Feeding the Sheep - Blessed Life 9

Respect and Order

"For the Lord’s sake, submit yourselves to every human authority—whether to a king as supreme, or to governors sent by him for the punishment of those who do evil and the praise of those who do good. For this is God’s will, that you silence the ignorance of foolish men by doing good."

1 Peter 2:13-15

[This is the 39th message of this series]

This lesson is intended for mature believers (or adulting believers). For a more orderly study, please go through all the previous messages first, if you haven't yet.

1 Peter

[This will be the 9th of a series within a series]

Living the Blessed Life

Peter instructed the first church (among other things) to respect aurhority.

Respect

Respect used to be more respected and more commonplace. Today is has all but become obsolete -- even the word has lost it's meaning.

We hear people say respect is earned or respect begets respect. People do not even respect themselves, so how do we expect them to respect others?

Law of Moses

The Jewish Scriptures has what is called the law, or the law of Moses. [We discussed this in the series God's Covenants]

In this law, includes this:

Honor your father and mother and so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

It was the only instruction with a promise. Most people have since and throughout the centuries, particularly today have stopped following this. People have no respect for these kinds of sacred writings.

In time, people have lost their respect for everything else. There is no more respect for teachers, no respect for peace officers, soldiers, anyone in authority, including those who lead our cities and country.

Order

When one falls, the rest falls. And it all starts at home. This is why this command is in there.

Now we have seen what happens when there is no respect, starting from the home. Every kind of respect goes away -- respect for God, respect of self, respect for elders, and respect for other's property included.

God wants respect and also order. Living the blessed life includes respecting the authorities in this world. And I know what you may be asking yourself, but our leaders are not good people.

This is not a requirement. In Peter's day when he wrote what he wrote in the excerpt above, they were governed by leaders who were much worse than what we have today.

So now you may argue, it is written, it is better to follow God than men.

Of course, you are correct. Then read Scriptures and ask God's Spirit which among His teachings are you free to pick and choose to follow, and which are you free not to.

We are given the freedom of choice. We aren't robots or automated beings. God gives us choices, it is called free will.

Although, living the blessed life do involve respect and order. Without these, we know, and have seen what has happened in the past and what is happening today. Ask God for wisdom and insight in this, and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. This is part of living the blessed life.