Christian Governance-&-Marriage-4

C. CHRISTIAN GOVERNANCE-&-Marriage-IV—1Peter 3:1-7

Governance by God in Marriage.

Peter pressed & confirmed the crucial role of Christian governance regarding Christian marriage.

Christian governance is foundational in/to Christian marriage.

How is Christian governance addressed in our marital obligations?

...OR...

What does Christian governance or submission look like in Christian marriage?

2 applications of Christian governance for/in marriage.

2 aspects of Christian governance that are addressed in/within marriage.

Thus far we have discovered that Christian governance in MARRIAGE addresses/encompasses...

1. A Submissive Attitude for WIVES(:1-6)

A. SOUL-WINNING CONDUCT(:1-2)

B. INWARD ADORNMENT(:3-4)

C. OBVIOUS REGARD(:5-6)

2—Christian governance in MARRIAGE addresses/encompasses...

A Submissive Attitude for HUSBANDS(:7)(2 aspects--A-B)

:7—“Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, & as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.”

Having directed “wives”(3:1-6) in their submissive posture, the submissive posture of “husbands” is now addressed by the apostle Peter.

* A Submissive Attitude for HUSBANDS addresses/encompasses two things...

A. UNDERSTANDING TOGETHERNESS(3 aspects--i-iii)(:7a-d)

B. UNHINDERED PRAYERS(:7e)

********************************************************

A Submissive Attitude for HUSBANDS addresses/encompasses...

A. UNDERSTANDING TOGETHERNESS(3 aspects--i-iii)(:7a-d)

:7a—“Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding,...”

!NO, this is NOT saying that it is ‘okay to live together’ ‘before’ marriage!...This describes ‘living together’ within marriage!

‘Living together’(shackin’ up) before marriage sets up a negative precept for an ‘ongoing’ relationship...It prepares you for loss rather than for commitment. Marriage is about commitment! It is about making a life-long commitment to the other person(spouse) before God & His church. ‘Christian’ Marriage is to picture one’s blissful commitment to God.

“Dwelling together” as husband & wife has everything to do with mutual respect born of cherishing one another as one’s own. It encompasses intimacy in it’s purest most godly aspects of what is meant in ‘nurturing.’

A “husband’s” calling & submissive posture is to approach his “dwelling” together as “husband” & “wife”(gunaikeiov—AKA ‘femininity’) “with understanding/knowledge(gnwsin).”

“Understanding speaks of being sensitive & considering his wife’s deepest physical & emotional needs.”—MNTC

*Without such an “understanding” on the part of the “husband”, the marriage will not thrive.

“Husbands”—anhr—Noun Masc.—1) with reference to sex—1a) Of a male, 1b) Of a husband, 1c) Of a betrothed or future husband; 2) With reference to age, & to distinguish an adult man from a boy; 3) Any male; 4) Used generically of a group of both men & women. Strong—A man(properly as an individual male).

“Likewise”(See 3:1)—omoiwv—Adverb—1) Likewise, equally, in the same way. Strong—Similarly. Used 30X.?From the base of—omou—genitive case of omov (the same; akin to ama[properly--at the "same" time, but freely used as a preposition or adverb denoting close association]) as adverb; At the same place or time.

“Dwell With”(See 3:6)—sunoikew—Present Active Participle Nominative Plural Masc.—1) To dwell together—1a) Of the domestic association, 1b) Of intercourse of a husband & wife. Strong—To reside together(as a family). RWP—Sunoikew is an old verb for domestic association, here only in N.T. Used as imperative. Used 1X.?From—sun—Preposition—1) With. Strong—a primary preposition denoting union; With or together(but much closer than meta or para), i.e. By association, companionship, process, resemblance, possession, instrumentality, addition, etc.—&—oikew—To occupy a house, i.e. Reside(figuratively--Inhabit, remain, inhere); by implication--To cohabit.

“With Understanding/According To Knowledge/An Understanding Way/Be Considerate”—kata gnwsin—Lit.=‘According to Knowledge’—RWP—“With an intelligent recognition of the nature of the marriage relation”(Vincent).?From—kata—Preposition—1) Down from, through out; 2) According to, toward, along. Strong—a primary particle; prepositionally--Down(in place or time), in varied relations(according to the case [genitive case, dative case or accusative case] with which it is joined).—&—gnwsiv—Noun Fem.—1) Knowledge signified in general intelligence, understanding—1a) The general knowledge of Christian religion, 1b) The deeper more perfect & enlarged knowledge of this religion, such as belongs to the more advanced, 1c) Especially of things lawful & unlawful for Christians, 1d) Moral wisdom, such as is seen in right living. Gnwsiv denotes knowledge by itself, sofia denotes wisdom as exhibited in action, gnwsiv applies chiefly to the apprehension of truths, sofia adds the power of reasoning about them & tracing their relationships. Strong—Knowing(the act), i.e. by implication--Knowledge.

* A Submissive Attitude for HUSBANDS addresses...

A. UNDERSTANDING TOGETHERNESS(3 aspects--i-iii)(:7a-d)

i. HONORING HIS WIFE(:7b)

“giving honor to the wife,...”

A “husband’s” “understanding” posture is exemplified thru his actions. His actions are to be built around his “giving” a focused/specific “honor” to “the wife”(gunaikeiov not gunh!) or rather to the aspect of her ‘femininity’(gunaikeiov).

A godly husband affords his wife’s femininity(gunaikeiov) the proper “honor.” He respects her recognizing her feminine nature in a godly manner. He recognizes his need for it in his life so he will be complete. He has a deep heartfelt regard for her, thus respecting her weakness(:7c) & the fact that she is his fellow heir(:7d).

1Cor. 11:3-12—“But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, & the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head. But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one & the same as if her head were shaved. For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered. For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image & glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. For man is not from woman, but woman from man. Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man. For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord. For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.”