2002-01-01
Good Morning Dear Ones,
Today’s passage is an outgrowth of yesterday’s in that it gives further clarification as to why believers should obey authorities God has put in place, even ones with whom they disagree. It is my understanding that the line is drawn when an authority asks us to do something that is clearly not in keeping with God’s will. An example of this was Daniel’s decision to “not allow himself to become defiled” [DN 1:8] and that of Daniel’s friends not to practice idolatry by worshipping a golden statue of King Nebuchadnezzar [DN 3: 16-18]. However, there are times when we are asked by the authorities to do something which doesn’t fit that category with which we may disagree, like paying taxes, that we are told in the Scriptures to do anyway. Now, look at today’s passage, 1 PET 2: 18-21, to see Peter’s discussion continued. “You servants must submit yourselves to your masters and show them complete respect, not only to those who are kind and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. God will bless you for this, if you endure the pain of undeserved suffering because you are conscious of His will. For what credit is there if you endure the beatings you deserve for having done wrong? But if you enduring suffering even when you have done right, God will bless you for it. It was to this that God called you, for Christ Himself suffered for you and left you an example, so that you would follow in His steps.”
There is more to this passage, but we will leave that for tomorrow. As a person from North America where slavery has been rejected, Peter’s language here is uncomfortable for me. However, we must put it in the context of the Jewish culture of his times to gain a deeper understanding. Freedom is so much a part of our culture that it is hard for us to relate to what a life of slavery might actually be like. While we have rejected human political slavery, have we really rejected the slavery that comes from sin? God wants us to examine that issue in our own lives and evaluate it against the ideal He has given us in Jesus Christ. With His help and that of the Holy Spirit in prayer, we can take a better look at just where we stand as individuals. When reaching toward God’s perspective when dealing with authorities in place with whom we disagree, we might be able to see that they are in place to make us come face to face with the condition of our own faith and with our own willingness to trust and obey God.
The Pharisees who were trying to trap Christ were brought to this very lesson when in MT 22: 17 they asked Him, “Tell us, then, what do you think? Is it against our Law to pay taxes to the Roman Emperor [Caesar], or not?” It is interesting to note what happened just beforehand that led to this question. That is best revealed in LK 20: 9-18, which I hope you will read, which is Christ telling the Parable of the Tenants in the Vineyard. This is the story where the owner of a vineyard went away leaving instructions for his tenants to tend his crop and then give him a share of it after harvest. When that time came, he sent a series of slaves to collect his share, and each time the slave was driven off the land without it. At last, the owner sent his own son. This time the tenants killed the son. Christ asked in (17), “What, then, will the owner of the vineyard do to the tenants?” The answer in (18) was, “He will come and kill those men, and turn the vineyard over to other tenants.” At this point, Jesus cited the same verse we talked about yesterday, PS 118: 22, “The stone which the builders rejected as worthless turned out to be the most important of all.” Then, as the Pharisees listened, Christ said, “Everyone who falls on that stone will be cut to pieces; and if that stone falls on someone, it will crush him to dust” [LK 20: 18]. That angered the Pharisees and motivated them to try to try to entrap Christ, so they had an excuse to get rid of Him.
I know I left you a cliffhanger above, so let me tell you what happened as Christ taught them (and us) His slant on paying taxes. LK 20: 23-26, “But Jesus saw through their trick and said to them, ‘Show Me a silver coin. Whose face and name are on it?’ ‘The Emperor’s,’ they answered. So Jesus said, ‘Well, then, pay to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and pay to God what belongs to God.’ There before the people the Pharisees could not catch Him in a thing, so they kept quiet, amazed at His answer.” God’s timing in bringing this issue to my attention is rather meaningful, because we are in the middle of a campaign for the presidency in which the two main candidates disagree on what should be done regarding payment of taxes and the tax surplus that is now in government hands. I would never presume to suggest how you should vote, but I will ask you to look at these issues carefully and pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance before you cast your vote.
The issue of suffering is a tender one. Ideally, we would all say to ourselves, “I am ready to give my life as Daniel and his friends were, to remain obedient to God.” But, do we really know if we can do this when we are under threat or temptation to recant our beliefs? Only God knows the answer to that question. The issue of enduring in faith while being caused to suffer is a big one, one which God inspired the writers of the Scriptures to take up often. The prophet Ezekiel had to deliver a very unpopular message to a disobedient nation, a message to repent and become obedient to God once again. He did this in exile at the Chabar River settlement in Babylonia. In EZK 16: 59-61, God reveals his position. “The Sovereign Lord says, ‘I will teat you the way you deserve, because you ignored your promises and broke the covenant. But I will honor the covenant I made with you when you were young, and I will make a covenant with you that will last forever. You will remember how you have acted, and be ashamed of it….[when Israel is restored].’ “ Daniel’s vision of the Seventy Weeks [DN 9: 24-27] is proof enough of God’s faithfulness in keeping His end of the covenant. We have the example of Christ Who was willing to take on the cross for us. We also have the example of His disciples, who were ordinary people like ourselves, as proof that we can endure in our faith. Paul writes in RO 5: 3-4, “We also boast of our troubles, because we know that trouble produces endurance, endurance brings God’s approval, and His approval creates hope.” God knows that we must often be brought to brokenness to gain the strength we need to endure and gain eternal life with Him. We must meditate on that truth as it applies to our lives, so that we recognize the great love our Abba has for us when we are suffering for Him.
PRAYER: O Lord, in RO 8: 29 You have revealed that “Those whom God had already chosen He also set apart to become like His Son, so that the Son would be the first among many brothers.” In this statement, we can understand that Your goal for us is to share the hope of being resurrected, just as Christ was. When we think about this truth, then we are motivated to trust and obey You even when it doesn’t always make sense to us. That includes following rules set down by authorities You put in place, even when we don’t always agree with them. Our trust of You must extend in faith to those purposes of Yours that we can’t fully comprehend. Ezekiel understood this in his efforts to bring the apostate Jews in Babylonia to faith. Christ understood this when he offered the Parable of the Tenants in the Vineyard and answered the Pharisee’s question regarding the payment of taxes. Paul clarified the issue of why we should obey God even when under threat or temptation. You have inspired writers of the Scripture over and over again to remind us that You are a promise-keeper Who will reward those who endure in faith. What a great act of love this is! We offer you our heartfelt intention to take these teachings seriously and to endure to the end in our faith. Thank You, Dear Lord, for caring about us enough to sacrifice Your Son on the cross for us. In His holy name, amen.
Tomorrow, we will take a closer look at just what Christ really did for us from 1 PET 1: 21-25. Verse 21 is repeated here on purpose, so that we can fully appreciate what it means to us. Reflect on the supreme love that our Father has for each of us today. It reaches every facet of our lives. Peter and I send you our love too.
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn