Christian Order and Fellowship

Home, Society, and the Church

Running like a thread that weaves the two books of Peter together is the theme of social interaction. Peter speaks both in general terms and specifically.

In General terms, the Christian should be obedient to the authority of the government and the authority of the leaders of the Christian community. (I Peter 5:1-5). The officials of the state have a God-given task to punish those who do wrong (I Peter 2:13, 14). This does not mean that in some cases they abuse these powers given to them by God for history shows us that there are those that by their own choice have abused the power given to them. Therefore as Christians, we should be respectful of those in civil authority, honoring them, and being conforming to the laws of the land, so long as they are not counter to the law of God.

Likewise, slaves (employees) are to submit themselves to their (employers). In so doing they bring honor to God. They show their respect for God, when the honor and respect those they work for. Once again, our principles, our Christian principles should never be compromised for the sake of one we work for. As Christ never compromised his faith and belief, we should never compromise our faith and belief. God will provide for his own, often in ways we cannot comprehend at the time.

Which brings us to the always controversial subject of husbands and wives. Peter admonishes wives to submit themselves to their husbands. However, most people stop and drop the statement right there. If you do, then you are missing the point of what is being said.

Wives submit yourselves to your husband as your husband submits to Christ (my own paraphrase). What a powerful relationship can be formed when the husband and the wife are conformed to each other. Where one lacks the other excels, each working together to strengthen and enable the other. In like fashion, so should the union between husband and wife be submissive to the God. By so doing, this already strong union becomes an even stronger force for God and the Lord strengthens were we as a couple are weak and using our strengths and our weaknesses for the betterment of the community at large.

What Christ brought upon the world was freedom from sin, freedom to worship God, and a freedom to hope for the future. This then, when we are truly right with Christ should allow the Christian to conduct themselves with respect and mutual love for one another and for the world in which they are to witness for Christ in. Christians should have a robust and living faith, a faith in which we continual build upon until we exhibit the same love that Christ has. This is the ultimate Goal of the Christian and we do it not for gain, but because we love God, who first loved us.