In his first epistle the apostle Peter reminds us of our calling to be pilgrims in this life.

"Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation" (1 Peter 2:11-12).

What does Peter mention next in this context? "Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good" (verses 13-14).

Peter even calls our being subject to human authority "doing good" (verse 15).

Being subject to authority is part of our character development. In the kingdom of God we will all be subject to Jesus Christ, and Christ Himself is subject to our heavenly father.

Our obedience to civil authority is "for the Lord’s sake," which eliminates the possibility that we would obey man if it would mean disobeying God. Some 30 years earlier Peter told the Sanhedrin: "We ought to obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29).

With "every ordinance" Peter contradicts the Jewish zealots of his day, who believed that we must only obey those rulers who have been put in place directly by God, like the kings of ancient Israel.

Of course, no human being is perfect, so there will be decisions made by our civil government that we do not agree with. However, that does not change the fact that it is still our civil government!

Peter exhorts us: "Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king" (1 Peter 2:17).

By the way, who was the king (= emperor) in Rome when Peter wrote this epistle?

Nero.

With these thoughts I wish us all a rewarding Sabbath!