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"May be won over by your conduct"

Text: 1 Peter 3:1

MARRIAGE RELATIONSHIPS

There were many issues that the Apostle Peter had to address. Living for the Lord meaningfully was not an easy task to fulfil. Peter also had to give attention to the question of difficult marriage relationships.

“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.”
1 Peter 3:1-2

1. “Wives”

a) This was a word of advice given directly to those who were married.

b) Peter was, however, not writing a marriage manual.

c) He was advising wives with reference to specific problems in mind.

2.The adverb “likewise”

a) Peter’s advice to the wives is tied to the word “submissive”.

i) Submission (obedience) was to be given to the governors (1 Peter 2:13-14).

ii) Household servants were to obey/submit to their masters (1 Peter 2:18).

b) Peter taught that the principle of “submission” was applicable too!

3. “Be submissive to your own husbands”

a) The practice of submission must be carefully understood.

b) It must not be misunderstood and misapplied.

c) Submission was called for, and is to be understood in the light of 1 Peter 2:13-25.

4. “That even if some do not obey the word”

a) The context of marriage is in this text.

b) It would seem that the wife is a believer.

c) The husband is apparently not a believer.

d) He is negative to “the word”.

e) Understanding the word “obey” in this text.

i) The word describes one who is not persuaded with reference to the place of God’s word.

ii) He has no personal faith in God nor His word.

iii) Thus, he does not “obey” the word.

5. “They, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives”

a) Peter’s advice is not to get into an argument (to have words) with the husband.

b) The advice is to win over the husband by her conduct.

c) The conduct can be so effective, that the husband may even come to faith, without a word (argument).

6. “When they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear”

a) Husbands will carefully observe how their wives would respond.

b) What they would look for:

i) Conduct

ii) Chaste (purity)

iii) Reverence (fear)

c) A person is seldom won over by words or arguments!

d) He may be impressed with and impacted by her Christian conduct.