Written by Rob Bailes
Free to be me!
Haven't we heard these words many times in recent years. It all seemed to start way back in the 60's when the hippie movement began and people flocked to Washington DC to camp out in the parks living in tents and showing the world that they were not ashamed of their choice to live without rules or structure. The thing that came to the surface real quick was that no one was taking responsibility of cleaning up the mess that was beginning to pile up and nobody was planning any way to accommodate the personal needs for their families. I remember as a young child, seeing on TV in black in white, as a matter of fact, the parks littered with trash and debris. I never forgot that because I, even at a very young age had learned to revere the place that we called the capitol of the United States. It seemed to me that these people had no interest in what other people thought about them and it was true, they didn't! That was actually their message to the world.
About forty years later, our country is still being impacted by people who do not revere or honour the laws that have been laid down by those in authority. Almost every day we see a headline that tells a story about murder, terrorism, drugs or looting. In each of these cases there is one common thread that weaves them all together. The common factor is freedom. In every single case of violence and oppression, somebody or a group of people felt that they had the right or the freedom to do what they did to harm others and disrespect their fellow man. "Why do people act this way today?" , we may ask ourselves. If the truth be known, men and women have been acting this way since the first man and woman was created.
Let's take a look at a passage in 1Peter where Peter is addressing the Jews and the Gentiles alike in a letter. He is telling them how to conduct themselves in a way that people will know that they believe in God.
1Peter 2:11-12
11. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whenever they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
When Peter says that there will be times when people will say that you are evil doers. We would call those people criminals today, right? So his point is that the Gentiles were accusing the Christians of being criminals and breaking the laws. Isn't that the thing that we have the hardest time with in our own time and day? Have you ever been pulled over or scrutinized by a police officer when you knew you hadn't intentionally done anything wrong? Boy, does that ever get our blood pressure up and we feel like telling that young officer just how wrong they were and how much they have disrupted our day! It seems to always happen when we are running late too, doesn't it? How about having an accident and then getting blamed by the other driver when they actually caused the accident in the first place? Those are fighting words in many cases and I have seen people physically threaten each other over this! Peter is telling us to prevent this by abstaining. Did you realize that abstinence was so popular even back in those days? Peter was a pretty knowledgeable man too! So let's consider his advice to the believers and do just this, but why did he say this? He says in the next verse to speak honestly to the unbeliever so that they will see that you aren't a criminal and that they will even glorify God too when someone is sent by God to visit them. I want to look at the next five verses with you and then I'll be finish with this message;
1Peter 2:13-17
13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of them that do well.
For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
Honour all men.
Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
What a passage full of wisdom for us today! According to Peter's advice, we are to submit ourselves to the authority that rules our government such as judges, governors and presidents. This is the will of God that those who lack knowledge will have nothing bad to say about our own personal lives. Then we see where he talks about being free and not using your freedom to unleash your anger and as the Greek word kakia used here means, to express your badness or subjectively, your depravity. Then we are told to honour humanity. The Greek word timao used here means to prize or fix a valuation upon; to revere. Interesting perspective that Peter expresses here for avoiding mistreatment by those who wished to oppress the believer.
Last of all Peter says in the Greek language to agapaō; to love in a social or moral sense the adelphotēs which is Greek for brotherhood (feeling of brotherliness), that is the Christian fraternity: - brethren.
Next Peter says, "Phobeō Theos" meaning to be in awe and reverence the Divine Trinity of God!
Then, the very last thing he says in verse seventeen is to Honour the king. The word used in the Greek for honour is the same exact word used when we were told to honour all men; "timaō hē basileus." The Greek translation would be to prize, fix a valuation upon; by implication to revere the sovereign: -king.
How do those who would like to call us criminals see believers today? Are we going to be honest and control our anger and our actions when we are falsely accused? I know it isn't easy! I have been there! Peter even sat in prison for two years at one time during his ministry and he had such a Godly spirit that he could still give us very wise advice, to honour the king. Why? So that the One true Divine God could be glorified when the Gentiles were visited by God's messengers.
I encourage you today, "Let's live our lives so that we cannot be used as an excuse by those who see us and are watching us every day from a distance. Stay pure in deeds and stay true in spirit so that God will be glorified!"
Psalm 118:8 It is better to put your trust in God than to put your confidence in man.
Free to be me!
Haven't we heard these words many times in recent years. It all seemed to start way back in the 60's when the hippie movement began and people flocked to Washington DC to camp out in the parks living in tents and showing the world that they were not ashamed of their choice to live without rules or structure. The thing that came to the surface real quick was that no one was taking responsibility of cleaning up the mess that was beginning to pile up and nobody was planning any way to accommodate the personal needs for their families. I remember as a young child, seeing on TV in black in white, as a matter of fact, the parks littered with trash and debris. I never forgot that because I, even at a very young age had learned to revere the place that we called the capitol of the United States. It seemed to me that these people had no interest in what other people thought about them and it was true, they didn't! That was actually their message to the world.
About forty years later, our country is still being impacted by people who do not revere or honour the laws that have been laid down by those in authority. Almost every day we see a headline that tells a story about murder, terrorism, drugs or looting. In each of these cases there is one common thread that weaves them all together. The common factor is freedom. In every single case of violence and oppression, somebody or a group of people felt that they had the right or the freedom to do what they did to harm others and disrespect their fellow man. "Why do people act this way today?" , we may ask ourselves. If the truth be known, men and women have been acting this way since the first man and woman was created.
Let's take a look at a passage in 1Peter where Peter is addressing the Jews and the Gentiles alike in a letter. He is telling them how to conduct themselves in a way that people will know that they believe in God.
1Peter 2:11-12
11. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whenever they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
When Peter says that there will be times when people will say that you are evil doers. We would call those people criminals today, right? So his point is that the Gentiles were accusing the Christians of being criminals and breaking the laws. Isn't that the thing that we have the hardest time with in our own time and day? Have you ever been pulled over or scrutinized by a police officer when you knew you hadn't intentionally done anything wrong? Boy, does that ever get our blood pressure up and we feel like telling that young officer just how wrong they were and how much they have disrupted our day! It seems to always happen when we are running late too, doesn't it? How about having an accident and then getting blamed by the other driver when they actually caused the accident in the first place? Those are fighting words in many cases and I have seen people physically threaten each other over this! Peter is telling us to prevent this by abstaining. Did you realize that abstinence was so popular even back in those days? Peter was a pretty knowledgeable man too! So let's consider his advice to the believers and do just this, but why did he say this? He says in the next verse to speak honestly to the unbeliever so that they will see that you aren't a criminal and that they will even glorify God too when someone is sent by God to visit them. I want to look at the next five verses with you and then I'll be finish with this message;
1Peter 2:13-17
13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of them that do well.
For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
Honour all men.
Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
What a passage full of wisdom for us today! According to Peter's advice, we are to submit ourselves to the authority that rules our government such as judges, governors and presidents. This is the will of God that those who lack knowledge will have nothing bad to say about our own personal lives. Then we see where he talks about being free and not using your freedom to unleash your anger and as the Greek word kakia used here means, to express your badness or subjectively, your depravity. Then we are told to honour humanity. The Greek word timao used here means to prize or fix a valuation upon; to revere. Interesting perspective that Peter expresses here for avoiding mistreatment by those who wished to oppress the believer.
Last of all Peter says in the Greek language to agapaō; to love in a social or moral sense the adelphotēs which is Greek for brotherhood (feeling of brotherliness), that is the Christian fraternity: - brethren.
Next Peter says, "Phobeō Theos" meaning to be in awe and reverence the Divine Trinity of God!
Then, the very last thing he says in verse seventeen is to Honour the king. The word used in the Greek for honour is the same exact word used when we were told to honour all men; "timaō hē basileus." The Greek translation would be to prize, fix a valuation upon; by implication to revere the sovereign: -king.
How do those who would like to call us criminals see believers today? Are we going to be honest and control our anger and our actions when we are falsely accused? I know it isn't easy! I have been there! Peter even sat in prison for two years at one time during his ministry and he had such a Godly spirit that he could still give us very wise advice, to honour the king. Why? So that the One true Divine God could be glorified when the Gentiles were visited by God's messengers.
I encourage you today, "Let's live our lives so that we cannot be used as an excuse by those who see us and are watching us every day from a distance. Stay pure in deeds and stay true in spirit so that God will be glorified!"
Psalm 118:8 It is better to put your trust in God than to put your confidence in man.
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