Mar. 22, 2026

“BE HOPEFUL”

“THE BIBLICAL WAY TO IMPACT SOCIETY”

1 PETER 2:13-17

Pride is weakness and humility is strength. 1 Peter is a book on humility. Humility-totally dependent on God. Pride-total dependency on self.

What are we to do to impact society?

It Is All About Submission:

1.  The Mandate Of Submission- 1 Peter 2:13-14

1 Peter 2:13 “Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme. 14or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good.”

vs.13 “… submit yourselves to every ordinance of man…”

Submission, it is not an option, or a opinion, it is a command or a mandate.

“Submit”-is a military term which means to put yourself in the chain of command, (to put under).

Romans 13:1-7 “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. 6For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.”

There is no power or “authority except from God…” vs.1

Matthew 22:15-22

Render to Caesar the things that are his and to God the things that are His.

Matthew 17:24-27 “When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, “Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?” 25He said, “Yes.” And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?” 26Peter said to Him, “From strangers.” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. 27Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.”

This does not mean blind unthinking obedience.

Submission=attitude  Obedience=action

Acts 5:29 “But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.”

Jesus submitted Himself to the powers that were in charge. He did not resist arrest

John 18:1-11- vs.10-11 “Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. 11So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?”

John 18:36 “Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”

“submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake..” vs.13 “for the Lord’s sake”-the reason for the mandate.

2.  The Mission Of Submission- 1 Peter 2:15

1 Peter 2:15 “For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.”

The purpose: “For this is the will of God…” vs.15

3.  The Manner Of Submission- 1 Peter 2:16

1 Peter 2:16 “As free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.” 

“As free” vs.16- We were all born into  the slavery of sin, but when we accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior we were set free.

Romans 5:12 “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.”

1 Corinthians 9:16-22, vs.18 “What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel.”

1 Corinthians 10:23 “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.” 

Galatians 5:13 “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”

I am free but I am a servant:

Romans 6:13, 18, 20 “And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 18And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 20.For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.”

4.  The Magnitude Of Submission- 1 Peter 2:17

1 Peter 2:17 “Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.”

vs.17 “love the brotherhood…”- our relationship with other believers. 

vs.17 “fear God” 

Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
But fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Deuteronomy 4:10 “especially concerning the day you stood before the Lord your God in Horeb, when the Lord said to me, ‘Gather the people to Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.”

vs.17 “honor the king.”- honor the person who is in that position. 

Why we do all of this?

1 Peter 2:9 “…that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light”

Are you involved in ministering the Word of God to others? Do you have the walk to go with your talk? Are you willing to make yourself a slave to God to win the world?

Who will be the sinner sitting by your side next week?