THE GOSPEL-CENTERED WIFE

1 Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct. 3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. 5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 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 3:1-

Peter transitions from outlining the duties of gospel-believers in wider society to outlining the duties of gospel-believers in their immediate “society”— their home. As Christians ought to trust God enough not to sinfully bristle under legal authority, Christian wives ought to trust God enough not to sinfully bristle under their husbands’ authority

Notice with me three specific characteristics of a gospel-centered wife:

1) SHE IS SUBMISSIVE (1-2)

1 Peter 3:1–2 ESV

A. She is submissive to her husband (1)

“Subject” means to be willfully submissive to orders or wishes.

B. She is submissive to her unbelieving husband (1)

C. Her submission is shown by her conduct (1-2)

“Respectful” Phobos meaning a feeling of profound fear or respectfulness

“Pure” literally the idea of having no faults

Peter is essentially telling wives of unbelieving husbands that faith without works is dead ()

Constant “God-talk” without abundant godly witness is likely to have a negative effect on the marriage

Proverbs 21:19 ESV

19 It is better to live in a desert land than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman.

; ).

Proverbs 25:24 ESV

24 It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.

This idea of having continual respectful and pure conduct is not easy due to the fall and the results of the fall

Genesis 3:16 ESV

16 To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.”

Gen 3

2) SHE IS BEAUTIFUL FROM THE INSIDE OUT (3-4)

1 Peter 3:3–4 ESV

3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.

2) SHE IS BEAUTIFUL FROM THE INSIDE OUT (3-4)

A. She is not focused on external beauty (3)

This is an imperative from Peter…don’t be focused on the externals

“Adorning” is the word Kosmos. It means an orderly arrangement.

The world tells us that this is most important (Beauty Commercials) (Not wrong per se)

Satan tells us that this is most important (External Christians only)

The admonition in is not so much a prohibition of hairdos and jewelry as it is a prohibition of superficial vanity— a problem in Peter’s day and in ours as well. Women are constantly being bombarded with worldly ideals relating to beauty and identity. But while our human drives tend to fixate on appearances, God’s chief concern is the quality of our hearts (). The gospel works from the inside out, resulting in humility and modesty precisely

The admonition is not so much a prohibition of hairdos and jewelry as it is a prohibition of superficial vanity— a problem in Peter’s day and in ours as well.

Women are constantly being bombarded with worldly ideals relating to beauty and identity.

But while our human drives tend to fixate on appearances, God’s chief concern is the quality of our hearts

1 Samuel 16:7 ESV

7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

1 Samuel 16:7 ESV

The gospel works from the inside out, resulting in humility and modesty

The gospel works from the inside out, resulting in humility and modesty precisely

B. She is focused upon her heart (4)

This is the focus of a gospel-centered wife, woman, and believer

This is what is most important to God

C. She has a gentle and quiet spirit (4)

“Gentle” means to be soft of meek (strength under control)

“Quiet” has the idea of being untroubled and well-ordered

These are just two of the fruits that come from the heart of a Godly woman who cultivates it properly

3) SHE IS BIBLICALLY MINDED (5-6)

1 Peter 3:5–6 ESV

5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.

A. She follows the example of Godly women (5)

B. She respects her husband (6)

She calls him “lord.” This means that she shows him endearing respect.

Again, this is something that is not easy to do because of the fall

C. She fears God and not man (6)

This phrase, “and do not fear anything that is frightening” is very interesting.

The implication is that believing wives will not always behave in a way that pleases their husbands because at times their loyalty to God will transcend their duty to submit to husbands.

In such cases they are not to fear but hope in God, trusting that he will vindicate them on the last day.

The implication is that believing wives will not always behave in a way that pleases their husbands because at times their loyalty to God will transcend their duty to submit to husbands. In such cases they are not to fear but hope in God, trusting that he will vindicate them on the last day. The response of women to oppression by unbelieving husbands is exemplary and paradigmatic for all believers, just as the behavior of slaves points to the way all believers should react to persecution.

The response of women to oppression by unbelieving husbands is exemplary for all believers, just as the behavior of slaves points to the way all believers should react to persecution.

CONCLUSION:

As I was working on this sermon, I could not but help to think of Anne Hasseltine Judson.

Two hundred years ago in 1810, a young man named Adoniram Judson composed an extraordinary letter to the father of the young woman he wanted to marry. He wrote as follows:

I have now to ask, whether you can consent to part with your daughter early next spring, to see her no more in this world; whether you can consent to her departure for a heathen land, and her subjection to the hardships and sufferings of a missionary life; whether you can consent to her exposure to the dangers of the ocean; to the fatal influence of the southern climate of India; to every kind of want and distress; to degradation, insult, persecution, and perhaps a violent death. Can you consent to all this, for the sake of him who left his heavenly home and died for her and for you; for the sake of perishing immortal souls; for the sake of Zion, and the glory of God?

Anne stood by, served, followed, and respected her husband her entire life and was with him through the good and the difficult. She was there when her husband was imprisoned for his mission’s work. She was willing to give up all to follow her husband to the mission field. She was willing to give her life for this cause and be buried in a foreign land when the Lord called her home while on the mission field.

Ladies, could this be said of you today? Are you a gospel-centered woman? What needs to change?

May the Lord help each of us to be believers that reflect the gospel change wrought in us by the Spirit of God every day!

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