Submission and Suffering

In 1 Peter 2:13–17, we were instructed to submit in the Lord to the emperor and governors he has appointed. We are not lords; we are creatures. Jesus Christ is the Lord of all. We are to submit to the Lord Jesus Christ and all the delegated authorities of his institutions—the family, the church, and the state.

In 1 Peter 2:18–21, Peter is addressing household slaves who were believers in Christ. He instructs them to submit to their masters[1] in the Lord and suffer, if needs be. Submission involves suffering.

In New Testament times, slaves were not considered persons with rights. Even in this country, slaves were not always considered to be fully humans. But the Bible says we are all created in the likeness and image of God.

These household slaves were known as talking tools. Masters had the authority even to kill them. That is why they were called despots; they had full authority. Yet many household slaves were well-educated professionals, such as physicians, teachers, and managers. Living was better for many house slaves than for some free men. They dressed well, they lived in the master’s houses, and they enjoyed economic security.

Slaves, Submit

Peter begins, “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” (v. 18). Peter is exhorting these house slaves to submit to their masters, the despots who possessed total authority over them. Here “submit” means “obey.” They must obey exactly, immediately, and with a good attitude.

They were to submit to their masters “with all respect.” In the Greek it is, “in all fear.” These believing house slaves were to obey with a healthy desire to please their masters by knowing and doing their will exactly the way they wanted, unless they were telling them to sin.

Elsewhere in the New Testament, we find this idea of fear. Romans 13:7 can be translated, “Give everyone what you owe him. If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if fear, then fear; if honor, then honor.” In Ephesians 5:33 we read, “However, each one of you must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must fear her husband.” In Ephesians 6:5 we read, “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.” Elsewhere, we are told to work out our salvation “with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12). Finally, we read in 1 Peter 2:17, “Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.”

If we fear God, we will please our masters. Joseph was a slave who pleased his master and his God. The slave Onesimus was useless to his master Philemon before his conversion. But after he was born again, he became a useful brother in Christ, the very dear spiritual son of Paul (Philem. 10–12, 16). In his incarnation, Jesus became a slave and was obedient to his Father, even to the accursed death of the cross (Phil. 2:7). He is our model, our example.

In God’s holy church, there is no distinction between slaves and masters. In other words, in God’s holy church, we must not practice discrimination. Paul writes, “Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all” (Col. 3:11). He also says, “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal. 3:26–29). Elsewhere he declares, “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink” (1 Cor. 12:13).

In Christ, we are all God’s priceless jewels (God’s segullahs, Heb.). We who were despised nothings have become the children of God and heirs of God. God is our treasure, and we are his. We were slaves of sin and Satan. But Christ redeemed us from the slave market by paying the highest possible price for our redemption. Peter spoke about this: “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers,” the way of sin, death, damnation, and hell handed down to us by our forefather Adam, “but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Pet. 1:18–19).

Obey Your Masters by Grace

We are slaves of Jesus Christ. So Peter says, as believing slaves, we must obey not only masters who are good and kind, but also those who are harsh and crooked.[2]

How can we obey and please even morally crooked masters? We can do so by the grace and power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Paul says, “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (2 Cor. 9:8). What we need is not more money or power. What we need is more grace. Paul also writes, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me” (2 Cor. 12:9). He also says, “I can do all things through him who gives me strength” (Phil. 4:13).

We can do all things, including being beheaded or crucified, as Paul and Peter were, by grace and by prayer. We can endure all suffering by the Spirit’s presence and power. We can do so because we know it is God’s will and for our own good. Paul tells us, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28). For God’s people, suffering is designed by God to perfect their holiness. The plan of God the Father is to conform us to Jesus his Son (Rom. 8:29). We suffer now so that, in due time, we may receive a reward (Rev. 22:12). So if we are undergoing suffering, we can be assured that our suffering is according to God’s plan. The psalmist says, “But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations” (Ps. 33:11). Everything we face in life is under God’s control.

In this life, we will face troubles and, eventually, we will die. We may die after a long sickness or we may die suddenly, without warning. But we can take comfort in knowing that God is with us. He is Immanuel. He said, “I will be with you always, even unto the end of the ages.” And he will bring us to to himself in heaven.

Even today, Christians around the world, including little children, are being killed by the enemies of God. This is happening especially in the Middle East. Christians are asked to curse Jesus, and when they refuse, they are killed. It is happening now, yet Christendom does nothing about it.

Jesus changed the curse of death into a blessing for those who believe in him. For a Christian, dying in faith in Jesus is a blessing. It is precious; it is to be present in heaven with the Lord; it is gain; and it is far better—it is excellent. So Paul declares, “As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:36–39).

In verse 19, Peter gives the reason why we should also submit to suffering from hard, crooked taskmasters: “For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God.” In other words, we can suffer the pains of unjust suffering by the grace that God gives us to do every good work in the will of God. Verse 19 refers not only to believing slaves, but also to all believers, slave or free. In God’s will, for the perfecting of our holiness, God ordains all our sufferings, even unjust suffering.

The obedient Joseph suffered unjustly. He was thrown into a pit by his own brothers and then sold as a slave. After being purchased by Lord Potiphar of Egypt, he was falsely accused by Mrs. Potiphar of raping her. He was thrown into prison, but in due time, he became the prime minister of Egypt. I am sure Joseph did not always understand what was happening to him. But God was always with him. We read seven times in Genesis 39: “The Lord was with him.”

I hope we will understand that the Lord is with us as we experience suffering. We may not understand now why certain things are happening to us now. But take comfort: the Lord is with us to help us. He is in us, and he is a wall of fire around us. No one can harm us.

We Suffer for Our Good      

Next, Peter asks, “How is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it?” Then he says, “But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God” (v. 20). No one can harm us outside of God’s will. Jesus is our Savior; he saves us from our sins (Matt. 1:21).         So we do not always understand why we may be suffering, but we will understand, in God’s time.  As we look back on our lives, we will understand all things that God does for us is for our eternal good.

Joseph finally understood why he had to suffer. He told his brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Gen. 50:20). Jesus himself suffered unjustly on the cross for our good. All things work together under God’s control for our good.

What is that good that is accomplished through our suffering? It is our holiness. Peter writes, “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy’” (1 Pet. 1:15–16). God’s children will be holy. A disobedient and wicked person is not a child of God. Jesus said, “By their fruit, you shall know them” (Matt. 7:20). What is the fruit? It includes qualities like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal. 5:22–23).

The Hebrews writer says, “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14). We are destined for glory, to see God and dwell with him forever. Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they and they alone will see God” (Matt. 5:8; see also Rev. 21:1–4).

We want to see God. Professor J. Gresham Machen, who taught New Testament studies at Princeton Seminary for many years, was a godly man. When Princeton abandoned the gospel, Machen and several others left Princeton and established Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. When Machen was fifty-five, he traveled to Bismarck, North Dakota, to preach the gospel. He became sick with pneumonia, but he kept on preaching. Finally, on the last day of 1936, he was admitted to a hospital. There God gave him a vision of heaven. A friend named Sam visited him in the hospital, and Machen said to him, “Last night God gave me a vision of heaven. Sam, it was glorious, it was glorious.” The next day, January 1, 1937, Machen died and went to heaven.[3]

Throughout the history of the Christian church, people have experienced similar glorious visions of heaven. Jonathan Edwards experienced it, as did my own father during a serious illness. The martyr Stephen experienced it as he was being stoned to death. As Stephen lay dying, he said, “Look, I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God” (Acts 7:56). Jesus himself was inviting him to heaven. And it is this same Jesus who told the believing thief on the cross, “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). Jesus died first and went to paradise; then he waited for the thief to come in.

Every believer in Jesus Christ will go to heaven. Therefore, I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to get rid of your foolishness, godlessness, and self-trust. Stop trusting in your money, your looks, your brilliance, and your pedigree, and place your trust in Jesus Christ alone. Pray, as the publican did, “Have mercy on me, a sinner,” and you will be saved forever.

We do not understand everything now. But there is coming a day when all our questions will be answered. Jesus himself suffered unjustly, but it was for our good. Paul writes,

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant [the word is slave], being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil. 2:5–11)

He also says,

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God [the hope of seeing God]. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. (Rom. 5:1–5)

Every Christian will suffer as he truly submits to Jesus Christ and all his delegated authorities. But we find hope in the Scripture. James writes, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2–4). You say you do not like suffering? I do not like it either. But we submit to the will of God to achieve his good purpose of making us like Jesus Christ.

Being Conscious of God

Peter also says, “It is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God” (v. 19). We must be conscious of God while we suffer. That means we must trust in God. How can we endure the pains of unjust suffering? The answer is, by being conscious of God, by trusting in God, as Jesus himself did. Peter speaks of this: “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” (1 Pet. 2:23). Peter also says, “But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. . . . But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord” (1 Pet. 3:14–15). Jesus is our Lord. He is with us now, and in our suffering, he will give us grace.

Peter also writes, “It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil” (1 Pet. 3:17). Therefore, be conscious of God. Cast your cares upon the Lord, for he cares for you. (PGM) Exercise all the means of grace by reading the word of God, hearing the word preached, worshiping God, fellowshipping with God’s people who will encourage you, knowing and doing his will, and enjoying God’s presence, grace, and power.

The Hebrews writer says, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Heb. 4:16). Trouble is going to come us, maybe even today. Have you received grace to endure it? Peter writes,

[We] through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (1 Pet. 1:5–9)

God will have a holy people but such people will not trust in their cars or mansions or money or degrees. All that is but dust in our hands compared to the glory of knowing and seeing God.

Suffering Unjustly

Peter also asks, “For what credit to you if you suffer beatings for sinning?” (v. 20). We receive no praise, no commendation, no reward from God for suffering because of our own sin. Yet Jesus himself experienced such beatings, not for sinning but for doing God’s will. We read, “Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists [kolaphizô.]. Others slapped him” (Matt. 26:67). Why did this happen to Jesus Christ, the sinless God/man? The answer is, he was suffering for our salvation. Paul tells us, “He was given over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (Rom. 4:25).

Jesus alone is truth and he speaks the truth. “Let God be true and every man a liar” (Rom. 3:4). And every promise he made is true. So we must listen to what Jesus said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matt. 16:24). We are to follow him, even to death.

So we will endure suffering for doing good. And doing so will bring commendation, praise, and reward from God. Sometimes God will deliver us from our suffering, as he did Joseph, the three Hebrew children, and Daniel, who all suffered for doing God’s will.

Then Peter says, “To this we have been called” (v. 21). If we are Christians, suffering is our calling. God has called us to follow him to death. That is the cost of discipleship, the cost of being a Christian. He did not promise to make us rich and famous, as some wicked ministers preach. God will deal with such ministers. Paul says, “If we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!” (Gal. 1:8). This fate awaits any preacher who preaches, “Believe in Jesus and you will be healed; you will be rich; you will be promoted; you can get a mansion.” Such ministers are agents of the devil. They masquerade as the preachers of the gospel. But God will deal with them (see 2 Cor. 11:13).

Yet we must not worry about suffering and death. Jesus has given us eternal life, and we shall never perish (John 10:28). In Jesus, we have total security. He has called us from darkness to light, from wrath to peace, from death to life, from hell to heaven. And he is also calling us to eternal glory. Peter writes, “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast” (1 Pet. 5:10). Paul said that we are more than conquerors through him who loved us (Rom. 8:37). Nothing in all creation is able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 8:38–39).

Paul also wrote, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18). So do not trust in philosophers or politicians or anyone else in this world. Trust in Jesus Christ alone and be saved.

It is the will of God that, before we experience glorification, we must follow in Christ’s footsteps in suffering. This is for our own good, because suffering, above all things, makes us conformable to Christ in holiness. We were children of disobedience; now we have become children of obedience.

Jesus spoke about the kind of suffering his followers would experience: “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt. 5:10–12).

So we can understand from the Scripture that enemies of Christ will persecute us and speak all manner of things falsely against us. Such treatment is proof that we belong to Jesus, whom they treated the same way.

Paul spoke much about the persecutions Christians would face. In Acts 14:21–22 we read, “[Paul and Barnabas] returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. ‘We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,’ they said.” He wrote to Timothy, “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim. 3:12). If a preacher does not preach this truth, he is preaching a false gospel and his church is a synagogue of Satan. On the last day, Jesus will say to such ministers, “Depart from me; go to hell” (see Matt. 7:21–23). As Paul wrote, “Let him be eternally condemned [anathema]!” (Gal. 1:8).

Jesus also said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Paul declares, “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead” (Phil 3:10–11).

Do you want to have a good life? Consider what Paul experienced as a slave of Christ.

Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.  Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.  Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers.  I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. (2 Cor. 11:23–27)

Yet again we say, do not worry. Let me assure you, as we suffer for Christ, the eternal Comforter will rest on us to comfort us, that is, to give us rest, to refresh us, to strengthen us, and to give us peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. As the Spirit rested on the Messiah, Jesus Christ (see Isa. 11:2), the Spirit of the Lord will rest on us. Peter writes, “If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you” (1 Pet. 4:14). In other words, we will not go through suffering alone.

Jesus suffered by the Holy Spirit (Heb. 9:14). So we ourselves will also be helped in our suffering. Paul writes, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God” (2 Cor. 1:3­–4). It is not an angel; Christ himself in the Spirit is with us. His name is Immanuel, God-with-us. He said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” He is in us, around us, and with us.

Paul also says, “Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead” (2 Cor. 1:9). We must never believe in Jesus simply to get money, or so that our business might prosper. It may prosper, or it may go down. God knows what he must do with us to bring us to godliness because without godliness, we cannot be saved.

So Paul says, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Cor. 4:16–18). Momentary does not literally mean for a moment; it means our suffering will be brief in the light of eternity. So we will experience trials throughout our lives. But in the end, we have great hope: we will see God, for we are destined for glorification. So we will suffer first, but, then, we will be glorified.

In his commentary, Professor Edmund Clowney told of how God used the suffering in the life of a Korean pastor:

“And I thank God that he has given me the love to seek to convert and to adopt as my son the enemy who killed my dear boys.” These were the words of Korean Pastor Yang-won Son. The year was 1948; the place was the town of Soon-chun, near the 38^th parallel. A band of Communists had taken control of the town for a brief period, and had executed Pastor Son’s two older boys, Matthew and John. They died as martyrs, calling on their persecutors to have faith in Jesus. When the Communists were driven out, Chai-sun, a young man of the village, was identified as one who had fired the murderous shots. His execution was ordered. Pastor Son requested that the charges be dropped and that Chai-sun be released into his custody for adoption. Rachel, the thirteen-year-old sister of the murdered boys, testified to support her father’s incredible request. Only then did the court agree to release Chai-sun. He became the son of the pastor, and a believer in the grace of Jesus Christ.[4]

May God help all of us to trust in Jesus Christ and live by his grace. May we abound in grace, that we may abound in every good work, including suffering persecution unjustly, that we may follow in Christ’s footsteps and thereby bring glory to God.

[1] The Greek word is despotês, from which we get the word despot.

[2] The word for crooked is skoliois, from which we get the word scoliosis, curvature of the spine. Here skoliois means morally crooked masters.

[3] E. Michael and Sharon Rusten, The One Year Book of Christian History (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 2003), 2–3.

[4] Cited by Edmund Clowney, The Message of 1 Peter, The Bible Speaks Today series (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1988), 113–114.