Grace to submit…  

• 1^st – Submit to the Lord… vs. 11-12
  • 1^st – BELOVED…
    • Having concluded the FIRST section – GRACE for Salvation…
      • We come to the SECOND section of the book – Grace for SUBMISSION…
      • Considering the DIFFICULT nature of the subject – we open with a warm greeting!
    • BELOVED [ἀγαπητός] – from the root word [ἀγαπάω] those LOVED by God…
      • I BEG you [παρακαλέω] – to come along side [often used as a title for the Holy Spirit]
      • Peter wants us to know that we are LOVED by God – and NOT alone in our struggles!
      • One of the hardest things to remember when things get tough is that we are LOVED…
      • God has NOT abandoned us – NOT forgotten about us – we are His BELOVED…
      • And He gives us Godly men and women – a church – to come along side of us…
      • In Christ – we are NOT called to be an Island – we are called to be part of a FAMILY…
      • So that we are able to STAND – reminding each other that He LOVES us!
  • 2^nd – Pilgrims… vs. 11
    • As sojourners and pilgrims!
    • Strangers [πάροικος] – to be NEAR our home – but not quite there yet…
    • Pilgrims [παρεπίδημος] – a to be NEAR our people – but not quite there yet…
    • The idea being we are so CLOSE – we can almost convince ourselves we are HOME…
    • But we are NOT there yet!
    • Hebrews 11:13 – “These all died in faith… and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims [παρεπίδημος] on the earth.”
    • When we choose to follow Jesus – it means we walk away from this HOME…
    • We follow Jesus wherever He wants us to go – we no longer belong to this world!
    • And it often means having to walk away from the PEOPLE – we knew before Jesus…
    • Walk away from the negative influence they have on our lives – start a fresh!
    • Luke 14:33 – “Whoever does not [say goodbye] to all he has cannot be My disciple.”
  • 3^rd – At War… vs. 11
    • Fleshly LUSTS…
      • Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul!
      • Abstain [ἀπέχομαι] – compound word – do NOT hold on – let go…
      • We are NOT to hold onto fleshly LUSTS – that are contrary to our life in Jesus!
      • I John 2:16 – “For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh – the lust of the eyes – and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world.”
      • Lust is a MONSTER – no matter how much we feed – it is never enough…
      • ONE more drink – ONE more pornographic picture – ONE more peso…
      • There is ONLY momentary satisfaction – then it needs ONE more!
      • It is a LIAR – it lures us in with false hopes and promises of fulfillment…
      • Then makes itself our MASTER – brings us into bondage to our LUST…
      • No longer in control of our lives – we are SLAVES to our sinful desires!
    • WAR with our soul…
      • WAR [στρατεύω] – a MILITARY expedition intent on conquest!
      • We are all made up of THREE parts – spirit – mind – and body…
      • SPIRIT – the only part of us that is eternal…
      • BODY – the flesh – the physical body we live in…
      • MIND – where we make our choices and decisions – either the SPIRIT or the FLESH!
      • Our MINDS are the battleground for the control of our ACTIONS…
      • And our FLESH is at WAR with our SPIRIT to try and conquer our MIND!
    • Defeated by the FLESH…
      • It is easy to SAY that we want to LIVE for the LORD…
      • But the reality is most people LIVE in constant DEFEAT – overcome by their FLESH!
      • The PROBLEM is we do what we WANT – and we WANT to feed our FLESH…
      • No one MAKES me take the DRINK – look at the PICTURE – buy the THING…
      • My problem is my HEART – I am the PROBLEM – I give into LUST because I want to!
      • Romans 7:15 – “I want to do what is right – but I do not… Instead – I do what I hate.”
    • Overcoming the FLESH…
      • We constantly give into our LUSTS – because we bring a stick to a gunfight…
      • When you bring a STICK to a GUNFIGHT – you are going to LOSE!
      • Many people come to the BATTLE – woefully unprepared…
      • They come depending on THEMSELVES – then are confused when they LOSE!
      • How do we overcome our LUSTS – how do we change what we WANT…
      • By SUBMITTING to the Lord – who can change our HEART!
      • Here is our SECOND theme – SUBMIT to the LORD – to win the WAR with our FLESH!
      • Galatians 5:16 – “Walk in the Spirit – and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”
  • 4^th – Honorable conduct… vs. 12
    • The RESULT…
      • Having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles!
      • HONORABLE [καλός] almost always translated as GOOD…
      • CONDUCT [ἀναστροφή] – how we live our lives – our words and actions
      • GENTILES [ἔθνος] – used here to refer to a WORLD that does not believe in Jesus…
      • The result of winning the WAR – will be we be defined by GOOD conduct!
      • When we live our lives SUBMITTED to God – we will be VERY different from the WORLD…
      • Which will bring about TWO results – REJECTION and SALVATION!
    • REJECTION…
      • They speak against you as evildoers!
      • When we SUBMIT to God – we become an ENEMY of this world…
      • The world HATES Jesus because He convicts the world of sin and righteousness…
      • And when we REFLECT Jesus through our GOOD conduct – they HATE us!
      • John 15:18 – “If the world hates you – you know that it hated Me before it hated you.”
      • There was a recent school shooting in the US – 17 students and 2 teachers were killed…
      • Some of the media coverage has begun to blame CHRISTIANS…
      • Arguing that the Biblical principals are responsible for these violent crimes!
      • Isaiah 5:20 – “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil…”
      • We live in a world that is upside down – a world that does NOT know God…
      • A world where all that is evil is good – and all that is good is evil…
      • Therefore do not be SURPRISED when the world calls our GOOD conduct – EVIL!
    • SALVATION…
      • They may – by your good works which they observe – glorify God in the day of visitation!
      • BEHOLD [ἐποπτεύω] to LOOK intently – examine thoroughly…
      • There is a chance [subjunctive] those who BEHOLD our GOOD works will GLORIFY God…
      • DAY of INSPECTION [visitation] – the DAY when God will judge the WORLD!
      • As we SUBMIT to the Lord – our lives have a powerful IMPACT on everyone around us…
      • SOME will GLORIFY God – because the SEE the GOOD works in our lives…
      • They have been WATCHING us – and come to BELIEVE in Jesus…
      • So they are saved before the DAY of visitation – and spared the JUDGEMENT to come!

• 2^nd – Submit to government… vs. 13-17
  • 1^st – Obey the government… vs. 13-14
    • PUNISHMENT…
      • Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man – for the Lords sake…
      • Whether to the king as supreme – or to governors – as to those who are sent by him…
      • For the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good!
      • Another result [therefore] of SUBMITTING to the Lord…
      • Is that we will also SUBMIT [passive] to the ORDINANCE of men…
      • ORDINANCE [κτίσις] – to CREATE – a nation – state – province – city…
      • We are to SUBMIT to KING [president] as supreme…
      • And to the GOVERNORS [leaders] the KING sends…
      • Who punishes evildoers and bring praise for them who do well!
      • If we BREAK the law – do BAD things – we have good reason to fear the GOVERNMENT…
      • But if we OBEY the law – do what is GOOD – we will instead receive praise from them…
      • Therefore – we should SUBMIT out of fear of consequence!
      • NOTE – we ONLY submit to a government – so long as it does not CONTRADICT the WORD!
    • For the LORD…
      • SUBMIT – [ὑποτάσσω]– military term of complete subordination 
      • We do not SUBMIT for the sake of men – but for the LORD!
      • All authority comes from God – so no government is there by accident – Romans 13:1
      • When we look at the corruption – poor policies – the injustice all around us…
      • We have a hard time with this concept – we might think – not our government…
      • And what about evil governments – muslim – communist – Iran – North Korea…
      • Surely God cannot approve of these governments – much less be responsible!
      • Peter wrote this during the time Caesar Nero was the emperor of Rome…
      • The ruler who clothed Christians in animal skins – then fed them alive to the dogs…
      • Who rode his chariot down the road lined with burning Christians for light…
      • This was his government – the one he commanded [imperative] believers to SUBMIT to!
    • The salvation of men…
      • If God wanted all men to have a rich and easy life – governments should be perfect…
      • But if God wants people in heaven – bad governments work best!
      • If governments were perfect – we would never learn to look to and trust in God…
      • It is in the imperfections of our governments we see our need for the Lord…
      • It is not that all the governments are good – God just uses them all for our good!
  • 2^nd – The Will of God… vs. 15
    • This is the WILL of God…
      • As believers we recognize – the WILL of God is what is BEST for our lives…
      • We can find out His WILL – generally – by being living sacrifices – Romans 12:2
      • But the WILL of God – is tied to FOUR specific definitions in the NT…
      • It is the WILL of God – that we avoid sexual immorality – I Thessalonians 4:3
      • It is the WILL of God – that we give thanks in all things – I Thessalonians 5:18
      • It is the WILL of God – that to suffer for doing good – I Peter 3:17
      • It is the WILL of God – that we put to silence ignorant men – I Peter 2:15
    • SILENCE…
      • By doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men!
      • When we SUBMIT to God – HONORABLE conduct – and SUBMIT to the government…
      • There is nothing anyone can accuse us of – because we are DOING GOOD…
      • People can make ACCUSATIONS – but they will not be TRUE…
      • SILENCING – [φιμόω] – to shut the mouth – make someone speechless…
      • IGNORANT [ἀγνωσία] – to NOT know God – where we get the word agnostic…
      • FOOLISH [ἄφρων] – those who CANNOT think – not reasonable! 
      • I was on a missions trip to Kazakhstan – I had a muslim roommate…
      • His first words to me were – I do not want to hear about your God…
      • God put on my heart – let him see you doing GOOD – be his Bible – II Corinthians 3:3
      • FOUR weeks later he opened the conversation – accepted Jesus as his savior!
      • Many people will refuse to read a Bible – but they do read us…
      • Our life – our example – has the power to show them the Gospel of Jesus!
  • 3^rd – The Bondservant… vs. 16-17
    • As FREE…
      • As free – yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice – but as bondservants of God!
      • We do not SUBMIT to God – SUBMIT to the government – because we HAVE to…
      • FREE [ἐλεύθερος] – to be born free – not a SLAVE – not in BONDAGE…
      • We do not HAVE to obey ANY rules – we are free in Christ to do what we want!
      • John 8:36 – “Therefore if the Son makes you free – you shall be free indeed.”
    • LIBERTY…
      • But we are not to use our LIBERTY [noun from of FREE] as a CLOAK…
      • CLOAK [ἐπικάλυμμα] – to cover or hide the true intentions…
      • We have FREEDOM – but we must be careful not to us our freedom as an excuse to SIN…
      • Sin is dangerous – and will harden our hearts towards God!
      • Romans 6:1 – “What shall we say then. Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound…”
      • When a person first learns a guitar – fingers bled from pressing on the steel strings…
      • But eventually with lots of use – they grow calluses and became tough!
      • When we first commit a sin – we bleed with conviction from the Holy Spirit…
      • But if we continue to sin – we can create a callous on our hearts – feel nothing…
      • Sin is devastating – if we refuse to repent of our sin – it will harden our hearts…
      • Not that God will not forgive us – His grace is always there…
      • The danger is we end up rejecting God – prefer to live on in our sin!
      • Hebrews 3:13 – “Lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”
    • BONDSERVANT…
      • BONDSERVANT [δοῦλος] – someone who chooses to be a SLAVE…
      • God defined the role of – a bondservant – Deuteronomy 15:17
      • If a servant was to be set free – but CHOSE to stay – he had his ear pierced on a doorpost…
      • He became a BONDSERVANT – someone who CHOSE to be a slave for His master!
      • Jesus does not demand that we give our lives to Him – it is our CHOICE…
      • We can choose to live for ourselves – live for this world – in BONDAGE to this world…
      • But the irony is when we give our lives to Jesus – that is when we are truly FREE!
    • IMPERATIVE…
      • Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king!
      • The RESULT of being a BONDSERVANT – is we must [imperative 4x] OBEY the LORD…
      • HONOR all – both believers and unbelievers…
      • LOVE [ἀγαπάω] the brethren – who are servants along with us of the Lord…
      • FEAR God – SUBMITTING to Him so that we are HONORABLE in conduct…
      • HONOR the King – so that we silence those who are ignorant!

Now we SUBMIT as an EXAMPLE – so other lost SHEEP can also return to THE Shepherd!

3^rd – Submit to masters… vs. 18-25

1^st – Obey employers… vs. 18-20

SERVANTS…

Servants – be submissive to your masters with all fear… 

Not only to the good and gentle – but also to the harsh!

SERVANTS [οἰκέτης] – we would call them EMPLOYEES…

SUBMISSIVE [ὑποτάσσω] – the same words used to describe being under a government…

MASTERS [δεσπότη] – despots – we could call them EMPLOYERS…

Not just the GOOD employers – but also the HARSH ones…

HARSH [σκολιός] – to be CROOKED – to be unfair and wicked!

Ever since Adam we have made a living from the sweat of our brow – Genesis 3:19

And most of us have an employer – boss we have to answer to…

Even if we do not agree – we need to listen to their instructions – and obey…

Even our employer is a jerk – and treats us terribly – do what they say…

Because it might just be our example that leads them to Jesus Christ!

COMMENDABLE…

For this is commendable – [since] because of conscience toward God…

One endures grief – suffering wrongfully!

COMMENDABLE [χάρις] – 156x in NT – this is GRACE!

Because of conscience towards God – we endure [bear the burden] of suffering wrongly!

If our boss tells us to scrub a toilet – scrub that toilet for Jesus…

Not murmuring and complaining the whole time – cursing under our breath…

Do it with joy – do it with the best possible effort – do the job right!

This does NOT mean we let our BOSS tell us to do something IMMORAL or ILLEGAL…

But if our BOSS is just being MEAN – then we SUBMIT – so they can see GRACE…

We become the EXAMPLE to them – of Jesus – responding to suffering with LOVE!

No CREDIT…

For what credit is it – [since] when you are beaten for your faults – you take it patiently.

When you do good and suffer [since] you take it patiently this is commendable before God!

When we make a MISTAKE – and are PUNISHED – and take it PATIENTLY…

Even those who are in the world do that – we are getting what we DESERVE!

But if we DO WELL – which is the WILL of God for our lives – I Peter 2:15

And we are punished – taking it PATIENTLY – this is COMMENDABLE!

COMMENDABLE [χάρις] – there is our word GRACE again…

How do we get the GRACE to be able to SUFFER for doing GOOD…

PATIENCE [ὑπομένω] – compound word – [ὑπό] under – and [μένω] abide…

ABIDE [μένω] – means to endure – stubbornly refuse to let go…

We must ABIDE in Jesus [μένω] – because apart from Him we can do NOTHING – John 15:4

When we are punished for doing GOOD – it teaches us to ABIDE in Jesus…

And the WORLD gets to see something DIFFERENT – we do not get UPSET…

We show them the GRACE of God – by the GOOD coming from our lives!

2^nd – The EXAMPLE… vs. 21-23

CHRIST…

For to this you were called – because Christ also suffered for us…

Leaving us an example – that you should follow His steps!

EXAMPLE – [ὑπογραμμός] – only here NT – a written account – the GOSPEL…

An example that we should [subjunctive] follow – walking in his footsteps…

His EXAMPLE – He was punished [cross] having done NOTHING wrong!

DEFENSE…

Who committed no sin – nor was deceit found in His mouth – Isaiah 53:9

Who – when He was reviled – did not revile in return. When He suffered…

He did not threaten – but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously!

People are going to say bad things about us – make false accusation to make us look bad…

We always have TWO options – DEFEND ourselves – or let God DEFEND us…

We can DEFEND ourselves – run around putting out all the little fires…

Guaranteed God will always do a better job – better to let Him be our DEFENSE!

Isaiah 53:7 – “He opened not His mouth. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter – and as a sheep before its shearers is silent – so He opened not His mouth.”

3^rd – Sheep gone astray… vs. 24-25

Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree – that we – having died to sins…

Might live for righteousness – by whose stripes you were healed.

For you were like sheep going astray – but have now returned…

To the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls!

Jesus bore our sins in his own body on the cross – so we – having died to sins…

MIGHT [subjunctive] live for righteousness – by whose stripes we are [spiritually] healed!

We were [imperfect] all like SHEEP going astray – but have now returned to the Shepherd!

Why do we SUBMIT – to the LORD – to the GOVERNMENT – to our EMPLOYERS…

Because Jesus saved us from our sins – lost SHEEP – healed us spiritually…