First Peter 3:1-6
1 Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of
them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the
behavior of their wives,
Peter is addressing those who may find themselves in free in Christ but under the authority of others who are not in Christ.
1) Government
- First, members of the
2) National Culture (Nation) - slaves must submit themselves to their saved and unsaved masters
3) Family - wives must submit themselves to their saved and unsaved husbands
4) Church - everyone live in harmony in the church (1 Peter 3:8)
God has established both the natural order and the spiritual order. He is Lord over the temporal and the eternal. The two worlds are both his creation and they work together in his plan. You can not rebel against one and hope to be in line with the other.
Freedom in Christ does not mean you are free from:
1) Government
2) Responsibility
3) Pains and pleasures of live
4) Morality
“Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.” (1 Peter 2:16)
(“cover-up” refers to “veil or cloak”)
“submissive” is the same word used in reference to government and slavery.
Peter recognizes woman here as people with volition with the ability to think on their own and make decisions and as members of the church. Peter:
1) recognizes they have made a decision for Christ
2) recognizes and supports the fact that they have a different religion than their husbands
3) instructs them and encourages them to influence their husbands decision for Christ
Peter also instructs them on how to live as free women, with their own volition and members of the body of Christ in the human institution of marriage.
Women are not presented in scripture as inferior but they are presented as under authority in marriage.
Women are reminded that they are not superior to their husbands because they believe and their husbands do not. Wives remain in the order of society just like a believing slave remains obedient to his master or a citizen honors the government even though they are believers in Christ.
Women are not presented as second place to the father in the family but as one of two equal parents.
“Honor your father and mother” (Exodus 20:12 – the 5th commandment)
(Dt. 21:18; 27:16)
There is a time to obey God rather than government so there is also a time to obey God or the government instead of your husband. If husband wants wife to be immoral she should obey God. If husband wants wife to be illegal she should obey government because her husband is under the authority of both God and the government.
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Institutions Established by God for the
Well Being of Mankind |
Scripture |
Purpose for being Institution |
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Individual Volition |
Gn. 2:16 – “You are free. . .” |
Individuals might respond to God and be judged |
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Marriage |
Gn. 2:24 – “a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife.” |
Foundation for Family |
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Family |
Gn. 7:1 – |
Foundation for Society |
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Government |
Gn. 9:5,6 – |
Create and Maintain Peaceful Society |
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Nations |
Gn. 11:8 – “the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth.” |
So Societies might have volition to respond to God |
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Gn. 12:2 – “I will make you into a great nation.” |
Preserve the truth of God’s revelation in the earth |
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Church |
Matt. 16:18 – “I will build my church.” |
Communicate to the kingdom’s of the world the truth of God’s eternal kingdom |
2 when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.
3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair
and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.
Wives do not try to win the spiritual battle with external dress, but with the internal character.
What some people wear is so loud that others can not hear what they are saying
“adornment” is the Greek word “kosmos” and means to “order or arrange.” It is the opposite of chaos.
A women’s clothing, hair and jewelry should match or be arranged so that it reflects here Christianity.
4 Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle
and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.
“inner self” is literally “the inner man of the heart.”
“gentle” is “meek, calm, peaceful”. The opposite is “rough” or “bad tempered”
“Quiet” means “not touchy”
Mt. 11:29 – Jesus describes himself as “meek and humble”
5 For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God
used to make themselves beautiful.
They were submissive
to their own husbands,
“holy” means “set apart”
Many of the ancient women were very beautiful in the eyes of
men: Sarah, Bathsheba, Rachel.
But, they made themselves beautiful in the eyes of men and God in their inner
character
An example of this inner beauty is stated here by Peter: “They were submissive to their own husbands.”
6. like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.
Sarah had actions and words:
a) She obeyed Abraham
b) She called him “lord” (kurios)
Believing wives are to:
a) Do what is right
b) Do not fear men or circumstances.
Clothing in the
Spiritual World
Psalms 104:1,2 - God clothes himself in light. His character clothes him
Ezekiel 1:27 – The LORD was a fire from the loins up and a fire from the loins down
Genesis 3:10, 11 – Apparently Adam and Eve were also clothed from the inside out in the
garden, but when they sinned they lost their inner nature and so lost their clothing.
Animals’ fir and birds’ feathers grow from the inside out.
Satan - Is. 14:12, Ezek. 28:17,18, Lk. 10:18 – show Satan had light and lost it.
Today he can masquerade or dress up like light to deceive 2 Cor. 11:13-15
Resurrection Body – we will be clothed in white linens which will come from our nature and character