SET APART / 1 PETER

Part 4 – Living Under Authority

March 16, 2025

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Living Under Authority

1 Peter 2:11-12 (NIV) Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

 

• We belong to .

Philippians 3:20 (NIV) But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

• We are in a .

 

• We are to a .

Matthew 5:16 (NIV) Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

 

1 Peter 2:13 (NIV) Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority…

 

Romans 13:1 (NIV) Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.

What Submission Is (And What It’s Not)

 

✅ Submission is voluntarily cooperating out of love for God and others.
❌ Submission is not forced compliance or blind obedience.

✅ Submission is yielding to God’s design for authority.
❌ Submission is not allowing yourself to be abused or manipulated.

✅ Submission is a posture of humility that keeps your heart aligned with God.
❌ Submission is not about agreeing with everything or never questioning decisions.

 

God tests us with before He trusts us with .

Luke 16:10 (NIV) Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much…

 

Philippians 2:8 (NIV) And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!

4 Tests to Living Under Authority

1. Submission to : Live honorably under .

 

1 Peter 2:13-17 (NIV) Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.

 

Daniel 3:16-18 (NIV) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to him, ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.’

How Do We Submit Under Imperfect Leaders?

• We honor their , even when we disagree with their .
• We unless it clearly violates .
• We trust that God uses even corrupt authority .
• We influence through , not .

1 Peter 2:17 (NIV) Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.

 

2. Submission in the : Work with , even when it’s .

 

1 Peter 2:18-20 (NIV) Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.

 

Colossians 3:23 (NIV) Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.

3. Submission in : Endure like Jesus did.

 

1 Peter 2:21-25 (NIV) To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

• Suffering isn’t meaningless—it’s forming you.
• Suffering isn’t forever—it’s temporary.
• Suffering isn’t wasted—it’s a witness.

 

Romans 8:18 (NIV) I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

4. Submission in : Reflect Christ in your .

1 Peter 3:1-6 (NIV) Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.

 

Proverbs 31:26 (NIV) She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

 

1 Peter 3:7 (NIV) Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

 

Ephesians 5:25 (NIV) Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.

 

James 4:10 (NIV) Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.