What’s My Relation to Uncle Sam?
1 Peter 2:11-17
This epistle was a circular letter to believers in northern Asia Minor, modern-day Turkey.
It is Peter’s encouragement to believers to live faithfully, even with hard times and persecution.
This letter was penned sometime between AD 64 (fire in Rome) and Peter’s death in AD 66-68.
Most of the recipients of this letter were Gentiles.
Some have called1 Peter a “Handbook of conduct for Christ’s ambassadors to a hostile world.”
3 Perspectives Christians can look at their obligations:
1. As Foreigners vv11-12
2. As Citizens vv13-17
3. As Servants vv18-20,21-25
Looking at Foreigners & Citizens today.
How can we abstain?
1. Live with a renewed mind. Be in prayer and in the Word.
2. Have a disciplined tongue. Be quick to hear and slow to speak.
3. Have a controlled body. Don’t seek to please the flesh. Please God.
As followers of Christ, we submit to His authority.
As Christians in America, we should exercise discernment in our relationships to the government. There are times when the right thing is to set aside our own privileges and other times using our citizenship for the right thing.
We are to be humble and honorable citizens, while always holding fast to the Gospel.
I love Jesus' words in Matt 22:21 in relation to God and government “Caesar’s,” they said to him. Then he said to them, “Give, then, to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
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