Submit for the Lord’s Sake – 1 Peter 2:13-17
Should Christians submit to human authority? Must we submit to human government? In this sermon Pastor David examines Peters command to submit to every form of legitimate human authority. These verses call us to be law abiding, good citizens because we know that God has established all authority, therefore to submit to government is a way in which we submit to God. Of course there is an exception to this rule, we can only submit to a point. What we cannot do is submit when authorities tell us to disobey God, in that case we must obey the higher authority God Himself.
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.