Fear God, Honor the King

Peter has been writing to Christians dispersed from their homeland, instructing them on how they should live as exiles in their new homelands. One theme that emerges from this letter is that Christians live with a type of dual citizenship. The Christian is a citizen of heaven, longing for the presence of God and a citizen of the nation in which they live on earth, though ultimately a stranger on a sojourn there. In 1 Peter 2:13-25, the Apostle speaks to the matter of governing authorities and how Christians should view the rulers and laws of the land in which they live. The priority for the follower of Jesus is to do good and silence those who would oppose them. They are to live as free men and as servants of God. He sums up this attitude with the phrase: fear God, honor the king. That summary provides clarity as we live with our dual citizenship. We respect the government but we fear and worship God. This wisdom has stood the test of time and provides the standing which helps Christians avoid two errors: accommodation to the government of the moment and the temptation to renounce human governance.