A Slaves Duty to the Kingdom

Peter's Tools for Mistreated Slaves

One of the most difficult experiences for a person seeking the Kingdom of God is the reaction of the world (non-believers) when we actually stand up for what we know is right. When the world treats us unfairly because of our moral position on a thing, we can easily take it personally and even react badly. Having a moral concept different than another person, especially a person with some authority over us, can cause a sometimes-serious conflict that can violate our sense of justice and make us feel helpless and powerless.

In the United States, every American feels a certain empowerment, yet in just about all cases, there are authorities of some sort that wield power over us. It even seems that the very organizations that stoke these feelings of power are the ones that have the ability to suppress our feelings of power. In many cases, the power we are told to embrace is no power at all, but a carrot provided to get us to accept the rule of the world.

In the kingdom of God, the power granting authority is God Himself, which for Christians is the power brought to them by the Holy Spirit.

From the standpoint of American society, authority can include law enforcement, our employer, the government, our parents, our pastor, and even our spouse – although the marriage authority should be more about love and accountability than rule. In the big picture, as much as we want to be in charge of every aspect of our existence, we are actually rather low in power as compared to all of our associated authority structures.

When we submit to the powers of the world, they can become like a kingdom with the authority itself becoming a king over us. However, the kingdoms of the world only provide for the hope of power, instead making their followers slaves.

We often hear people use the derogatory statement: “I am a slave to my . . .(whatever)” The very power that makes us feel strong is often identified as making us feel powerless.

Some of those statements might go like the following:

• I am a slave to my debt (possessions)

  • Wealth is not really a condition most people experience, although, for many, the quest for wealth is found only in their credit rating. Most people will not develop an income that lives up to the inflated concept of the American dream. However, this does not stop us from having everything we want. For most Americans, the power of the American Dream is experienced by debt.

• I am a slave to my employer (money)

  • Working for survival is the natural experience of living in an economy of any sort. It is either a condition of “earning so I can eat” or earning so I can experience wealth”. Either way, it is easy to feel enslaved and powerless when the only satisfaction to the work is the paycheck you will receive at the end of the week. For some, the check at the end of the week will be so unsatisfying that the work will eventually lose its appeal. Doing a job only for the money, can feel a bit like slavery.

• I am a slave to the government (Entitlements)

  • Often times, people in the United States find themselves relying on the government for their well-being. Healthcare, insurance, VA benefits, Social Security payments, Tax Returns from the IRS, Medicare, public assistance, community protection, housing and other things the government provides to many people can steal our power. As much as it may seem like the government is giving something, for many people it may seem like it is because they are powerless that they must rely on the authorities that provide these so-called benefits. The word entitlement seems to be empowering, but in truth, there is no power in relying on the government – although it is sometimes necessary and there is nothing wrong with getting a helping hand to fill our gaps when necessary.

• I am a slave to society. (external standards)

  • The United States, like other places in the world, has standards that we are expected to live by. These standards are set locally by the laws, the morals of the local authorities, and the general will of the people in the community, with some guidance from the US Constitution and Bill of Rights as managed by the federal government. Society is one of the most powerful forces that hover over us. As we develop into adulthood, we become capable of acknowledging how we feel about laws, start to understand our moral positions, and realize that to survive in our communities, we must meet the expectations of society or choose to challenge it. When we are in agreement with society we find power; when we find that the will of our community is different than our will, we experience conflict as we struggle for power. A prime example is the will of a Christian vs, the will of the world’s way of thinking.

The Point

The point to this is that if we are not careful, we can become dissatisfied and accustomed to the experience of injustice. Not real injustice, but perceived injustice. We very easily fall into a rut where we find appreciation in everything that goes our way, and we lash out when things do not go OUR way.  When things do not go OUR way, we feel powerless which causes us to become angry and rebellious toward authority.

Understand that the world is set up this way. It wants you to accept that in the world you are powerful. It works to convince you that when you lose, the only way to recover is to seek again, from the world, that thing you lost. To enter again into a negotiation with the world of sin to regain the power the world took from us, and every single time the world steals from us, we feel the violation of injustice.

NOTE: If you are a slave to the authorities of the world, seeking its power, you will always find yourself in conflict with the authorities of the world.

How Slavery to the World Works

It is a strange person who does not seek the power the world has to offer. Some people seek power for life from another place, which makes no sense to many. Someone looking for power while in the world from a source outside of the world must look straight-up-crazy. How could power come from a source other than the modern industrial, technological, scientific, and political machines found in the world? 

It seems ridiculous to many that one does not have to be a slave to the world to gain power in life. These folks have such trust in the world’s authority to grant power, they are quick to react and go aggressively out to retrieve it when it is lost.

So, what we know is that the flesh strives for worldly power, and the giver of that power is in control of whether we retain that power. If this is true, then we are of no power at all, but are slaves to a world that will share power only when it suits its purpose. This is not true.

As mentioned, it is God who provides the only power that is useful in life and eternity. People who understand this seek to find their power in the Kingdom of God. That provision of the Holy Spirit of God who is the only real authority on power.

For Christians, the condition of slavery to the world is easier to see than for a person who is lost to the world. Christians very easily notice when the world is wielding power over them. Nevertheless, most Christians will give in to the pressure of the world when it seems the only way. We will attempt to maintain our place in the kingdom while dipping into the power of the world, not realizing that it is actually seeking to pull us out of the kingdom and get us to act like every lost person in the world

When focused on the world, we are slaves to it and can get very bent out of shape when we do not get what we want. When it comes to the world, we all allow it to trick us into becoming slaves to it, in one way or another from time-to-time, and when it does not treat us right, we can act badly.

Peter Talks to Christian Slaves

Now let’s look at another group of Christian slaves who may have had a similar perspective on injustice.

The Apostle Peter is addressing, in his letter to the Christians located in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, a group of Christians he identifies as strangers. Although we do not know for sure if these people heard of Jusus Christ from where they were as resident gentiles of these areas, or if they were converted Jews who fled to safer territories to avoid Jewish persecution.

Most theologians seem to agree that the latter is most likely the case. When reading the same passage from the NKJV and the ESV we can see that they agree that strangers were “pilgrims of the Dispersion” or “elect exiles of the Dispersion” What we can be sure of is that they were of very low status and were probably at the class-level of slaves – if not actual slaves. It is also known that they were persecuted and marginalized by those opposing their faith, and Peter wanted to provide them with some tools to maintain their objective as kingdom-dwellers and not lose the initiative to build the kingdom in Asia-Minor.

Peter understood that in their persecution they had an opportunity to remain unique in the places they ministered. That even in the face of injustice the amazing tool of faith could be a substantial tool for keeping one’s attitude in check and maintaining discipline in their loving witness. Peter helped them understand that in the midst of a power-outage, they did not need to attack or blame the world. All they needed to do was exercise the power of Paul’s message to the Thessalonians, which was to “rejoice always” or James when he said in James1:2-3 (ESV): “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”

What Peter was looking for from these Christians was that they would respond in a way that represents the behavior of Christ in them.

We see in the first statement of this verse that when things go our way, agree with our morality, and fit with our expectations, we are thankful.  

3 Conditions of Power

1)      Good Outcome with no Sin

We get what we wanted and are simply happy with our outcomes. In this we will likely thank who we identify as the giver of the gift. There is nothing to complain about, and no expected negative outcomes.

2)      Outcomes of a Sin Condition

When we seek the things of the world, which is where sin is offered, we are probably contemplating some involvement with sin. If at some point we come to understand that we did wrong or that our motivation was supplied by the world rather than by  the Lord, we will either act out in a way that strengthens our sin condition or we will choose to stop participating in the sin, using the experience to grow.  When we repent away from the sin, we will usually accept all of the consequences of the sin and then move on.

When we accept our consequences and repent from such behavior, we are not given a pat on the back by God, because we have simply done what we are supposed to do. We are acting as a Christian is expected to act, so we have not done any exceptional or extraordinary thing.  Peter asks: “ For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure?”  There is no pat on the back needed when we do the right thing!

3)      Treated Unjustly by no Fault of Our Own

What about when we are treated unjustly by the world, What about when we have world-given power ripped away by the entities that we mentioned before. What about when the things that are most important to us are marginalized.  How then will we react?  Will we allow our anger toward the unjust entity to cause us to spew hate and discontent. Will we speak our justice in anger back to the authority or entity that wronged us? Will we take the injustice to the Lord with dissatisfaction in Him for the way He let us be treated?

The better way to respond is in a way that represents how Jesus dealt with injustice. The tool Peter provides is given in . . .

Jesus shows us a few things through His behavior:

• When He was treated unjustly He did not accept it as a license to sin.

• Jesus did not lie, make excuses, attempt to gaslight his offenders, nor did He speak badly about his offenders behind their backs to others.

• Jesus did not insult, or abusively criticize His offender.

• Jesus, who has the power to destroy, did not threatened destruction to those who unjustly treated Him.

• Jesus did put justice in the hands of the One who “judges justly”

Before we translate this to today, let’s acknowledge why, in this particular case, we should do as Jesus did. Let’s face it, no one is actually trying to kill us because we are god. Remember that we are told throughout the Bible to emulate Jesus Christ in our walk as Christians. Peter tells us in verse 21 that we are to act as Jesus did. Not only because Jesus did it, but according to Peter, because Jesus did it intentionally as an example for us to follow.

Peter is telling us, not only how we are to behave, but also what should be in our hearts. We are called by Christ to represent Him not only by acting as He acted, but through patient suffering; to, like Him, strive to be innocent as we suffer.

Let’s take a few minutes to identify our experiences and reactions to injustice – then we will take a good look at the tool Peter gives us for the cause of the Kingdom.

WORKSHOP Answer these questions to see if Peter was talking to you.

1. How can this mandate to not sin effect your thinking at the time of such an injustice?

   
   

2. What sort of injustices that meets the criteria in this chapter have you experienced in your recent past?

   
   

3. Identify some ways you have poorly reacted to the types of unjust treatment described in this chapter.
   

4. Provide some examples of times you may have tried to overcome an injustice by arguing (aggression) with an authority. (trying to get them to see things your way).
   

5. Acknowledge times when you might have insulted, or abusively criticize your offender.Acknowledge the types of circumstances you have experiences that caused you to talk behind the back of someone who treated you unjustly.
   

6. Can you think of an incident where you insinuated or overtly expressed a desire to harm someone.

Conclusion

What does it mean to Give our burden of unjust suffering over to the Lord to deal with?

The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary responds to the way Jesus gave His unjust situation over to the Father for Justice with: “Leave your case in His hands, not desiring to make Him executioner of your revenge, but rather praying for enemies. God’s righteous judgment gives tranquility and consolation to the oppressed.

This is a huge statement since it is human nature to either fight or withdraw when we are offended. Jamieson-Fausset & Brown recommend neither that we fight or the passive alternative of withdrawal. What they recommend is that we honor God by behaving in a way that honors Him. Instead of taking a passive approach, it is recommended that we let God stand in for us. By casting the burden over to God, we are not actually taking a passive position at all. We are actually allowing justice to happen, just not by us.

If we are going to live in the Kingdom of God, we must allow God to be the King. It is His job to defend the kingdom. He may use His army (the Church) or His angels to do this bidding, but by allowing Him to reign as God we show Him the utmost respect. When we let the King manage the kingdom, the whole world sees His power and authority manifest in His believers.

Peters Tools for the Mistreated Slaves of the Kingdom

• When we are treated unjustly do not accept it as a license to sin.

• When we are unjustly accused, don’t  lie, make excuses, or attempt to gaslight your offenders, nor speak badly about them behind their backs to others.

• Do not insult, or abusively criticize your offender.

• Do not threatened suffering or harm on those who unjustly treat you.

• Do as Jesus did: put justice in the hands of the One Who “judges justly”

  
  

AMEN!