Honor, Love, and Fear

Although Christians have their true and eternal citizenship in heaven and live as sojourners and exiles in the present civil order (1 Peter 2:11; see Phil. 3:20), this does not mean that we are free from responsibilities in the kingdoms of this world. We are to submit ourselves to the civil governing authorities and obey the law, being enabled and encouraged to do so through the freedom that we have in Christ to serve the God who put these authorities into place (1 Peter 2:13–16). In today’s passage, Peter offers a summary statement of our responsibilities in civil society.

Let us begin with the Apostle’s directive to “fear God” (v. 17). Though we are called to “honor” the emperor, we are to “fear” the Lord, which certainly includes honoring Him but means much more. “Fear” refers to the reverence we must have for God alone as the highest and only perfect authority, the service we render to Him to the exclusion of all other gods. He alone deserves unquestioning obedience, and all others to whom we might give such service are idols that must be put away (see Josh. 24:14). This command to “fear God” but not the emperor serves as an important qualifier to the command to “be subject” to human authorities (1 Peter 2:13). It tells us that when the laws of God and the laws of man truly conflict, we follow God’s laws. Also, since the Lord establishes human governments (Rom. 13:1), we cannot truly honor our leaders unless we fear the One who put them in authority. For that matter, we cannot perform any of these duties sincerely from the heart without reverencing God. Matthew Henry comments, “Fear God with the highest reverence, duty, and submission; if this be wanting, none of the other three duties can be performed as they ought.”

We must honor earthly authorities in a special way by obeying them when they do not command us to do what God forbids or forbid us to do what God commands. Yet we owe honor not only to civil magistrates but to “everyone” (1 Peter 2:17). Christians must respect the God-given dignity of every person. Thus, John Calvin writes that “a regard ought to be had for all, since we ought to cultivate, as far as we can, peace and friendship with all.”

Finally, we are to “love the brotherhood” (v. 17). Yes, we must honor fellow Christians, but we must go beyond that to treat them as family. Indeed, we must love them so much that we are willing to lay down our lives for them (1 John 3:16).