Suspended Somewhere in the Middle

Scripture:

1Pet. 2:13   For the Lord’s sake accept the authority of every human institution, whether of the emperor as supreme, ¹⁴ or of governors, as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. ¹⁵ For it is God’s will that by doing right you should silence the ignorance of the foolish. ¹⁶ As servants of God, live as free people, yet do not use your freedom as a pretext for evil. ¹⁷ Honor everyone. Love the family of believers. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Observation:

Peter continues with his instructions for holy living for those who find themselves as a part of the diaspora. As God’s people, a holy nation, they are also under the authority of the Roman Empire. The challenge is for them to live as good citizens in the Empire. Peter seems to be saying that there is something about the structure that is brought to society by the government that the Christians are not supposed to refuse. The Christians are supposed to be law-abiding members of society. 

In Christ the believer has freedom, and yet this freedom is not supposed to be used to destroy the fiber of society. Instead, the Christian is to honor everyone. Augustine says this so beautifully: 

God’s people occupy the middle ground. They are to be compared neither with those who think that the only good is to enjoy earthly delights nor with those sublime inhabitants of heaven, whose sole delight is in the heavenly bread by which they were created. Between the people of heaven and those of earth, the apostle was suspended in the middle, heading toward heaven, though he was not yet there, but at the same time separated from others here below. (Augustine, SERMONS 400.2)

It seems that these individuals with a heavenly citizenship are suspended somewhere in the middle, with an eye toward heaven, all the while living well here on earth. This is freedom, because we are not bound by the things of this world, and therefore we can live in the world, treading lightly and significantly, but not expecting all our answers to come from below, but instead, leaning into what is above. 

Application:

This is a fascinating passage to be reading in the season of COVID and an election in the United States. This has been a year of high tension and emotions as even the people of God have been swept into the torrent. We have had government leaders on all levels trying to give instruction for the health of the community. This has been new for everyone involved — all over the world. There are those who may challenge the motivations of our leaders, but is that the time for us to push back? I think that Peter would be saying that the witness of the church is at stake, and therefore, as a people suspended somewhere in the middle, we are to accept the word of the authority. 

Born in 313, Didymus the Blind became a Christian teacher in the Alexandria, Egypt. He became blind at the age of four, probably from an illness, but had such an incredible memory that he was able to study and learn under Origen and became a recognized theologian in his day. He wrote the following regarding behavior to those in power:

The proclaimers of the truth take all opportunity for wrongdoing away from us by describing how we should behave toward those who are in power in such a way that the gospel and its teaching will not be hindered by us through our unwillingness to do what they require of us and by telling us to be subject to them when it is clear that they are doing something in accordance with just laws. Nor should we be worried if they do not act in the way appointed by God, because he is in charge of them and will judge them accordingly. (Didymus the Blind, COMMENTARY ON 1 PETER)

As I mentioned, not only is this the season of COVID, but also elections in the country where I am currently dwelling. There’s a lot of consternation regarding the leadership of the country and the potential future leadership. I’m not purporting to support one or the other, but I am thinking about this passage of scripture. 

Tertullian was born in the mid 2nd century in Carthage in northern Africa. He lived during the persecutions, and when martyrdom would have been quite common. As the fledgling Church was growing and taking root, it often ran into struggles with government officials, and yet, Tertullian calls for respect for human institutions. He writes, “Pray for kings, because when the kingdom is shaken, all its other members are shaken with it, and even if we stay aloof from tumults we shall have some part in the resulting misfortune.” (Tertullian, APOLOGY 1.31) For a people suspended somewhere in the middle, there is a responsibility to pray for those who are in authority, and for the human institutions they are over. 

So here we are, suspended somewhere in the middle, heading toward heaven, but not yet there, while we engage in the already of the kingdom of God. We will not always agree with the leaders and authorities, but as citizens of heaven, we live as a free people. We will not use our freedom as a pretext for evil, but we will choose to honor everyone, following the humility of Jesus, who gave up everything for sinners, just like me. 

Prayer:

Lord, sometimes I don’t know what to say, or what to pray. I feel suspended somewhere in the middle and look to you for guidance. May I be obedient to your leading. Amen.