John Calvin Commentary 1 Peter 2:16

"as free, and not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God." — 1 Peter 2:16 (ASV)

As free This is said in anticipation, so that he might address in advance those things that are usually raised as objections regarding the liberty of God’s children. For since people are naturally ingenious at grasping what may be for their advantage, many, at the beginning of the Gospel, thought themselves free to live only for themselves.

This misguided opinion, then, is what Peter corrects; and he briefly shows how much the liberty of Christians differed from unbridled licentiousness. And, in the first place, he denies that there is any veil or pretext for wickedness, by which he implies that no liberty is given to us to hurt our neighbors or to do any harm to others.

True liberty, then, is that which harms or injures no one. To confirm this, he declares that those are free who serve God. Therefore, it is obvious to conclude that we obtain liberty so that we may more promptly and readily render obedience to God; for it is nothing other than freedom from sin; and dominion is taken away from sin, so that people may become obedient to righteousness.

In short, it is a free servitude and a serving freedom. For since we ought to be the servants of God so that we may enjoy this benefit, moderation is required in the use of it. In this way, indeed, our consciences become free; but this does not prevent us from serving God, who also requires us to be subject to others.