An Honorable Home
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; 2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. 3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. 5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: 6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. 7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
We begin a new chapter in the book of 1 Peter tonight. So far, we have seen the Bible give words of instruction concerning our relationships with government, with employers, and now, in chapter 3, the Bible gives us instruction on how we relate in the home!
The home is God’s first and foremost institution. When God created man and woman, He immediately placed them in a bond that should be the strongest of all human relationships.
24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
This is why the home has always been under intense attack by Satan. If he can destroy the relationship between the members of the family, he has destroyed the wonderful picture of salvation that the home portrays.
We find this in the book of Ephesians…
1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. 3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. 14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. 15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; 19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. 4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
I just read you God’s plan for the home...The relationship between a husband and wife is a portrait of God’s love for us.
Marriages are failing all over the world, and sadly even Christian couples are struggling. Is it any wonder then that fewer and fewer people have any confidence in God and what He can do in their lives. There is a direct correlation between the destruction of marriage and the disbelief in God. Satan is no fool. He hates God and one way to get to Him is to destroy His institution.
1-A Submissive Wife
1-A Submissive Wife
1 Peter 3:1 (KJV 1900)
1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands;
The idea of a wife submitting is despised in today’s culture, but part of the problem is that it’s also misunderstood. First, though God commands it, submission is a voluntary act. You submit by choice, not by coercion. Second, submission has nothing to do with intrinsic value.
Adrian Rogers explains this well, he said:
“Now I’ve said that husbands and wives are spiritually equal, but they are not the same. God made us different that He might make us one and we need to learn that. You know, it’s the devil’s guise to attempt to make men and women alike under the guise of making them equal. They are equal, but they are not alike. God’s made the husband with a harder exterior and He made his wife gentle and fragile, so he calls her the weaker vessel, not the inferior vessel. As I’ve told you, steel is stronger than gold, porcelain—you can drive a spike with a sledgehammer, but you can’t drink tea out of it. You can drink tea out of a porcelain teacup. Silver is more fragile and beautiful than denim and that doesn’t mean that denim, because it’s stronger, is intrinsically worth more—no, there are roles. God has given the husband the headship in the home and we need to understand this.”
A godly, submissive wife is a gift from God to the husband in order to complete him for God’s glory. She is a picture of the Christian who is placed into the local church to make that church all God wants it to be.
4 A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband:
But she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.
2-A Sovereign Work
2-A Sovereign Work
1 Peter 3:1–2 (KJV 1900)
1 ... that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; 2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.
The Bible says to the wife they are to submit to those who do not obey the word...
Even today churches have many ladies who love the Lord Jesus and serve the Lord Jesus who are married to a man who is lost and cares less about the Lord, the church, or anything that pertains to God.
Peter writes that the godly life of a godly wife will be used by the Lord to reach that lost husband. You may not be able to get your lost family members to a church service to hear the Gospel, but God will use your testimony to preach to them every day. Be faithful no matter what and watch what God does.
Countless testimonies have been told of people who were saved or came back to God because of someone in their family who not only never gave up praying for them, but never stopped living a godly life before them. Someone wisely said, “A sermon preaches but an hour, but a life the whole week through!”
3-A Sterling Walk
3-A Sterling Walk
3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. 5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: 6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
We see here the true beauty of a godly woman!
This is not forbidding all adornment...But for the godly woman outward adornment is always in moderation, and her emphasis is always on inward adornment.
Real beauty comes from the hidden person of the heart. It isn’t something you wear or primp before a mirror to have. It is something you are.
Peter described the character of true beauty – a meek and quiet spirit. These character traits are not promoted for women by our culture; yet they are very valuable in the sight of God.
William Barclay said, “A Christian wife of those times lived in a society where she would be tempted to senseless extravagance and where she might well go in fear of her non-Christian husband’s whims; but she must live in selfless service, in goodness and in serene trusts.”
4-A Sensational Worth
4-A Sensational Worth
7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
We now have a word for the husband...
A man is to “dwell” with his wife according to knowledge. In other words, a husband is to dwell with her and treat her with understanding. He must be considerate and sensitive to the feelings of his wife. He must also be loving and affectionate with his wife. A Christian husband needs to know his wife’s moods, feelings, needs, fears, and hopes.
The best way to understand someone is to spend time with them. This is important and shows how Christianity elevated the wife in the home. She is not a rug to be trampled, but a queen to be honored. Pagan religions around the world have a totally different outlook about the wife in the home. In pagan cultures, she, in most cases, is abused instead of adored. She is treated like a slave and neglected.
Peter continues and states that the husband is to give honor to his wife.
The value of the right kind of wife and mother in a home is beyond price. Proverbs 31:10 says, “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.”
If God commends her in such a way, we should do the same.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Husbands: don’t wait for your wives to love you and submit to you.
You would never have loved or submitted to God if He had not taken the lead and loved you first. Start being the right kind of husband and your wife and children will follow.
We have seen in these verses, the picture of an honorable home. I wonder tonight how our homes size up to this?