HE HIMSELF BORE OUR SINS

1 Peter 2:13-3:7

Key Verse 2:24

" He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed."

Apostle Peter wrote his first letter while possibly in Rome.  His purpose for writing this letter was to encourage the believers to stand firm in their faith despite the growing persecutions they were experiencing and facing.  They were being maliciously slandered for living their faith in Christ (cf. 1 Peter 3:16) and insulted because of the name of Christ (cf. 1 Peter 4:14). They had already suffered grief in all kinds of trials (cf. 1 Peter 1:6). “Suffering” is a key word that is often repeated in this letter.  It is repeated 4 times in today's passage.  Peter wrote that they should not be surprised at the ordeal they were suffering, which they could not understand; what had they done to deserve such treatment?  But even more surprising to them must have been Peter's prescription for them.  Peter tells his listeners to submit to those over them, to endure unjust punishment and not to retaliate.

What Peter told them, must have shocked his listeners.  Did he not understand the problem they were facing?  How could he tell them to submit, endure and not to retaliate?  The real questions are 'Why' should they do so and 'How' could they do so?  It is these very questions that Peter addresses in today's passage.  May God bless us today to grow to the full measure of Christ despite all the difficulties we face in our days.

Part I - Submit to every authority (2:13-25)

Look at verses 13-14, "13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right."  When the audience of this letter read these words they must have been shocked.  Most probably the reason Peter wrote this letter is because he heard about all the troubles and difficulties that the church was experiencing.  Perhaps, the church first wrote of their troubles to Peter and wanted his advice and encouragement.  Regardless, of what happened, Peter got wind of their troubles and wrote this letter.  They were not expecting Peter to say, "Submit to every authority instituted among men."  When Peter wrote this he was not without understanding.  Once, Peter was the most rebellious of all the disciples.  He disliked authority.  Once he even rebuked Jesus because he didn't like what Jesus had to say.  Another time he took out a sword to try and fight off the unjust arrest of Jesus.  Peter fully understood where his audience was coming from.  But Peter did not say, "Overthrow those unjust politicians and leaders!"  Peter said, "Submit yourselves to every authority."

Why did he say this?  Verse 13 says, "[F]or the the Lord's sake."  Peter learned that every authority instituted by men in reality was established by God Himself; according to His purpose and His will.  Not submitting fully to every authority was tantamount to rebelling against God Himself.  When Peter tried to fend off those who came to arrest Jesus, Peter was in reality fighting against God's very plan and purpose for redemption and salvation of all men!  When Peter rebuked Jesus he became the very instrument of the enemy to tempt and hinder Jesus from going to the cross!  This generation challenges and does not respect any authority.  Many think that they are wise and intelligent if they question and challenge authority in order to keep authority accountable.  But Peter did not say this; he said, "Submit to every authority!"

But then a good question comes out?  How do we combat unjust authorities or authorities we don't like?  Look at verses 15-16, "15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. 16 Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God."  Peter says we are to 'do good'.  By 'good' Peter means we are to do what is right before God.  We are to live lives that are so good that when Christ comes to judge all men, foolish men can say nothing; "[B]ut look at them!"  They should be silenced by our our good lives.  This points out that even though authorities may appear to get away with their abuse of power and authority, in reality they cannot escape God's judgment.  All men will appear before the judgment seat of Christ and will be given what is due them.  But it is our duty to submit to their authority while on this earth.

Jesus was the best example.  Jesus was not a slave to men.  Jesus was completely free.  But Jesus used His freedom to serve like a slave; in this way He served God.  As believers we are truly free, but we are not to use our freedom to sin freely; we are to use our freedom to serve God.

Look at verses 17-20, "17 Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.  18 Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. 19 For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God."

Peter says we are to respect everyone; we respect our brothers and sisters by our love for them; we respect God by having a proper fear of who He is, the Holy, Almighty, Judge of all the earth; we respect the President by honoring him and not criticizing him.  Being a political science major, I have very strong political views.  I have criticized just about every politician for this or that; I especially criticized President George Bush Jr. for the war in Iraq and many other things.  I have been critical of President Obama as well, but Peter says we are to show proper respect to our President by honoring him.  But the question again is: why?  What if they are doing something wrong isn't it our duty and obligation to challenge and criticize them?

But Peter says we are to respect not only those who are considerate and good, but also those who are harsh or cause us unjust pain and suffering.  It is commendable before God if we do so.

Surely, this is not what Peter's audience wanted to hear.  They wanted Peter to say, "It's totally understandable that you are upset and angry with those above you who are mistreating you and unjustly causing you pain and suffering.  You have every right to criticize and if possible to toss them off of you!"  But Peter never says such a thing.  Instead, he says, "Show proper respect to everyone!"

But someone may say, "That's great and fine in theory, but it's impossible to follow!"  What was Peter's response?  Look at verses 21-24, "21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.  22 “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”  23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed."  Humanly speaking it is impossible, but what is impossible with men is possible with Christ.  We are without any excuse.  The truth is that Christ set us an example for us to follow; that we should follow in His steps.  This is not theory at all, but what Christ did for us and for which we can follow.

When we look closely at what Christ did, it really seems impossible.  He committed no sin; not even his words.  He bore all the sin of men without opening his mouth or retaliating.  He made no threats.  Personally, at times, when I feel that I have been unjustly treated, I usually bark loudly and complain, but sometimes if I feel powerless, I just mutter threats, "You just watch and see what I do to you!"  But Christ was not powerless and yet He made no threats.  How could Christ do it?  Was He using His Almighty power to overcome all these things?  Look at verse 23b, "Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly."  The example Christ gave to us is that He fully trusted Himself to God who judges justly.  The only way to follow Christ's example and overcome is to put our full faith and trust in God who judges justly.  

The example that Christ gave was life giving and shattered the power of sin over our lives.  It was by His life of obedience and trust in God that we have been healed and no longer have to live under the power of sin, but can now live for righteousness.  Our new lives in Christ can also be life giving and used for the healing of many.  Retaliation only leads to further death and strife, but those who suffer silently, trusting in God's righteous judgment will be sources of God's healing and restoring hand in a sin-sick world.  But how do we know this to be true?

Look at verse 25, "25 For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls."  The proof we have is our very own lives.  We were all like sheep who had gone astray, but we have all returned to our Good Shepherd.  But how did we do so?  We all came to Christ because someone shared the Gospel and taught us to obey God's commands and bore all our weakness and rebellion until we could finally return to our Good Shepherd.  None of us came on our own.  Jesus had to bear Peter's many failures, including his denying Jesus three times.  When I think about my life, I can honestly say that I have been the most rebellious and intransigent sheep of all in our ministry.  I'm called a church elder, but I have behaved more immaturely then even our youngest children in our church and that is not an exaggeration or hyperbole.  I have tested and challenged and exasperated the faith of my senior's and even my younger coworkers, time and time again.  They have bore me patiently and gently for a very long time.  And yet, strangely, I have been harsh and abusive to others.  What I learn personally is that I need to follow the good examples of my coworkers who have borne me; especially the perfect example that Christ has shown and given to me.  I desire to be a good shepherd and in order to do so, I must follow Christ's example.  Only then can I grow up and mature and truly be a good coworker and elder in our community of believers.

Part II - Practical case study (3:1-7)

In chapter 3, verses 1-7 Peter gives a very practical example for us so that we could better understand how we should apply his teaching.  He uses the example of a husband and wife.  Look at verses 1-7, "3 Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, 2 when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. 4 Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. 5 For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, 6 like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.  7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers."

This is a really excellent and perfect example to use.  In the beginning God created man and woman in His Image to accomplish His purpose and will.  The union between husband and wife is the most important relationship outside of our relationship with God Himself.  It is from this union that man can fully obey God's command to "[B]e fruitful and multiply."  When this relationship is broken man cannot obey God properly.  But what does it mean to be broken?  One of the ways the relationship is broken is when women are not submissive to their husbands, not using words to control their husbands, but using their pure and reverent behavior.  Many women want their husbands to change and think that they must continuously say something to their husbands, but the best way to change them is by their own behavior being right before God.  A gentle and quiet spirit, just like the Holy Spirit, they become holy women.

Many know the story of Monica the mother of Augustine and how she wept and prayed for her wayward son for 17 long years, until he finally became one of the great saints of the early church.  But not many know of her married life.  Monica was born into a christian family, but they married her off at a young age to a pagan political official named, Patricius.  He was not only an unbeliever, but he had a violent temper and and was an unfaithful husband.  Of course Monica's married life was not a happy one and it was not made easier because her mother in law also mistreated her as well.  There was a great divide between between husband and wife; her good deeds and many prayers annoyed her husband, but strangely it was said that he held her in a sort of reverence, because of her patience and kindness in all circumstances.  Monica not only had an influence on her husband, but also the married women of her town, who also suffered under similar challenges and difficulties as Monica did.  Her cheerful demeanor and good example had an effect on them as well and encouraged them.  Her trust in God and gentle spirit ultimately won her husband over; a year before he died he became a Christian.

But the relationship between a husband and a wife and whether it is broken or not is not only in the hands of women.  The relationship can be broken when a husband is not considerate and does not treat his wife with the proper respect.  A husband must consider his wife, that means he must be thoughtful of her and base his decisions on the fact that she is his responsibility to care for.  He must properly respect his wife.  Wives are not inferior because they are under our care.  They are not a burden or challenge, but are heirs with us of life.  Together we are made fruitful and abundant.  Only together can we truly have our prayers before God to be answered.

I know a man who married a godly woman with the purpose to serve God.  But when he got married he did not treat his wife properly.  He was not considerate toward her or properly respect her.  He did whatever he wanted to not concerning himself at all with his wife.  Ultimately, he almost ended up breaking up his marriage.  This man had desire to do something great for God's Kingdom, but he could do nothing.  At the heart of the problem was that he did not treat his wife properly.  He became powerless and could not accomplish anything.  But his wife bore all his weakness again and again and eventually this man became stable and began to properly respect and treat his wife.

This example that Peter uses transcends just a husband and wife.  This holds true with our coworkers and of course most importantly with God.  God calls us to be submissive and to bear one another in all trust of God who is our Just Judge.  Only then can we grow to the full measure as sons and daughters of God and become truly fruitful and life giving in these days which are becoming increasingly difficult and where love is growing cold.

One Word: Follow in His steps.

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