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submit as free people

1 Peter 2:13-17 (JDV)

1 Peter 2:13 Submit to every human creature because of the Lord, whether to the king as the superior
1 Peter 2:14 or to governors as those sent out by him to punish those who do what is evil and to praise those who do right.
1 Peter 2:15 For it is God’s will that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good.
1 Peter 2:16 Submit as free people, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but as God’s slaves.
1 Peter 2:17 Honor everyone. Love the brothers and sisters. Fear God. Honor the king.

submit as free people

Some translations add the word “authority” to todays text but it is not found there. It is not because people have a God-given authority that Peter encourages submission to them. We are to submit to everyone because of the Lord. The instruction is about the gospel, not governance. Our purpose is not to endorse human heirarchy, but to behave properly, as God’s slaves. We are children of God, but we submit to others in order to win them to God’s family as well. We submit voluntarily as free people, not out of necessity. The scriptures have only one purpose — to bring everyone to Christ. There is no secondary purpose of human authority.