Peter very plainly puts forward the call for Christians to submit, to obey, to honor, and respect authority. What does this word “submit” mean? Plainly, it means to obey. To do as we are told. So Peter puts forward this ethic, but it shouldn’t sound like a new ethic. This shouldn’t sound like a new command to us, but rather a reiteration of a long standing principle present in the lives of many God fearing believers, both of Old Testament days, and New Testament days. Submission to authority, obedience, in general is a good thing.

All that said, I'm firmly opposed to online "churches". I am not opposed to online communities, groups, ministries, outreaches, evangelism, teaching, bible studies, prayer meetings, etc. We used all those (and I still am active in using many of these things) for various (I believe) God glorifying purposes. Those individual things unto themselves are activities, and they are not a church as classified, defined, and spoken of in the scriptures - as our seminary theologian at Synod spoke to (that the NT use of the word for church is a gathering of people together) and summarized in our confessions.

Peter says that the growing church needs to rid themselves of malice, slander, envy, hypocrisy, and deceit. He then says to be like babies. This is different than what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3:1-3:

 “Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?”

Peter is writing to different churches in different regions, all of which are currently or will be suffering persecution. He says to get rid of these things. This is what it's going to look like to grow; they must get rid of some of these things and crave something else.