‘For The LORD’S SAKE’—1Peter 2:13—3:12
A. CHRISTIAN GOVERNANCE-&-Government—1Peter 2:13-17
B. CHRISTIAN GOVERNANCE-&-Work—1Peter 2:18-25
C. CHRISTIAN GOVERNANCE-&-Marriage—1Peter 3:1-7
D. CHRISTIAN GOVERNANCE-&-Church—1Peter 3:8-12
So far in our study of 1Peter we have examined the fact that
Christians are...CONSIDERED ALIEN(1:1-2)...
We’ve discovered...WHAT’s So GREAT About GOD—(1:3-12)
Discovered God’s means of...UNLEASHING Your SPIRITUAL VITALITY/Vigor(1:13-21)
We’ve also found the importance of LOVING THE BRETHREN(1:22—2:12).
We have seen how those truths play into the overall scheme of Submission...the give-&-take of relationships within CHRISTIAN GOVERNANCE....
We began by examining the relationship of CHRISTIAN GOVERNANCE in relation to GOVERNMENT(1Peter 2:13-17).
That was followed with the relationship of CHRISTIAN GOVERNANCE in relation to WORK(1Peter 2:18-25).
Today we will continue by looking at CHRISTIAN GOVERNANCE in relation to MARRIAGE—
C. CHRISTIAN GOVERNANCE-&-Marriage—1Peter 3:1-7
C. CHRISTIAN GOVERNANCE-&-Marriage—1Peter 3:1-7
Governance by God in Marriage.
Attention:
Guidance—
Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it. From a distance, each looks like every other horse.
But if one stops the car, or is walking by, one will notice something quite amazing.
Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind. His owner has chosen not to have him put down, but has made a good home for him. This alone is amazing.
Listening, one will hear the sound of a bell. Looking around for the source of the sound, one will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field. Attached to her bridle is a small bell. It lets her blind friend know where she is, so he can follow her.
As one stands & watches these two friends, one sees how she is always checking on him, & that he will listen for her bell & then slowly walk to where she is, trusting that she will not lead him astray. Led faithfully.
The blind horse needed guidance from the seeing one.
We all need to be guided by God Himself & by God working thru others.
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.
1—Christian governance in MARRIAGE addresses...
A Submissive Attitude for WIVES(:1-6)
:1—“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,”
:2—“when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear.”
:3—“Do not let your adornment be merely outward--arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel--“
:4—“rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle & quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.”
:5—“For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands,”
:6—“as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good & are not afraid with any terror.”
Disclaimer:
For those of you who claim Christ as your Savior & Lord, who may have a favorable pre-disposition toward so-called ‘women’s liberation’ or ‘women’s equality’[dated 70’s talk], I ask you to please consider exactly what you are desirous of being ‘liberated’ from! May I caution you against being desirous of being liberated from being a woman?! You do not want or need to be a man!...You want & need respect in the world(including the church).
The political & worldly manifestations of ‘women’s liberation/equality’ are severely perverted & tainted with sin, so please do not allow yourself to side with political factions. If you do, then your witness for Christ will be shattered. Because God’s design is perverted & dismissed by those eclectic political bodies.
:1—“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,”
:2—“when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear.”
:1—
“Wives” are encouraged toward certain postures regarding their “own husband.” Godly “submission” toward a “husband” is to be exemplified on the part of the “wife.”
A very practical reason for such God-ordained “submission” is so that the “husband(s)” who are currently not obedient to God’s word, “may be won” to Jesus. Such “winning” to the Lord of an unconvinced “husband” occurs “without a word.”
A godly wife’s/woman’s “conduct” that “wins” her own “husband,” as well as others to Christ, is a “conduct” that is ordered in Christ. Her life is literally redirected by means of her faithfully allowing Jesus to work in her personal life. Her Christian decisions are different from her former worldly & fleshly decisions, as her belief system has been overhauled completely.
When a person’s life & lifestyle is changed by & for Christ, then that new lifestyle continually speaks to all who observe it, both within & without the immediate family, but it particularly speaks to those with whom we are most intimate & friendly. A wife to a husband(& vice-versa), for instance, would be most deeply effected as they would most readily recognize authenticity or the lack thereof in one another.
:2—
A husband’s being won to Christ(:1) can occur thru “observation” of his wife’s now “chaste” behavior(in Christ) that is accompanied “by” her reverential “fear”—due to the change wrought by her adherence to Christ. She will “fear” failing Christ. She will then submit herself to God’s design for the family. Her “fear” driven “chaste conduct” is undeniable to her husband.
Literally reads—‘Having witnessed in fear your chaste conduct’
“When/While/As”—Added as expression of Aorist Participle—‘Having Observed/Witnessed’
“which subjection lies in honor & reverence, Eph 5:33, & in obedience; they should think well of their husbands, speak becomingly to them, & respectfully of them; the wife should take care of the family, & family affairs, according to the husband's will; should imitate him in what is good, & bear with that which is not so agreeable; she should not curiously inquire into his business, but leave the management of it to him; she should help & assist in caring & providing for the family; & should abide with him in prosperity & adversity, & do nothing without his will & consent: & this subjection is only to her husband”—John Gill
“be in subjection to your own husbands, etc. As well as subjects to princes[2:13-17], & servants to masters[2:18-25]; though not with the same sort of subjection, but what is suitable to the relation they stand in to their husbands”—John Gill
“Consider that your husband is, by God's appointment, the head & ruler of the house; do not, therefore, attempt to usurp his government; for even though he obey not the word-is not a believer in the Christian doctrine, his rule is not thereby impaired; for Christianity never alters civil relations: & your affectionate, obedient conduct will be the most likely means of convincing him of the truth of the doctrine which you have received.”—Adam Clarke
“Without the word] That your holy conduct may be the means of begetting in them a reverence for Christianity, the preaching of which they will not hear.”—Adam Clarke Wives/Ladies, you should(with all Christians) have a Concern for the spiritual state(lostness & saved-ness) of others...Particularly for the spiritual state of one’s spouse—one’s ‘own flesh’!
?Ladies, is your chaste behavior observed by your husband-family-others?
“Likewise”(See 3:7)—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.
“Submissive”—upotassw—Verb—1) To arrange under, to subordinate; 2) To subject, put in subjection; 3) To subject one's self, obey; 4) To submit to one's control; 5) To yield to one's admonition or advice; 6) To obey, be subject. Upotassw is a Greek military term meaning “to arrange [troop divisions] in a military fashion under the command of a leader.” In non-military use, it was "a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, & carrying a burden.” Strong—To subordinate; reflexively--To obey.
From—upo—Preposition—1)By, under. Strong—a primary preposition; Under, i.e. of place--Beneath, or Through; (with the accusative case)of place--(whither--Underneath, or where--Below, or time when--At).—&—tassw—a prolonged form of a primary verb(which latter appears only in certain tenses); To arrange in an orderly manner, i.e. Assign or dispose(to a certain position or lot).
“Your Own”—idiov—Adj.—1) Pertaining to one's self, one's own, belonging to one's self. Strong—Pertaining to self, i.e. One's own; by implication--Private or separate.
“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).
“Some/Any”—tiv—Pronoun—1) A certain, a certain one; 2) Some, some time, a while. Strong—an enclitic indefinite pronoun; Some or any person or object.
“Obey”—apeiyew—Verb—1) Not to allow one's self to be persuaded—1a) To refuse or withhold belief, 1b) To refuse belief & obedience; 2) Not to comply with. Strong—To disbelieve(willfully & perversely). Used 16X.
From—A(as a negative particle)—&—peiyw—a primary verb; To convince(by argument, true or false); by analogy--To pacify or conciliate(by other fair means); reflexively or passively,--To assent(to evidence or authority), To rely(by inward certainty).
“Without”—aneu—Preposition—1) Without one's will or intervention. Strong—a primary particle; Without. Used 3X.
“Word”2X—logov—Noun Masc.—Strong—from legw[a primary verb; properly--To "lay" forth, i.e. figuratively--Relate(in words [usually of systematic or set discourse; by implication--To mean]; Something said(including the thought); by implication--A topic(subject of discourse), also reasoning(the mental faculty) or motive; by extension--A computation.
“Won/Gained”—kerdainw—Verb—1) To gain, acquire, to get gain; 2) metaph.—2a) Of gain arising from shunning or escaping from evil (where we say "to spare one's self", "be spared”), 2b) To gain any one i.e. to win him over to the kingdom of God, to gain one to faith in Christ, 2c) To gain Christ's favor & fellowship. Strong—To gain(literally or figuratively). Used 17X.
“Conduct”2X—anastrofh—Noun Fem.—1) Manner of life, conduct, behavior, deportment. Strong—Behavior. Used 13X.
From—anastrefw—To overturn; also--To return; by implication--To busy oneself, i.e. Remain, live.
From—ana—1) Into the midst, in the midst, amidst, among, between. Strong—a primary preposition & adverb; properly--Up; but by extension(used distributively)--Severally, or locally--At(etc.).—&—strefw—To twist, i.e. Turn quite around or reverse(literally or figuratively). “Observe/Behold/Witnessed/See”—epopteuw—Aorist Active Participle Nominative Plural Masc.—1) To be an overseer; 2) To look upon, view attentively; 3) To watch. Strong—To inspect, i.e. Watch. Used 2X.
“Chaste/Purity”—agnov—Adj.—1) Exciting reverence, venerable, sacred; 2) Pure—2a) Pure from carnality, chaste, modest, 2b) Pure from every fault, immaculate, 2c) Clean. agnov is probably related to agiov. It means specifically pure. But this may be only in a ceremonial sense, or it may have a moral signification. It sometimes describes freedom from impurities of the flesh. Strong—properly--Clean, i.e. figuratively--Innocent, modest, perfect. Used 8X.
“Fear/Respectful/Reverence”—fobov—Noun Masc.—1) Fear, dread, terror—1a) That which strikes terror; 2) Reverence for one's husband. Strong—from a primary febomai(to be put in fear); Alarm or fright.
Argumentation:
Js. 5:19-20—“Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, & someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death & cover a multitude of sins.”
Prov. 11:30—“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise.”
Rom. 11:1-15—“I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, “LORD, they have killed Your prophets & torn down Your altars, & I alone am left, & they seek my life”? But what does the divine response say to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work. What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, & the rest were blinded. Just as it is written: “God has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see And ears that they should not hear, To this very day.” And David says: “Let their table become a snare & a trap, A stumbling block & a recompense to them. Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see, & bow down their back always.” I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. Now if their fall is riches for the world, & their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness! For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh & save some of them. For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?”
*1Cor. 9:19-23—“For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; & to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.”
Illustration:
There are some very convincing commercials out there/Advertisements for everything from soup to nuts as it were/The concepts of the product are attractive but not entirely convincing because we all know that money & profit is king for anyone who advertises/However, when one of our friends(whom we trust implicitly) commends or recommends a product, it carries another meaning entirely/The message gets thru that this product actually works/SOUL-WINNING CONDUCT
Application:
?Is Your Attitude as a WIFE Submitted to the Governance of SOUL-WINNING CONDUCT by Christ required in Christian MARRIAGE?
?Is Christian Governance constrain/govern Your Marriage?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
The blind horse needed guidance from the seeing one--a submissive attitude.
Action:
Christian governance in MARRIAGE addresses...
1. A Submissive Attitude for WIVES(:1-6) addresses:
A. SOUL-WINNING CONDUCT(:1-2)
Pt. 1-A only! Presented 10/08/2017pm to:
FBC Cbelle
206 Storrs Ave.(SE Ave. A)
Carrabelle, FL 32322
