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What is starting to become more clear to me in this training about true submission is that it is much more about God's reputation and honor than it is about whether or not I am doing the right thing the right way. I am seeing that, as is often the case, I am getting side-tracked on trying to figure out how to “get it right” so that I can be deemed on the “right side” of God's favor or avoiding sin instead of viewing every situation from the perspective of what effect my witness has on the reputation of God on the hearts of others.
As I look more at 1 Peter 2 I notice that repeatedly Peter refers to the underlying reason for why I need to relate to authorities in the right way according to God's design. The context goes all the way back to the beginning of the book, but I pick it up near the end of chapter one. Peter lists a number of motives that I need to foster and encourage in my life in order to create the right atmosphere in my soul to be able to relate to authority with submission properly.
Fervently love one another from the heart... you have been born again.... (1:22-23)
Putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander... long for the pure milk of the word so that you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. (2:1-3)
Coming to Him [who is] choice and precious in the sight of God. (v.4)
...offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (v.5)
This precious value, then, is for you who believe.... (v.7)
You are a CHOSEN RACE, a royal PRIESTHOOD, a HOLY NATION, a PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY. (v.9-10)
Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that... as they observe [your good works, they will] glorify God in the day of visitation. Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution.... (v.11-13)
Act as free men.... Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the King.... Be submissive... with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. (v.16-18)
You have been called for this purpose.... (v. 21)
I notice several references to the true character of God that is to be seen coming through my own actions in response to authorities, especially those who are unreasonable.
The kindness of the Lord.
The One who is precious in the sight of God.
God's generosity and kindness in making me a chosen one, a royal priest, part of a holy nation, one who is God's own possession.
The reason I should keep my behavior excellent among unbelievers is because I serve a God who is excellent and when they see God's excellencies “proclaimed” as demonstrated in my spirit and proper response to unreasonable authorities they will glorify God. I am to submit for the Lord's sake. This is all about God and the effect of my witness about Him, not about me getting it right so I can get myself into heaven!
This can only happen as my perception of my own identity radically changes from who I think I am based on my past behavior and reactions to authorities, to the identity proclaimed by God as to who He designed me to be and declares me to be spelled out in these verses. We always tend to act according to our perception of our identity. This is one of the most subtle schemes of the enemy to trip us up. He causes us to believe that our real identity is based on the failures we have made throughout our life instead of believing the Word of God declaring the truth about who we really are in His sight.
Doubt springs up to challenge what God says about me and that doubt originates with the lying false gods that have hung around in my head for most of my life. Faith the the decision to believe what God says about me in spite of my own miserable track record. Faith is inspired and springs up as a natural response to perceiving the incredible trust of God, discovering that God believes in me far more than I believe in myself. He believes in me to respond to Him, to trust in His perspective, to lay hold of the provisions that He has made to transform me into His image.
One of the most amazing insights I came across recently was when I listened to some talks about “the faith of Jesus”. The faith of Jesus actually refers to the faith that Jesus has in us, not some faith that we have to work up in trusting Him in spite of our fears and doubts. Our faith is actually a response of trust from being trusted. Faith induces faith just as love inspires love. The more I expose myself and fill my mind with the idea and truth that God really believes in me and has faith in me to respond to His grace, mercy, love and kindness, the more my own heart will glow with reflected faith back to Him.
And I am also beginning to see that this is where the real focus needs to be in my preparation for being able to live in a spirit of respect and honor, and act with excellent behavior when confronted with unreasonable authorities. It takes me right back to realizing that I am more of a mirror than anything else and what I choose to focus on will heavily influence my reactions to any given situation.
If I dwell on the injustice of abuse committed against me I will instantly begin to react with motives and desires for injustice against them in my heart. The only hope for me to reflect the excellencies of the God who has chosen me for His own possession is to focus on His excellencies so that His character of respect and honor for others is what is seen reflected in my mirror. Just as I respond with reflected faith when I experience God's faith, so too God intends that through my seeing others through the eyes of heaven and responding to them with the reflected character of God that faith may be awakened in their hearts as well. When that happens God will be glorified even more.
Just as in other areas of salvation, I do not succeed in overcoming sin by focusing on overcoming or avoiding it, but by focusing on the heart of the One who has already done it successfully. The overcomer is the one who learns to live as a reflector focusing their heart on the truth about the Father who loves them and gave His Son to die for them.
Father, help me today to see Your heart more clearly. Cleanse me of all the lies about You I have accumulated over my lifetime and fill me with fresh revelations of Your excellencies. Finish the work of cleaning my mirror and aligning my attention to stay focused on You, especially when I am sorely tempted by my sinful flesh to react in bitterness and hatred. I confess that my sinful heart is full of those feelings many times and my only hope and trust is in Your salvation and miracle-producing power to remove my heart of stone and implant in me Your own desires and motives and a new heart. Fulfill Your Word in my life today for Your name's sake.
Floyd,
ReplyDeleteIn our present culture this is a radical call: consider authorities from God's perspective. You are right that we are being watched by people who desparately want to believe there can be some answers to their issues.
In reflecting to old me before Christ indwelt me; I recall a suspicious person who was always trying to be prepared in case somebody tried to take advantage of me. Now, I pray to see everyone "in the Spriit" as Ap. Paul wrote; and not in the flesh.
When I consciously trust God in spite of others possibly mistreating me it is amazing how my life is full of joy and peace. What we think on continually is significant to what occurs in our lives. You show through this post that our human self will bring up the feelings that lead us to feel entitled to feel resentment or bitterness; but in Christ we have hope no matter what folks may do.
I am going to focus more intently on Jesus while I am going through some difficulties in my life.
Thanks for the encouragement.