There is no such thing as a Christian nation: 

  • Christian Patriotism → Loving one’s country while recognizing Christ’s kingdom is above all nations. 

- Christian Nationalism → Believing that one nation is divinely chosen and must enforce Christianity through political means. 

Peter makes it clear that Christian freedom allows us choose to engage, honor, submit, and serve, as an act of allegiance to God.  

EXILES and STRANGERS does not mean WITHDRAWAL  

  • EXILES -  The moment you become a Christian your citizenship is transferred from this place to heaven. You are living in the future. You have rights and privileges of those who are citizens of heaven. No matter where you are.  
  • STRANGERS - We must admit that this world is not home. It’s a wonderful place to be. But if you think you are going to get your MEANING and MORALITY from it you are absolutely wrong.  

HONOR does not mean FEAR – We don’t fear Government.  But we FEAR God. We know that we are accountable first and foremost to the Lord. Part of our accountability to God is how well we respond to His directives in living front of government.  

SUBMIT does not mean SURRENDER – Submission is an active, intentional choice rooted in strength, not a passive surrender to oppression.  

  • Submission Is a Choice, Not Defeat - Submission Is a Choice, Not Defeat (vv. 13-17) - “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority…” (1 Peter 2:13) 
  • Submission Is Strength in the Face of Injustice. Submission means entrusting oneself to God’s justice while refusing retaliation (like Christ did). 
  • Submission Shows Ultimate Strength (vv. 22-25) - “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.” (v. 23) 

Freedom does not mean AUTONOMY - it is the ability to live rightly within God’s design. 

  • Biblical freedom is not about doing whatever we want but about being who we were created to be. 
  • True freedom is found not in self-rule, but in submission to God’s good authority 

Freedom expressed in the highest way is in service to others.  

Bonhoeffer: Christians are called to consider not just what they are free from, but what they are free for. 

SUFFERING does not mean you’re not FREE – But when you do what is good and suffer, if you endure it, this brings favor with God. 

Christian citizenship involves: 

  • Being engaged without being overwhelmed. 
  • Honouring authorities while keeping ultimate allegiance to Jesus. 
  • Submitting as a choice from freedom 
  • Living in hope, knowing that Jesus, not any political leader, is the true King.