“Servants, be
subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but
also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one
endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you
sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for
it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you
have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example,
so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit
found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he
suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who
judges justly. 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. For
you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and
Overseer of your souls.”
(1 Peter 2:18-25 ESV)
I think it’s safe to say
that most of us want nothing to do with submission. When we’re called in
Scripture to submit, the hair on our neck stands on end. We don’t want anyone
telling us what to do. And we don’t want to be under anyone’s authority but our
own.
Perhaps our American
mindset, of absolute freedom, plays into this. We’re constantly being reminded of our freedoms and liberties. However, our problem with submission ultimately
flows from our sinful nature. It flows from our desire to be lord of our own
life.
Our reaction against submission is even more
severe when we deem our authorities unjust. If we feel that we’re being treated
unfairly, our instinct is to rebel. Our
instinct is to push back.
However, as we see in the above passage, we
are called to submit to our authorities. And we’re called to do so not only when we’re being treated justly. We’re called to submit even when we’re being
treated unfairly.
We’re called upon, in this passage, to suffer
graciously. We’re told that it’s a credit to us when we endure injustice. We
are called upon to follow the example of Christ.
We’re reminded that what Jesus suffered was
far from just. However, as he suffered, he did not react against his persecutors.
He, instead, entrusted himself into the care of God.
He did this for us. He did this for our
blessing. He did this that he might bear the punishment of our sin.
He did this that we might die to our sinful
nature. He did this that we might not continue living for sin. He did this that
we might, instead, live for the glory of God.
When we’re treated unjustly by our
authorities, we are to graciously submit.
We are to do so for the blessing of those around us. We’re to do so even
for the blessing of those who dole out our suffering.
We’re to do so, entrusting ourselves to the
care of God. We’re to entrust ourselves to him knowing that, even if we don’t
receive justice in this life, we will in the end. We can be confident that those
who act to harm us will ultimately answer to him.
No comments:
Post a Comment