Wayfaring Strangers Part 12- " Husbands Honoring Wives" Series

Wayfaring Strangers

A study of 1 Peter

Part 12

“ Husbands honoring wives”

1 Peter 3:7

In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered

Today after a one week break for Mother’s Day

We will continue our study of 1 Peter

Over the last few weeks

We have been concentrating on the subject of submission

And in today’s passage

Peter continues this line

After instructing all believers to submit to the ones placed by God

In authority over them

This includes

Governments

Bosses

Teachers

Preachers

And family

Even when theses areas of authority are less than friendly to our faith

Please remember

We are to be loyal to God first

If anyone who has authority over us

Asks us to do something that goes against God’s word

We are not required to do it

But also

Remember

We are not immune from the consequences of our refusals either

Then Peter continued on in this line of teaching

With a message to the women

We learned 2 weeks ago

That while all women are called to be submissive to their husbands

Peter was specifically addressing

Christian women

With unbelieving husbands in this passage

We saw how

Women wives can lead their Husbands to the Lord

By their actions

And their focus on inward beauty that comes from the Lord

Today to wrap up this section

Peter addresses husbands

1 Peter 3:7

In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered

Th words in the same way

Once again

Tie all the last few weeks together

And Peter gives us 4 crucial things in this passage

For living together with our wives in a way that honors God

And them

Verse 7b

“you husbands must give honor to your wives.”

Honor

According to Wikipedia

The word can be either a noun

Or a verb

As a noun it can mean

1. high respect; great esteem.

"his portrait hangs in the place of honor"

2. adherence to what is right or to a conventional standard of conduct.

"I must as a matter of honor avoid any taint of dishonesty"

3. something regarded as a rare opportunity and bringing pride and pleasure; a privilege.

"the great poet of whom it is my honor to speak tonight"

As a verb

1.

1. regard with great respect.

"Joyce has now learned to honor her father's memory" ·

2. fulfill (an obligation) or keep (an agreement).

"make sure the franchisees honor the terms of the contract"

Men

No matter how you define it

We see that

We are to place our wives

In high regard

Loving our wives

Means we treat them with

Respect

Do what is right

Consider it a privilege to love and provide for them and their needs

We are to regard them with great respect

And

Fulfill the terms of our contract

Or better stated

Our Covenant

Listen to me

Most of you

As I did

Promised to

Love

Honor

And Cherish

Our wives

In sickness

And in health

This means in the good times

And the bad times

Till death do us part

Men

We are to honor and give honor to our wives

Next Peter

Tells us we must

Treat them with understanding

Verse 7c

“Treat your wife with understanding”

I can tell you straight up

I do not

Nor do I believe I will ever understand my wife

Or any woman for that matter

But that should not keep me

Or you

From treating them with understanding

This also can mean simply Know your wife

Treating someone with understanding

Means accepting their weaknesses as well as their strengths

Dealing sympathetically and empathically with their desires

Their fears

Their worries

Their dreams

Knowing them

Not just knowing about them

Yes, I know my wife’s hair color

And the color of her eyes

We all know the simple things

The outward things

God though his servant Peter

Is telling us here that we need to “KNOW and understand our wives”

We are to strive to know her inner person

What makes her happy

What makes her sad

What brings joy and laughter

What takes it away

And so much more

Listen

I know this is hard

I often fail to do so

And have no doubt you do as well

But

If we are to follow God’s word on marriage