1 Peter and American citizenship
My earlier post is still receiving comments, but I felt the need to move on to get to the rest of my sentiments concerning Christianity and war.
In the earlier post, my arguments might seem to suggest that I do not respect the civic authority under which I live. I wanted to clear the air concerning that particular point. I feel that whether or not I agree with the actions or motives of my government that I am compelled to honor and support it.
A few years ago, I was involved in a study that examined 1 Peter and attempted to apply it to our contemporary lives. I found this book to be truly amazing in its depth and scope and was particularly influenced by Peter’s (whether this is the actual apostle writing or whether this is a pseudepigraphy is irrelevant to me) call for Christians to live in their adopted “alien cultures” in peace. Peter’s message is to call Christians to honor their faith and principles in a way that allows them to serve as examples to those living in cultures hostile to the Christian walk.
In particular, 1 Peter 2:11-24 is a great passage for getting to the core of what it means to follow Christ (of course, I’d encourage you to read the whole chapter as well):
1 Peter 2:11-24
Beloved, I beseech you as aliens and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh that wage war against your soul. 12 Maintain good conduct among the Gentiles, so that in case they speak against you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. 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 wrong and to praise those who do right. 15 For it is God's will that by doing right you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. 16 Live as free men, yet without using your freedom as a pretext for evil; but live as servants of God. 17 Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. 18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to the kind and gentle but also to the overbearing. 19 For one is approved if, mindful of God, he endures pain while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it, if when you do wrong and are beaten for it you take it patiently? But if when you do right and suffer for it you take it patiently, you have God's approval. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin; no guile was found on his lips. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he trusted to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
Now this is packed full of great clauses and phrases, but I wanted to point out a few I find particularly powerful.
vs 15. “For it is God's will that by doing right you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.”
I think this verse gets at the heart of how we should be walking when following Christ. After definitively exclaiming that we should be subject to our civic leaders, whether they be the Caesar of a pagan culture who claims to be a god himself or the corrupt governors sent to put a personal touch on stamping out our faith culture, Peter explains that our resistance should be one of example, not conflict. It is in our simply doing what is right that allows God’s voice to be heard. Our most eloquent arguments fall silent next to the impact our actions have on others.
vs. 17-19. “Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. 18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to the kind and gentle but also to the overbearing. 19 For one is approved if, mindful of God, he endures pain while suffering unjustly.”
I, as an American, struggle with this passage. Peter is calling me to honor men who stand against everything I believe in, no matter how they are treating me or the people I love. Verse 18 is particularly tough. In America, it was a moral objection stemming from religious principle that led to the abolition of slavery.
I still believe that effort was just, for it put brother against brother (not slave against master), and the conflict resulting in the granting of respect to human beings as children of God. But I also believe those slaves who patiently endured the suffering imposed by their cruel masters did so to God’s glory.
I believe that Peter’s words do not call a slave or servant or disadvantaged person to forcibly throw off his or her shackles and confront his or her abuser. Rather, I feel that Peter (like Christ) calls us to honor the higher faith culture of God in a way that keeps us from becoming too overly concerned with the burdens of the culture in which we live.
But this is the ultimate struggle. If those who oppose our way of life were to take it away from us, our calling is to endure that loss without allowing it to affect our faith. If our government were overthrown tomorrow and America became an Islamic state, we would be called to honor our new leaders by serving their wishes in a way that also honors God.
Or if those we love suffered because of decisions made by members of our own government, it seems we are called to honor that government and try and instigate change through our examples, not through conflict.
God’s plan for us seems to be patience and devotion, and this tactic seems to have survived 2,000 years of unbelievably complex cultural threats.
As an American, I want to protect my life, the lives of those I love and to protect my cherished way of life. But as a Christian, I know my first duty is to honor God, my second is honor man and the last is to honor myself and what I want.
My American heritage pushes me to reverse these priorities completely, but my faith heritage pleads with me to hang on to this paradigm no matter what comes. This is what I believe is the core struggle at the heart of the Christian walk, and particularly in a Christian walk in America.
In the earlier post, my arguments might seem to suggest that I do not respect the civic authority under which I live. I wanted to clear the air concerning that particular point. I feel that whether or not I agree with the actions or motives of my government that I am compelled to honor and support it.
A few years ago, I was involved in a study that examined 1 Peter and attempted to apply it to our contemporary lives. I found this book to be truly amazing in its depth and scope and was particularly influenced by Peter’s (whether this is the actual apostle writing or whether this is a pseudepigraphy is irrelevant to me) call for Christians to live in their adopted “alien cultures” in peace. Peter’s message is to call Christians to honor their faith and principles in a way that allows them to serve as examples to those living in cultures hostile to the Christian walk.
In particular, 1 Peter 2:11-24 is a great passage for getting to the core of what it means to follow Christ (of course, I’d encourage you to read the whole chapter as well):
1 Peter 2:11-24
Beloved, I beseech you as aliens and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh that wage war against your soul. 12 Maintain good conduct among the Gentiles, so that in case they speak against you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. 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 wrong and to praise those who do right. 15 For it is God's will that by doing right you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. 16 Live as free men, yet without using your freedom as a pretext for evil; but live as servants of God. 17 Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. 18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to the kind and gentle but also to the overbearing. 19 For one is approved if, mindful of God, he endures pain while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it, if when you do wrong and are beaten for it you take it patiently? But if when you do right and suffer for it you take it patiently, you have God's approval. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin; no guile was found on his lips. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he trusted to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
Now this is packed full of great clauses and phrases, but I wanted to point out a few I find particularly powerful.
vs 15. “For it is God's will that by doing right you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.”
I think this verse gets at the heart of how we should be walking when following Christ. After definitively exclaiming that we should be subject to our civic leaders, whether they be the Caesar of a pagan culture who claims to be a god himself or the corrupt governors sent to put a personal touch on stamping out our faith culture, Peter explains that our resistance should be one of example, not conflict. It is in our simply doing what is right that allows God’s voice to be heard. Our most eloquent arguments fall silent next to the impact our actions have on others.
vs. 17-19. “Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. 18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to the kind and gentle but also to the overbearing. 19 For one is approved if, mindful of God, he endures pain while suffering unjustly.”
I, as an American, struggle with this passage. Peter is calling me to honor men who stand against everything I believe in, no matter how they are treating me or the people I love. Verse 18 is particularly tough. In America, it was a moral objection stemming from religious principle that led to the abolition of slavery.
I still believe that effort was just, for it put brother against brother (not slave against master), and the conflict resulting in the granting of respect to human beings as children of God. But I also believe those slaves who patiently endured the suffering imposed by their cruel masters did so to God’s glory.
I believe that Peter’s words do not call a slave or servant or disadvantaged person to forcibly throw off his or her shackles and confront his or her abuser. Rather, I feel that Peter (like Christ) calls us to honor the higher faith culture of God in a way that keeps us from becoming too overly concerned with the burdens of the culture in which we live.
But this is the ultimate struggle. If those who oppose our way of life were to take it away from us, our calling is to endure that loss without allowing it to affect our faith. If our government were overthrown tomorrow and America became an Islamic state, we would be called to honor our new leaders by serving their wishes in a way that also honors God.
Or if those we love suffered because of decisions made by members of our own government, it seems we are called to honor that government and try and instigate change through our examples, not through conflict.
God’s plan for us seems to be patience and devotion, and this tactic seems to have survived 2,000 years of unbelievably complex cultural threats.
As an American, I want to protect my life, the lives of those I love and to protect my cherished way of life. But as a Christian, I know my first duty is to honor God, my second is honor man and the last is to honor myself and what I want.
My American heritage pushes me to reverse these priorities completely, but my faith heritage pleads with me to hang on to this paradigm no matter what comes. This is what I believe is the core struggle at the heart of the Christian walk, and particularly in a Christian walk in America.
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