Into Being Submissive

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SEEKING CHANGE IN MY ATTITUDES |

Into being submissive

1 Peter 2:13-25 (ESV)
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.
21  For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
22  He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.

Roger Staubach, the quarterback who led the Dallas Cowboys to the World Championship five times during the late 60s and early 70s, admitted that his position as a quarterback who didn't call his own signals was a source of test for him. Coach Landry sent in every play. He told Roger when to pass and run, and only in emergency situations could he change the play (and he had better be right!). Even though Roger considered coach Landry to have a "genius mind" regarding football strategy, pride said he should be able to run his own team. Roger later said, "I faced up to the issue of obedience. Once I learned to obey, there was harmony, fulfillment, and victory."

I'm sure Roger Staubach is not alone in his struggle with submitting to authority. I believe that because of the sinfulness of our hearts, rebellion is easier for us to do than submission. But, I really would highlight what Roger Staubach learned with submission that it brought his life harmony, fulfillment, and victory. Often, so many people would miss experiencing those things in their lives because they are always rebelling against the authorities that God has placed over them. 

Last week, in Pastor Dan's preaching, he spoke about the rebellion of Korah in Numbers 16. If you are not as familiar with this passage, I would like to encourage you to read it. According to this text, Korah and 250 well-known leaders in the nation of Israel organized a mutiny or a revolution against Moses and Aaron, accusing them of exalting themselves among God's people. However, their rebellion won't sit well with God, and they and their family members will all end up dead together with 14 700 more people in the congregation of Israel. What a price to pay for their rebellion against God. 

I trust we don't ignore stories like these in the Bible. Why? It is because God allowed them to be written to serve as examples and instructions for us today, according to 1 Corinthians 10:11 (ESV): 

 11 Now, these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.   

This morning, we are concluding our sermon series, Seeking Change in My Attitudes. And the final attitude we must possess as a substitute for rebellion is submission. For the context of our passage, it would help us to know that the apostle Peter wrote this letter to the Christians who were subjected to severe persecutions by the Roman Empire because of their faith in Jesus Christ. Yet, the appeal to these believers is not to rebel against their government but submit to them. So, out of our text, I'll talk about the three vital components of submission:

I               THE DUTY OF SUBMISSION (v. 13)

Everyone must be willing to submit to the person who possesses absolute authority over us, and that is the Lord. The word "submit" is a military term that means "to arrange in a military fashion under the commander." So, the idea is that we need to operate within the chain of command. Evidently, in the main text, the commander-in-chief is the Lord, as stated in these words in verse 13, "Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution."

Here, we should not miss the phrase "for the Lord's sake." In other words, the ultimate motivation behind our submission to authorities is our desire to obey the Lord. Since the Lord established human institutions, our submission to them is equal to our submission to the Lord. Before we go further, let's review again the human institutions that God has established:

  1. Family: husbands and parents (See - Ephesians 5:21-29; 6:1-4; Colossians 3: 18-21)

  2. Government Leaders (See – Romans 13:1; Titus 3:1; 1 Peter 2:13-17)

  3. Church Leaders, elders, and deacons (See – Hebrews 13:7,17; 1 Peter 5:5; Ephesians 5:21)

  4. Employers (See – 1 Peter 2:18; Titus 2:9; Ephesians 6:5; Colossians 3:22; 1 Timothy 6:1-2)

God instituted these human authorities to bring security and order to our society. Everyone must be willing to put themselves under these authorities, or else there will be chaos and many complications in the structures God has designed. This order reflects the order of God's own nature. We believe in the Trinity of God. All three persons in the Godhead as equal in authority and power. Yet, The Father sent the Son into the world as Savior and Redeemer (1 John 4:9), and Jesus was obedient to God the Father (John 5:19). When Jesus returned to heaven, He and the Father sent the Holy Spirit to empower and minister to all the believers (John 14:26; 15:26; Acts 1:8). In a perfect submission to one another, the Godhead fulfilled their specific roles to bless humanity. Did their obedience to one another make them inferior to the other members of the Godhead? Absolutely not! The submission was necessary to accomplish their purposes on earth. 

The same can be said in terms of our submission. When Paul declared in Ephesians 5:21 (ESV): 

 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

This statement was not to promote inferiority. On the contrary, it was to promote accountability within the family structure. So, every single one of us has been given the duty to submit to one another. No one is exempted!

II             THE DEFENSE OF SUBMISSION (vs. 14-15)

If we read verses 14-15, we will appreciate better why God has established these human institutions – "or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people." Human institutions were created for our protection and welfare.

Where did we get these ideas? Specifically, Peter plainly stated the two-fold functions of the judicial system:

  1. "to punish those who do evil."

    Since human nature is strongly influenced by sin, the potential to disobey or disregard the law will always be there. Therefore, to provide restraints on humanity, the Lord has authorized human governments to punish law offenders. By faithfully carrying this out, the general public is protected. If you go to Japan, you don't have to worry about walking around wearing your jewelry because they strictly implement their laws. If they catch you there, you will undoubtedly be punished.  

  2. “to praise those who do good."

    To reinforce good behavior, governments should also find ways to commend good and responsible behaviors. By consistently rewarding good behaviors, people usually choose repeating behaviors that receive positive recognition. Later, these recurring behaviors develop into long-term patterns or attitudes. So, this act of commendation can lead to better, more livable communities for us.  

After stating these two government functions, Peter proceeded in verse 15, saying, "For this is the will of God." What is God's will? When Christians submit to the government or to those in authority over their lives, they will be able to silence the people who are undermining their faith. Allow me to explain this latter part.

As I have explained to you earlier, these believers during Peter's time were persecuted because of their faith. So how will they be able to convince these people that their faith is worth having or their faith is truly from God? Definitely, it is not going to happen by disobeying the government. It can only happen by submitting to the government or authorities placed over them. 

Going back to the idea of protection, this is perfectly illustrated by Genesis 1-2, when Adam and Eve were still living inside the Garden of Eden; they were safe and secured under the authority of God. However, once they decided to disobey the Lord and were driven out of the garden, then sin, suffering, and death plagued their lives and descendants. Listen to these words that were given to king Saul after he rebelled against the Lord:

1 Samuel 15:23 (ESV) 

 23 For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king." 

The word "divination" can be translated as "witchcraft." God directly conveys His hatred towards the sin of rebellion. God rejected King Saul because of his rebellion. I trust we take this to heart that it is always dangerous when we rebel against God's authority over us. 

III           THE DELIGHT OF SUBMISSION (vs. 18-22)

The last section I wanted to emphasize in the passage is found in verses 18-22. Verse 18 opens up with another level of submission. The earlier verses were all submission to the government; the next section is submission to earthly masters. Listen to these words: 

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. 

 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 

 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 

When Peter wrote this section, he addressed household servants. In contemporary culture, we say, "Employees submit to your bosses." How is your attitude toward your bosses? Are you respectful of them?

There's no problem if you have a wonderful boss. But what if your boss is harsh or rude, are you urged to still be respectful and submissive to them? Read verses 18 -19, "Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly."

So, Peter's response is clear. We must be willing to endure and maintain respect towards them. Of course, Peter anticipated the reasoning, "But you don't know how harsh my boss is." Therefore, he gave the suffering of Jesus to drive his point:

21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 

 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 

From these words, I wanted to emphasize the basis of my third point – "so that you might follow in his steps." When you and I are willing to submit while suffering, this intimate fellowship with Christ comes through our suffering. By this time, I trust that we are willing to acknowledge that to follow in his steps means to embrace His sufferings. How did Jesus suffer? If you continue 1 Peter 2:23, you read:

 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

Are you willing to follow His example? Instead of enduring, we want to bail out immediately and find better situations. The problem is that God often uses our situations to change our attitudes. Believe me, wherever you are, you will never find perfect bosses. But God, who is sovereignly in control of your situation, is interested in your holiness more than your happiness. So, be willing to endure and watch how God can use your situation to your highest benefit. In closing, I would like to share the words of A. W. Tozer:

The reason why many are still troubled, still seeking, still making little forward progress is because they have not yet come to the end of themselves. We are still giving some of the orders, and we are still interfering with God's working within us.

Indeed, the reason why so many believers are stuck in the wilderness of life, not being able to move forward, is not because God is not at work in their lives. Often, they do not submit enough to allow God to work in their lives. So stop interfering; just let Him do His perfect work in you and through you. 

-Bishop Jeremiah Lepasana 

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