"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." ~1 Peter 3: 5 & 6
The first thousand times, or million times, I read this passage, I would just laugh. Then, when it wasn't funny anymore, I would skip over it. Then, when I couldn't skip over it, I'd get angered by it. Then, when it was useless being angered by it, I'd cry over it. I don't know when it happened or how it happened, but the Holy Spirit grabbed hold of my stony heart, and turned it into a heart of flesh. I grieved at the fact that I could not see my reflection in this passage.
Listen, I'm going to lay this out plainly, being very well aware that this is not a favorable stance. I just don't see the point in beating around the bush. I hope all that are reading this agree that the Scripture is not meant to be just read, but lived out. And, one can see in reading the Bible, time and time again, that if one proclaims they love God, it is evidenced through how they treat their neighbor, whether it be in feeding them, clothing them, forgiving them, and so on.
Here it goes: Why do we women NOT use this logic in respects to this passage towards our husbands?
Peter, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is admonishing Christian women to be like Sarah and holy women of old, and submit to our husbands. Notice the words, "who hoped in God." THAT is the beauty of the passage. THAT is what the enemy wants us to overlook. Our hope is not in what our husbands are doing for us. It's not wrapped up in how they treat us. This is not to say that husbands do not have responsibilities towards their wives, because in this chapter and in other books of Scripture, those responsibilities are outlined. They are to love us wives as Christ loves us, His Church. Do you realize the implications of that one statement to husbands? Can one truly measure what Christ has done for us?
With that being said, I want us women to be women of hope and honor, not women filled with excuses and rebellion towards God's Word. We hope in Christ Jesus and Him alone. We stand on His promises. He has a plan. He has an outline of His will that He has given us. This is why we don't fear, as stated at the end of verse 6! We are not inferior to our husbands as concerning our relationship to our Father. We both are coheirs unto salvation and the abundance of riches found in Christ Jesus. However, God has set us under our husbands, because that's His will for us on earth. As Jesus submitted to the will of our Father, to save us and teach us how to walk in humility and obedience to God, so, we submit to our husbands to show OUR children how to obey and respect and honor their dads. Break this order, and, well, you get what we see today in our society.
We say we love God? Prove it. Honor His Word. Submit to your husband.
The first thousand times, or million times, I read this passage, I would just laugh. Then, when it wasn't funny anymore, I would skip over it. Then, when I couldn't skip over it, I'd get angered by it. Then, when it was useless being angered by it, I'd cry over it. I don't know when it happened or how it happened, but the Holy Spirit grabbed hold of my stony heart, and turned it into a heart of flesh. I grieved at the fact that I could not see my reflection in this passage.
Listen, I'm going to lay this out plainly, being very well aware that this is not a favorable stance. I just don't see the point in beating around the bush. I hope all that are reading this agree that the Scripture is not meant to be just read, but lived out. And, one can see in reading the Bible, time and time again, that if one proclaims they love God, it is evidenced through how they treat their neighbor, whether it be in feeding them, clothing them, forgiving them, and so on.
Here it goes: Why do we women NOT use this logic in respects to this passage towards our husbands?
Peter, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is admonishing Christian women to be like Sarah and holy women of old, and submit to our husbands. Notice the words, "who hoped in God." THAT is the beauty of the passage. THAT is what the enemy wants us to overlook. Our hope is not in what our husbands are doing for us. It's not wrapped up in how they treat us. This is not to say that husbands do not have responsibilities towards their wives, because in this chapter and in other books of Scripture, those responsibilities are outlined. They are to love us wives as Christ loves us, His Church. Do you realize the implications of that one statement to husbands? Can one truly measure what Christ has done for us?
With that being said, I want us women to be women of hope and honor, not women filled with excuses and rebellion towards God's Word. We hope in Christ Jesus and Him alone. We stand on His promises. He has a plan. He has an outline of His will that He has given us. This is why we don't fear, as stated at the end of verse 6! We are not inferior to our husbands as concerning our relationship to our Father. We both are coheirs unto salvation and the abundance of riches found in Christ Jesus. However, God has set us under our husbands, because that's His will for us on earth. As Jesus submitted to the will of our Father, to save us and teach us how to walk in humility and obedience to God, so, we submit to our husbands to show OUR children how to obey and respect and honor their dads. Break this order, and, well, you get what we see today in our society.
We say we love God? Prove it. Honor His Word. Submit to your husband.
This is terrific and a much needed reminder to me. I demonstrate that I really trust God when I obey His Word and leave the results up to Him, and this includes being lovingly and willingly submissive to my husband. I shouldn't be manipulative or try to change him - that's God's work. When I complain against my husband, I am complaining against God, who has given him to me to love, provide for, and lead me. Sure, he will fail me, even sin against me, as I have and will him. That's where God's grace especially comes into play. It is in those circumstances that we learn to love, serve, and forgive by His strength, not our own.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful comment! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts!
DeleteBeautifully written dear sis. I believe a struggle many have or have had is seeing this scripture and submitting to a man that is not living like the priest of the home. You are blessed and by what you write about your husband, he bears fruit in the way the Word is his focus with his children and you and how your lives are all centered around the Lord's Word and will. Not everyone is so fortunate and I believe this is where we as women of faith end up being the head of the homes many times. But we do want a leader, a priest, and a man committed to the Lord and being an example. That is when it's easier to submit. I guess if we submit to the Lord and trust in His grace and mercy, He will supply all our needs and He will help us to surrender lovingly to the man in our lives. Because in due time, the Lord will change the heart of the lost priest and man of God into the true servant he has been called to be.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Angie! Truth is, although our marriage is on track now, it didn't come without a dramatic change by God. I wasn't always submissive. Aaron wasn't always godly. I remember a teacher saying that men are ALWAYS the spiritual head. Just, in most cases, they lead poorly, but are leaders nonetheless. Thank you so much for your comment! Let us join in prayer for those wives having trouble submitting to God's word. He definitely changed my heart. He can also change anyone else's!
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