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1 Peter 2:13–15
“Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.”
We who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ hold our ultimate citizenship in the kingdom of God, so we must live in ways that accord with that kingdom. Consequently, we must abstain from fleshly passions and keep our conduct among unbelievers honorable (1 Peter 2:11–12). This includes being subject to the civil governing authorities, as we read in today’s verse.
Many people see civil government as at best a necessary evil, but that does not reflect the whole of biblical teaching. The state can sin; nevertheless, Paul tells us that God has put it in place as His servant “who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer” (Rom. 13:1–7). Peter conveys the same idea implicitly when he says that the purpose of governors is “to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good” (1 Peter 2:14). The civil magistrate helps keep public order so that people can live in peace and so that society does not devolve into utter chaos. Thus, John Calvin rightly says that “some kind of government, however deformed and corrupt it may be, is still better and more beneficial than anarchy.”
Peter enjoins us to be subject to the civil authorities “for the Lord’s sake” (v. 13). In obeying our governors, mayors, legislatures, and so forth, we demonstrate our respect for the ultimate Lawgiver, the Lord God Almighty, who hates lawlessness because it is the essence of sin (1 John 3:4). This means that we should follow earthly laws, even the statutes that annoy us, unless doing so would cause us to somehow break God’s law. Civil authorities have established a dizzying array of building codes, safety regulations, speed limits, and more, and we are to obey these not because they’re convenient but because we love the Lord. Dr. R.C. Sproul comments: “Every time we do not submit to the rules that plague us all, we are casting our vote with lawlessness, and every time we go out of our way to submit, we bear witness to the One whose law stands above every law. . . . When we offer submission, . . . we are showing our commitment to the King.”
The Apostle, however, does not call for blind submission. “Be subject” in 1 Peter 2:13 can also be translated as “submit yourselves,” conveying the idea of an active, voluntary, and thinking submission. He also makes sure to tell us that these authorities are “human.” They can make mistakes, sin, and even demand that we do what God forbids or forbid us from doing what God commands. When that happens, “we must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
Submitting to the authorities includes seeking their welfare, and part of this means praying for our civil leaders. This also has practical benefits for us in keeping us from some suffering. The church father Tertullian writes, “Pray for kings, because when the kingdom is shaken, all its other members are shaken with it, and even if we stay aloof from tumults, we shall have some part in the resulting misfortune.”
For further study
- Proverbs 14:35; 20:26
- Proverbs 24:21–22
- Matthew 22:15–22
- 1 Timothy 2:1–2
The bible in a year
- 2 Samuel 20–22
- Luke 22:24–38