Submission for Dummies

Wiley Publishing Company came to the rescue of curious sluggards the world over by creating a prolific series of instructional books intended to condense complex issues into non-intimidating bite-sized servings. The format includes cartoons, friendly fonts, and likeable talking heads covering a variety of subjects. They called the series For Dummies, a simplified guide to help anyone learn anything they want to know with minimum effort.

Vampires for Dummies and Vegetarianism for Dummies are some of the odd ones. What about 'Submission' for dummies?

Today’s text is not a substitute for an in-depth study of the issues involved in submitting to authority. But it does serve as a study guide of the salient facts, a kind of Being a Good Witness for Dummies.

1 Peter 2: 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

4 PITHY POINTS TO PUT POLICY INTO PRACTICE





1.    HONOUR EVERYONE

Like a fisherman’s net, Peter throws this catch-all command over all our relationships.

“Honor” refers to respect in your attitude and actions. “Everyone” means pretty much that. Peter is saying that believers owe every single person basic respect and courtesy, even unbelievers.

Some Christians exude a subtle attitude of superiority toward unbelievers. “We’re children of God, you don’t even believe in God, so there is something wrong with you.” You’d never say it, but your attitude lets it slip. As if your salvation had anything to do with you anyway. So, Peter boils it down For Dummies: Honor everyone. Yes, even unbelievers.

There are 3 reasons to show respect to people: 1) God sets an example to us by blessing them, 2) Everyone is made in God’s image, and 3) God wants to use your witness to save them.

2.    LOVE THE BROTHERHOOD

One may misunderstand Peter’s command to honour everyone. He doesn’t mean that you have to treat everyone exactly the same.

You must respect everyone, but believers are to be treated differently. You have a bond of love with believers that in itself is a great witness to unbelievers. To honour everyone and love the brotherhood – the universal church – all Christians.

You need to have a concern for the body of Christ worldwide. Do you pray for the church in China, Russia or Zimbabwe? Do you rejoice when a local congregation in your community has succeeded in an outreach event? We are not in competition with other churches. And we don’t just respect them, we love them.

Sometimes we need to correct wrong teaching, or we need to take a different stand on theology, but outsiders always need to be able to discern that we love each other.

John 13: 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another

The word is agape, not just brotherly love. This is a serving, sacrificing, affectionate emotion.

As a witness to unbelievers, the love we have for each other is a powerful testimony.

3.    FEAR GOD

Fear is an emotional response to the threat of real or perceived danger. To fear God is to consider God in light of the reality that he exists, and that he is infinitely superior to you in every way, and is aware of your every thought and deed, and has proven himself willing and able to punish those who reject his Son.

Heb 10: 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Like an experienced surfer who loves the ocean but has a healthy fear of its power, a Christian loves God but has a healthy fear of his holiness.

Prov 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

Fear and knowledge are in parallel. The only time you have no fear, no reverence, no awe of God, is when you don’t know him very well.

People who know God well, don’t treat him like a peer. They know him as a potentate.

When Isaiah saw the vision of God, he said Is 6:5 “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!”

God has become far too domesticated in our world today. He is like a pocket-sized genie, who is very adept at finding our parking spots and alleviating our consciences with free grace that is dispensed on demand like a well-stocked vending machine. But that is a delusion.

Peter reminds us simply: Fear God!

4.    HONOR THE EMPEROR

It seems that Peter is repeating this command from verse 13– so this has got to be important for our witness. Remember who the emperor was – Nero – the least likely to win the people’s choice award for the most respected monarch. We learned about his antics in Chain of Command: Submission to Government.

So, does our political leader need to be an honourable person, for us to obey him? No.

Does he need to have some semblance of dignity or at least competence? No.

So why do we submit to his leadership?

Because the office is appointed by God.





CONCLUSION

Ideally, every office of authority in the world should be occupied by someone morally worthy of it. And I believe that ideal will one day be realized in the Millennial kingdom when Christ reigns on earth. Christ is coming to judge the living and the dead. He will bring justice and healing and he will set things straight. Every knee will bow… But until then, we offer our submission up to him as a tool to be used to save souls, for his glory.

Author: Cripplegate