Winning People with Beauty of Submission - 1 Peter 3:1-6

Submission to Husbands

3 Wives, likewise, be asubmissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, bthey, without a word, may cbe won by the conduct of their wives, 2 dwhen they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. 3 eDo not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—4 rather let it be fthe hidden person of the heart, with the 1incorruptible beauty of a gentle and 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, gcalling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.

Introduction:

This is most pastors least favorite subject to talk about.

a. This is frankly just hard as a man, since this passages is squarely directed to women.

b. In counseling some woman have disclosed that they really struggle to submit when someone isn’t leading.

b. This is easily misconstrued when people infer that women are some how inferior to men (we will cover this next message)

c. Sometimes men have used this to oppress women, and mistreat them (Me to movement)

2. But we are living in a day were even the Christian church is losing its moorings on this issue. Perhaps you have heard the term Egalitarian and Complimentarean

Background:

Achtemeier summarizes well the view of women among the educated in the Greco-Roman world: “Dominant among the elite was the notion that the woman was by nature inferior to the man. Because she lacked the capacity for reason that the male had, she was ruled rather by her emotions, and was as a result given to poor judgment, immorality, intemperance, wickedness, avarice; she was untrustworthy, contentious, and as a result, it was her place to obey.”134 134 Achtemeier, 1 Peter, 206.

For instance, Juvenal writes, “There is nothing that a woman will not permit herself to do, nothing that she deems shameful, when she encircles her neck with green emeralds and fastens pearls to her elongated ears; there is nothing more intolerable than a wealthy woman” (Satires, 6.457–60).

Proposition: God wants Christians wives to understand that husbands are won over to the Lord by their submissive spirit.

Interrogative: How are Christians won over to the Lord by their submissive Spirit?

I. Won over by their way of life (1-2)

1 Peter 3:1–2 (NKJV)

Submission to Husbands

3 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. Means to arrange under

2. Not absolute

3. Never calls for the husband to enforce by pressure, or force or discipline.

B. Occasion: That even if some do not obey the word – cf. 2:7

1. Most directly refers to an unsaved husband

.1 Peter 2:7 (NKJV)

7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,

“The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone,”

First Peter 2:8 also refers to disobedience to the word; 4:17, to those who disobey the gospel; and 3:20, to those who disobeyed during the days of Noah. The “word” (logos) here, as in 2:8, refers to the gospel.

2. Similar to “bankrupt masters”

1 Peter 2:18 (NKJV)

Submission to Masters

18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.

C. Purpose: They, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives.

1. They without the word - verbal declarations

2. May be won (gained)

D. Method: As they observe your pure of life - 2

The word “behavior” (anastrophē) was a favorite of Peter’s, summarizing the godly conduct required of believers (cf. 1:15; 2:12; 3:2, 16 and by contrast 1:18).

E. Motive: Accompanied by reverence for God

Application Issue: Is this cultural? Answer, no, because of its basis

1. Its basis in theology

Ephesians 5:22–24 (NKJV)

Marriage—Christ and the Church

22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.

2. Its basis in creation

1 Timothy 2:8–15 (NKJV)

Men and Women in the Church

8 I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; 9 in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, 10 but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. 11 Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. 12 And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. 15 Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.

Transition: What if a woman cannot seem to actively arrange herself under her husband’s leadership because the husband is directionless? Answer, this is primarily about the inner person

II. Won over by their inner character (3-4)

1 Peter 3:2–4 (NKJV)

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 and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

A. Prohibition: Do not let your adornment be merely outward – 3

1. Arranging of hair

2. Wearing gold

3. Or putting on fine apparel

B. Contrast: Rather let it be the hidden person of the heart - 4

1. Hidden Person of the Heart

Goppelt remarks, “ ‘The hidden person’ is not the inner side of the person, but the whole human being as it is determined from within.”147 In other words, what a person is on the inside does not remain hidden (as if Peter thought about some private and interior Christian life hidden from the world) but manifests itself in the way wives behave in everyday life. 147 Goppelt, I Peter, 221.

2. With the incorruptible beauty

a. eternal, can’t be corrupted

1 Sam 16:7 But the Lord said to Samuel, k“Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have 3refused him. lFor 4the Lord does not see as man sees; for man mlooks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the nheart.”b. implies that external beauty fades

3. of a gentle and quiet spirit

a. Gentle

A “gentle” (praus) spirit is not only incumbent upon women but all believers (cf. Matt 5:5; 11:29; see esp. 1 Pet 3:16).

b. Quiet - cf 1 Tim 2:11

4. Which is very precious in the sight of God (valuable)

Mary Anoints Jesus

Matt. 26:6–13; John 12:2–8

3 cAnd being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.

1 Tim 2:9 in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and 5moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing,

Transition: How does a woman become this way? The key is upward focus.

III. Won over by their upward focus (5-6)

1 Peter 3:5–6 (NKJV)

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 and are not afraid with any terror.

A. Manner: - 5

1. For in this manner, in former times

2. The holy women who trusted/hoped in God

a. Holy women

These women are called “holy” (hagiai) because they lived in a way that was pleasing to God; they were set apart for his purposes (cf. Matt 27:52; Mark 8:38; Eph 3:5; 2 Pet 3:2)

b. Put their hope/trust in the Lord

A major theme of 1 Peter is sounded here, for the eschatological hope brings consolation in persecution (1:3–9), and believers are to set their hope completely on the future revelation of Jesus Christ (1:13; cf. also 1:21; 3:15). Such hope characterized the lives of the women of old, for they continued to hope in God during the vicissitudes of human existence.

3. Also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands.

B. Example – 6

1. As Sarah obeyed Abraham

The comparison demonstrates that the word “submit” includes the idea of obedience (cf. Luke 2:51; Rom 8:7; 10:3; 13:1; 1 Cor 14:34, etc.).

We also learn from Paul that mutuality also characterizes the marriage relationship (1 Cor 7:3–5).

2. Calling him lord

Gen 18:12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, o“After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”

Despite the fact that they were both old and well-aware of their inabilities to do what they once did, she was still respectful.

3. The Position: Whose daughters you are

4. The Method:

Concluding Applications:

1. A submissive way of life can win an unbeliever to Christ when words are ineffective.

2. God values a gentile and quiet spirit and regards it as eternally beautiful and valuable — far above appearance.

3. Our conduct and our inner person should remain God-focused and fre fro the fear of man in all situation.