Why Submit?
September 4, 2016

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:1-7

I. Christian wives submit to their non-Christian husbands to win them to Christ.

A. In the Roman Empire in Peter’s day every wife was expected to submit to her husband. That was the cultural expectation. One of the reasons Peter encourages wives to submit to their husbands is for the purpose of evangelism (vs. 1). Peter does not want anything to get in the way of people in the Roman Empire coming to faith in Jesus. Peter does not say that all women are to submit to all men. That is NOT what he says. Women are not by nature inferior to men. But Christian wives are to submit to the husband as he leads their family.

B. We see one possible result of a Christian submitting to her non-Christian husband in vs. 1-2: “even if some (husbands) do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct.” Your non-Christian husband might be saved by your loving submission to him and by your Christian example. There are examples throughout history of non-Christian husbands being won to faith in Christ by their godly wives including the example of St. Augustine’s father.

II. Christian wives submit to their husbands to be free.

A. What does Peter want Christian wives to be free from? He wants them to be free from being obsessed with external beauty (vs. 3-4). That hunger to be pretty becomes a form of slavery. Today’s standards for external beauty comes at a very high price for today’s girls and women. Women sense that they never look good enough, they are never pretty enough. They never measure up. Women and girls are made to feel inferior, ugly and unlovable. Peter says that every woman can be beautiful in her Christlike character. Focus then on your character.

B. Peter says she called Abraham her husband lord (vs. 6). She said that when God came to tell Abraham and Sarah that they were going to have a child in their old age. Genesis 18:12: “So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, ‘After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” Sarah used the term of respect, lord, in a casual way in this verse. You can tell that this is the way she would typically think about and speak about her husband. He is my lord in the sense that he leads our family. Submission then equals respect freely given.

III. Christian wives submit to husbands who love them.

A. It is not just wives who have obligations in marriage. Husbands have obligations also. Peter is saying to husbands in vs. 7, “You are now one flesh with your wife. Since you are one with her, love her in every way. Understand her deepest needs, take care of her, honor her. And because she is the weaker vessel – because she is physically not as strong as you her husband – protect her strength. Don’t let her get worn out fighting the battles of life. In short, Peter says, love your wife. That is your obligation as her husband. If you love your wife, then God will reward you and your wife as you pray together by not hindering your prayers.”

Application:
Husbands, love your wives. Wives, if you want to be free, submit to your husbands.

Sources:
The letter of 1 Peter
Commentaries on 1 Peter by David Helm, Karen Jobes and I.H. Marshall