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Now, we had message number four. So we are at the midpoint, right? So bear with me and, you know, we follow along and we see how the apostle Peter, in writing this epistle, is attempting to encourage the people of God. So let’s turn our Bibles to today’s reading.
Now today we are in chapter 2, and we shall be reading from verse 13, verse 13 of chapter 2, all the way to chapter 3, verse 7. So we shall read this portion responsively. So turn your Bibles, or if you’re using a little electronic Bible, 1st Peter chapter 2, we shall be reading from chapter 2, verse 13, all the way to chapter 3, verse 7.
So I shall begin. We read responsively, starting at verse 13. It says, submit yourselves to every ordinance of men, for the Lord’s sake, whether it be to the king as supreme, or unto governors, unto them, sent by him, for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
For so is the will of God, that with well doing, ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. As free, not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. 17, honour all men, love the brotherhood, fear God, honour the king. Servants be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
For this is thankworthy. If a man for conscience towards God and your grief, suffering wrongfully, for what glory is it? If he be buffeted for a fit, ye shall take it patiently, but when you do well and suffer for it, ye take it patiently. This is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps. Who did no sin, neither was God found in his mouth.
Who, when he was reviled not again, and when he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously, for his own self bare sins, his own body, on the tree, that we been dead to sins, should live unto righteousness by whose tribes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray, but are now returned unto the shepherd and bishop of your souls.
Likewise, he wives, be in subjection, your own husbands, that if any obey not the word, they also know the word by one by the conversation of their wives. While they behold your chest conversation, coupled with fear, who’s adorning? Let it not be that outward adorning, or plaiting the hair, and a wearing of gold, or putting on of apparel. But let it be the hidden man of the heart, and that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
For after this manner, in the old time, holy women also who trusted in God, adorn themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands. Six and seven together, even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord, whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. Likewise ye husbands dwell with them, according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. Amen. We thank God for the reading of his precious word.
Let’s look to God in prayer. Let us pray. Eternal God, our gracious and loving Father in heaven, we praise and thank thee for thy precious word, for indeed it is full of instruction and wisdom that thy people may live, glorifying the Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. And we praise and thank thee, Lord, for the lesson we are about to learn, the lesson of our attitude towards the authority that thou hast placed over us, and how important also that it reflects in us our understanding of the glory of God, and our love towards all men. Bless us, Lord, as we meditate upon thy word, we pray in us all this in Jesus’ name. Amen. Amen.
So in the last 3 lessons, we learn about how the apostle Peter is trying by his writing to encourage, right, the churches, the diasporic churches, all these churches in Cappadocia, and Bithynia, and Asia Minor, Galatia, all these places, that persecution’s about come upon them, and they must remember that they must not allow their faith to be shaken or moved, and they must hold fast to it. And the important lesson in holding fast, first of all, is that they must not allow their faith and understanding of spiritual things that strengthen their faith to be moved, and by that, they must understand that their faith is safeguarded by the power of God. It’s given by the power of God. It is sealed in a complete and accomplished work of Christ, and God will preserve it.
And then in the next lesson, we learn how important it is in times of persecution to hold fast to the holiness that is commanded by Christ. We just learned that this morning, isn’t it? And morality, even in very difficult, inclement times, times perhaps of violence and threat of life, yet the Christian will hold fast and never let go of the holiness that is commanded by Christ. And then lastly, just the last lesson that we learned in the morning, is the very important understanding of the glory of God. For when your life is under threat, the foremost thoughts in your mind would be about my survival, my life, the life of my loved ones, my livelihood, the money that I earn, the bills that I have to pay, the financial commitments that I have to meet in this life, and those things will overwhelm you. Just like the 1st century Christian who were about to endure severe persecution, and for that, we must never lose sight of the glory of God. Christ, our cornerstone. We must never lose sight of that. He is the be all and end all for our salvation.
And in doing that, we also know that we must conduct ourselves. We must live our conversation, that’s the word for conduct in the King James Bible. We conduct ourselves in a way that shows we understand the true glory of God.
Now, when we come into verse 13, all the way from chapter 2, verse 13, all the way to the first portion of chapter 3, we see and understand that Peter, the writer of the epistle, is trying to focus the attention of the reader that if they truly understood the glory of God, and they know how important and foremost it is that their life must bring forth praises to God, they must understand how they ought to behave before men, especially men who have been put in authority over you. Because it's very tempting to think, look, my life is being threatened and we're all under persecution, so what does that mean? The gloves are off, anything goes, right? We can lie, we can be dishonest, we can be working ways to bring down and to subvert this authority, this empire, the evil Roman Empire, as they would say, that is trying to bring harm and violence upon us, isn't it? Isn't that very tempting to think so? And Christians are not to think that way primarily if they understand the glory of God.
So this is why we begin in verse 13, “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.” (1 Peter 2:13–14, KJV).
Now, this evening, as we go through the verses in this passage, right, we want to remember 3 very important points, and they all begin with S, right? So you remember if you're taking notes, write this down. Number one, the Christian is exalted to submit to authority. We submit to authority, right? We subject ourselves to that authority that God puts over us. Secondly, we must suffer for God, for the Lord, we must suffer for Christ, as in the example that he has shown us in his suffering. First of all, submissive to the authority God has put over us. Secondly, suffer in a manner that is shown to us in the example of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. And thirdly, the translation of the conduct in our life is also seen in our homes. We are to be subject one to another, in particular, wives subject to their husbands, and husbands, to an extent, and I won't use the word subject, because the Bible uses another word, honour your wives, love your wife and honour them. That's very important.
You see, in times of dire distress, when you're under threat, it is very often tempting to say, for instance, let's do away with morality. Doesn't matter now, it's about my life or your life, right? And all the more you say, well, how about subjection and compliance to the law of the land? Well, that's a nice to have. Isn't my life more important in the life of my loved ones? Oh, and what about, you know, being at home and husbands loving their wife and wife subjecting themselves to, that's a nicety, it's good to have. Isn't it more important that we remain alive and survive as a family unit? And put that all aside. But God's word teaches the believer otherwise. Right? So this is verse 13.
Submit yourself to every ordinance of men. And it says every armed limits, it appears to refer to the entire body of ordinance, that that authority got a place over you. Believe in it, you abide in it while believing it in the sense that you obey it, right? Submit yourselves to it. For the Lord's sake. That's a very important qualification for the Lord's sake.
Now, in the time of the 1st century Christians, especially under the persecuting Caesars, they were forced coerced to renounce their faith and to worship pagan idols, in particular, name Caesar as king and god. But that is not for the Lord's sake. There will be a renunciation of our Lord, our beloved Saviour. So they will not do that, and many of them lose their lives. They were mauled by wild beasts. Some of them were nailed to the cross. Some of them, as I mentioned, not only just nail to the cross, their corpse will set alight, just for a spectacle, just for the fun of it. Cruel times. So, this qualification is very important.
“Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king as supreme; or unto governors as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.” (1 Peter 2:13–14).
Now, verses 13 and 14, all the way down right to 16, appears to exhort the believer to think about political compliance, or rather to be more specific, right, compliance and submission to the political power that God has placed over them. Now, which is the political power that held sway during the 1st century? We know what it is, I mentioned that several times, the Roman Empire. Right? And we know that the writer Peter is referring to them. Right? We know that he's referring to them because in his writing, right, we know that he is referring to that persecution which this empire will bring upon Christians.
And then why would he say, submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake? Well, he explains it. Because in verse 13 and 14, he says, whether it be to the king as a supreme, or unto governess, as them that are sent by him. So the entire political structure is to be obeyed. The king being the top, right, Caesar, and then, of course, the governors, who were the governors, they may not be kings or princes. They may be appointed. Today, we will call them civil servants. They may be a minister, right? It may be the head of department or government body or whatever. And in the Roman times, there were governors, a well known governor in the times of the 1st century, during the ministry of our Lord, was none other than Pontius Pilate. If you ever have the trip to the Holy Land and you come to the town of Caesarea, you will find that it was an inscription referring to him by name, Pontius Pilate. So historically, there was such a man, a governor.
So Peter is telling them that whole body that God had put over you, obeyed. Submit yourselves to it. Because verse 15 tells them, for so is the will of God. For so is that this is what God wills for the believer. And then the believer in thinking and hearing about this might be saying, look, isn't this absurd? Can it be the will of God that Christians are to suffer under the Roman Empire, and willingly be led into the arena, to be fed to the lions, or to be slaughtered, or beheaded, or to be crucified? How can that be the will of God?
Well, it continues to explain in verse 15 that with well doing, he may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. So obviously, there were foolish men. And who are these foolish men? Those who incite insurrection. Let's fight against this evil empire. Christians, let us bear arms. You hear a lot of that in a country that is known as the foremost superpower of the world. Isn't it? Bare arms. Right? Overthrow the government. Very hurtful words. And definitely, as we read verse 15, against the will of God. Because it was indeed the will of God that the ruling power in the 1st century ought to be that power they refer to as the evil empire, the Roman Empire, governed by Caesar, and his governors, and all his provincial officers, that whole structure was God's will to put in place.
Now, I just want to deviate a little bit and go into history. We know why it is that way, isn't it? Because when we read the book of Galatians, we know that when the time was right in due time, what did God do? God brought forth his son. And that timing was due to God, because the Roman Empire, in its rule over the entire landmass that is in the southern part of Europe, and also North Africa, in the Middle East, and so that there was peace, Pax Romana, we know that. And that peace ensured that the infrastructure, which enabled the gospel to be spread, was never hindered. There were laws in place to ensure that banditry was punished. There were laws in place that ensured that any form of violence against the innocent traveller would be immediately punished by the power and might of the Roman Empire.
So what does it mean to us when it says verse 15, that ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, men who do not see the will of God behind that political picture. Because all they see is politics and the works of the flesh. And they respond with their works of the flesh, that empire is evil. That empire is going to do me harm. My response would be, I rebel against it. But look at verse 16. As free, not using your liberty for the cloak of maliciousness, right? No malice in this. But as servants of God. Servants of God, isn't it?
So verse 14, 15 together with 16, tells us why that authority is put over us. Beginning with verse 14, you see, unto governors, unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. God has a will and purpose for a political authority over the nation. And Christians, wherever you are, that is God's will. At that moment, for that Christian. And he must know, and that Christian, he or she must know and understand that this entire understanding of submission to that government comes under verse 13, submit yourself to every ordinance or man for the Lord's sake. For the Lord's sake, because you're a servant of God, because you must live a good testimony, because God hath put that authority over you. Submission to that authority.
Now, this is a very important understanding for Christians, especially Christians who are about to receive persecution, because the response of the flesh is to rebel against that authority, right? But Peter, in his writing, is telling them to have an understanding of God's will instead, and to be very clear about that, right? Then he goes on to say, now, these are more general statement, verse 17, “Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.” (1 Peter 2:17).
Now, these phrases seems to be all disjointed and isolated in its exhortation, right? But as we read verse 17, we understand that it's actually a complete, a comprehensive response for the Christian. What is it, a Christian or children? Honour all men. Honour all, including those men who are governors of that empire, which we call an evil empire, honour them. How about love the brotherhood? Yes, indeed. Love the brotherhood. Love your fellow brothers and sisters, believers in Christ. Thirdly, fear God, above all, do not forget your reverence towards God. Never lose sight of the glory of God in your life and in your faith. Finally, honour the king. That authority, yes, continue to honour it. This is all entire and comprehensive. It's all together.
So the gloves are not off. It's not a case of saying, ah, these guys are gonna come to us, huh? Well, let's show them what we can do. No. Rather submit yourselves to every ordinance of men for the Lord's sake. Now this is by no means the only passage in the Bible which tells us that we are to submit ourselves to the ordinance of man. Let me read another portion for you. And this comes from Romans chapter 13. And Romans chapter 13 is a theological basis for why we understand 1st Peter chapter 2, verses 13 to 17 as an exhortation for us to submit to governments and authority over us. Because chapter 13 of Romans verse 1 and 2 says this, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.” (Romans 13:1–2).
They that resist, right, receive to themselves damnation. Be resisting the will of God. And from the economic, rather the political authority, right, the apostle Peter now moves into a more economic subject, a more economic setting, that of a master-servant relationship. So you find that in verse 18, “Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.” (1 Peter 2:18). “For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.”
For what glory is it when if ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently, but when ye do well and suffer for it, take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. So the earlier verses refer to a political setting, authority that's over you, as a political authority. And then 2nd part from verses 17 onwards, the economic setting, master and servant.
If we translate that to our contemporary or present day application, we'll be talking about what employer, employee relationship, or if you happen to be running a business, a business and a client relationship. But what does this tell us about Christians and our attitude towards those that are in authority? It is not uncommon in working places where you find the coffee room chat centres around the boss that is totally ignorant and incompetent. And the more you speak of it, the more your fellow employees will add fuel to the fire. How totally useless this boss is. How totally inept this supervisor is making decisions that are totally senseless. Even a three year old child would know better than to do that. And that coffee room talk would revolve around that, and as more fuel is added to the fire, it grows. And as a Christian, you ought not to participate in that. Because remember this, that is an authority over you. That's why he carries a name card that says supervisor, or manager, or team leader. Or in some cases, vice president. Or whatever that title, the organisation has given to him. Because that is the power that has been ordained to oversee your work. And it is not your place to condemn this man or this woman. Isn't it? It is your place to be a true servant of God, to submit and to show your obedience.
Now this seems very hard, isn't it? And I've had that struggle many times in the 3 decades, right? I was in industry. Sometimes you have nasty bosses. Well, in your opinion, because you fail to understand that the policies that are being enacted actually serves a wider good. Just like the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire, in those days, served a wider good, which is far greater than the pain that the persecuted had to suffer. And that wider good is what? Good roads, good infrastructure, strict laws that were enforced, that ensured that people like Paul could carry on his missionary journeys unhindered. And therefore, the gospel is able to go to all these places that are written down, Cappadocia, Bithynia, Galatia, Asia Minor. Because of the Roman Empire.
So don't rebel against that power that God puts over you, either in the political sense or in the economic sense. An employer or a civil servant. And I hear enough about civil servants who are inapt. Someone who tells you you didn't fill in the form right, right? And you're all stirred up because this is a little Napoleon, isn't it? Right? And we don't like little Napoleons. But remember that, that little officer, that little Napoleon, that appears to be giving you grief, was put in place for a purpose, to ensure the transparency and the integrity of processes, isn't it? Isn't that true? And as Christians, we often don't see that way. We see it from our fleshly point of view. This man or this woman is hindering my desire. So what do I do? I'm going to lodge a nasty complaint about him or her. And when we do that, and we show the kind of wrath, and remember what the Bible says, right? The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Then we are seen to be not submitting to the authority that God has put over us.
So holding fast is important, because there's a shift in understanding, and I wrote that deliberately for a purpose. A shift in attitude towards God's authority. Because that little Napoleon that you dislike intensely, or that boss or supervisor whom you think is totally incompetent and not to be removed from the job, is actually God's will in your life. And his or her purpose may be there to teach you a lesson in patience. Or his or her lesson in your life is to teach you a lesson to abide and wait upon God's will to be done. Is it not very human and fleshly for us to want things done our way? I've made that mistake before, much to my sorrow. I should have said to myself, God, I know you are in sovereign control. I must not do anything other than that which I know is absolutely revealed in your will. Sometimes we want to run before God. And when we do that, we allow our flesh to take over. That's no good. So therefore, the encouragement, 1st of all, submit to earthly authority.
Now, as you submit to earthly authority, verse 18 says that, right? “Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.” (1 Peter 2:18, KJV). So not only the good and nice ones, the people you like, but even to the froward. Now, the word froward is variously translated, or to be understood in several ways, maybe someone who's proud. It may also mean someone who's wicked or evil, right? But the sense that we get in reading verse 18 is that it doesn't matter what you think your master is like, or what your employer is like, or if you're running a business, what your client is like, or you're in a medical profession, what your patient is like. They can be good and nice to you. They can also be nasty and froward. But either ways, you serve them as a Christian ought to be, because verse 20 says, what glory is it? If you're buffeted for your own faults, and ye shall take it patiently. But if for no fault of yours, you find that you are being pressed upon, I wouldn't use the word persecuted, right? None of us can truly say we're being persecuted. We live in good times, right? We just had a wonderful dinner, right? We had a nice roast, isn't it? Enjoyable with lots of gravy on it. Good meal. We had a nice afternoon, enjoying the sunshine and whatever activities are available. Freedom for us. While we're enjoying all of that, right? And for no fault of ours, if we are going through some form of distress, that a man or woman over us seemed to be putting upon us, take it patiently. That's what the word of God is saying.
Now for you and me, it's easy enough to understand. But this is a very hard lesson for the 1st century Christians. Because taking it patiently may mean losing the lives of your loved ones. Possibly even a fatal consequence to yourself. You may lose your own life. But still take it patiently, because the powers that be ordained of God. There has been a shift in the understanding of authority that God had put over us.
Now, I want to pause here for a moment because I talk about submission to authority. The next thing I'm going to talk about suffering for Christ and then also subjection within the home. Why is this happening to us and why is this threatening our generation? We have an entire generation that is raised upon institutional distrust. You know that, right? Children are now brought up to question anything that an authoritative figure places upon them. True? I'm sure you know that about your children. I see that amongst young people all the time. They're taught to question authority. And they're taught to question, well, even within the church, you're taught to question the tenets of the Bible. And yesterday, when I talked to you about young men or young women, who, having been raised through Sunday school and even through the teens and through the youth groups, in later life, they'll tell the parents, look, I just don't relate to any of the things that you call it, you refer to as your faith. I don't believe it. I don't need Jesus. Very painful to the heart as a Christian parent, isn't it? But it happens because they are raised on institutional distrust. And that's not just our children. Mind you, many of us harbour that as well, isn't it? Isn't it the case every time when we are up against a large corporation or a large organisation, it may be a governmental body? It may be a governmental authority that oversees some aspect of our life, whatever that may be, licensing, perhaps the issuing of a certain permit or a visa? And if they require more than we think is necessary, what do we do? Very often, we rebel. First in the heart, isn't it? Little Napoleon, trying to show his power. Or we may tell our spouses, and look, this is what happens when ignorant men and women are given a little bit of power. They like to strut it, right? Like a little Napoleon. Instead of thinking to ourselves, hey, this is a power that be, which is placed by God, for the good and the praise of them who do good, and for the punishment of those who do evil. It's a very deep and profound thought isn't it? Something that we must learn, the shift away from understanding God's authority.
So let me move on now. What is the best way to learn now? What I'm telling you is what Peter have written, right? And it's hard to understand, hard to understand in the sense that what you mean, I must willingly submit myself to pain and distress and punishment, even though that authority put over me is no good and not right. Well, God's going to teach us a lesson. How?
Look at the example of Christ (1 Peter 2:21–23 KJV). For even hereunto were ye called, because Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps, whose example Christ? Who did no sin, neither was God found in his mouth.
Who, when he was reviled, as verse 23, follow me as I read, revile not again. And when he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judges righteously. You know, if you rebel against an authority put over you, how do you feel?
I can tell you how I feel. You feel powerless. You feel helpless, right? You may say you feel vulnerable. How more vulnerable can you be when you're kneel to the cross? And you're bleeding to death?
And your feet are secured by nails to the pillar, the pose of the cross. And you're having trouble difficulty breathing. because of the position that has been forced upon you. And the loss of blood is slowly taking away that life force that is in you, because you slowly, your life is sapping out of you. And you're vulnerable. There's no position, there's more vulnerable than that.
And when you're in that position and men would revile and mock at you, what would be the natural instinct? We would have a few choice words for such a man, isn't it? But here we have Christ, our Saviour, an example to show us, when he was reviled, he reviled not against. When there was railing against him, he reeled not against them. That's our example.
How do we submit to authority? We have the suffering saviour as an example. Very meek. very obedient to the Father in heaven. And you know why Christ did that? You know why Christ did that? He could have called a legion, isn't it? He did say that. I could have called someone allegiance, but I didn't. Because of you and me.
Because of our sins, he suffered. And he suffered willingly and patiently, and endured every pain and distress, the crucifixion were put upon a man. He's our example, that we should follow in those steps. Very powerful lessons in it.
And so if you're not a first century Christian who is about to receive persecution, think about how blessed it is today to walk the streets of Melbourne or wherever city you're from. You may have a nasty boss. Yeah, so what? You may have a nasty client. Yes, so what? You may have neighbours who are overbearing, and perhaps, right, impinging upon your right. But there's nothing. Bear it patiently.
You may have a local authority, you think, right, is making life extraordinarily difficult for you. But so what? He was put in there, or she was put in there for a purpose. By God. There has been this shift in the attitude towards God's authority, because men and women, as the generations progress, they have been taught to question authority. and is seeping into, right, both our families, into our churches, and people do questions.
The 1st thing we remember from today's lesson, the shift in the understanding of God's authority. I didn't say men's authority. God's authority because the man that God had put over us is ordained by God. And that shift is a shift we must guard against because we must hold fast to our understanding that the powers that be ordained by God.
Now, verse 24 continues and verse 25 with enriched version of how we should understand Christ's suffering for us (1 Peter 2:24–25 KJV). Who, his own self bears sins in his own body, on the tree, that we been dead to sins, should live unto righteousness, by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were a sheep going astray, but are now returned unto the shepherd and bishop of your souls.
What did Christ suffer for? Christ suffered to purchase our peace with God. That a wandering sheep, that sinner who was dead in sins, that is me. I will confess, that sinner is now saved. That sheep that had gone astray is now returned to the fall of God, because he bled and died for us. And he suffered that patiently. He's our example.
A difficult example to follow, isn't it? Very difficult. Even in ministry and service, we have to constantly pray that God will give me that prompting of the Holy Spirit to continue to understand how I should conduct myself for the sake of the Lord. Remember earlier I shared with you that him moment by moment? Every moment we need the Lord. Every word you speak, If it is malicious, and it reflects our inability to submit to a powerless place over us. takes away our understanding of glory of God.
So holding fast means submission to us, the authority, holding fast, is understanding the suffering of Christ and taking that as an example. Now, our interaction with men and submission to men is to be seen also in the domestic context. So now we come to 1st Peter chapter 3, verse one (1 Peter 3:1 KJV). It says likewise, E wise, be in subjection to your own husbands, that if any obey not the word, they may also, without the word, be won by the conversation of the wives.
Now, this is obviously a reference towards an unequal marriage, right? Isn't it? It seems to be that way, isn't it? An equal meaning? Well, you have a wife, who's a believer, and a husband who's an unbeliever, that bound to be conflict. Actually, this point can never be overemphasised.
We keep telling our young people, young men, young women, do not be led towards or do not orientate your life towards a partnership that is unequal, that is an unequal yoke. Never do that. Because the Bible gives us ample examples of how the conflict and the disruption to your life will be. And more importantly, the spiritual deterioration that will come upon you.
But verse one says, wise, be subjection to your own husbands, even the unbelieving ones, right? That if any obey the word, they may also without the word be warned by the conversation of their wife. If any, obey not the word. Sorry, I missed that 1st one. It will be not the word, so the unbelievers.
But they look at the submissive wife, and they see, there is something special about my wife. This woman, she so zealous for the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, when she understood fully that it is the Lord's commandment that she ought to be holy, and obey the commandments of God. You know what she did? She submitted to everything that I said she ought to do. For the Lord's sake, there were certain things that she objected to. And it is always things that are against the holiness of the Lord. But other than that, this woman is just amazing. I want to be like her. I want to have her faith. I want to have her face, and I want to know her God.
Verse 2 says this, while they behold your chest conversation, coupled with fear. There is a certain reverence towards God, in seeing the brilliant testimony of a good Christian man or woman. Christians, brothers, and sisters, believe that. A good testimony is not just a pip on your shoulder, you know? A good testimony is praise for God. In the eyes of the beholder. And if men and women can look at your conduct and say, I wish I have a faith like yours. I wish I would know this God as much as this man or this woman do. It's a wonderful thing.
Now, verses 3 and 4 gives us the contrary, right? Whose adorning, let it not be the outward adorning of the plating of hair, and wearing of gold or putting on of apparel, but let it be the hidden man of the heart, which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which in the sight of God, of great price.
Now these 2 verses, right, can be very contentious in interpretation, isn't it? Right, there are certain, right, churches that go to the extent of saying women mustn't wear any form of cosmetics. Women must not be too concerned, right, about how they make up their hair or how they dress. Well, that is, if you were to look at it missing the entire thrust of the contrast.
We must look at a contrast between verses 3 and 4, right? Verses 3 is a woman who's so self-absorbed, that all she thinks about is her outward appearance, the plating of hair, the ornaments, the garments, whatever, right? So self-absorbed. All full of the flesh in the world, and then verse 4 is a truly spiritual woman, right? Let it be the hidden man, of course, the man here refers to humans in general, but referring to the woman. In that which is not corruptible, she values, and she finds it precious her faith in Christ. Remember, we covered that early on? The faith that is unshakeable, because it is precious. In her eyes, my feet is precious.
My faith is more precious than my makeup. My face in Christ, and my service for Christ is more precious to me than the garments and the adornments that I wear. That is the contrast.
Right, so, ladies, don't feel guilty about making yourself look pretty, right? Or making yourself, right, presentable in a sense. This is not what the teaching of verses 3 and 4 is about. It's a contrast. Not to be so self-absorbed that you've lost sight completely of your faith in Christ.
Now, let's go to verse five, right? After this manner in the old time, the holy women also, so he's talking about what, holiness and faith, right? Holiness and faith, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands, even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord. Sarah was submissive to her husband, because she knew this is a commandment by God. Wives submit to your husbands. And this is why, verse 5 refers to them as holy women. There are women, these are women who understood holiness, who understood the true value of obedience to God.
So you see the contrast now? So verse 3 and 4 gives you that contrast. Not a woman who's so self-absorbed about herself and her appearance and all that is outward. But that which is inward, the spiritual self.
Now, I want to move on, right? Verse 8 says Sarah obeyed Abraham calling him Lord, right, whose daughters? Yeah, so this is an example for women. Submission to the husband. But husbands, right, verse seven. What? There's instruction from the Bible also. It says like why he husbands dwell with them according to knowledge. Now, what knowledge is that? That's knowledge of God's word. Obedience to God's word. That's what it means, right? Not ignorance, but knowledge. And look at verse 7. All the men, right? Read with me the 2nd part of verse 7 together, giving honour unto the wife as unto the weaker vessel, as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered.
Interaction between husband and wife reflects our attitude towards authority. The wife is submitted to the husband, yes, the husband may be the authority figure. But who does he give honour to? To the wife? As a weaker vessel. If she needs that help, I'm there to help her. If she's in distress, I'm there to comfort her. She's a weaker vessel. If she needs that encouragement and comfort to do better, I'm there for her to support her. That's interaction.
And there's a picture of God's authority over us. God is our loving heavenly Father, isn't he? And he does to us whatever is good as a father would for a child. And husbands who are put in authority of a wife, over their wives, since their wives are exhorted to submit to the husband, therefore the husband is to return that by responding, honouring the wife, supporting the wife, comforting her, loving her. Wonderful picture, isn't it?
So, in this world that has shifted and moved its entire focus away from the authority of God over men, and therefore God's appointed authority over men, cause us to rethink what we are to do. We must submit ourselves to the authority that's put over us, whether it's a political authority, economic authority. We must remember our suffering saviour. He patiently bore all that's suffering for us, and he shall example. So therefore, for us to bear patiently with authority that's put over us, is a praise to God.
Thirdly, within the home context, especially in the 7 verses that we have read, husbands and wife. Remember this. There is mutual honour and love, and there is also an exhortation for wives to submit to their husbands and their husbands to honour their wives. How beautiful the word of God, and how wise it is for how application in our lives, isn't it?
Let us remember these words and practice them, and pray that God will give us obedient hearts, right, to live these words. Let us pray. Father in heaven, we thank thee for thy precious word, for thy word is indeed light and wisdom for thy people. Teach us, Lord, that we may always honour the authority that was put over us, and always to look towards thy will, for thy will indeed is sovereign over all thy people, and may thou bless us and lead and guide us by thy Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.