Christian Conduct

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1 Peter 2:11 ESV
11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.
1 Peter 2:12 ESV
12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
1 Peter 2:13 ESV
13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme,
1 Peter 2:14 ESV
14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.
1 Peter 2:15 ESV
15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.
1 Peter 2:16 ESV
16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.
1 Peter 2:17 ESV
17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Introduction

As we head out of the Presidential elections, and look for some resumption of normalcy, it doesn’t appear that will be the case. We have had a tumultuous time - riots, looting, burning of buildings, removal of statues, destruction of property, and it has been viewed as a persons “rights”. Yet we see innocent murder of the unborn, support for Israel, financial responsibility, and a request for lawful election oversight being looked up as wrong.
Isaiah 5:20 tells us
Isaiah 5:20 ESV
20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
But, how are we, as Christians, to look upon what has happened? How should we approach these upcoming years where it seems as though our Christian liberties may be threatened? How should we respond to the un-Godly direction it seems our executive branch is headed?
Philippians 4:6 ESV
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Philippians 4:7 ESV
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
We can find peace knowing that God’s will is being put into motion. We MUST watch our actions and our response to those around us, though. Yes, we may have many opinions on the people and their decisions, but what are we called to do? To minister to the whole world by spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. We have to understand that we have a purpose and a mission. We may not understand what is going on, we may not understand why things seem to be uncertain, but one thing we do know is that God is still in control. I saw a great quote the other day, we should not put our faith in a donkey or an elephant, but in the Lamb. Folks, we are only passing through this world for a short, temporary time and our struggles will soon pass as we will spend eternity in heaven. We are reminded of this in 1 Peter, we are only visitors in this land and we are just passing through. But what will OUR witness be? Will our witness be that of the ungodly we are against? Or will we choose to be Christ-like in how we approach those who may oppose us and God’s direction.

Strangers in This Land

1 Peter 2:11–12 ESV
11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
Beloved - the object of one’s affection, one who is loved.
Sojourners and exiles - While we may reside here on earth, our home is elsewhere. We may stay long enough to need a home, but not a permanent resident.
Abstain from passions of the flesh - We are to look for higher standards, the standards of God. We should always be looking to obey the laws of God.
Wage war against soul - God’s ways are not our ways. They go against our worldly desires and sinful nature.
What Peter is saying is this: as believers we are strangers, a foreigner, an exile on earth. We are residents, but we are not a citizen of this earth.
As foreigners, we are not to follow the standards and the ways of the world. We belong to God and to heaven; therefore, our legal status is in heaven. We are to follow the standards and the ways of God. The believer’s laws are the laws of God, the highest and most moral and just laws in all the universe. The believer has no right to live by the standard and laws of the world, for they are far lower than the standards and laws of God.
The believer is to live as a stranger on earth, as one whose heart and mind are upon a far greater home and world. The believer’s heart is to be upon perfection of life and morality and justice, a home and world where perfection is the rule and standard. This does not mean that the believer does not obey the legal laws of a land. We do; all foreigners are expected to obey the laws of a land when they visit a foreign land.
In fact, believers will go far beyond obeying human laws and do much more when they obey God’s laws. God’s laws and standards stress perfect behavior plus love, and there is no greater law than love.
Conduct among the Gentiles honorable - as Christians, we must live a life that is honorable and upright. A life without blame, even when we are in the world.
Speak against you as evildoers - unbelievers will speak evil of believers. Our lifestyle of righteousness and self-denying goes contrary to their life and the easiest way they address it is through joking, mocking, ridiculing and persecuting believers when they become uncomfortable.
See good deeds -
Glorify God on the day of visitation
We, as believers are only passing through this world on our way home to heaven. We CANNOT allow the things of this world to sidetrack our thoughts or our actions to lower to the same level as those of the world.
We should not add fuel to the fire, giving unbelievers a chance to accuse us and put us down. We must watch our actions closely, if we are living a life opposite of Godliness, then unbelievers will see us as hypocrites.
Matthew 5:16 ESV
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
While we may not agree with the law of the land, we are reminded throughout scripture that we are to submit to the authorities of the land, as God has placed them here for His intended will and purpose. Furthermore, we should remember that our witness either shows others God or a hypocrite. Whether we agree with things or not, we should obey those in authority.

Submit to Authority

1 Peter 2:13–15 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.
We must put ourselves in the mindset of the believers and the church of this time. Peter was seeing the persecution by the government and society on believers. They had been forced from their homes and had left everything behind. We can only imagine what they were feeling going through this type of persecution. Yet God expects each of us to follow the laws of the land - every law and order are to be obeyed. Especially by Christians. If WE do not set the example, then how can we expect society to keep the laws of the land? With no oversight or example set, we would be a nation of complete lawlessness; a lack of society and community, nothing to bring people together. Laws and authority are meant to keep people from becoming unrestrained through selfishness.
We are commanded to follow all our authorities, in today’s language it would be the President, our Governor, and others placed in positions of leadership.
Titus 3:1 ESV
1 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,
Everyone should be prepared to do the good of God, including submitting to authorities.
Romans 13:1 ESV
1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
The purpose of subjecting oneself to those authorities, are that God is the one that determines the wordly authorities. God’s will has been done. We must remind ourselves of what verse 15 says.
1 Peter 2:15 ESV
15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.
Being in submission to the authorities over us is the will of God. We, as Christians should ACT like Christians - giving our opponents nothing to say bad about us.
1 Timothy 1:9–10 ESV
9 understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine,
Timothy is reminded that laws were not made for the Godly. If we follow God’s laws, we will follow man’s laws and set the example for those living around us. Society truly needs to be able to see this example, but we must also understand we may be persecuted for our Godly actions and example. But our example should be such that, regardless of how the world is acting around us, that our actions would quieten any who would speak badly of us.
It is through this that we can truly find freedom as servants of God.

Freedom as Servants

1 Peter 2:16–17 ESV
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.
While we find these verses to help us live as free minded. Part of this freedom is to be used in away to glorify God.
What happens, though, when the government moves in directions opposite of God? We are reminded that we are to render to Caesar the things of Caesar.
Matthew 22:21 ESV
21 They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
But the last part is to give God the things that are God’s. He has the highest authority, higher even than the state or federal government. So when the government fails to execute justice “under God”, the Christian must choose to follow God.
Acts 4:19 ESV
19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge,
Acts 5:29 ESV
29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.
There are times when we will be forced to do the best for the Commonwealth and the Union by following God by refusing to obey the commands of the government. As such, we show them a greater witness for God so that He can work to change the government. This does not, however, give us the right to rebel against something we don’t think is right or doesn’t suit us. We are also told in
Romans 13:2–7 ESV
2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
There is a fine line in understanding the government is ordained by God - remember that none of the northern kingdom kings were good in the eyes of God - yet they were there for His purpose and will - and knowing when a Christian has the right to disobey authority for being contrary to the will of God.
The institutions and their authority are ordained by God, but men are responsible for how they carry out the functions. There are warnings to those in authority.
Proverbs 16:12 ESV
12 It is an abomination to kings to do evil, for the throne is established by righteousness.
Regardless, believers are not to resist the government and the believer who resists authority will be condemned. As a servant of God, we must rely on Him, and not use this liberty as a way to act out against the government. We are still to respect all people - regardless of their poli-tical views or support, they are still a person created in the image and likeness of God. If we go contrary to God’s commands, then we fail to be the Godly witness we are called to be. We should keep all our leaders in prayer, lifting them up to the throne of God.
1 Timothy 2:1–2 ESV
1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.
We must strive to live a peaceable, Godly life, as a living example to those we are around.

Closing

TRUE believers have not been placed in an easy position when we are asked to follow the law of the land, when it contradicts scripture. But we are still to respect the authority of the position to the fullest extent unless they are pressing us to follow and do things directly contradictory to scripture. Remember, those in authority will be held accountable to a higher standard. We are not in hopeless times. I would even tell you this isn’t the beginning of the “end times”, and we are not facing an Armageddon simply because of who occupies a position. We can find strength and peace through Jesus.
Philippians 4:13 ESV
13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
We must also love everyone with the same love that Jesus showed. We love the person, but don’t tolerate the sinful actions.
Romans 12:9 ESV
9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.
We are even called to love everyone to a level above and beyond what everyone else loves.
Romans 12:10 ESV
10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
We are to remain focused on what God has called us to, as sojourners - travelers - through this temporary stopping place we call home, and we are to continue to be busy doing the Lord’s business.
Romans 12:11 ESV
11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.
And even when times seem like they are headed in a downward spiral, we are to:
Romans 12:12 ESV
12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Even when it means we are to submit to authorities in whom we do not agree with.
We are to support each other through these times.
Romans 12:13 ESV
13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
But most importantly we are to show them a level of respect that they choose to not show themselves. In everything we do, we are to show them the love of God!
Romans 12:14 ESV
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.
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