“Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king” (1 Peter 2.17)
In the space of just a couple of weeks, Americans and the world have just witnessed perhaps what many would term and are terming as one of the worst and catastrophic foreign policy blunders in our lifetime. Many who feel this way cite profoundly foolish incompetence and callousness as being placed on terrible display by the present administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan. The removal in the darkness of one night of our military before American civilians, the abandonment of billions of dollars of armament, the stranding of Americans still in Afghanistan, the leaving behind to their fate many Afghans who helped the allies, and worst of all, the absolutely unnecessary murder of 13 American service members by our enemies has aroused anger of the highest order among many Americans. And that include numerous Christians, this writer as well. And rightly so. When Lot was living in Sodom, we read that he “was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)” (2 Peter 2.7-8).
In our verse, however, we are exhorted as God’s people to “Honor the King.” But with what’s happened and has been happening, the questions posed by many Christians are: How? And why?
Firstly, and very importantly, it’s deeply comforting to know that God is sovereign over every government on earth. In fact, “There is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God” (Romans 13.1). Nations rise and fall at His command. Speaking to the Athenians, the Apostle Paul said, “He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings” (Acts 17.26). So too, authority, (or rulers, see Romans 13.3) hold their positions only by God’s sovereign appointment.
Secondly, God has purpose in the rise and fall of nations and rulers. He is chiefly in the business of building His church and is actively engaged in using His people to call out His people from every nation, tongue and time. As such, God’s establishment of governments and nations through the course of history has been for the primary purpose of advancing His kingdom. The Apostle Paul’s missionary efforts were greatly helped by the peace enforced by Rome, pax Romanae. He traveled on the excellent road system throughout the kingdom, and was kept from abuse on at least one occasion because of his Roman citizenship. In this way, the gospel spread rapidly through the known world. In America, we too as Christians are blessed by authority, which still provides order and safety for the citizens of this country.
Thirdly, our submission to, and honoring of authority, therefore, is a witness to those around us that we acknowledge God’s ordained means for the ordering of His creatures. The Apostle Peter related a Christian’s attitude and actions to our rulers by encouraging his readers to have their, “conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. Therefore, submit yourselves to every institution of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors … For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men - as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for wickedness, but as bondservants of God” (1 Peter 2.12-16). As such, this submission and honor due our rulers is not to be governed by our personal likes and dislikes for those over us, but is chiefly to be given out of our submission to God, and our desire to honor Him who established and appointed our rulers.
As a result, therefore, as Christians we should pray for all our leaders, national and local. We read, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, like rivers of water: He turns it wherever He wishes” (Proverbs 21:1). Therefore, pray that God would touch their hearts so they might fear Him, that God would give them wisdom, that they would be protected, and that they would seek the welfare of the people above their own.
Our submission and honoring should also be apparent in the way we show respect to our leaders. How often in conversations, and even on public media we hear our leaders being referred to in the most derogatory manner. Let us as God’s people not be guilty of this same gross form of contempt and insolence. Brothers and sisters, even if you hold a very low opinion of a particular leader’s policy and/or behavior, let your references to that individual be out of respect for the office they hold, thus showing your respect for God who appointed the office, and the one to fill it. Remember, some of God’s appointments may be a form of discipline such as the ungodly kings during Old Testament times. Instead of contempt, let our thoughts and prayers during those occasions be filled with confession, repentance, and humble pleas for mercy. Indeed, “When a wicked man rules, the people groan” (Proverbs 29.2b). Likewise, when God raises up godly leaders, let there be great praise and thanksgiving! “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice” (verse 2a).
Brothers and sisters, let us “honor the king”, and thereby honor God who appointed our rulers for our good and His glory. “The Spirit and the bride (ie. those in Christ) say ‘Come!’… He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22.17, 20).
In the space of just a couple of weeks, Americans and the world have just witnessed perhaps what many would term and are terming as one of the worst and catastrophic foreign policy blunders in our lifetime. Many who feel this way cite profoundly foolish incompetence and callousness as being placed on terrible display by the present administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan. The removal in the darkness of one night of our military before American civilians, the abandonment of billions of dollars of armament, the stranding of Americans still in Afghanistan, the leaving behind to their fate many Afghans who helped the allies, and worst of all, the absolutely unnecessary murder of 13 American service members by our enemies has aroused anger of the highest order among many Americans. And that include numerous Christians, this writer as well. And rightly so. When Lot was living in Sodom, we read that he “was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)” (2 Peter 2.7-8).
In our verse, however, we are exhorted as God’s people to “Honor the King.” But with what’s happened and has been happening, the questions posed by many Christians are: How? And why?
Firstly, and very importantly, it’s deeply comforting to know that God is sovereign over every government on earth. In fact, “There is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God” (Romans 13.1). Nations rise and fall at His command. Speaking to the Athenians, the Apostle Paul said, “He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings” (Acts 17.26). So too, authority, (or rulers, see Romans 13.3) hold their positions only by God’s sovereign appointment.
Secondly, God has purpose in the rise and fall of nations and rulers. He is chiefly in the business of building His church and is actively engaged in using His people to call out His people from every nation, tongue and time. As such, God’s establishment of governments and nations through the course of history has been for the primary purpose of advancing His kingdom. The Apostle Paul’s missionary efforts were greatly helped by the peace enforced by Rome, pax Romanae. He traveled on the excellent road system throughout the kingdom, and was kept from abuse on at least one occasion because of his Roman citizenship. In this way, the gospel spread rapidly through the known world. In America, we too as Christians are blessed by authority, which still provides order and safety for the citizens of this country.
Thirdly, our submission to, and honoring of authority, therefore, is a witness to those around us that we acknowledge God’s ordained means for the ordering of His creatures. The Apostle Peter related a Christian’s attitude and actions to our rulers by encouraging his readers to have their, “conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. Therefore, submit yourselves to every institution of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors … For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men - as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for wickedness, but as bondservants of God” (1 Peter 2.12-16). As such, this submission and honor due our rulers is not to be governed by our personal likes and dislikes for those over us, but is chiefly to be given out of our submission to God, and our desire to honor Him who established and appointed our rulers.
As a result, therefore, as Christians we should pray for all our leaders, national and local. We read, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, like rivers of water: He turns it wherever He wishes” (Proverbs 21:1). Therefore, pray that God would touch their hearts so they might fear Him, that God would give them wisdom, that they would be protected, and that they would seek the welfare of the people above their own.
Our submission and honoring should also be apparent in the way we show respect to our leaders. How often in conversations, and even on public media we hear our leaders being referred to in the most derogatory manner. Let us as God’s people not be guilty of this same gross form of contempt and insolence. Brothers and sisters, even if you hold a very low opinion of a particular leader’s policy and/or behavior, let your references to that individual be out of respect for the office they hold, thus showing your respect for God who appointed the office, and the one to fill it. Remember, some of God’s appointments may be a form of discipline such as the ungodly kings during Old Testament times. Instead of contempt, let our thoughts and prayers during those occasions be filled with confession, repentance, and humble pleas for mercy. Indeed, “When a wicked man rules, the people groan” (Proverbs 29.2b). Likewise, when God raises up godly leaders, let there be great praise and thanksgiving! “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice” (verse 2a).
Brothers and sisters, let us “honor the king”, and thereby honor God who appointed our rulers for our good and His glory. “The Spirit and the bride (ie. those in Christ) say ‘Come!’… He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22.17, 20).