This is a tough one to read, and it was certainly a tough one to write. This is one of those texts where “quick to listen, slow to speak about it, and slow to become angry [at scripture]” (Js 1.19) certainly applies. Those who know me know where I stand on most political and social issues. As a Christian, though, some of those things occasionally have to take second place. This is extremely difficult (even painful), as some of these things completely fly in the face of our political convictions. We sometimes conflate our political and spiritual values. While our political values should absolutely be influenced by our spiritual ones, the two aren’t inseparable. Sometimes we have to go against our political convictions if pursuing them means violating a Christian principle.
I Peter 2.13-25 is a difficult passage for many of us to swallow because it’s about giving up our own rights and freedoms for the sake of the message. God expects us to obey all government officials, even when their policies are unfair (or blatantly unconstitutional). Only when what they tell us to do violates God’s law are we permitted to disobey them. What does this mean practically? As a Christian, we have to comply with any policy upheld by a governing body who has authority over us (2.13-14, 16). This applies to any regulation that — even though unconstitutional — is upheld by government (cf. Rom 13). God expects us to comply because that falls in line with not causing trouble and living a quiet, peaceful life (I Tim 2). We often talk about how difficult the Christian life is, but these kinds of things make it real. My inalienable rights aren’t worth losing my eternal soul.
In 2.16-17, Peter addresses a loophole we might be tempted to exploit. Yes, we’re God’s people first. Yes, we’re an independent nation as his church, and we’re subject to him first before government. But that doesn’t give us the right to disobey laws we don’t agree with. We’re told to “live as servants of God”, which in context means “complying with all government regulations that don’t violate God’s law.” That’s hard. Nothing about this is easy, especially for us Americans who enjoy life in a country whose founding documents recognize and legally restrain government from interfering with natural freedoms. But the reward for following God’s word on this issue is immortality on a perfect new earth where — among many other blessings — there are no three-letter agencies or any other corrupt human act of authoritarianism.
The Preacher Pollard Blog 