1 Peter 3:1-12 - Our Submission’s Blessings

1 Peter 3:1-12

Submission to Husbands

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, 2 when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. 3 Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— 4 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. 5 For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.

A Word to Husbands

7 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.

Called to Blessing

8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For

“He who would love life
And see good days,
Let him refrain his tongue from evil,
And his lips from speaking deceit.

11 Let him turn away from evil and do good;
Let him seek peace and pursue it.

12 For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their prayers;
But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.”

When we submit to one another according to God’s created order, we find His blessings in our lives.  Just as the previous verses in this passage told us to submit to government leaders employers given authority over us, now we see the more intimate submission in marriage, both in the individual roles and between one another as husband and wife, between man and woman, as God ordained for and in marriage.  First of all, wives are addressed to submit willingly as we all do to the Lord.  The wife is to submit to his authority given by the Lord even if the husband disobeys God in order to show the right way God intends through the good conduct of the wife and her submission to that role’s authority, and not to argue or use other improper words to make the husband do what is right; this response holds for us all as believers, by the way.  The wife then becomes an an example of good conduct for her husband to follow and not one to usurp the authority or role that the husband needs to take on.  She is to not concentrate on her outward appearance nearly as much as the inner person of the heart and godly spirit.  This is not a prohibition against nice clothing or jewelry, but rather an emphasis on what is most important over these things.  What is precious to the Lord in the wife is, “the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit.”  This adornment of inner godliness has examples from the Old Testament in Sarah with our father Abraham as mentioned here for us to learn (Romans 15:4) from.  As for husbands, we are to give understanding and honor to the wife as an equal (Galatians 3:28) heir of eternal life, considering the weaker aspect brought out in the deception of the fall into sin in the beginning (1 Corinthians 8-10, 12:23, 2 Corinthians 11:3) which helped reinforce the roles of man and wife established in creation with Adam first and then Eve from his side as a co-heir yet under his authority of order.  Going against this order in any way by reversal or denial only hinders our prayers and is dishonoring our Lord.  We are called to submit in the roles of marriage so that we see the blessings of the Lord in our lives together.  This means we come to one mind of agreement to this and all of scripture we are taught while demonstrating compassion and not overbearing or rebellious behavior.  Loving one another extends outside the marriage to all with tender compassion, courteousness, forgiveness over revenge, blessing others that we might be blessed by the Lord for doing what is good, proper, and right.  Our words and actions are called to turn from evil to do good while running after being peacemakers (Matthew 5:9) as we realize that God is watching and listening to our prayers and lives.  He opposes the proud and rebellious but blesses those who submit and bless one another.  These are our submission’s blessings.