Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction:

In today’s text, the Apostle Peter continues to instruct on human relationships in the church.

In Chapter 2, he described how Christians should relate to one another, and specifically to authority, in human institutions.

To sum that up, all human institutions, and their governments, are ordained by God and He has done so for His glory and for our benefit.

Therefore, we should willingly and happily submit to human authority in the same way that we are willing to submit to the Lordship of Christ.

Robert Mounce points out that human nature makes it difficult for people to submit to one another.

It goes against the grain of our self-interest.

Yet society cannot exist without order.

We remember the chaos in the time of judges when everyone did as he saw fit.

In the text today, Peter moves on to discuss how our family relationship, specifically within the institution of marriage, should be.

Marriage relationships should be a model of the relationship between Christ and His Church, which is referred throughout the OT and NT, especially in Revelation, as His Bride.

Note that Peter spends six verses on instructions to women and one on instructions to men.

In the first Century context of this writing, and arguably now, women had a more difficult lot in life and so he gives more attention to them.

What prompted Peter to write this?

Of course, the short answer is the Holy Spirit, but the Apostles never wrote anything without a specific purpose and to make a specific point.

The situation here is that that God’s people were involved in different types of social relationships and they were dealing with different problems.

In the earlier text, we see that these Christians were troubled by ungodly authorities, either in the government or their workplaces.

In this text, we find women and men, who had turned to Christ, were still married.

In some cases, both are believers, in other cases, one is a believer and the other is not.

Does ungodly authority give us license to be disobedient or rebellious?

Interrogative:

How should husbands and wives relate to each other?

Imperative:

Wives should relate to their husbands as the Church relates to Christ.

Husbands should honor and protect their wives as Christ honors and protects His Church.

Transition:

As Christ leads His Church, the husband leads the family.

As the church loves and obeys Christ, so the wife loves and obeys her husband.

This is the case regardless of whether one member of the marriage is an unbeliever.

First Point: A woman’s witness (vv 1,2)

The passage beings with “Likewise” or in the same manner.

Just as we are to be subject to divinely ordained human authority, the relationship between a husband and wife is divinely ordained.

“be subject” is direction to women.

They are to willingly make themselves subject or subordinate to their husbands unless it puts them in danger.

“if some do not obey the Word”.

In other words, if the husband does not obey the instruction of God through His Word.

The Word, Logos, can be a reference to Christ, as He was preached through the law and the prophets, through Himself and the Apostles.

This, of course, refers to husbands who are not Christian.

“won without a word.”

There is a saying attributed to Francis of Assisi: “Preach the gospel at all times.

Use words if necessary”.

Its a useful saying in this context, but there is more to it than is implied by this quote.

We are expected to proclaim the Gospel any way we can, and we are absolutely expected not only to use words, but to use The Word, the Bible, as well as our conduct.

Under no circumstances should a woman remain with an abusive husband.

Paul, in 1 Cor.

7, allows for separation, but not divorce.

In matters of physical abuse, this is a matter for the police, primarily, since God ordained civil authorities for this very purpose.

While the church has a role in mediating the conflict, the police must be called in to address any violation of criminal law.

There is a pitfall here.

There are many cases where the example of godly women led their husbands to Christ, but that does not mean then that the woman should be the spiritual leader of the family, the Bible is consistent throughout that that role is for the husband.

Often, because they came to salvation late, some men yield the leadership of their families to the spouse - this is not God’s intention.

It does not matter who got saved first or longer, the husband is the ordained head of the family and when he comes to Christ, He needs to immediately take over His responsiblities to the family and prepare himself for that role.

Wives can and should assist in this, and should encourage their husbands to assume this responsibility.

This brings us to our second point.

Second Point: True beauty (vv 3-6)

The word “adorning” or “adorn” is used three times in this passage.

It is derived from the greek word, Kosmos

κόσμος [kosmos /kos·mos/] n m.

Probably from the base of 2865; TDNT 3:868; TDNTA 459; GK 3180; 187 occurrences; AV translates as “world” 186 times, and “adorning” once. 1 an apt and harmonious arrangement or constitution, order, government.

2 ornament, decoration, adornment, i.e. the arrangement of the stars, ‘the heavenly hosts’, as the ornament of the heavens. 1 Pet.

3:3

Strong, J. (1995).

Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon.

Woodside Bible Fellowship.Third Point: Honoring women (v 7)

It refers to how we present, or represent ourselves.

Women are exhorted to be godly and this is primarily and internal attribute, vice external.

Women naturally want to appear attractive to their husbands and the key to this is godliness.

they are to be respectful (the greek connotes to fear, here), and pure, chaste.

Peter is not preaching against makeup or attractive, modest, dress.

He is pointing out that her inner light, the light of Christ, is what makes a woman truly attractive.

External dress should complement that inner light.

Immodest, of flashy dress can draw attention in a tempting or sinful way, since ALL men are graphically or visually stimulated.

Flashy or immodest dress tempts to lust and can draw unwanted attention.

Men are jealous of their wives, just as Christ is jealous of His church and we need only look at how God rebuked the children of Israel for their lust, and how He punished those who tempted them to lust, to understand that causing temptation is sinful in and of itself.

The question for unmarried women is: what kind of man do you want to attract?

Do you want to attract a loving, godly husband, or do you want to attract a lifetime of trouble?

Wives are to conduct themselves in a manner pleasing to God:

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

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version.

(2016).

(1 Pe 3:4).

Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.v.

4.,

God has provided us wonderful examples of this principle in action throughout the Bible: Sarah, Rachel, Rebekah, Mary - Peter calls out just one of many:

Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him Lord.

Abraham got Sarah taken into Pharoah’s harem, but forgave Abraham and continued in a loving respectful relationship.

God overlooked Sara’s mocking response when God informed her of Isaac’s coming birth.

It is Sarah’s devotion to God and her husband that should be the example to all women.

The dress of Christian women should reflect their relationship with Christ.

Third Point: Husbands treasure your wives (v.

7)

“Likewise, husbands live with your wives in an understanding way.”

Perhaps the best way to explain this is with a bad example.

Genesis 3:6 (ESV)

6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

This is an often overlooked bit of text in Genesis .

Note what the last part of the verse says: Eve gave some of the fruit to Adam, who was WITH her, and he ate.

Make no mistake about this, Adam was with Eve, and he stood by, while Satan seduced her.

Not only did he do nothing to stop it, he enthusiastically joined her in the sin.

Now while Eve was first in the transgression, Adam fully understood what it was she offered him, and who it was coming from (not God).

Adam failed in his responsibility as a husband - he could have gotten her out of there, he could have told her not to believe what the serpent was saying, he could have reminded her that the Creator had forbidden them the fruit, but instead, he joined in the sin.

Adam massively failed in his responsibility both to God and to Eve.

“honor the woman as the weaker vessel” On one level, Women are not as physically capable of defending and protecting themselves as men and so Peter instructs husbands to honor and protect their wives.

On another level, men and women have different emotional and intellectual tendencies.