​1 Peter 5:12-14 English Standard Version (ESV)
LISTEN:  https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/esv/1Pet.5.12-1Pet.5.14
Final Greetings
12 By Silvanus, a faithful brother as I regard him, I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it. 13 She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, and so does Mark, my son. 14 Greet one another with the kiss of love.
Peace to all of you who are in Christ.

We wrap up this epistle much like all the others with some personal greetings that make us feel like we're reading someone else's mail.  We'll see the name "Silvanus" later in some of Paul's epistles as well so this man seems to be important to the early Church.  Peter calls him a "faithful brother"...apparently Silvanus either helped Peter write this letter or possibly carried the letter to give it to the church members.  Babylon here probably is a veiled reference to Rome, and we see that Mark who bailed on Paul's ministry early on has joined Peter's ministry and has been helpful to Peter showing that God has restored him to the point of where Peter calls Mark his son.  Mark even pens the gospel of Mark as Peter recounted his memories of his time with Jesus.

The last verse is the one meant for all of us.  We may not "Great each other with a holy kiss" or as this version says "the kiss of love," but this is a sign of being welcoming and in fellowship with each other as friends and family members united by the bond of Christ.  It is by Him and through Him that we can have the peace that Peter wishes for all those reading this letter to experience.

1 Peter 5:1-11 English Standard Version (ESV)
LISTEN:   https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/esv/1Pet.5.1-1Pet.5.11
Shepherd the Flock of God
1 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Peter starts to wrap-up his letter here by addressing the other elders.  The elders are the spiritual leaders of the church and may sometimes be pastors or bishops in some congregations.  The don't always preach from the pulpit but they seem to have some responsibility for preaching and/or teaching the Word of God and making sure it is done so accurately, attending to the sin issues in the congregation (we've already read in the book of James that someone who is sick should call the elders so that they may pray for the person and their sins may be forgiven), and to act as under-shepherds of the flock where Jesus is the Good Shepherd like we see here in the passage.

Peter encourages and urges them to exercise proper oversight and take care of God's people and the teachings of Jesus and to do it neither out of compulsion when they are not gifted and equipped to do so nor out of greed as some people do where they get into religion so they can take a large amount from the offerings and live comfortably.   Those who serve God in this capacity must do so willingly, selflessly, and eagerly.  While they are to be in charge, they are not to be authoritarian to the point of telling people "do as I say, not as I do," but instead should lead by example so they can say "Follow me as I follow Christ."  There seems to be a special crown (a reward in heaven) for those that care for the Church and do so rightly.  Ultimately though we see in other passages that all crowns and rewards will be placed at the feet of Jesus so it's still not about us and all about Him.

Once again we come back to a key theme of this book to be subject to every authority placed over you.  Peter first addresses the elders to remind them to be subject to the authority of God, then he addresses the Church to remind them to be subject to the authority of the elders (specifically the younger members of the church).  Both leaders and followers alike should be "clothed in humility toward one another" because we are reminded that "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

We then go back to another sub-theme of the book--God will make everything right when He comes in judgement of both the living and the dead.  Those who humble themselves will be exalted and those who exalt themselves will be humbled.  Maybe that won't happen the way we want it when we want it, but it will happen in God's way in God's time.  Because we know that God is in control and going to take care of us and all of our needs, we can humbly bring all of our needs and cares before Him because we know He cares for us and only wants good things for His children or, if you prefer the imagery used earlier in this passage, we could say the Good Shepherd takes good care of His sheep.

We are reminded once again that we are engaged in spiritual warfare with an adversary that works with the world to be opposed to the things of God and the people of God.  He is hungry to devour anyone whom God allows him to devour, but God will not allow His sheep to be devoured.  How exactly are we to resist the devil in faith?  Do the sheep individually or as a group do battle against the lion?  No!  They believe in the protection of the Good Shepherd and run to Him for protections.  In the same way we resist the lies of Satan by believing in the promises of God by faith and believing in the person and the world of Jesus and that He will protect us.  He has given us tools to protect us in a defensive manner (we'll talk about those when we get to the book of Ephesians), but our only offensive weapons mentioned in Ephesians 6 are prayer and the Word of God.  Both really aren't weapons that we are wielding ourselves but we are putting our faith in the power of God to act through His Word and through the resources at His command and trusting that the victory is His and His alone.

We are also to remember that Satan has been about this job for a long time attacking the faithful children of God from the very beginning.  and these common sufferings we experience actually unite us and make us stronger in our brotherhood of faith as we come together for encouragement in our local congregations and lean more heavily on Christ and long for the day when Jesus will have total victory over all of His enemies and the enemies of His people when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.  Our suffering on this earth is only temporary and one day we will enter our Sabbath rest (see Hebrews 4) when we cross the proverbial Jordan River of death into the Promised Land of heaven, but until then we appear to be living our lives wandering in the wilderness simply following God each step of the way like the children of Israel followed the pillar of cloud and pillar of fire.  God is providing for all of our needs in supernatural ways, and yet we still find ways to grumble and rebel, much like they did.  Let us be a people of God that is fit to enter the Promised Land and not be like the rebellious people that God had to tell, "You will never enter my rest" (again, see Hebrews 4).

It is all about God and it is God that will let us partake in the eternal glory of Christ and will one day restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish us.  We will know and be known by our true identity in Him.  He can and will accomplish this because all authority in heaven and on earth (and under the earth) belongs to Him the King of Kings and Lord of Lords now and forevermore!  He is sure to bring these things to pass and the "Amen" that this letter closes with says just that--it is a statement that we know this is true and trustworthy.

​1 Peter 4:12-19 English Standard Version (ESV)
Listen:  https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/esv/1Pet.4.12-1Pet.4.19
Suffering as a Christian
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And
“If the righteous is scarcely saved,
    what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

Again we come back to suffering for the sake of Christ which is definitely another key theme in this book.  Those who are genuine and look like Christ will be treated like Christ.  We can actually rejoice in the fact that we get to share in Christ's sufferings as we will also get to share in His victory and will be glad when He is revealed to everyone, and everything as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

The next time someone makes fun of you and tries to shame you for being a Christian, realize they are just seeing the Spirit of God living in and through you and you should have great joy because of this.  Peter again reminds us though that this blessing does not extend to punishment we rightly receive for crimes we have committed.  It is only our sufferings that happen because we are being faithful and obedient to Christ that we should rejoice and be glad about, and we should be convicted and ashamed when we tarnish the name of Christ and all Christians by breaking both God's law and man's law and having our misdeeds put on display for the entire world to see.

Peter then says it is time to clean house and for those who claim to be born again to be put to the test.  What should happen to those who claim to be of Christ--maybe even those who fill the pulpit and aren't true believers--and do not obey the gospel of God?  Shouldn't God deal with them first since His great name and reputation are at stake?  Then we should not be surprised that judgement will come to ungodly and the sinners, but that the righteous will be "scarcely saved"--by this I think that we will go through a trial whereby only what is done for Christ will last.  Paul will talk about this judgement of our deeds later in his epistles, but it is not the same kind of judgement that the lost people of the world will face.

We must therefore entrust our eternal security to the one who was powerful enough to create us, redeem us, and keep us, and we should continue to do what is good and be obedient to our King of Kings and Lord of Lords--Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 4:1-11 English Standard Version (ESV)
LISTEN:  https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/esv/1Pet.4.1-1Pet.4.11
Stewards of God's Grace
1 Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. 3 For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. 4 With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; 5 but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.
7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

 Again, remember there there are no chapter or verse divisions in the original letter, so we're picking up right where we left off with talking about Jesus suffering for us and how He is our example of what suffering for righteousness's sake looks like.  Peter then makes the point that if we are truly suffering for righteousness's sake, it is because we are becoming more and more like Christ in the process of sanctification and the world hates us like it hated Him.  This should be evidence to us that we have been born again and are dead to sin and alive to Christ.

What does it mean to be dead to sin?  It means that you no longer identify with or find pleasure in the deeds of the flesh listed here--again, the word "Gentile" here is synonymous with "unsaved" because at this point in Church history the gospel had only been taken to the Jews.  We can no longer be identified by sensuality, lustful passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, lawlessness, and idolatry.  Don't be surprised when you lose friends from your "old life" who want to "join them in the same flood of debauchery" that is their identity.  Don't worry though about them living by the mission statement of "eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die," because when "tomorrow" happens and they die they will stand before God and will give an account.  This is why the gospel is preached...to transform people from being children of their father the devil to being sons and daughters of God and that they might live the way God does as they walk and live in the Holy Spirit who indwells everyone who has been born again.

Speaking of God's judgement, Peter reminds us that we don't have infinite time to share the gospel or infinite time for them to make their choice.  The final judgement is coming.so we need to be Spirit-controlled as this is evidence that we should not stand in the judgement because our sins have already been judged on the cross and we need to be making sure that if we have a sense of urgency in telling the world that we have the answer to the upcoming calamity, we had better practice what we preach--otherwise they won't want any part of what you are "selling."  How does that look?  In contrast to our previous list of the world's debauchery, children of God are to be identified by their love and forgiveness, serving each other with the gifts we've been given instead of using them to exalt ourselves.  We are to be full of hospitality and to do this without grumbling and we are to be good stewards of the gifts (physical and spiritual) that we've been given.  For those unfamiliar with the word, a steward is a slave who has been entrusted with some responsibly and authority as a temporary manager over the master's property.  Think of Joseph in the book of Genesis and how he was made a steward over everything and everyone in Potipher's house except Potipher's wife.  While we are slaves of Christ, that does not mean that we do not have responsibly or authority...it just means that authority is not our own and that it comes to us through our master so that when people treat us poorly, they are really treating Him poorly and He's the one who will set everything right...it's not the job of the servant to get vengeance for ourselves.

Whatever we do, we need to do it as if we are doing it through and for God.  Are our words His words?  Are our thoughts His thoughts?  Are His ways our ways? Are our acts of service the actions that He would take?  Are we serving through His power?  Is God getting the glory in everything?  Is Jesus specifically being made great?  "​To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."

​1 Peter 3:8-22 English Standard Version (ESV)
Listen:  https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/esv/1Pet.3.8-1Pet.3.22
Suffering for Righteousness' Sake
8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 10 For
“Whoever desires to love life
    and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
    and his lips from speaking deceit;
11 let him turn away from evil and do good;
    let him seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
    and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, 20 because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

Again, we seem to return to the Beatitudes and the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount about how Christ's disciples are to be different than the world and that being a kingdom citizen and in submission to the King of  Kings is the only way to experience the blessings of being a kingdom citizen.  Peter reminds us that it is God who sees all and will judge all, and we are not to repay evil for evil.  This is important with the passages we just read where we are many times asked to be in submission to ungodly authorities.  We should not use this as an excuse to stop being who God has called us to be.  Our weapon we have been given is prayer so that God will hear the prayer of the righteous man and will do great works that only God can do--whether that is changing men's hearts and minds by bringing conviction and revival, or by executing righteous judgement himself or through the hands of His servants in the government (many times they are probably unaware they are helping execute God's plan).

Peter then shifts gears to talk about the reality that some, maybe many, of the Christians he's talking to will be arrested, tortured, and brought to trial by the very governors, kings and emperors that he's just told them to submit to.  We need to trust God that He sees all and will reward the faithful and we should be ready to use any such opportunity as a platform to share defense of the gospel because we will probably be asked to recant or justify our faith to the governing authorities, and we are reminded once again to be gentle and respectful when doing so--be shrewd as serpents but harmless as doves.  Also, don't call it persecution when you're simply being punished when you do evil.  Don't sully God's name and God's people by trying to make regular old criminal justice into religious persecution and don't expect to be rewarded for enduring such suffering--suffering unjustly when your conscience is clear and you know you've done nothing wrong is a different story.

Once again, we are made to remember that Jesus suffered greatly and since the world hates Him, it will also hate us and we shouldn't expect to be treated any better than they treated.  If they didn't respect the King and the kingdom, why would they respect the citizens of that kingdom that is not of this world?  Then an interesting thought....Christ's death was not only to set those free who find their identity in Him, but to make the judgement of God righteous against all who rebelled against God.  Jesus apparently declared victory over the evil spirits who were imprisoned--I'm assuming these are lost souls that were in Hades awaiting their eternal punishment, but it could also be angels who God has locked away until the end times.  I take this to be people who had the gospel preached to them and were told of the coming judgement and the way of escape that God had provided and they willfully chose their sin, just like everyone in the days of Noah who refused to believe the gospel that Noah shared with them and refused to enter the ark for salvation.  God would have made room for all who repented, but only Noah and his family were chosen and God sealed them inside the ark and kept them safe.  This is a picture of how all of us can find salvation and safety in Christ because it is God who calls us to enter and shuts the door behind us to keep us safe.  Once the door is closed, no one else is going to enter behind us.  As they say in advertising, "This is a limited time offer."  We will read in Hebrews some time in the future that "Today is the day of salvation" because none of us are guaranteed tomorrow.

Peter then gives a coupe of final thoughts.  One is about how baptism symbolizes the cleansing of our souls but also how God has brought us through the judgement and made us to walk in newness of life.  Jesus finished His work and is now seated at the right hand of God.  There's a lot said there that some might miss so let me try to unpack it.  First, if you study the Old Testament Tabernacle and temple, you'll notice a lot of furniture but you'll never see designs for any chair or places for the priests to sit down and relax?  Why is that?  Because they needed to constantly be busy making atonement for the people as their sins were only temporarily covered and there needed to be constant sacrifices as guilt offerings and sin offerings and fellowship offerings and as first fruits from the flock--you get the idea.  Christ did it all and can now sit down and say "It is finished."  No more work needs to be done to continue to make atonement for us.  Also He's seated in heaven which shows that God accepted His work and He's not just anywhere but in the position of power and privilege at the right hand of God. We'll see this at the beginning of the Great Commission that Jesus says "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me."  All spiritual, political and other powers are now subject to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  We should take great comfort in this that nothing can touch us unless Jesus permits it and He has the power not only to save our souls but to keep us as His covenant people to be presented one day before the Father as the Bride of Christ.  "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Christ Jesus."  (Philippians 1:6).  Therefore we have no need to fear any earthly authorities.  We need only to submit to every earthly authority to give them no cause to punish us and take our punishment for being followers of God if that's what happens to us and allow God to be the Judge of the living and the dead and to get ultimate justice for Himself and those He loves and has made both His family and citizens of His eternal kingdom. 

READ:  ​1 Peter 3:1-7 English Standard Version (ESV)
LISTEN:  https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/esv/1Pet.3.1-1Pet.3.7
Wives and Husbands
1 Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct. 3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear-- 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. 5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.
7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

Well, let's just jump right into this one.  Remember there are no chapter breaks in the original and the word "Likewise" at the beginning of chapter 3 should tie this teaching back to everything that was just said at the end of chapter 2 (and possible before).  So, we're talking here about something to do with submission to every governing authority here.  Our society doesn't like to think or talk this way, but God did set up an order in marriage and it is the man who represents His role and the woman represents the role of God's covenant people.  There should be nothing demeaning or dishonoring about this--the woman is so precious and special to the man that she was chosen from among the multitude to be his and for him to provide for and protect and for the two to become one.  These responsibilities that the man has means that he must have the authority to make choices that are in the best interest of his wife and be responsible to God for the choices and leadership and even responsible for when he abdicates responsibility.  For example, see that God talks to Adam first and judges him first during the Fall because it was Adam's responsibility to teach God's law to Eve and to watch over her and protect her.  The text is clear that Adam was right there while Eve was talking to the serpent and he said and did nothing and then tried to shift the blame but God saw through this and held Adam responsible for his inaction, not just his actions.

Back to today's text--everything about Christians is supposed to be different and all of our relationships should reflect this including and especially our sexual and marital relationships.  Those shouldn't be concepts that need to be separated since sex was created to be inside the bounds of marriage, but in today's culture it probably is best to explicitly say that.  Wives have a very powerful role in the marriage that they can hold great sway over their husbands.  Peter here addresses an issue also addressed by Paul in I Corinthians that there were many times that the wife came to Christ first and they didn't know whether to stay married to a non-believing husband and whether they were still to continue to be under the husband's authority if the husband was not putting himself under God's authority.  The answer to both questions is "yes."  God can use the faith and obedience and unchanging love of the wife honoring the covenant to bring the husband to Christ.  Peter reminds them however that their actions and words must work in concert.  Even in such difficult situations the husband is going to understand honor and respect and love that is lived out as well as a moral purity from his wife, not only in being faithful to the marriage, but also in being true to her faith so that her conversion is clearly genuine and he can see the benefit and blessing that comes from being obedient to God's law and living in submission to it.

Okay, now comes the hard pill to swallow.  Peter goes on to say that it's not all about just staying in the marriage for the sake of the covenant, but acting like you want to.  Even if the husband had become distant because there is a lack of connection between him and his wife since she is a believer and he is not, is that any excuse for the woman to look for fulfillment and attention from other men?  This is the old, "God would want me to be happy" lie that so many men and women use as an excuse to do things that they know are at least dangerous if not outright wrong.  There is no reason to be flirtatious if you're in a marriage unless you are trying to get someone to commit adultery with you.  TO guys--there's no reason for you to be out all night drinking alone at the hotel bar if you aren't trying to get a girl to notice that you're lonely and sending off signal that you want "companionship."  Stop it!  That just makes you and God look bad.  It's just like how God says in the Old Testament that He should have been all that His covenant people ever needed.  He was a good husband to them (He calls Himself that) and they whored themselves out to idols and those who followed those false Gods--just read the book of Hosea if you doubt what I'm saying.  God cares way too much about the beauty that is on the inside and most good husbands should too, even if they don't remember to say so.  If you are ever feeling devalued and unappreciated or unloved by either your husband or wife, remember that God is all you ever need and He loves you not only for who you are, but who He sees you can be.  He loves you with an everlasting, unchanging love, and He loves you not because of what He can get from you but because of what He could give to you...the greatest gift ever by giving the Son so that He could have a convenient people until Himself that could be called His sons and daughters.

This last set of verses is one that people really hate to hear and preach today, but it goes back to something I was saying earlier about the husband being given not only authority but responsibly when it comes to issues for marriage and family.  Men and women usually think differently and process things differently and while it's okay and good for both of them to work together as a team, ultimately the husband needs to always have the authority to make the decisions and say "This one's on me...whatever happens, I take responsibility for it," and the wife should see that as an act of love and support her husband and his decisions to the best of her ability.  When doing so, the man should not be cruel or overbearing.  His wife is not a slave or property.  We are both part of the Bride of Christ, and we should treat our wives in the same way that we would want God to treat us in His covenant relationship with us that could easily be pictured as a marriage (and often is in the Bible).  This is why God has so much to say about marriage, because the way we conduct ourselves in marriage causes people to draw a lot of conclusions about what eternal, unconditional love looks like and if such a covenant is even possible.  If we fail to keep our vows to each other and choose to make a love a feeling rather than a commitment and a choice, then verses like John 3:16 lose their meaning because the world will no longer understand what it means to say that "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him would not perish, but have eternal life."  We should rightly ask, "What kind of love is this?"  But if we only love each other in the same way that the world loves each other and do not love each other with the love of God, then what benefit does the world see in coming to Christ.  Don't we still look like caterpillars instead of butterflies to them?  Let them see the beauty of the new creations that we are by living out lives of holiness and obedience in an way that even those who we feel don't deserve and haven't earned our respect are shown it because of the respect that we have for a God who allows them to be in that position and let us love with the kind of love that we want to be loved with and let us save our intimacy and greatest expression of love--given of ourselves--for the one in which we are in a covenant relationship with.

READ:  1 Peter 2:13-25 English Standard Version (ESV)
LISTEN:  https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/esv/1Pet.2.13-1Pet.2.25
Submission to Authority
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. 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. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

We often like to think that the world is simply getting worse and worse and we are the only people and the only time to face the brutality and persecution that we see in the world today--especially against Christians, but in the face of one of the most brutal dictators of all time who used Christians as human torches for his parties and openly crucified them on the streets as an example of what would happen to anyone who gave their life to a god other than Caesar, Peter penned these words to the Church....."Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as a supreme or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good."  Wow!  Did God just tell us to submit to evil dictators?  Is it too much to read into this and say that civil disobedience is simply disobedience and rebellion not only against man's authority, but against God's authority?  (We'll see this more clearly when we read Romans 13--I also wrote a blog about this several years ago if you're interested in reading ahead as my thoughts are unlikely to have changed).  God has instituted government to restrain evil, execute His law and justice, and to bless those who are obedient.  It is part of God's command for man to have dominion and stewardship over all creation.  But what happens when those rulers are opposed to God's law and God's people?  God's answer is pretty simple...do what is right so that you will not incur the wrath of the emperor or any other leader and entrust the rest to God.  We are not to use our beliefs as an excuse to do evil like being rebellious, seditious, and treasonous.   "Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor."  That's so simple, yet so difficult at the same time.

While we may not be servants or slaves in the Western world, much of these teaching to slaves can be translated over to our employer-employee relations where our employer has authority over us and pays us a wage for the work that we perform for him or the company he represents.  Again, we are told to live peaceably with them even if they are unjust to us.  We should not riot or destroy the reputation or the property of our employer, even if we felt we were done and injustice.  We should not steal anything from our employer, and we should always remember that we ultimately work for God and represent Him wherever we are and with whatever we do.  Let us do all of our work as it is unto the Lord.  Jesus Himself had to endure even greater hardships.  He had all authority on heaven and on earth and yet people reviled Him, hated Him, abused Him and refused to listen to Him, and He did so in order that you could be called a son or daughter of God.

God then lays it out...don't try and put it on God and say that you are facing "persecution" when you are simply being punished for being disobedient to the authorities that God Himself has put over you.  Jesus did nothing wrong and yet never fought back and instead submitted to earthly authority to the point of death.  We likewise are expected to be obedient and endure suffering and trust God for our deliverance.  Sometimes He will provide it supernaturally like when we read about God sending an angel to break Peter out of prison or sending and earthquake to open the doors of the jail where Paul and Silas were being held, but other times men were delivered by death through martyrdom like Stephen, one of the first deacons of the Church and in doing so they were able to give great testimonies as to why there was one line they were unwilling to cross and that was to give worship to anyone or anything other than God because...they would never deny Him or recant when they were told all they had to do was say "Caesar is Lord."

Christ suffered and died for us so that we could experience the blessings of God and healing that comes to our souls when He makes all things new and gives us not only eternal life, but abundant life.  He gives us His righteousness in exchange for our sin, His life in exchange for our death as we were dead in our sins and sin nature before He called out to us by the power of His resurrection, just like He did with Lazarus.  Now He lives not only as Lord, but also as our Good Shepherd and Overseer of our souls (see Psalm 23).

Remember these words and these lessons the next time your candidate doesn't win an election or the next time your employer does something you don't like.  Maybe God has you in that place and that time for something greater than your personal happiness and comfort.  There is definitely a line that we do not cross when we are commanded to commit or condone sin.  We'll study this more throughout the epistles and even in some examples in the Old Testament, but ultimately that still comes back to giving to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.  Trust God to take care of you as you are obedient first to Him and then to every earthly authority that He has placed over you.