It is a challenge to live a life of faith in a compromised world where evil is called good and good is called evil. It is into that confused world where the Lord has placed His Church as citizens of His Kingdom, not to control others by force, but influence them for change. That kind of change comes when our submission to the Lord’s ways overrides our desire to change our circumstances by natural means.

Peter wrote to believers living in five different provinces. He called them “royal priests, a holy nation” (I Peter 2:9) even though as a single holy heavenly nation they were dispersed in different earthbound locations. Peter went on to write that we are “temporary residents and foreigners” (2:11) living in various locales representing a wide variety of natural citizenships. Our true citizenship and allegiance are heavenly, not earthly.

Where the challenge comes is trying to maintain a balance between our earthly and heavenly citizenship. Peter continued, “For the Lord’s sake, respect all human authority – whether the king as head of state or the officials he has appointed” (vs. 13). It’s a challenge when we try to honor a person’s position of authority while they are committing or supporting acts of evil.  Peter told us what our assignment would be in that situation, “God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you” (vs. 21).

Our assignment to do good can mean that at some point if we are asked to commit evil or go along with an evil plan, goodness requires that we refuse such a demand. In that place of refusal, suffering can take place under the whip of forced government compliance or the refusal of social acceptance. When we find ourselves in situations beyond our control, our choice to do good, not evil, will become our act of resistance and an indication of what kingdom we serve.

Our greatest impact in the place of our earthly citizenship will not come from trying to gain control by the same means employed by an earthly kingdom. It will come from our willingness to do everything for the sake of the Lord, not for the sake of our emotions or for some agenda no matter how right-sounding it might be. Doing what we do for His sake will be our act of influence and offer the greatest potential for lasting change. That kind of change is only possible for those whose King is the King of all kings and whose Lord is the Lord of all lords. The change resulting from that influence will steer the course of human history in ways that control and coercion could never achieve.