1. Letter to the Nomads - Then and Now

In accordance with the church calendar, we commence today by reading: 1 Peter 2:11-17. The letter claims authorship by the apostle (1 Peter 1:1), but, many interpreters doubt that the apostle was the actual author. It seems the letter was written by Silas, one of Peter’s disciples, and dictated by Peter (1 Peter: 5-12).

The letter was addressed to the Jewish Christians, who were driven out of Jerusalem and scattered throughout Asia Minor. At that time, being a Christian meant automatic expulsion, segregation, and social oppression. Because a believer’s lifestyle was so different from that of the non-Christian majority.

To those suffering Christians Peter said: “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” (1 Peter 1:6-7).

Let us for a moment extrapolate the conditions suffered by those early believers, to whom Peter writes, and the Japanese Christians here today. We are in similar situation to those early believers. Both are representative of an extreme minority. Christians in Japan risk certain difficulties and face oppression when we openly witness to our faith. So today, we will focus on various portions of 1 Peter, and try to reflect upon this issue of how Christians can live in a non-christian environment.

Peter tells the early believers how they should conduct themselves, “Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul” (1 Peter 2:11). We too are probably aliens, because just as Abraham set off from his native land after receiving God’s call, we in Japan left the surrounding environment of the secular world. We became nomads because we met God through Jesus. Being baptised as a christian should be a crucial moment in our lives. However Peter’s chosen words “aliens and strangers” tend to make us doubt, and wonder: “As we live within this regulated secular world, does our Christian faith remain questionable?”

To our uncertainty Peter gives the answer,"Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us” (1Peter 2:12). Non-Christians, during the time of Peter’s writing, accused Christians of wrongdoing. Because believers refused to worship Roman emperors as their god. Therefore they were blamed for disrupting the social order by disobeying the authorities.

During World War II, Japanese Christians were accused in a similar way. In those days, Japanese citizens who believed in “a foreign god,” were considered to be traitors. Moreover, in today’s China, according to an unofficial report, Christians who do not belong to the church authorized by the government, are blamed for being evil and wicked. It is said that more than 70,000,000 Christians fall in that category.

Similar situations to the believers in Anatolia,* to whom Peter was writing, also exist here today in this present world. When one’s belief is not the same as that of the majority, their very differences can cause conflict between themselves. Peter’s verses above suggest ways of living for those minority groups. His teaching is based on Jesus’ words: “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

But, what represents good living in order to show the glory of God to non-believers? (1 Peter 2:12). It is being a respectable citizen, Peter says, and agreeing to, “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right” (Peter 2:13-14).

Once Jesus said: “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s” (Matthew 22:21).

The Pharisees plotted to entrap Jesus concerning the matter of taxes. So they sent their spys along to ask questions of Jesus: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” Jesus answered, “Show me a denarius. Whose portrait and inscription are on it?” When they replied, “Caesar’s,” He said to them, “Then give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s” (Matthew 22:21-25).

“To give to Caesar what is Caesar’s” means to respect the current law and order of the secular world. Those social structures were also established by God for the secular governing powers. So Peters teaches: “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king"¡Ê1 Peter 2:15-17).

Peter said, “For the Lord’s sake” (1 Peter 2:15), submit to earthly authorities. However, though he recommended they be good citizens by obeying earthly powers and authorities, it is not without conditions. He insists on the perseverance of displaying their faith within the community, despite the oppression it may bring.

2. In the World, But Not of the World

In the following verses Peter gives advice to servants (slaves) and housewives. He says: “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” (1 Peter 2:18). And, “Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands” (1 Peter 3:1).

Masters and husbands of that period were not always kind and understanding. Sometimes they were arrogant and brutal to their wives and household staff. To some extent, they were similar to the tyrannical and cruel Emperors who ruled over their subjects. The apostle Paul taught that believers are free and equal before God, “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” (Galatians 3:27-28).

Therefore the weak and lonely believers of society came to Church. Yet the real world remained the same where sexual, social, and racial discrimination continually existed. Wives and servants (slaves) were considered to be inferior to masters. So much so, those who came to the Church and worshipped God, became fearful and frustrated. It was to those people that Peter directed his teaching.

Peter, writing in his letter recommended a submissive attitude towards servants and household staff: “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. For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. in basing the acts of Jesus” (1 Peter 2:18-21).

This passage reinforces Peter’s teaching, based on the death, resurrection and glorification of Jesus. And he suggests the submissive obedience by wives might even lead their husbands to embrace God and the Christian faith, “Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives” (1 Peter 3:1).

Today I have chosen 1 Peter 2:22-24 as the invocation verse to advance our reflections: “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. 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. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.”

Peter learned about suffering from Jesus. We may suffer for many reasons. But, Peter is writing about suffering that comes as a result of doing good. Jesus never sinned, and yet he suffered so we may be set free. When we follow Jesus’ example and live our lives for others, we too may suffer. However, we must always believe that God is in control of the future.

At this point in time, I want to remind you of a prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr, widely known as ** The Serenity Prayer: God, grant me the Serenity To accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and the Wisdom to know the difference.

There are absurdities and injustice in the real world. Some of these vagaries, can change, with the help of human effort and education. But some things cannot be changed in a pacifying way. If we suffer from the latter, we ought to pray the words of the serenity prayer, and “accept the things we cannot change.” Otherwise the offensive action will impact us negatively, giving rise to hate, and revengeful acts. So, its most important to have the wisdom to distinguish the difference between the two. The prayer is worth repeating, “God, grant me the Serenity To accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and the Wisdom to know the difference.”

Once we acquire the wisdom to see the difference between the two and behave accordingly in a wise and sensible manner, our humble acceptance will set an example to those who perpetrate harm. By responding to persecution and discrimination with such humility and grace will ultimately influence and lead the offenders to behave more sensitively and responsibly.

Indeed, Peter did not compel one to accept submission by oneself, but he advises obedience with active and positive vision. That is required by today’s Christians too, for those who live as a minority in a secular world. Peter implores us by saying, “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing” (1 Peter 3:9).

The adoption of this attitude will avoid the vicious spiral of aggressive and dangerous reaction. If we can do it pacifically we can make a difference, and change what seems to be unfair. If not, we will accept the difficult situation caused by such unfairness, and believe they are trials given by God (1 Peter 1:6). Those who suffer for being Christians become partners with Jesus in His suffering. As we suffer, we must remember that Jesus is both our hope in the midst of suffering, and our example of how to endure suffering faithfully.

It is true that we are all free and equal in our Lord. So we should live to show that fact to the watching world by witnessing to Jesus Christ’s love and conducting ourselves in concert with His teaching. In conclusion, as Christians, “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” ( 1 Peter 2:9).
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*Anatolia or Asia Minor, comprising most of modern Turkey, is the geographic region bounded by the Black Sea to the north, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Aegean Sea to the west, and the bulk of the Asian mainland to the east. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatolia)

**Reinhold Niebuhr (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reinhold_Niebuhr)
Niebuhr’s Serenity Prayer (http://www.geocities.com/~spiritwalk/serenityprayer.htm)