..
Less than Ideal Situations -- Christians Can
(must) Deal With!
1 Peter 3:1-7
1 Pet 3:1-7 (NKJV) Wives, likewise, be submissive to your
own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may
be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct
accompanied by fear. Do not let your adornment be merely outward; arranging the
hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel; rather let it be the hidden
person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit,
which is very precious in the sight of God. For in this manner, in former times,
the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to
their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters
you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror. Husbands, likewise,
dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the
weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your
prayers may not be hindered.
AIM OF BOOK
The Book of I Peter is written to offer HOPE to a people in less than an ideal
situation -- where often there is persecution of the righteous, ridicule of the
message from heaven, and various temptations to give UP under pressure or IN to
the challenges of evil -- for all who will remain faithful.
PRESENT CHAPTER SETTING
Chapter Three gives instruction to persons who are in a situation less than
Ideal -- a woman being married to a man who is not a Christian. The instructions
are to the extent that she'll live a life that is of such quality that her
husband will be impressed with her conduct, so that he'll want to serve the
Lord, even though she cannot
win him over with words, by argumentation.
TOOLS SHE HAS AVAILABLE TO USE
Her tools (ammunition) consist, however, of more than the clothes, the hair,
wearing of ornaments, the outward adorning, appearance, etc. It must be the
inward (hidden) person of the HEART! That hidden person of the heart is so
PRECIOUS IN GOD'S SIGHT! Her conduct is to be "chaste" in purity, and a manifest
FEAR or respect. She is to be submissive as God directs all wives to be where
ever they are (Cf.Eph. 5:22ff; Col. 3:18). God has set forth the order of things
in the field of Human relations: God the father, Christ the Son, Man the head of
the house, wife as an help meet, Home makers. ( I Cor. 11:3;Gen. 2:18-24; Matt
19:4-6; I Tim. 2:11-15; 5:14; Tit. 2:3-5). When this order is perverted, stood
on its head, all creatures involved lie deprived and condemned!
POSSIBLE MISUNDERSTANDING
Lest one should harbor the notion that its degrading for a woman to be
submissive to her head, consider if you conclude that Christ is degraded by
being subject to the father. Many forces are operating in the universe, whose
aim it is to change the order designed by God. All such forces emanate from a
lack of wisdom, a misunderstanding of what really works, or from a rebellious
attitude in an effort to turn things upside down!
PRINCIPLE IN GENERAL
This points to a principle that is weighty: What we DO at times is more
important than what we SAY. Surely, this is the case when our behavior does not
harmonize with our message. It's easier to SAY it than to DO it. Yet, if one
does not make an honest and persistent effort to LIVE what he/she
preaches/teaches, his/her behavior negates the verbal claims. Many a person has
destroyed the effect of what he/she has said by careless behavior, not walking
according to the rules he/she claims verbally.
HISTORICAL FACTORS TO DRAW FROM
There are historical precedents for such. The women in the context are pointed
back to women of old who showed their husbands respect and worked with them as
partners in serving God. Sara is pointed to as one who has so acted in the past.
Whose daughters these women would be, if they indeed, imitate her in their
behavior.
STRENGTH TO ACT
Women in this LESS THAN IDEAL SITUATION should not be AFRAID or work with an
uneasy sense of terror, when they do "well," as defined by God in His holy word.
They can achieve the best possible when they so act, and if that will not win
the husband for the Lord, then nothing will. But when they so act, they can KNOW
in their heart of hearts, that they used all that was at their command. That's
all anyone can do!
IDEAL SITUATION IN HUSBAND/WIFE
After these instructions to women, then husbands, who are Christians, are
instructed to dwell with the wife, according to knowledge -- of her makeup,
nature, as being different from him, as a "help meet" -- giving HONOR for her
delicate, feminine, elegant qualities. She is due honor, being and serving as
God made her to be
and behave! He is to recognize that she is the "weaker vessel" of the two
generally speaking such is quite evident. She is not structured as he is, with
muscular strength. That does not mean that she is weaker intellectually, in fact
she may very well be his superior in that field as well as emotionally. So He is
to accept the fact that they are different, and such is significant, each can
and should complement the other.
TEAM WORK NEEDED
Yet, they are to be a TEAM! They are to work together as partners. God decrees
they are "HEIRS TOGETHER" of the grace of God. That's the IDEAL SITUATION toward
which each of us, male and Female OUGHT to be striving!
POTENTIAL FOR EVIL ONE TO MOVE IN
However, there is another less than ideal situation developed when either the
husband or wife fails to perform in the role assigned them by the Maker -- Satan
is a allowed to move in and their prayers are hindered! Their means of
communication with heaven, and in return receiving the benefits, are blocked.
CHALLENGES
How many homes are there this day in our nation where this SITUATION prevails --
one, husband or wife, is a member of the family of God and their mate is a child
of the evil one, walking in darkness? How many women/men will work with the
formula laid down by the Father here, in an effort to bring about the IDEAL
SITUATION out of that undesirable circumstance? How many have the FAITH to act
courageously in these situations?
VITAL SURVEY OF LIFE
Beloved, if you are not a child of God, please consider the value of having a
mate that is an "heir" with you of the grace of God. Consider how wonderful it
is to be able to speak to God in prayer, knowing that He is listening and
wanting to help you be a better person, able to assist others, having the hope
of heaven. If you will
consider the evidence that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, ( Jn. 20:30)
repent of your sins ( Acts 17:30), confess your faith in Him (Rom. 10:9-10) and
be baptized in water for the remission of sins (Acts 22:16) you can be
identified with Christ, establish a saved relationship with the Son of God, be
raised to manifest a NEW LIFE (Rom. 6:3-4; 16-18).
Beloved if I can be of any assistance in you establishing this relationship with
Christ or help you to muster the courage to firmly stand on the bed rock of
truth and use the tools that are available to you to bring about an IDEAL
SITUATION, please let me know. May God bless you and yours as you serve Him
faithfully.
By William C. ("Bill") Sexton
From Expository Files 2.4; April, 1995
