Background: As we continue to go through the letter of 1 Peter, we find ourselves in a specific section of passages based on submission to authorities. As elect exiles, Christians live in a foreign land as chosen by God. As foreigners in a temporary place, believers are called to fulfill the Great Commission and live faithfully and obediently to the will of God. Peter has started to testify to the way that believers are to live in this world, according to the gospel and God’s Word to authorities that reside over us here. Last week, Kevin explained how as slaves to God, we are to submit to His will in how we submit to His established human institutions. As American citizens, we are in a unique position that gives us opportunities to influence government policies and laws for the people. We all play a role in the established government of America. When we subject ourselves to God’s established government, we are actually setting an example to the natural man. That by “doing good”, we are “putting to silence the ignorance of foolish people.” We are actually following an example set by Christ, who laid His life down willingly in suffering for His children. He didn’t overthrow the government. He didn’t start a revolution and establish His Throne on earth… yet. That will eventually come in a new Heaven and new Earth.

• Kevin also mentioned there is a time and place to defend the precepts of biblical principles and live in civil disobedience with the gospel and God’s Word as the foundation. We don’t blindly submit to government in aborting our babies, nor do we put children in harms way with some of the sexual and gender confusion this world is pushing. We don’t submit to the sexual perversion or entertainment driven ideologies that we see. Through much prayer and consideration, there may be times to take drastic measures to protect one another, including our children.
• Ultimately though, God calls us to submit to the government by living a quiet and tranquil life for the sake of Christ. This isn’t passive, cowardice behavior. Peter and Paul were thrown in prison for proclaiming Christ as King and Messiah. They submitted to the government structure they were in, but spoke freely the gospel. Jesus was their revolution, and they were martyred because of it.

 Relevance:   This week, we are going to see Peter address servants, a specific social class of believers in the 1^st Century. This includes how they ought to live in submission to their authorities, and suffering for their faith. I believe God is also speaking to us this morning.

Main Point: Godly submission requires believers to submit to the earthly authorities they are under, to the point of righteous suffering, displaying the model Christ set on their behalf.

1. Submit to your authority and suffer righteously. (v.18-20).

Explanation: Let’s look at verse 18.

• Here Peter is addressing servants. The Greek tells us that these particular people were considered, “domestic slaves.” If you were in Bible Institute last week and here for the sermon, Kevin defined and described a little bit what being an ancient slave (doulos) might have been like during the time of Peter writing this. At the start of this section, Peter is addressing domestic slaves..
  • Domestic slaves were more than likely born into the home of their master. These people had more status and were more recognized than common ancient slaves. They worked common jobs and also were skilled at different professions. Some could even get paid for their services and given the opportunity to purchase their freedom later on.
  • Nonetheless, while these people may have had a higher status than a common ancient slave, they were owned. They were property. They had to submit to their masters. Some could be treated well, but they were also mistreated. They could be beaten, sold, or killed, depending on what their master wanted to do to them. If this is the case, how were believers in this social class to respond to such treatment?
• First, we must remember that slavery is not something that God established. Whether it be the lowest form of slavery throughout history, or as domestic slaves in this context. God’s goodness is ultimately that all people would have the right to freedom and people would view and treat people with value as image-bearers of God.

Genesis 1:26-31, “²⁶ Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” ²⁷ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. ²⁸ And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” ²⁹ And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. ³⁰ And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. ³¹ And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.”

• Man is called to have authority over this world, with his suitable helper by his side, the woman. God’s perfect creation were man and woman created in His image, called to take care of the garden in which they resided, and told to be fruitful and multiply. God saw all that He made and said it was very good. Sin, ultimately marred what God intended to be good and thus we see a perversion in the world today. People are owned to work the fields. Children and women are trafficked as sex slaves. People dominated by sin, through power, money, or pleasure, fail to see God’s original created order, and have thus replaced the truth of God for a lie.
• Remember our 10 commandments series? The commandment, to not steal, referenced the sin behind stealing humans. The theft of humans, or owning people is sinful in the sight of God. This would then make what happened in our country in the ownership of African-American slaves a sinful act. An abomination to the created order that God has created for people to live as free. This was the motivation of MLK Jr. That people would see each other with intrinsic value, as created in the image of God, no matter the race or color of skin. Unfortunately, deeply rooted sin has affected not only the ancient world, the world we live in, but has caused deeper rooted problems in this nation.
• It’s important that we see here in this passage, that God doesn’t ordain sin or hard circumstances in this world, because He is evil. He ordains these things because He has a greater purpose in mind. One in which is ultimately good for those whom He loves. This situation is no different for these believers. Let’s get back to the question then, how should these believers respond?

• Peter calls these believers, those that are domestic slaves in their social class, to, “be subject to their masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.”
  • Subjecting or submitting themselves meant that they were to do so with all respect. A deep reverence for their master.
  • Submitting with all respect is easy when you have a good master. Those that had dignity in the home would have had an easy time submitting to such authority. It’s no different when we have a good boss or good parents. Submitting to their authority gives us no trouble, when we are fairly treated. If we get a good raise based on good merit or the approval from our parents in our behavior. It is far easier to submit in these occasions.
  • Here comes the rub. Peter commands these believers to submit with all respect, even to masters who were unjust. As Kevin mentioned last week, and I mentioned earlier, these slaves would often be mistreated. They were property owned with very little to no rights of their own. They were subject to abuse and sometimes unspeakable death.

Read v.19-20

• Peter writes here that submitting to their masters with all respect and enduring sorrows, even to those who are unjust to them is a gracious thing. It finds favor with God. It might be a simple thing to preach this morning about persevering amidst physical beatings. Here though, Peter is talking about the means of grace, when one thinks about God while enduring sorrows.
  • Mental toughness is often instilled through tough physical training. We often see it in the military, football training camp, or during Crossfit training. What could be perceived as training the body, is actually what is training the mind. When the mind is tested through grueling physical events, or uncomfortable life situations, the mind is going to want to betray you at every stop. “You can quit now.” “If you just take it easy, you will feel better.” These thoughts consistently go through your mind when you are partaking in these kind of activities.
    • If you don’t believe me, wake up tomorrow morning and go for a jog. You may only get 100ft before your mind and body start yelling, “STOP”.

1 Peter 1:13, “Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

• Remember, that Peter wrote earlier in the letter about girding up the loins of your mind when it comes to holiness. This part of the letter was also meant for those who were in slavery. When a believer faces tough circumstances and unjust behavior from their masters, Peter is telling them to prepare their minds for action and endure the emotional and mental anguish of suffering in such a way. To live righteously in that suffering. This can only be done by the enabling grace of God. Slaves who were demonstrating this patient endurance were demonstrating a clarity of the mind of God, and the power of God through showing grace to their masters. We must ask, how does any of this relate to us?

Application: As believers in America in 2023, most of us don’t understand or relate entirely to the social status of slavery. We also haven’t really experienced to the same degree some of the harsh treatment and persecution either. We, for the most part, have many freedoms to do the things we want to do. Even though we do not have some of the same variables working against us, as slaves did in the 1^st century, we still have people in our lives that have authority over us.

• Think about our place of employment. How do we respond at work when the boss makes a poor decision, or overlooks your good work? How do we respond when it feels like your boss is trying to get rid of you or make your existence at work miserable? How do you go to work everyday while experiencing mental and emotional anguish from some of these things you are holding tight to the chest? When you get opportunities to engage them. Do you bless them or curse them? Do you go out of your way to do a good job, regardless of mistreatment?
• Children, your parents are your authority. Not like the world wants to portray children as having such authority, but the parents having that authority. As children, how do you respond to harsh treatment of your parents? When they are having a bad day and take it out on you? When you get blamed for something you didn’t do? When you cleaned your room and it wasn’t good enough for their standards?
  • Sin and ultimately the world would tell us to reject that authority. To tell our jobs to shove it, or to respond out of the flesh in sin to get payback. You heard it once said, “An eye for an eye, or a tooth for a tooth.” We stop working hard at our place of employment. We may treat others with unkindness. We may even act maliciously toward those who are unjustly treating us. Children act out in disobedience, because they didn’t get the treatment they think they fairly deserved. We may think our situation is unfair. I am here to tell you this morning that God doesn’t operate out of fairness, He operates out of justice. God doesn’t tell us to respond to vindicate ourselves, but to leave room for the wrath of God.
  • What I am not saying is that we just allow extreme behavior to occur in passivity. Some who were enslaved, may have had the opportunity to purchase their freedom. Their government allowed such a thing. It’s important, in our day and age to know, that God has opened doors through work policies and law enforcement to report and get help for extreme cases of abuse. If there is physical, mental, or sexual abuse occurring at your place of employment or at home, you are within your rights to tell someone. If anything like that is going on, please don’t hesitate to come to one of the elders to talk through some of this.
  • Unfortunately, not everyone has that option to do so. I believe this is why the Holy Spirit inspired Paul in 1 Corinthians to write this to the believers who were in slavery. Leaving this social order of slavery was not a simple task. This was their existence until they could purchase their freedom or until death. For us, there are periods and landmarks of our lives where we won’t get a fair shake. Where we have to endure much mental and emotional anguish for the sake of Christ. This is especially for those who are marked in Christ. We are dealt the cards that God gave us, and God gives us the proper response to being dealt an unfavorable hand in life.

1 Corinthians 7:17-24, “¹⁷ Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. ¹⁸ Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. ¹⁹ For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God. ²⁰ Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. ²¹ Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) ²² For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. ²³ You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. ²⁴ So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.”

• This applied to the ancient slaves of that day and to us currently. As believers whether we are called to a specific place of employment or have other forms of authority over us. And maybe that job is horrible. Maybe it is a drag to show up. Maybe your boss is the hardest person to be around. Remember you are a bondservant of Christ. Remain with God at all times when you are suffering from the harassment or mistreatment of your boss or other employees. Remain with God and think about His goodness that flows from His grace when things aren’t going your way. And remember most of all, that God put you there to begin with. God wants to use you in that place for His purpose and His glory.  

Transition: When we submit to the authorities above us that be, even when we are mistreated, we demonstrate the example that Jesus set in suffering.

1. The model is Jesus (v.21-23).

Explanation: Read v.21

• First, we notice that we have been called to suffer righteously in the face of unrighteous treatment, because Jesus suffered for us.
  • Peter did not give this imperative as a maybe, we might suffer in the same way. He calls believers to suffer in the same way domestic slaves were to suffer, and how Christ suffered, so that we might walk in His example.
  • Suffering doesn’t come when we are being “nice” or avoiding confrontation. Suffering ultimately comes when we start opening our mouths to share the gospel. Suffering occurs, when we are so vibrant and alive in Christ through our love and speaking truth, that people begin to notice. And let me make a point. Telling people about Jesus doesn’t mean we are belligerent in our approach. It doesn’t mean we get loud or obnoxious. We do it out of a genuine place of love, while speaking hard truths from Scripture.
• Jesus didn’t suffer, because he was some tall Americanized guy, with long hair, and blonde hair and blue eyes, who was a really nice guy. Or because he said, “God bless you,” or “Gezundheit” every time you sneezed. Nor did he have really white shiny teeth. Nor was we shredded physically. In fact, He was not attractive. Jesus did not go with the flow. Jesus sometimes flipped tables and often called people to repentance.
  • Don’t get it confused that having a good reputation means to clean yourself up and look shiny and agree with the direction of the world. Suffering will never look this way. Suffering often comes when we disagree with the culture in alignment with God’s Word.
  • Jesus suffered, because He was testifying to the world that He was the Messiah. The position He found Himself in was a direct result of Him proclaiming He was God in the flesh. The very people that Jesus came to deliver, delivered Him to His death on a cross.

Jesus just made His claim to be one with the Father and told the Jews they are following their father the Devil.

John 8:48-59, “⁴⁸ The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” ⁴⁹ Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. ⁵⁰ Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. ⁵¹ Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” ⁵² The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ ⁵³ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” ⁵⁴ Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ ⁵⁵ But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. ⁵⁶ Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” ⁵⁷ So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” ⁵⁸ Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” ⁵⁹ So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.”

• Not only was Jesus rejected by the Jewish leaders, but He was also rejected politically by the Roman Empire. Jesus’ claim of Deity meant that others were not placing Caesar as King. Pilate himself was intrigued by Jesus and questioned Him. Ultimately, Pilate allowed a murderer to be free over Christ, to avoid potential punishment from the Roman Empire. All of this was because Jesus was willing to tell people about who He was. Jesus was willing to uphold the Kingdom of God instead of establishing kingdoms of men. He did all of it though within the boundaries of government and authority set before Him.
• Jesus’ response the entire time, was a willingness to humbly walk into His death and suffer. And He suffered a horrible death at the hands of the Romans. He was flogged, skin and flesh ripped and shredded from his body. He had a crown of thorns jammed onto His head. He was punched, mocked, and spit on by those around Him. Jesus, beaten and exhausted, had to carry for a little while, a heavy cross to the place where He would have large stakes driven into His wrists and feet. Where He, an innocent man, would be lifted next to two criminals hanging there to slowly suffocate and die. Eventually, after sharing the truth of the gospel to the thief on the cross, He would be pierced in the side to finish the blood bath. Did Jesus call His angels? Did Jesus rain down fire upon those who were committing such heinous acts? Did Jesus rescue Himself down from the cross?

Read v.22-23

• The answer is no. Jesus committed no sin. His entire earthly ministry was built upon pleasing the Father. He walked in lock step with the One who crushed Him on a cross. It was God’s will all along for Jesus to suffer and die.

Matthew 16:21-23, “²¹ From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. ²² And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” ²³ But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

• Peter tells the ancient slaves to suffer like Christ, because Peter understands what it meant to try and impede what God was doing with Jesus. I believe Peter saw what injustice it would be for Jesus to suffer a horrible death. If only he saw the bigger picture. Remember also, that Peter is the one who drew the sword at Jesus’ arrest and betrayal. Peter was ready to get justice for what he believed was deserved for that Roman soldier. And that was to go to war to protect Jesus’ life.
• However, Jesus walked into His death without committing sin or enacting vengeance. Jesus actually heals the soldiers ear that Peter lopped off before He is taken for trial. It flies in the face of the natural response. How often does our flesh seek justice when we have been wronged? Revenge or self-preservation usually kicks in, because we are trying to save what we have built here. Remember what Jesus said though, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” For the slaves, Peter calls them to be above reproach in the midst of suffering. This is also our call.

• Jesus also didn’t start running His mouth. There were no lies. There was no deceit found in His mouth. He never tried to weasel His way out of suffering in this world. Jesus never tried to find an angle in which He could escape what God had installed for Him. At every opportunity and question, Jesus either didn’t say much, or spoke the truth. Look at His interaction with Pilate.

John 18:33-40, “³³ So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” ³⁴ Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” ³⁵ Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” ³⁶ Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” ³⁷ Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” ³⁸ Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him. ³⁹ But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” ⁴⁰ They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas!”

• It was always the truth that Jesus spoke. It was Jesus’ testifying to the truth that allowed His death to move forward.
• Peter on the other hand, had to remember the stark contrast from his inability to speak the truth when it counted. Peter denies Jesus three times to avoid suffering.
• When we get in trouble, or do something that is courageous for the faith, our flesh also looks for ways to preserve our well-being. We seek sometimes comfort and to be unconfrontational. There may be a day when we have to answer for the hope that is within us publicly. Peter failed in the same way we do sometimes and had to learn that lesson later on. Ultimately, like Christ, Peter was obedient to the point of death. Peter spoke the truth of the gospel, which caused him to be imprisoned and hung upside-down on a cross. This is also our call.

• When Jesus was reviled, He never reviled in return. As I mentioned, Jesus was ridiculed, suffered verbal abuse, and highly insulted. They made a sign above His head with the words, “King of the Jews” as a way to mock His claim as Messiah. Jesus meekly and quietly walked toward His death.
  • Jesus never tried to weasel His way out of this painful experience, and He never returned hateful speech with hateful speech. Jesus was obedient to the point of death.
  • The slave at this time, was to endure ridicule, mistreatment, and verbal abuse with all grace and dignity. And never to return back to their masters, the same treatment.
  • Tied in with this was that Jesus, while suffering, never threatened His accusers. Jesus did what was most honorable. He, “continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.”

Application: For some of us, we may never drink from the same cup that Christ drank from. We may never be martyred for our faith in Jesus. The truth though, is that we all have authorities we answer to. To our governing authorities and human institutions, our places of employment, and even people we call our mentors and leaders. Like the believers of that time, we will be wronged. We will be misrepresented, ridiculed, mistreated, slandered against.

• Our response should never be to get back at those who sin against us. To never speak lies. To never return evil for evil. May we look to the example that Christ set before us, and continue entrusting ourselves to God, who judges justly. This is also our call.

Transition:  We entrust ourselves to God in suffering because the gospel gives us life to do.

• The example in Christ gives us life in suffering (v.24-25).

Explanation: Peter rightly points us to the heart of the gospel in suffering. This is what Jesus was entrusting Himself to as well. God’s just judgment in the punishment of His Son for the world.

            Read v.24

• The key to suffering righteously points us to the crucifixion. Jesus took the wrath of God that was meant for our sins and was punished on a tree. The tree being the cross. A killing machine.

Illustration: In simpler terms, imagine being as kids. You were disobedient that day and the spanking was coming. Your mom had already spoken to your dad, and you knew when dad got home, you were about to feel his wrath. And you definitely deserved the spanking. You were guilty. And so you wait and wait until he gets home from work. When your dad got home he doesn’t say much and you could cut the tension in the air with a knife. Your dad walks over to you and you assume the position. At the last moment your brother steps in and proclaims, “Wait! Don’t do it.” To your surprise, your brother pleads to take the beating you deserve onto himself. Dad knows your brother doesn’t deserve it, but accepts the agreement, so that you wouldn’t have to. Later, after the beating had occurred, you ask your brother why? He says softly, “because I love you.” What would be our response to such love? This great love would compel you to obedience. It would cause you to have a greater love for your brother.

• In this world we all deserve death. We all were born with a sin nature, inheriting a curse given to Adam. Without Christ, we are outside of the protection and will of God. Outside of the precious blood of Jesus, we are enemies of God, deserving of God’s wrath and punishment for our sins. Jesus, however, became a curse for us.
• What Christ has done is even more compelling because those that have believed in the sufficiency and potency of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection means we have fellowship with the God who gives us life. We have died with Jesus and now have the Holy Spirit inside of us, dwelling to conform us more and more into the image of Christ. In Christ, we know that our sins have been cleansed, past, present, and future. We can die to our sin and cling to righteousness because God has justified us as righteous, He has set us apart as holy, progressively changing us through sanctification, and one day we will be fully perfected in glorification.
• While we are here, we know our unity with Christ, by the Holy Spirit gives us healing because Jesus already suffered a death and circumstances far worse than what ancient slaves endured. He suffered far worse than how we have been mistreated in our day and age. This means Jesus relates to us in every way. Look at what Paul writes in Philippians.

Philippians 2:5-11, “⁵ Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ⁹ Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Jesus relates to us in every way because Jesus never counted equality with God a thing to be grasped. Jesus was also tempted in the wilderness in everyway that we are and never sinned. The gospel points us to the suffering of Jesus and ultimately, His deliverance for us when we suffer for unjust causes. We don’t look to ourselves for strength to endure harsh and unjust people in authority. We don’t hold expectations for those in charge to change their behaviors for our own rights. We should expect people to mistreat us, label us a certain way, call us weird, out of our minds, and the list goes on. Through all the ways and circumstances that are hard in whatever circumstance we find ourselves in, continue entrusting God, through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

Conclusion

Clarification: As we conclude this morning, Peter gives a final encouragement to those who are enslaved.

            Read v.25

• As Christians, we were once not a people, but now we have been adopted into the family of God. We are elect exiles. Existing in this world, but not of this world. Waiting for the return of Jesus. The world wants to be our masters, and Christians have a target on their back. I contend, when we submit to earthly authorities when they are fair or mistreat us, we are submitting to God Himself. He is the great Shepherd and Guardians of our souls.
• Peter is quoting Isaiah 53:6 here. As sheep who have gone astray, we now see the culmination of God bringing believers back to Him through sending His Son Jesus. Jesus lived the perfect life. Jesus spoke the truth. Jesus died a sinners death, in our place, and is faithful to save those who call upon His name. He was the example of suffering in our stead. By His wounds are we healed.

Application: It’s worth it to submit and suffer, because it ultimately brings us closer to Christ. It reminds us that we are ultimately not in control. That God has placed us exactly where He wants us to be. It reminds us of His suffering and the continued working of God’s plan to redeem mankind back to Him.