to, why you seem trustworthy or the type of person that seems to really listen to them. That person may see your good deeds and from that come to know the reason for the hope that you have and also glorify God.
But some may not. Some may have it in for you as the good two shoes of the office. As the do-good-er, as the one that makes them feel uncomfortable with themselves and their actions. They may talk about you behind your back and make things up about you, or read different motivations behind your actions. In all this, still, do good and let the results of your work silence their foolish talk.
And it may even get worst than that. Some people may not like you, they may even hate you because of your belief. We may feel like this group is growing with what we hear in the media and how Christians are painted by some activists. Regardless of the media and wider cultural stereotypes and terribly one-dimensional portrayals of Christians in the public space, still do good.
Doing good is a choice, we do it voluntarily. And Peter turns to look at two structures his readers may find themselves in (and one more next week) and he tells them to submit and to do good within them.
Submit
We may not like the idea of submission. It means to put yourself under. Today we see that as some sort of infringement of our human rights. We want to be free, to have options, to be the master of our own destiny and not tied down by anyone or anything thing. In the words of the great band and theologians The Living End in their song Prisoner of Society:Well, we don't need no one to tell us what to do
Oh yes, we're on our own and there's nothing you can do
So we don't need no one like you to tell us what to do
You sing a song like that and it goes double platinum and stays in the Australian charts for 69 weeks. That is our sentiment.
But that is not the Christian perspective. The Christian life is one of submission. Like it or not, God is sovereign and one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that he is Lord. We are created and he is creator. Christians are to submit to God, to put ourselves under him, for His sake. We are to obey and to follow His instructions.
And we may think sure, we can do that for the biggest power in the universe, but why must we do it for another human, another created human authority? Aren’t we all equal, what makes others more important than me? Was Aristotle right when he said in his book on politics, that some people's purpose is for the work of the body, and that is the best that can come from them, for they are slaves by their nature.
Are some people slaves by nature? Is there like two sorts of humans? Some to rule and some to be ruled? Is that true, is that what Peter is saying?
Not at all. In the Christian perspective, submission is a choice. It is something we do voluntarily. We don’t spread the message of Jesus by the sword and force people to believe. We freely gather and worship, we declare the good news, but can’t make someone else believe it.
In the same way, if someone else wants to be free and do what they want without caring about others around them, we are to voluntarily submit. It is something you do and are not made to do.
Submission doesn’t remove your dignity, or your status as to who you are. It is a choice, one of many choices we are to make in society. It doesn’t affect who we are as a person.
From last week, remember
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 (NIV)
That is our new identity. We are now in a new people group, so what do we do now? Do we start a new Christian nation, or do we overthrow the evil government? Do we join the Sovereign Citizen group and just declare or opt out of recognizing the government above us because we have some higher calling? No.
Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. 1 Peter 2:16 (NIV)We are free and we are slaves. We are now free people, to live how we want, but not to cover up evil but to do good. We are slaves to God. He now owns us. We are His special possession, not the governments or our masters. We are God’s people. So we are free and are to live in submission to God. As we love Him we love others. As we submit to Him we submit to others.
So what happens if you become one of these chosen people. How are you to live? What if your government wants you to sacrifice animals to the Emperor? What happens if you become a Christian and your master worships another God? What if you become a Christian when you are married to a non-Christian. Because we are now God's slaves, do we leave the empire, our master's house, our marriage? Is that even possible? How should we think about these structures?
Government
Peter puts governments in their place under God. In the Roman world, there were citizens and non-citizens. There were some who were more free than others, but Peter tells the believers, those who say that Jesus is Lord and not Caesar that they are free people. And as free people they are to live under the government in submission, giving the emperor honour. They are doing so because they had chosen to do so, they are doing so because they are slaves of a higher ruler - God.
And the Government has a role in verse 14,
governors, who are sent by [the Emperior] to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 1 Peter 2:14 (NIV)Governments might not enact justice always evenly or fairly, but that is their role. And as we find ourselves under their structure we can submit to them. Putting ourselves under their judgment and using their systems of punishing wrong and commending those who do right.
How do you use your words when talking about the latest political news cycle? Are you fair, and honourable in your words? Do you know better than them and have better ideas on how things should be? Will you still put yourself under their authority? Would you use the proper structures in place to let them know your brilliant ideas? Do you give them honour?
Slaves
Peter then talks about, probably the least free person in his culture, the household slave. The word for slave in verse 18 is a specific type of slave, one that was part of a household. They normally lived with the master and slept on the top floor of the place. They could not quit and find another job. This slavery wasn’t like the ones we may see in American movies, this wasn’t based on race. If you found yourself bankrupt there was no safety net, the thing you were to do was sell yourself in exchange for your labour. Back then being a slave cut across all sorts of jobs, some could be doctors, teachers, or managers. Some slaves had their own slaves. Approximately 1/3 of people were slaves, and they could gain their freedom and most expected to be out by 30.
But it wasn’t all rosy. Slaves had little rights. If they weren’t happy they can’t just leave. If they did run away they could be killed. The short letter of Philemon is about how Paul meets a runaway slave Onesimus who becomes a Christian and Paul sends him back to be greeted by his Christian master.
So if a Christian was to find themselves a slave, with no rights what were they to do with their faith? Submit to God because of who they are. They are free in Christ, but a slave to God. They are to entrust themselves to the judgement of God, knowing that He sees and judges each person’s work impartially. And it may be hard. There may be household worship that you won’t take part in. You may be looked on with suspicion, and you may get beat for it. And Peter says, go find a sword and start chopping ears. No wait he doesn’t say that, he says
For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. 1 Peter 2:19 (NIV)It is commendable, it is to their credit, God their master would approve of them bearing unjust suffering because they know God. Because they did good.
Jesus the example
He then points to the example that we are to follow in our dealings with sufferingTo this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
“He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. 1 Peter 2:21–25 (NIV)
Jesus left us an example for us to follow. To walk the same path as him. To take up our cross and follow. He did not return insults, he did not retaliate, he did not threaten. He trusted his Father the judge.
In Jesus’ suffering, he didn’t just give some sort of sentimental model for us to follow, but actually healed us of sin. He took our sins and died, so that we could live for him. And we have now been brought back to God, who will look after us. Who has our souls, our inner person, our being - even when things are hard.
However we are to live in this world, under authority, we need to see that Jesus is the model for us.
Today
So what does this mean for us today?
You might have a million “what ifs” going on in your mind? What about this specific situation? What about if the government uses its tax dollars for this thing I don’t agree with, or what about if my boss is asking me to work on this hot-button project. This can be complicated matters in and of themselves, trying to work out what is the good. If you retreat will it do more good or not? If you speak up what will happen, even if it is unjust? There can be some real consequences for doing good, in a world that sees it as wrong.
But before we think about that, let's not lose the general principle which is to submit to the structures you find yourself in and do good. Don’t retreat or retaliate, but submit to the systems in place, not insulting others, but trusting the in true Judge over all things.
Are you willing to submit to the government, not because we may have ways and means to move anywhere in the world and Australia is the best choice, but because we have a right order of government? They are under God, they are not God.
When they ask us to vote, use the system with a level of responsibility they have given us and vote for the best means for doing good. Be informed on both sides. These are wisdom issues and we have a community to help us to live in this world. Remember we are all stones being built together, we are a new people. Talk and even disagree with each other. Do not insult the other side, do not be unfair about our MPs; give them honour. Be informed and do good.
Likewise, for work, we are to submit and do good, not because we always have the option of quitting and working at any place we choose, but because we have a right order of work. It is under God, and not God.
When we work, don’t complain to those around you about how things could be done better around here. Tell your boss and accept their decision - if they listen to you or not. Work on the projects you are asked to do, work out your conscience. Do good, work hard.
So depending on your temperament there may be some possible things you might want to think about.
Are you Dominate Danni, or Confident Charlie, or Assertive Andrew? Are you trying to get ahead, get the credit, or playing politics at work at the expense of others in your team or outside of your team? Are you competitive and people just need to understand the games that happen at work? All is fair in love and war? If that is you, then submit. Put yourself under your boss and work well in a team. Don’t be part of the rot from within the group. Do good for your boss and not for yourself.
Are you a Meek Mary, or Quiet Quinton, or Passive Pete? You tell yourself that you really don’t want to make waves, your boss says you are not good at your job and you believe them. They give you all sorts of extra tasks that may be above and beyond what is reasonable. But you don’t want to complain or put anyone out. If that is you, then submit. Submit to the system and structures in your workplace and talk to HR. See if what is being asked of you is fair. Fill in the forms, jump through the red tape and work through the structures in place. You are allowed to leave. This could be a hard thing, so don’t do it alone. Talk to someone else, maybe a Life Group leader, a trusted friend. While doing the process, don’t gossip, be fair in your statements and how you feel, tell the truth and avoid bringing a sword to work to chop off someone’s ear.
Our Culture as a Cirty
This is all messy and hard. We need wisdom to know how we are to live in our current culture.
We are exiles in this world who belong to God. A few years back there was a bit of a discussion in the Australian Christian blogosphere, about how Christians have misread what type of cultural city we are living in.
The argument goes that we thought for some time we were in Athens, where we can have a rational discussion with each other. It was a melting pot of cultures and ideas and Christianity can be argued for as one of the many voices in society and Christians were quietly optimistic as we thought in this setting people will easily see that Jesus is the truth.
Steve McAlpine argued our culture is actually in Babylon. We are exiled in a place that is not our own. It has its own dominant worldview and asks for the assimilation of all who live there. But regardless, as Christians, we are to live in the city and do good. Daniel worked for the government and obeyed well. When pressed on his prayer life He still obeys God.
Nathan Campbell, a pastor in Brisbane, pushes back a little on this idea. He says, we are not in Babylon, we are in Rome. It was the empire that crucified Jesus. It was a Roman cross that brought about our Lord's death. Rome killed Jesus and if given another chance it would do it again. Our model isn’t Daniel, it is Jesus. Daniel anticipates Jesus. Our passage says Jesus is the example for how we are to suffer. We are to follow in His steps. We may get tired of getting slapped down on certain hot topics like end-of-life care, sexuality and abortion. But when we are confronted, we don’t play by their games, we don’t ark up and fight back. We love and forgive, and we respect everyone.
We need to live a cruciform life. one that is a mix of courage and humility. It takes courage to do good, it takes humility to submit. This isn’t easy. This would have been hard back then to be seen as different. It is hard today to live one in imitation of Jesus. It has always been the case and we should not be surprised by this.
So as we face this world, that may feel harder to be Christian than it did last generation, we must remember who we are under God so that we can submit and do good in the structures we find ourselves in. We are not to retreat and op out, nor are we to rebel and push back.
Remember who you are under God and submit to Him, and in submitting to Him, live a good life, one of service to Him for you are His slave. Remember Jesus’ example, especially in suffering, for he did not insult back, he did not retaliate. He had courage and humility. He died for our sins, gave us his righteousness and brought us back to God. Let your good deed show the wonderful light you have been brought into, regardless of what structures you find yourself in.
The argument goes that we thought for some time we were in Athens, where we can have a rational discussion with each other. It was a melting pot of cultures and ideas and Christianity can be argued for as one of the many voices in society and Christians were quietly optimistic as we thought in this setting people will easily see that Jesus is the truth.
Steve McAlpine argued our culture is actually in Babylon. We are exiled in a place that is not our own. It has its own dominant worldview and asks for the assimilation of all who live there. But regardless, as Christians, we are to live in the city and do good. Daniel worked for the government and obeyed well. When pressed on his prayer life He still obeys God.
We need to live a cruciform life. one that is a mix of courage and humility. It takes courage to do good, it takes humility to submit. This isn’t easy. This would have been hard back then to be seen as different. It is hard today to live one in imitation of Jesus. It has always been the case and we should not be surprised by this.
So as we face this world, that may feel harder to be Christian than it did last generation, we must remember who we are under God so that we can submit and do good in the structures we find ourselves in. We are not to retreat and op out, nor are we to rebel and push back.
Remember who you are under God and submit to Him, and in submitting to Him, live a good life, one of service to Him for you are His slave. Remember Jesus’ example, especially in suffering, for he did not insult back, he did not retaliate. He had courage and humility. He died for our sins, gave us his righteousness and brought us back to God. Let your good deed show the wonderful light you have been brought into, regardless of what structures you find yourself in.
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