Well, good morning to everyone. Thanks for coming out this morning. Thank you to Ray and Debbie for making food. We're looking forward to that.

We're working through 1 Peter on Sunday mornings, and it's been about three weeks since we were last in our study of 1 Peter. This morning we are in a very important but sometimes misunderstood text, and I'd like to spend a little time in our introduction this morning setting the context and the flow of the epistle that brings us to this text and the author's intent. 

You'll remember that the audience to which Peter writes is suffering persecution because of their faith in Jesus. In chapter 1, we see him expound the great truths of our salvation, who we are and what we have in Jesus, and God's eternal plan to make us like his son, to bring us to full salvation at the coming of Christ so that we might spend eternity in heaven with him. Peter continually contrasts the temporal nature of the sufferings they were experiencing with the eternal weight of their salvation, and his intent is to strengthen and encourage them so that they might persevere through these temporal trials and set their focus on Jesus and his purpose for them in this world as witnesses, and also set their hope fully on his promises and his return to take them to be with him forever. 

The fascinating truth that we see as we work through the epistle is that Peter's main message to these believers is that the way that we can persevere through the trials and struggles of this world, even to the point of persecution for our faith, is to have a submissive attitude. 

In the first chapter, we learn about our great salvation. In the second chapter, we see Peter bring up the connection of our suffering with salvation, with our witness, and he sets Jesus and the cross as the ultimate example of the one who suffered unjustly, who entrusted himself to God in order to accomplish his will and purpose in this world. Jesus is the ultimate example of submission, and he is the premier example of unjust suffering. 

We also, as ambassadors for Christ, as those who are inseverably tied to Christ and his death, burial, and resurrection, are called to suffer. Look at chapter 2 at verse 18 with me, please. First Peter 2:18, we'll read a few verses here: 

"Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if when you are beaten for your faults you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow his steps, who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth, who when he was reviled did not revile in return. When he suffered, he did not threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously, who himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we having died to sins might live for righteousness, by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls."

And here we find really the key to the whole epistle. How can we persevere through suffering and persecution in this world? How can we be effective witnesses for Jesus in the midst of such a crooked and depraved world filled with evil men controlled by demonic forces? How can we glorify God in all that we do and live in consistency in this world with who we are in Christ? 

Jesus is the example. No matter how bad it gets, we can never suffer the injustice, the full persecution and agony that Jesus suffered when he bore our sins on the tree, when he was separated from the Father as the sin bearer, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. 

And what is his example to us? The key verse of the epistles, verse 23, where he says he committed himself to him who judges righteously. He did not fight, he did not threaten, he did not use his resources to accomplish his will. He had no social justice movement. He came to satisfy the justice of God, to take the wrath of God for our sins in our place. He entrusted himself to God, to his divine power and plan and purpose, to his will and this to accomplish our salvation. No greater love than this that a man lay down his life for his friends. And Jesus said to us, this commandment I give you that you love one another as I have loved you. 

The key to perseverance in this world, to holiness, even in the midst of persecution, is an attitude of submission. And we say, really? Really I have to submit to myself, to that awful boss that I have? I have to submit to this evil and tyrannical government? Paul did, Peter did, and our government doesn't hold a candle to Nero who was responsible for cutting off Paul's head and nailing Peter to a cross. Do you think those guys fought? Do you think they protested? They submitted themselves to the will of God. 

The only exception, as we see from Peter in the book of Acts, was when they forbade him from doing what God had commanded, and in this instance, we must obey God rather than men. But in general, we are to be model citizens with an attitude of submission, exemplary employees, godly husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, and children, with a submissive attitude toward those in authority over us. 

In this way, we are not submitting to Nero, we are not submitting to our boss, we're not submitting to our spouse; we are submitting to God and His will and His plan. And this is a powerful witness to the lost. That is the implication of our godly, holy, submissive life, as we aspire to lead a quiet and peaceable life and work with our hands and give to Him who has need; we are a powerful witness in this world. 

And that kind of life is fulfilling, it's rewarding, filled with joy, even if we're being persecuted in the process. This is the message of Peter: an attitude of submission, entrusting ourselves to God so that we might win the lost, not only by the message that we preach, but also by the life that we live. And this is how we can persevere, that we can have fruit, even in a hostile world. 

And this is the consistent message that we find in our text this morning as well. Look at 1 Peter 3, verse 1: "'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 when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. Do not let your adornment be merely outward, arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel. 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. For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror. Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.'"

I've given you five points on your outline this morning. First, submit yourselves; second, that they may be one; third, the hidden person of the heart; fourth, an excellent example; and fifth, husbands, likewise. 

Wives submit yourselves to your own husbands. I'd like to point you first of all to the word likewise in verse 1. The word means in the same way, likewise. The same way as what? Well, we have to go back to chapter 2 and see what comes before, and it's the text that we just read. It's the example of Jesus on the cross who submitted himself to the will of God, even to the point of death on the cross. He entrusted himself in all that unjust suffering to God, believing that God's will is best and that God knows how to accomplish His will. 

We've talked at length about the authority-submission relationships that God has designed for us to live and function and thrive in in our world. These are God's plans; these are God's designs. And we come to one of the most crucial today: husbands and wives. In the home, in the marriage relationship, God has ordained that the wife have an attitude of submission toward her husband, and that the husband love his wife in a self-sacrificial way, submitting himself to her needs and her desires. 

This is God's intention for marriage as it is a picture of Christ and His church. Look at Ephesians 5 with me, a parallel passage that Paul wrote, Ephesians 5:22: "...wives submit to your own husbands as to the Lord, for the husband is the head of the wife as also Christ is the head of the church and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. No husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."

This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless, let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. Jesus submitted Himself to God. He entrusted Himself to God and His plan and His will. Likewise, the wife is to submit herself to God and His will and plan and purpose for marriage, and this includes an attitude of submission toward her husband. 

In the context here, Peter continues his theme of submission for the purpose of witness. He's speaking here of a mixed marriage, a believing wife and an unbelieving husband. Notice the language. He says, "'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.'" There's an important word here in verse 1: it's the word own. Notice it says, your own husbands. Peter's not saying that a woman has to be submissive to all men as she is to her husband. 

And Peter is here speaking of unbelieving husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they without a word may be won. These are men who do not obey the word. Now it's possible that there's an application here for believing husbands who are not obeying the word, but the primary intent in the flow and context is wives with unbelieving husbands and how to win them to Christ through a submissive, quiet, and gentle spirit. 

It's a consistent theme as Peter moves into his discussion of submission. As we look at every aspect of that in every relationship, it's tied to our witness. It's tied to people being saved. Go back to 1 Peter 2:9 with me, please. First Peter 2:9: "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people." Now here's why. Why are you His chosen people? Why has God set you apart and saved you out? 

"That," there's your purpose word, "that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, who once were not a people but now are the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works which they observe glorify God in the day of visitation."

This is a general admonition for all of us. Live such a good life among the pagans that by observing you and your good works, they might respond positively to the gospel call when God visits them. We've seen also that our submissive spirit toward the government and toward employers is a witness for the gospel, not only in 1 Peter but also in Thessalonians and 1 Timothy. 

Listen to 1 Timothy 2: Paul says, "I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence, for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." 

Isn't it fascinating how Paul ties our life, a quiet, peaceable life, to salvation and God's intent? He says it's precious to God in our text today. In 1 Timothy 2:3, he says it's good and acceptable in the sight of God. Well, I'd like to do what's good and acceptable in the sight of God, what's precious to God. 

But he also ties that to our witness in the salvation of lost men. Here in our text, the point is clearly that the believing wife is to be submissive to her husband for the intention that he might be won to the gospel, to salvation through faith in Jesus without a word from his wife, that they may be won. He says this does not mean that she does not preach the gospel to her husband; in fact, I think it assumes that she has many times. 

The point here is that she cannot talk him into, with persistent words, believing Jesus. But having preached the truth, she is now to live the truth so that he might see Jesus in her, in her quiet and gentle spirit, in her new life because of what God has done in her. That he, her lost husband, would observe by her chaste conduct something real and genuine and would see the truth of the transforming power of Jesus. 

At the end of verse 2, we see the word fear, and here the word means respect or reverence. By her chaste or pure conduct, clean conduct is what the word literally means, and respect and reverence for her husband, he would be won over. This is the idea here and it's consistent in all of our relationships and interactions with people in our lives. 

In verses 3 and 4, Peter explains his thoughts further as we see the hidden person of the heart. Verse 3 of our text says, "Do not let your adornment be merely outward, arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel; 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." 

It's easy for a woman in our culture and world to place all of her value into her external appearance and spend a great deal of time and energy, even money, trying to make herself attractive on the outside. There's nothing wrong with some adorning of the outside. Verse Peter says, do not let the way you adorn yourself be merely outward. The word adorn here is very interesting; it's the Greek word kosmos, meaning world. It generally refers to the world system, the order and the way of this world. It specifically means to set things in order or to arrange. 

And here Peter's saying that how you arrange yourself outwardly should not be consistent with the ways and wisdom of the world. You're not going to win your unsaved husbands by ordering your outward appearance and actions according to the world like the pagans; this will in fact undermine your witness. Rather your outward appearance and your actions, how you conduct yourself, should be in consistency with who you are inwardly, which is much different than the world, a contrast to the world. 

This idea is true for all Christians; we've looked at this before, but turn over to Romans 12:1 and 2 with me, please. Romans 12:1: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, wholly acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." 

Paul says here, stop being conformed by the world. That's basically what Peter's saying there. Don't make your adornment, how you arrange yourself, how you set yourself in order, merely be outward like the pagans and the weaving and plating of gold in your hair and the massive amount of jewelry and things they use to show their wealth and show their beauty. 

Don't let that be what you're all about. Rather, be being transformed by the renewing of your mind. That is, let the reality of who you are in Christ, in your spirit, and the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in you, conform your outward appearance and behavior into consistency with that inward reality. This is the definition of sanctification, and it's the way that we can be a witness in this world. 

Let me ask you this: are we witnesses at work by stealing time like everyone else does? Or are we witnesses because we are different, because we're working as unto the Lord, giving reverence and respect to our boss, giving an honest day's work for an honest day's pay? That's the idea of what Peter's saying to the believing wife with an unbelieving husband here. Let the hidden person of the heart show through. Don't try to win your husband by looking like a woman of the world. 

Rather, let the truth of your regeneration, who you are in Christ, what has happened on the inside by God's grace and power, show through on the outside by how you arrange and order yourself in decor and in actions. This is how lost men are won to Christ, especially lost husbands. And verse 4 tells us that this is not only a witness to men, but it's precious to God. 

The incorruptible beauty — the incorruptible beauty. Outward beauty is corruptible. I saw a picture the other day of one of those models in Hollywood back in the day, I can't remember who she was, but she was one of those gorgeous young women that adorned the covers of magazines and so forth. But this picture was of her now in her seventies. And she had complicated her plight with too many plastic surgeries and outward adorning, trying to hold on to the physical beauty she once had. Outward beauty is corruptible. 

But inward beauty, the hidden person of the heart, does not corrupt. Peter tells us in 2 Peter 1 that in Christ we have escaped that inner corruption through the new birth. Our spirit is new; Jesus lives in us, and this hidden person of the heart shining forth in a quiet and gentle spirit also produces an outward beauty that cannot be denied. This is a witness before men. This is precious in the sight of God. This is what matters. 

Well, next we see in our text an excellent example, verse 5. "For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror." 

We've seen through the course of biblical history that the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves in this way, being submissive to their husbands, godly women who are an example, including Sarah. Verse 6 says, "and Sarah obeyed Abraham," continually calling him Lord. How far we've gotten away from the Bible, ladies, eh? 

Now the word Lord is kurios, and it's a broad word. It's used in many ways in the Bible and in secular Greek. It's used of God, of Jehovah, of Jesus, but also as a term of respect, of deference, even in entreating someone to ask them to do something for you. It's even used of the elect lady, the word lady in 1 John, or in 3 John, the epistle, in the feminine form. The meaning here is simply that Sarah had an attitude of submission toward her husband and expressed that in using a reverent term, Lord, showing him respect. 

Well then Peter encourages these wives to follow the example of these godly women of old whose daughters you are, he says, if you do good and are not afraid with any terror. That's an interesting verse, an interesting phrase. The idea of doing good speaks of the whole order of one's life. The practice and characteristic of one's life is always doing good. 

Now we certainly could pick on Sarah and any person from the Old Testament, or any one of us. I don't want someone to judge my life by my worst moment. There were times of disobedience and sin, uncharacteristic behavior. But the idea here is that the broad scope, the characteristic of your whole life is one of doing good, trusting God, and being submissive. Much like Don referred to that David was a man after God's own heart. That was the general characteristic of his whole life. 

And then Peter says, if you are not afraid with any terror. I believe this phrase helps us to understand the next phrase in verse 7, where he says, "husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife as to the weaker vessel." This phrase, the weaker vessel, has been interpreted in many ways, and one interesting point is that it's a comparative term. 

I don't know if you ever thought about that. She is weaker; what does that mean? Means you are weak. It's a comparative. You are weak; she is weaker. The way that I understand this has to do with the submissive position of the wife in the marriage, especially in a marriage with an unbeliever. And I also think that this is why Peter ends his instruction to the believing wife in verse 6 by saying, you do not need to be afraid with any terror. 

The word terror connotes great alarm, amazement, fear, terror. If you think about the position of the woman to whom Peter writes, it was not an easy one. In that culture, women had no rights concerning their husbands. They were often considered just as a tool or a beast that husbands could do with as they pleased. But for the Christian women who had come to Christ and her husband had not, this was an especially difficult situation. This is why I think Peter spends six verses with the women and only one verse with the men. 

If a man came to Christ, his wife simply followed along; it was not a great danger to the husband. But if the wife were to abandon the religion of the husband and go against him, converting to Christianity apart from him, this could put her in a very difficult situation. But Peter is saying that she needs to entrust herself to God. She needs to be submissive to her husband and respect him and live a chaste life with a gentle and quiet spirit and let God work out the details with her husband. 

Do not be afraid with any terror in this most difficult circumstance. Entrust yourself to God, to your Abba, Father, to the One who judges righteously. This is the example of Jesus to us, and it's very practical and it's very important. 

Now in verse 7, Peter turns to the husbands: "Husbands likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife as to the weaker vessel and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered." This is most interesting. Husbands are to dwell, they are to live with their wives with understanding and knowledge. 

Makes me think of that book, Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus. You know, it's hard to understand a woman. They're strange creatures, at least for men it is. But the point here is we are to understand. We are to dwell; we are to live with them with knowledge, with understanding. We must understand the difference between men and women. We must have knowledge of the needs of our wives and seek to meet them, spiritual, physical, and otherwise. And sometimes this is very difficult for men because we are wired differently. 

But we want to honor our wives. Husbands should keep a special place of honor in their hearts for their wives. They should treat them with special deference, courtesy, respect, kindness. As Paul says in Ephesians 5, we are to love our wives as Christ loves the church. That is that we are to give ourselves for her, to sacrifice ourselves for our wives, to seek to hold her up, honor her as a vessel. 

That word means an instrument of God. Husbands and wives are vessels of God. The word vessel is a translation of a Greek word referring to a vessel used in the services of the temple and also in household utensils. The English word from a Latin word, vassalum; the diminutive vas or vase, it means a receptacle which covers or contains. 

And the word came to mean an instrument whereby something is accomplished. The word is used of Paul who is called a chosen vessel in Acts 9:15, a chosen instrument of God. So the husband is to dwell with the wife remembering that she is an instrument of God as well as he is a child of God to be used by him for his glory. 

But Peter says, don't forget that she is the weaker vessel. Now, many commentators say that this refers to being physically weaker, but I'm not sure how that fits into this context. Why must the husband bear in mind that she is physically weaker? I mean, this might be practical for doing farm work like for me and Bobby who are asking one of my daughters to lift something heavy; sometimes you forget that they're physically weaker. Well, some of them are. 

But it seems strange here in the context of marriage and the husband loving and honoring his wife and giving himself for her to insert the physical weakness of a woman. I think a much better fit is that the husband in this authority-submission relationship must remember that the wife is in a weaker position in her submission to the husband. In other words, she is vulnerable. 

Husbands love and honor your wives. Do not abuse your authority. When she calls you Lord, don't take that opportunity to Lord it over her. It's easy to do, to be selfish, to be focused on my needs and desires. The admonition to her to submit is not dependent on me doing right by her. So we must be careful not to fall into this kind of thinking. 

I am never commanded to make my wife submit. I am commanded to love my wife and give myself for her, to think about her needs and seek to meet them for her benefit, to lead her and wash her in the word, to do what is best for her. If I do that, it's easy for her to be submissive, but if I forget that she is the weaker vessel in this relationship and take advantage of her, then it can become very difficult for her to have an attitude of submission. 

If the relationship is one-sided, if there's a lack of a submissive attitude, or if there's an abuse of the authority by the man taking advantage of his wife's more vulnerable position, then there will be a lack of harmony in the marriage and thus a lack of fruitfulness and the intent that God has for each of us, the husband and the wife. 

And Peter says the effectiveness of their prayers will be cut in on or interrupted is what it literally means. They will not be effective as instruments, as vessels of God if they are not both seeking to fulfill their God-ordained roles in the marriage in witness and in fruitfulness. 

Peter says they are heirs together of the grace of life, reminds me of Paul's words that there's no difference in quality or position between God and Christ or Christ and man and woman in the church; we're all equal spiritually. They're heirs together of the grace of life, temporal life, God's sufficient grace every day, but also eternal life, the gift of God. And they must remember who they are and why they are here, and they must fulfill their obligations in this most blessed union which God has ordained as a foundation for all society, the family. 

That's why we see Satan attack so fervently the family and in ways that were unimaginable only a few years ago. Wives submit yourselves to your husbands. Love your wives, for we are both chosen vessels of God, meant for His use, set apart as holy. 

So we should live for Him. We should love one another, that we might see men be saved and might bring glory to God in all that we do as we wait for the great day when He comes and brings to consummation all things in Christ and this temporal suffering and trouble and persecution is ended; we shall see Him as He is, we will, as Peter says in chapter 1, receive the end of our faith, the salvation of our souls. 

Let's close in prayer. 

Father, we're so thankful for Your Word, Your truth. We're thankful for Your plan, Your purpose for us, and thankful for the relationships that You have designed in this world for us to live in and to function in and to be witnesses through. Help us to remember why we're here and what matters and help us to remember that it's Your grace, Your power, Your life in us that accomplishes Your will as we entrust ourselves to You. In Jesus' name.