17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
The apostle Peter here instructs Christians on their conduct in society. Though Christians are free in the Lord Jesus Christ, they must not act irresponsibly in the communities which God has placed them in. In the preceding verse, Peter exhorted: “As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.” To guide Christians in their proper conduct as God’s servants in their respective communities, Peter gives them four rules of conduct.
Firstly, Peter commands Christians to “honour all men”. Believers must treat every person with dignity and respect. Respect and honour must be accorded to even unbelievers as human beings. We must recognise the worth of all human beings in God’s sight and live so as to attract them to faith in Christ. A contemptuous disposition will not help us in our efforts to win them for Christ. The poor and the afflicted in society must not be despised. Proverbs 17:5 says, “Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.”
Secondly, Christians are commanded to “love the brotherhood”. All human beings should be respected, but there is a special bond among fellow believers. Christians are not only brethren, but a brotherhood, i.e. one body in Christ. Christians are a fraternity united in Christ. We gather in the church as members of one family with a special fraternal affection for one another. Loving the brotherhood of believers is our duty and privilege. Loving and being loved fortify every Christian as he lives in a world of many temptations and trials. A sympathetic demeanour towards fellow Christians is crucial to Christian camaraderie and advancement.
Thirdly, Christians are taught to “fear God”. The highest reverence and total submission must be due unto our God at all times. If this be found wanting, none of the other three duties can be performed rightly. As Ecclesiastes 12:13 tells us, “Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”
Finally, Christians are commanded to “honour the king”. Early Christians were commanded to respect the Roman emperor Nero’s authority though they could not but loathe his crimes. Christians must give due honour to those who rule the country. We may not agree with their beliefs and practices, but we must honour them for their office’s sake.