Honour the king

Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. Honour all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. – 1 Peter 2.13-17

There is an issue facing the church that I get more and more concerned about all the time. Starting in the US and spreading like a cancer we find utter disregard and disrespect to political leaders. It has gone way beyond exercising freedom in disagreeing with policies and laws to the point where the attacks have become personal. Petty and childish name calling has joined with flat out lies and deceptions to attack leaders. 

I don’t understand this attitude. What makes it worse is that I once did understand it. This passage is in the context is doing what is honourable so that God is glorified. 

Look how the passage starts. Therefore, in the light of our requirement to do what is honourable, submit yourself to man’s laws. Peter wrote the words while Judea was under the rule of a brutal Roman government which would eventually kill him. It is clear that believers ought to be law abiding citizens. But what if we don't like the way things are going? 

In the previous verse we read that our honourable conduct will draw men to Christ. Here at the end of the passage we are told to honour all men, love the brethren, honour the king. Honourable conduct shuts the mouths of our critics. They have no answer to honourable conduct. 

Those who live in free countries have every right and responsibility to disagree with their leadership. We are blessed to have the freedom to voice our opinions on policy and laws. We have the right to campaign and get involved and vote. We have the right to, in many countries, peaceably assemble to express our opposition and work for change. All of those are honourable way to act. 

But lying about our leaders is not honourable. Telling half truths is not honourable. Passing on information that has not been verified is not honourable. Calling leaders childish names is not honourable. 

There once were three young men who were told to bow down to an image of the king. They couldn’t do that – obviously. When called before the king they were respectful and simply told the king that God was in control and could preserve them from the death penalty. But, they said, even if He doesn’t they could not obey the law.

The lesson is that we obey unless obey would cause us to disobey God.  But even then we act with respect and decency. 

That is the honourable way.