Working Out Our Salvation – Government and Work (1 Peter 2:13-25)

Summary

Grace in Focus Podcast Summary

Episode: Working Out Our Salvation – Government and Work (1 Peter 2:13-25)
Host: Bob Wilkin
Guest: David Renfro
Date: January 9, 2026
Duration: 13 minutes

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Main Theme & Purpose

This episode explores how Christians should relate to government authorities and workplace relationships, based on 1 Peter 2:13-25. Bob Wilkin and David Renfro discuss maintaining a distinctively Christian attitude in the public sphere and at work, as an expression of sanctification and spiritual maturity—separate from justification. The conversation especially emphasizes submission, respect, suffering innocently, and following Christ's example as a means of “saving our souls” (gaining the fullness of life both now and in the coming age).

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Context: Salvation, Soul, and Fullness of Life

• [01:06 - 01:54]
  • “We are to save our souls. Our psuche, which refers to what? Ruling with Christ, being glorified with Christ. It's more than being born again, it's having fullness of life.” — Bob Wilkin
  • The fullness of life includes both the present and the life to come.
• The passage shifts from responsibilities to fellow believers to those outside the church, specifically government and work relations.

2. Christian Response to Government

• [02:06 - 04:39]
  • Christians are called to respect and submit to government authorities except when commanded to disobey God’s moral law.
  • “If the government says, you're going to pay income taxes, then we're going to pay income taxes because we're going to obey the government authority. Now, there is an exception, right? If the government requires us to do something contrary to God's moral commandments, then we would disobey. But aside from that, we're not free to disobey.” — Bob Wilkin [02:56]
  • “We need to have respect for others... That respect for others would include our government.” — David Renfro [01:54]
  • The instruction to “honor the king” applies regardless of the king or leader’s worthiness.
  • Not a call to social revolution: “The Christian is never called to be a social revolutionary. In other words, let’s revolt against the government authority to set up what we want.” — Citing Zane Hodges, via David Renfro [04:39]
  • Ministers are advised not to preach politics or endorse candidates from the pulpit.
    • “You give up that right once you step into the pulpit.” — Bob Wilkin [04:54]
  • Praying for government leaders is commended, citing practices in local churches and the example of Paul (1 Timothy 2).

3. The Call to Holy Living and Submission

• [06:43 - 07:40]
  • Obedience to government is part of God’s will, even when it's challenging.
  • “Sometimes we have to obey the government and it hurts. But it's the will of God. And you obey the will of God by obeying the government.” — David Renfro [06:47]
  • Succinct instructions: “Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.”
    • Honor the office, not necessarily the person.

4. Workplace Relationships: Masters and Servants (Employer-Employee)

• [07:40 - 08:44]
  • The original context was slaves and masters; extended today to employers and employees.
  • “Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.” — Bob Wilkin [07:40]
  • Doing good and suffering unjustly is “commendable before God,” bringing His grace/favor.
  • “That word commendable is this word that normally is translated grace.” — David Renfro [08:33]

5. Christ’s Example in Suffering

• [08:44 - 11:22]
  • Christ sets the model for innocent, patient suffering in the face of injustice.
  • “He was innocent. He didn't deserve to die. And he suffered. And he was tortured before he was killed. And that might happen to some believers in the world.” — David Renfro [11:05]
  • The “healing” referenced in Isaiah 53:5 pertains to sanctification—spiritual wholeness through following Christ’s example, not necessarily physical healing.
    • “This healing... is sanctification. It's that we are to live righteously as a result of his atoning work.” — Bob Wilkin [10:04]
  • Suffering for doing good is “highly rewardable” in God’s sight.
  • Christ is both the Shepherd and Overseer (episkopos) of believers’ souls—a pastoral and authoritative role.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Submitting to Government:
  “We are to be people who are obedient to the government... if the government requires us to do something contrary to God's moral commandments, then we would disobey. But aside from that, we're not free to disobey.” — Bob Wilkin [02:56]
• On Honoring Authority:
  “It doesn't mean we admire the king or we imitate the king. We honor his authority, not his person.” — David Renfro [04:21]
• On the Example of Christ in Suffering:
  “Christ is our example of innocent suffering... If we suffer, we suffer innocently. We should not suffer like he said earlier, because we did something wrong. If we suffer, we suffer because we are following the Lord, we are faithful.” — David Renfro [10:27]
• On Reward for Suffering Well:
  “That's highly rewardable.” — Bob Wilkin [10:54]
• On Christ as Shepherd and Overseer:
  “He's our shepherd, he's our overseer, he's the one that's leading us and he's our example.” — Bob Wilkin [11:44]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:06 – Introduction to theme: saving our souls, fullness of life
• 02:06 – Respect and submission to government
• 02:56 – Limits of obedience to government (exception: disobeying God)
• 04:21 – Honoring the authority of political leaders
• 06:07 – Praying for leaders (1 Timothy 2)
• 06:47 – Obedience as God’s will, even when difficult
• 07:40 – Servant-master (employer-employee) relationships and suffering
• 08:33 – Suffering for good, receiving God’s grace/favor
• 10:04 – Isaiah 53 and sanctification vs. physical healing
• 11:05 – Christ’s innocent suffering as a model for Christians
• 11:44 – Christ as the Shepherd and Overseer

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Tone and Language

The episode is conversational, biblical, and practical. Both speakers emphasize grace, a clear distinction between justification and sanctification, and grounding all application in Scripture. The encouragement is pastoral, focusing on encouragement to live righteously despite hardship or injustice.

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Summary Takeaway

Peter’s teaching calls believers to exhibit respect, submission, and holiness in all relations—governmental and workplace—reflecting the character of Christ himself. Christians are not to pursue revolution or politicization, but rather, honor authority, suffer well for doing good, and entrust themselves to God’s righteous judgment, assured of his reward. Christ is the supreme example and shepherd, guiding believers to the fullness of life through sanctified living.

Transcript

[A]

The following is a listener supported ministry from the Grace Evangelical Society. How are we to interact with government and in our work relations? By the way, should we ever disobey the government. Hello friend. Glad you've joined us again for Grace in Focus. This is the radio broadcast and podcast ministry of the Grace Evangelical Society located in North Texas. Our Web location is faithalone.org Find our short YouTube videos at YouTube Grace Evangelical Society. And on our website you can get details about our upcoming national annual conference, May 18th through the 21st. We'd love to have you with us. It's a great time of fellowship and learning and recreation. It's about three and a half days of refreshment at Camp Kopas in Denton, Texas. Get all the details you [e-mail] events. And now with today's discussion from First Peter, here are Bob Wilkin and David Renfro.

[B]

Alright, David, we've come to the end of chapter two, verses 13 through 25 in first Peter and we've been talking about the fact that we are to save our souls. Our psuche, which refers to what? Ruling with Christ, being glorified with Christ. It's more than being born again, it's having, having fullness of life.

[C]

It's fullness of life here and in heaven. I think.

[B]

Okay. Here and in the life to come. And we just talked about that we're saving our souls in relation to the brethren. Right. And now in 13 through 25 and actually going into chapter three, it's dealing with a people outside of the church. Right.

[C]

He's finished talking about our responsibilities to our fellow believers. Now he's talking about what should we do. In other words, we need to have respect for others.

[B]

Okay. And in 13 through 17, that respect for others would include our government.

[C]

It emphasizes government.

[B]

And in 18 through 25, which is where we'll finish this show in those two sections with government. This section basically deals with masters and servants, correct. Which we would apply today with probably employer employee.

[C]

Exactly.

[B]

And so we're to be faithful Christians in our response to government and faithful Christians in response to our work life.

[C]

And how does that work itself out in like the government. Look at what it says in verse 13. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man. You know, you hear this every now and then. Well, that's. The government wants me to do this and I don't want. As a Christian, I don't want to. Therefore I'm going to disobey.

[B]

Have you ever met believers that say, you know, the U.S. constitution has no proof provision for an income tax. So I won't pay income tax. And I've met people like that. There is nothing in the Constitution about income taxes. But that doesn't matter because if the government says, you're going to pay income taxes, then we're going to pay income taxes because we're going to obey the government authority. Now, there is an exception, right? If the government requires us to do something contrary to God's moral commandments, then we would disobey. But aside from that, we're not free to disobey. Right?

[C]

And I think that's really what Peter is talking about, is you obey the government. What they say up to the line where if they say, I want you to violate God's moral law, then, Noel, I'm not going to do that, and I will suffer the consequences.

[B]

Right? And so we are to be people who are obedient to the government. What is this section where he talks about honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king. This is kind of a series of short commands ending with honoring the king, which, of course, in their day, they would have a Caesar or a king that was the head of the Roman Empire. We aren't in Great Britain where we have a king. We're in the United States where we have a president. But the same applies, Right?

[C]

It's interesting that he uses the word honor. It doesn't mean we admire the king or we imitate the king. We honor his authority, not his person.

[B]

Even if they're unworthy, as the Caesars were unworthy, we honor them.

[C]

Yes. And Hodges actually says this, and I think this is a very good statement. The Christian is never called to be a social revolutionary. In other words, let's revolt against the government authority to set up what we want.

[B]

When I was at Dallas Seminary, we were taught if you're a pastor, you don't preach politics. You don't tell people who to vote for. You don't get involved in all that because you give up that right once you step into the pulpit. And I think that's right.

[C]

I think so, too.

[B]

That we shouldn't be saying, look, I stand for this party or that party. Vote for so and so, don't vote for so and so. Our position is believers can be in any of what do we have five parties. If you get in all the, you know, Green Party.

[C]

And I miss the Bull Moose Party of Teddy Roosevelt. I'm kidding.

[B]

You and I are a little bit young for the Bull Moose Party.

[C]

Oh, that's true.

[B]

But we are to be people who are honoring our government. I speak at a church once every quarter, Berean Memorial Church and Leon Atkins will always pray at each service. Lord, we pray for our President, we pray for the Congress, we pray for our Governor, we pray for the Mayor. And I think that's a beautiful thing because it's consistent with what we're told here.

[C]

Absolutely.

[B]

Or in First Timothy 2, Paul tells the same thing. To pray for the King, to pray for those in authority.

[A]

Just jumping in here to make you aware of our magazine Grace Infocus. It is a bi monthly, six issues per year, 48 page magazine, full color and we want you to subscribe by emailing your name and your snail mail address to gesaithalone.org the subscription is free, it can be accessed electronically or it can be actually physically sent to you. If you live in the lower 48 United States, that's our Grace and Focus magazine. Send your name and snail mail address to gesaithalone.org.

[B]

We should be people who are holy people in our relation to government.

[C]

Exactly. And I think it's extremely emphasized in verse 15. Notice Peter says, this is the will of God. You don't have to pray about this. You know what the Lord wants. Doing good. You may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. Sometimes we have to obey the government and it hurts. But it's the will of God. And you obey the will of God by obeying the government.

[B]

Especially hurts when we have to pay taxes.

[C]

But I love how he ends this in verse 17. Honor all people. All people. Love the brotherhood that's agape. And then fear God. Honor the king. And the honor, like I say, is just. Honor the authority. You don't have to honor the person, but honor their authority absolutely.

[B]

And then in verses 18 through 25, we're dealing with primarily the servant master relationship. He says, servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. In other words, they had masters that were often harsh. By the way, slavery in the Roman Empire was huge.

[C]

It was an institution in the Roman Empire.

[B]

Well, they say as many as half the people in the Church of Rome were slaves. And it says, for this is commendable if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? That's a good point. Yeah, but if, when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.

[C]

And that word commendable is this word that normally is Translated grace.

[B]

In other words, it's bringing on God's favor. Yes, his grace is favor.

[C]

That's right.

[B]

For to this you were called because Christ also suffered. This is this theme we see a lot in First Peter. Yes, suffering. Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow steps. And by the way, the example view of the atonement is heresy. We don't look to what Jesus did and say, well, if we lay down our lives, then we're going to get into the kingdom, right? We're going to be on the new earth. No, none of that. He's an example of us for sanctification. We're to follow his example. And then it says, who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth. Who, when he was reviled, did not revile in return. When he suffered, he did not threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously, that is to the Father, who himself, referring to Jesus, bore our sins in his own body on the tree. And by the way, the cross is called a tree because this ties in with the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

[C]

Isn't that amazing?

[B]

Yeah, we fell as a result of a tree and were redeemed as a result of a tree. It says that having died to sins, we might live to righteousness. By whose stripes you were healed.

[C]

That's Isaiah 53. 5.

[B]

And that's not talking about physical healing. In fact, he goes on to say, for you were like sheep going astray, but now have returned to the shepherd and overseer of your soul. So this healing it's talking about here is sanctification. It's that we are to live righteously as a result of his atoning work. Right.

[C]

I have a note here on verse 24. Christ is our example of innocent suffering. I think Peter brought this out as a lesson to us that we should follow Christ's lead. If we suffer, we suffer innocently. We should not suffer like he said earlier, because we did something wrong. If we suffer, we suffer. Because we are following the Lord, we are faithful.

[B]

That's highly rewardable.

[C]

Absolutely. And the reason that's true is because we are actually following Christ's example. He was innocent. He didn't deserve to die.

[B]

And he suffered.

[C]

And he was tortured before he was killed. And that might happen to some believers in the world. It's happening right now to some believers in the world. But if they suffer in obedience, they will receive glory.

[B]

That's highly commendable.

[C]

Oh, goodness gracious. Yes.

[B]

And so notice he ends this section by talking. We have returned to the shepherd. Well, Jesus to himself as the good shepherd in John 10. Right, right. And of course he illustrated himself as a shepherd in Luke 15 where he talked about the one sheep that strayed and he went out and got him and brought him back.

[C]

Right.

[B]

Also, he's the overseer. This is the Greek word episkopos. It's one of the words used for an elder overseer or a bishop, an overseer of your souls. So Jesus and we're going to get to chapter five. Jesus is the ultimate overseer, but there are elders in local churches that he's writing to and he's going to talk to them in 5:1 to 4. But that's the one we've come to. He's our shepherd, he's our overseer, he's the one that's leading us and he's our example. Well, thank you David, and thank you. I hope you're enjoying our walk through First Peter. This is a powerful book.

[C]

Extremely profound.

[B]

Yeah. And wouldn't this be good for people to use in their home Bible studies or their Sunday school classes or pastors to preach in their sermon series?

[C]

Absolutely.

[B]

It's a great book. Well, thanks so much. And let's all keep grace in focus.

[A]

Read many from our library of thousands of free magazine and journal articles [e-mail] resources. That's faithalone.org did you miss an episode of Grace in Focus that you really wanted to hear? Just come to faithalone.org that's faithalone.org we have all our past episodes right there on the site. Our team is really great about answering questions, comments and feedback. If you've got some, we hope to hear from you. Let me give you our email address so you can do just that. It's radioaithalone.org that's radioaithalone.org now friend, we are delighted that you've joined us all this week and now we're wishing you a very pleasant weekend. A little Sabbath rest, some fellowship with God's people at a Bible believing, Bible teaching church. Come back and join us again on Monday. Until then, let's keep grace in focus. The proceeding has been a listener supported ministry from the Grace Evangelical Society.