People Who Are Free

07.23.15

1 Peter 2.16-17 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. St. Peter (ESV)

Last weekend, I marketed my business, and the company I work for, in a booth in the park for Miner’s Jubilee, our version of a county fair. We really do have a county fair; in fact we have two. But those fairs are more like a typical fair, and the event this weekend is more of a community fair with far fewer exhibits and far more stuff to spend money on. Oh, and fair food which is not really all that fair – it’s over-priced, greasy, and not all that tasty. (Says, I.) The corn-dogs were iffy.

A friend of mine volunteered at another booth and came by and we chatted for a few minutes. His booth was political in nature and he said: I’m done! We’re never going to change what is wrong in this country with politics – it is only going to change through the power and presence of Jesus Christ! I agreed.

St. Peter had a word for the dispersed Christians way back then – he said, Live as people who are free… Freedom is a strong word. Free people are a threat to politics and governments which feed on control. Peter admonished: [don’t use] your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but [for] living as servants of God. We have been freed by God to serve God. In doing so, however, that is going to smack right into the people who would use political means to control others. Politicians’ve been around for centuries.

So, in response, what are we servants of God to do? Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. Wow. Even that little bastard, Nero!? Yes, even him. To honor Nero wasn’t to agree with Nero, but it was to give him the honor due an emperor, no matter how he came to be. Politics will never change this world. Nero didn’t and no other emperor before or since has either. Only Jesus Christ through His Church will change the world.

In America, political expression these days seems to be a given. But the expression of one’s political bent is – often – weaponry. The anger and angst brought about by politics underscores the need – dire at that – for submission to a King whose Kingdom will never cease. Our world doesn’t need kings, it needs relationship with God. God’s Kingdom will be a realm of peace and harmony; things that can only be brought about by Him through a people who live as free and don’t use their freedom to bash whoever is currently in charge. If current leaders piss us off, we have free access to the throne room of God by which to pour out our complaints in prayer seeking God’s wisdom in how to live, and He says: Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

I’m not to fear the emperor and his ploys, I am to honor him; and fear God. The ONLY ONE who’ll get this thing straight is God by His Son through His Church. We must wipe ourselves clean of the stickiness of politics and the foolishness of thinking that is how the Church is going to change the world. And while we’re at it, perhaps we should endeavor to wipe the church clean of its own brand of politics as well… we’re to use our freedom to love each other, not to bash those who don’t agree with us... Father God, help us.