How do we, as living stones, live under the authority of the world? As living stones, we are to… 1) Submit to every ordinance of man… (v. 13-17) Also see: Romans 13:1-4 & Acts 5:27-42 2) Even if it means suffering… (v. 18-20) 3) Because we are called to walk like Jesus. (v. 21-25) Charles Spurgeon quote: "The hammer said, “I will break the anvil.” The anvil did not answer, but abode in its place, while the hammer smote it day after day. Month after month, year after year, the anvil patiently received the blows, but after a while the hammer broke. And though it did not say so, for it was too quiet to speak, the anvil might have said, “I have broken hundreds of hammers before, and I shall break hundreds more by patient endurance. It is so with Christ, and His church, and His gospel. The persecutor may smite, and smite, and smite. The true Christian makes no reply, but patiently bears, and in the long run that patient endurance will break the persecutor down."