“Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some 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. Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.
“Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered” (1 Peter 3:1-7 ESV).
As Christian married women, we are to be in submission to our husbands, “as to the Lord.” For, “as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands” (see Ephesians 5:22-24). And the reason I have added in these words from Ephesians 5 is that it is critically important that we understand that this submission has stipulations. For, “as to the Lord,” is to be understood as “in the same manner as we submit to Christ.” And Christ would never require that we submit to sin.
So a requirement to submit to sinning against our Lord in any way would, thus, be an exception to submission to our husbands. We do not have to submit to anything that is sinful, that is immoral, and that is contrary to God’s will and purpose for our lives. We are not to disobey God in order to be in submission to our spouses. And we are not to compromise our faith and biblical convictions in order to submit to any human authority (1)(2). But we should remain humble, loving, and kind, with a servant’s heart.
Now, this part about “even if some do not obey the word,” appears to be in relationship to Christian wives of husbands who did not believe in Jesus Christ and his gospel message. So, this would be a situation where the wife believed in Jesus but the husband didn’t. So it would appear that he had heard the message of the gospel of Christ but that he had refused it. So the Christian wife of the unbelieving husband who had refused to believe in Christ was not to try to force the issue, but to just be a godly example.
Now this next section is somewhat cultural to that part of the world and to that day and time in history, but there is certainly a general lesson that is to be learned from this, and that is a lesson in connection to us wives having respectful and pure conduct. We should dress accordingly in all modesty and propriety. We should not be sensual nor seductive in our dress or makeup or with any outward adorning on our bodies. And what is private, for our husbands only, should be kept hidden and not displayed for the world to see.
We should be women of God who do not work to draw attention to our physical bodies, but we should be women of God who are morally pure, modest, upright, honest, godly, faithful, kind, gentle, and obedient to our Lord, who care about other people and their needs, and who care about the salvation of human souls, and who also are ministers of the gospel of Christ, as we all are to be. For a “quiet spirit” does not mean “silent.” For we are all called to share the gospel of Christ with other people.
And Christian husbands are to live with their wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel. And I assume this first part has to do with the fact that men and women are different from each other. We are not just biologically different, but we are wired differently in our ways of thinking and approaching subjects and working out problems. So, men should not expect their wives to be just like them other than in godliness, moral purity, honesty, faithfulness, and in obedience to God.
And married men are to treat their wives in this godly manner, loving them as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, and in loving them as they do their own bodies. And they are to be those who have left their parents’ authority, and who now hold fast to (cling to like glue) their wives in faithfulness and in integrity of the marriage relationship in order that the two might become one flesh (see Ephesians 5:25-33). And they are to treat their wives with honor so that their prayers may not be hindered.
And us wives are to treat our husbands with respect (regard, submission, purity of mind and heart and behavior, value, care, concern, recognition, interest, affection, and honor). And we are to be their “help meets”. And a marriage is to be a partnership, with give and take on both sides, with each showing mutual respect, one to the other, and with each helping the other. For God did not design husbands to rule over their wives with an iron fist or for wives to be doormats under their feet. We should work with each other.
See also: [Genesis 2:24; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 3:1-7; 2 Peter 2:13-19; 1 Corinthians 5:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-20; Ephesians 5:1-33; Colossians 3:18-19; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8; Titus 2:3-5; Matthew 5:28; Matthew 15:19-20; Matthew 19:9; Mark 7:20-22; Romans 13:9; Galatians 5:13-21]
A Shield About Me
By Thomas Donn Charles / Williams Charles Henry
Thou Oh LORD, art a shield about me
You're my glory and my lifter of my head
Thou Oh LORD, art a shield about me
You're my glory and my lifter of my head
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
You're the lifter of my head
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPCUmT6mj48
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(1) https://runwithit.blog/2023/10/30/exceptions-to-obedience-to-authorities/
(2) https://runwithit.blog/2023/10/30/worship-god-alone/
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