1 Peter 2:16-17—How free men act
Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king. 1 Peter 2:16-17
Act as free men…
Jesus said, “If the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). When you are in Christ, then you are free, no matter your situation.
Notice what the apostle Paul wrote from jail, “… the word of God is not imprisoned (2 Timothy 2:9). Was Paul free? Not physically; he was behind bars. But because of the Word he not only proclaimed but also fully believed, in reality, he was free—a freedom that transcended circumstances.
When I was a camp counselor, a groundhog named Mona lived in a cage in the Nature Lore area. She was created by God to waddle free along the ground and to live life in a natural habitat in the side of a hill, but alas, she could not—she was caged. One day she waddled out of her unlocked cage when no one was around. The camp was in an uproar; we were in the middle of the Ozarks and knew that Mona had found a home in the woods. We would never see her again.
That evening when some of the campers started a game of softball, lo and behold—there was Mona. Cowering in fear and huddled up against the closest thing to a cage she could find—the softball field backstop—she was amazingly easy for us to capture and return to her small cell.
“It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1). Jesus did not set you free so you could live in dread and anxiety, groping for help and safety in all the wrong places and—like Mona—only to be ensnared again. No. You are free in Christ. Believe it. Act on it.
…and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil…
You are not called to live in cowering fear. By the same token, you are not called to engage in evil deeds. You have not been called by grace into this marvelous freedom just to throw restraint to the wind and do whatever you jolly well please. Paul wrote, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:1-2) The freedom you have received in Christ does not negate the need to exercise self-control—your freedom empowers you to have victory over your flesh!
But even more dangerous than flirting with fleshly behaviors due to a misunderstanding of your freedom in Christ is this: to intentionally use your liberty in Christ as a cover for evil. Do you enjoy the trust and confidence of others because of your profession of Jesus or your position in the church? If you use your position to pad your pockets through pilfering (like Judas did), manipulation, or fraud; if you take unfair advantage of others just because your office makes it easy to do so; if you use the trust of others to behave in sexual or seductive ways toward the very ones you before whom you should be modeling purity and truth—then you are doing exactly what Peter warned against. You are using your freedom as a covering for evil—and God sees it all.
… but use it as bondslaves of God.
You were called to freedom—the freedom to serve God as His bondslave in the midst of a perverse and wicked generation. God has a job that He created just for you, but if you choose to live for yourself instead, it will end up constricting the life and joy out of you. However, if you step into the yoke formed for you by the wisdom of God, the freedom to be found in serving Him will only increase and become more satisfying throughout your life.
Honor all people…
One mark of a true believer is the understanding of the importance of honoring others—the saved and unsaved alike. Not only keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles (1 Peter 2:12), but also honor them as individuals worthy of respect. Don’t alienate them with an attitude of smug superiority or disgusted disdain—honor them.
…love the brotherhood…
“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another,” declared Jesus (John 13:35). Real love will show itself in behaviors, words, and attitude. Love does not show itself merely by word or tongue, but in deed and truth (1 John 3:18). We are called to reach out to the world with the love of God; but we are also called to demonstrate our love for fellow believers by how we treat them—not only with honor but also with brotherly affection and love.
… fear God…
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). Without the fear of the Lord, your freedom will become a snare; your service to others will become nothing more than self-service; your honor will ring hollow; and your love will be like a clanging bell or a sounding brass. But as you live in the fear of God, His wisdom will permeate your heart and your mind, and He will direct you in all of your ways.
… honor the king…
You are called to honor all people; you are called to honor the king in particular. This means that you recognize the importance of the office held by the leader of your nation, and you show respect to him because of it. You pray for God to grant him the wisdom to lead effectively and the grace to uphold his duties with integrity and justice. Honoring a leader does not require you to agree with him on everything—you have the right to take a stand on issues which differ from the views held by him. You also have the right to discern when the actions of this man deviate from truth, justice, or wisdom.
But despite any disagreement or heightened concern you may have, you must honor the office and show respect for the man. If you find yourself increasing in alarm about the leader of your nation, ramp up your prayer for him and for all who surround and support him. Don’t fall into the dishonor trap—it changes nothing. But the effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much (James 5:16).
As you move through life as a free man or woman in Christ, everything you do will emanate from the Truth by which you were made free.
Dorothy
If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. John 8:31-32
© 2015, Dorothy Frick