Hello, friends! Welcome! I hope you’re doing well. I know that at least for me, quarantine seems to be dragging on forever, but I hope you are able to keep busy with something! Today I’ll help you fill a few minutes of your time with this next article on 1 Peter.

Today we’ll be in 1 Peter 2:13-25. You can read the passage here and I do recommend it as we’ll only be able to talk about a few verses in detail.

Submission to Authority

The overall topic of this passage is about submitting to authority. “Submitting,” even though it’s often associated with submitting homework or projects, actually also means yielding to a superior force, or authority. 

Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme 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.

1 Peter 2:13-15

Don’t Mix Up “Honor” With “Worship”

In verse 17, Peter says:

Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

1 Peter 2:17

This may seem strange, why would Peter tell his readers to honor the emperor? Shouldn’t we honor God and no one else?

The word “honor” actually means to have great respect: it doesn’t mean worship. You can respect leaders and their wishes, and that is showing honor. Worshipping is treating someone like a god themselves, and that is wrong if you’re worshipping someone or something other than the one true God. 

This can be taken with anyone else that has authority over someone else. Parents, teachers, leaders: you can honor them, but only to a certain point. When the honor and respect for their wishes starts to point you over to sin, that’s when you must resist. 

When we resist as servants of God, there can be consequences. In verse 20, Peter says:

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.

1 Peter 2:20

If we do good and serve the Lord and suffer for it, it is a “gracious thing in the sight of God.”

Following In Christ’s Steps

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

1 Peter 2:21

This is referencing Jesus right before the crucifixion. He was beaten, mocked, and falsely accused, but he never struck back. No matter what suffering we go through, we can follow Christ’s example as Peter writes in verses 22-24. 

And just like Jesus, we will have to face troubles.

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and imposters will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

2 Timothy 3:12-13

 But it is worth it because Jesus did something we could never do- and sacrificed himself for a sinful, broken people.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person- though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die- but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:6-8

Final Thoughts

Thank you for joining me today on this journey through 1 Peter! If you haven’t already, please consider signing up for my email list to receive updates from my blog and my monthly newsletter. If you have any questions or further comments on this passage, don’t hesitate to comment down below or contact me! 

Have a blessed day, 

~Caroline