A strange situation exists in society today. We have more readily available information about sex and marriage than ever before; yet we have more marital problems and divorces. Obviously something is wrong. It is not sufficient to say that God is needed in these homes, because even many Christian marriages are falling apart.
The fact that a man and a woman are both saved is no guarantee that their marriage will succeed. Marriage is something that we have to work at; success is not automatic. And when one marriage partner is not a Christian, that can make matters even more difficult. Peter addressed this section of his letter to Christian wives who had unsaved husbands, telling them how to win their mates to Christ. Then he added some important admonitions for Christian husbands.
No matter what your marital status may be, you can learn from Peter the essentials for a happy and successful marriage.
1. The Example of Christ (1 Peter 3:1a, 7a)
2. Submission (1 Peter 3:1-6)
-a. Submission is an obligation (v. 1a).
-b. Submission is an opportunity (vv. 1b-2).
-c. Submission is an ornament (vv. 3-6).
3. Consideration (1 Peter 3:7)
-a. Physical—“dwell with them.”
-b. Intellectual—“according to knowledge.”
-c. Emotional—“giving honor unto the wife.”
-d. Spiritual—“that your prayers be not hindered.”
QUESTIONS:
It might be good if husbands and wives occasionally took inventory of their marriages. Here are some questions, based on what Peter wrote.
1. Are we partners or competitors?
2. Are we helping each other become more spiritual?
3. Are we depending on the externals or the eternals? The artificial or the real?
4. Do we understand each other better?
5. Are we sensitive to each other’s feelings and ideas, or taking each other for granted?
6. Are we seeing God answer our prayers?
7. Are we enriched because of our marriage, or robbing each other of God’s blessing?
Honest answers to these questions might make a difference!
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