Written ~ 12-11-2024
Read 1 Peter Chapter Three
1 Peter 3
Head’s up! For today’s Bible Study our focus will be on verses 1-12… the remaining verses from chapter three will be covered with chapter four.
In this Bible Study we will go over Biblical characteristics of wives, of husbands and of believers in general. Verses 3:1-7 could easily be taken straight from the letters written by Paul regarding the submission and mutual respect between husbands and wives. To see these words reiterated in Peter’s letter shows me the importance of the roles, husband and wife. We aren’t to overlook these verses just because we have read about this subject in other books of the Bible. When something is repeated in Scripture, it is of upmost importance we take notice and adhere to what is being said. I understand many folks reading these words may not be married. Even if that’s the case with you, because of the repeated nature of these verses, even the single person needs to reflect on the Godly requirements for a spiritually sound marriage and pray that someday your future marriage will reflect what we are learning in today’s Bible Study. Another thing I should mention, for those of you who have chosen to remain unmarried (for whatever reason) when you became a Born-Again believer you became the bride of Christ, Jesus Christ is our bridegroom. This description is referenced many times in Scripture. The church is the bride of Christ. So our role on earth is to prepare for the wedding feast that our eternal bridegroom is preparing for us.
(Verses 1 Peter 3:1-7… can be further explained in Ephesians 5:22-33.)
Let’s read what Peter has to say about this subject…
1 Peter 3:1-7…
1 “In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over by observing your pure and reverent lives.
3 Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. 4 You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. 5 This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They put their trust in God and accepted the authority of their husbands. 6 For instance, Sarah obeyed her husband, Abraham, and called him her master. You are her daughters when you do what is right without fear of what your husbands might do.
7 In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.”
When a woman comes to know the Lord there is an inner beauty that shines through that no makeup routine or choice of clothing can match. When Christ enters a life, it is so remarkably transformed that what the world considers beautiful is now weighed in as dull and expressionless.
In our passage above, verses 3:1-2 speak about the wife becoming a believer before the husband, though she is to remain submissive and accept the authority of her husband, her highest authority is now Christ. It will be the godly lifestyle of the Christian wife that will speak volumes to the unsaved husband. In time, as the Christian wife remains faithful to the Lord in all things and demonstrates the love of Jesus in all of her activities, it is quite possible the husband will become a believer through her example.
Look at verse 3:3 again, “Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes.” Does that mean the Christ following woman should not be concerned with their outward appearance at all? No, let’s not misunderstand, that does not mean a Christian woman shouldn’t take care of herself. It is fine to make yourself look attractive; but the Lord is more concerned with the attitude of the heart. If by dressing a certain way, fixing your hair and accessorizing your outfit is done in a way that detracts from the light of the Lord within you, that’s where Peter reiterates, like Paul did, that your outward appearance should be lit up with the genuine faith you have in the Lord, above all else. So, what is the solution? Look at verse 3:4, “You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.” Did you catch that? The godly woman is precious to God! So…How does the Christian woman honor the Lord in her appearance? But expressing her inner beauty which she finds in Christ Jesus. Unfading beauty is found in a gentle and quiet spirit. Have you ever gravitated towards a Christian woman who has an unexplainable, contagious peace and a joy about them? That’s the Lord. Proverbs 31:30 says, “Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.”
So, how about the Christian man? He must honor the Lord as well! The Bible doesn’t mention the outward appearance of a man or how he should or should not dress, but what it does mention is how he is to treat his wife and other people. The Christian husband is the spiritual leader of the home, he is to provide his family with guidance and leadership in the things of the Lord. He is the one who should be the example of godliness to his family. His authority must come from His Savior and nowhere else. Verse 3:7 says the husband is to honor his wife and treat her with understanding. If they are both believers that makes them partners in the NEW LIFE Christ has given them! Respect and honor should be evident in how he treats not only his wife but also in how he treats his family and friends. The husband’s role as the head of the household should not be taken lightly, it also shouldn’t be used as an excuse to be demanding and unfairly authoritative. Let’s look at the rest of verse 3:7 to see why it is important for the Christian husband to understand his role… “Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.” When a husband honors his wife with equal respect and loves her as Christ loves the church, he is fulfilling what God has asked of him… any treatment other than what Scripture prescribes will hinder the prayers of that man. If there is division in a home because of maltreatment, how can the communion with the Lord remain intact? This goes without saying, but this goes for the wife as well! If a Christian wife refuses to respect and honor the authority the Lord has given her husband, then her relationship with the Lord can suffer.
Ok, moving on… what about the role of a believer in general? Well, that brings us to the next set of verses…
1 Peter 3:8-12…
8 Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted and keep a humble attitude. 9 Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and He will grant you His blessing. 10 For the Scriptures say,
“If you want to enjoy life
and see many happy days,
keep your tongue from speaking evil
and your lips from telling lies.
11 Turn away from evil and do good.
Search for peace, and work to maintain it.
12 The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right,
and His ears are open to their prayers.
But the Lord turns His face
against those who do evil.”
So, when reading over these verses, how do we receive a blessing from the Lord? Let’s break down these verses bit by bit and try to get full understanding of what God expects from His children!
Verse 3:8a…
- “…you should be of one mind…”
Believers should join together with one goal in mind and that is to serve the Lord with our whole hearts, to honor the Lord with our thoughts and actions and to spread the Gospel message to every person we come in contact with. When God’s people rally together with the purpose of learning and obeying the Word of the Lord and build each other up with the wisdom gained from the Lord, that’s how we become “one mind.”
Verse 3:8b…
- “…Sympathize with each other…”
Do you know what it means to be sympathetic to someone else’s needs? It means we are to join together in unity and share in the emotions of others. We may not be going through the same thing as someone else, but as a believer we must be sensitive to what the church, as a whole, or what one individual is going through and our actions should be consistent in doing whatever is necessary to provide compassion and love in every situation.
Verse 3:8c…
- “…Love each other as brothers and sisters...”
When you and I became believers and followers of Jesus, we also became the children of God, therefore, as we entered that family, we have become brothers and sisters in the body of Christ, otherwise known as the church. Do you realize this is an awesome phenomenon? Have you ever felt that instant comradery when you gather together with other believers, whether we have met each other or not? We have now been brought into a community of random people who believe the same way you do, gain the same wisdom and knowledge from the same Scripture as you do and rely on the same Holy Spirit to lead and guide their every step, just like you! That’s why when we are called to love each other, not as random people, but as brothers and sisters, it brings a supernatural level of familiarity and love that only the Lord can draw out of each of us.
Verse 3:8d…
- “…Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude…”
As a Christian we must demonstrate the attitude of Christ. We bear His name, so we need to also shine His character through everything we do or say. The definition of tenderhearted is to be easily moved to love, pity, or sorrow – to be compassionate and impressionable, it means we need to consider what another person is going through and be able to share in that person’s circumstance, to provide whatever emotional assistance they require at the moment. If we are so busy worrying about all of our own needs and always put them in front of everyone else, we will never be able to show the tenderheartedness that God is calling us to have. Humbling ourselves before the Father is one thing, but also having a humble attitude with everyone else, quite a different story, isn’t it? Being humble doesn’t mean we are a pushover or doormat, no, it means we have a genuine care and compassion for what is going on around us.
Verse 3:9a…
- “…Don’t repay evil for evil…”
How do you react when someone is doing something or saying something that is truly offensive. You know what they are spewing is coming from an evil place in their hearts, but how do you respond? As a believer, this again is one area we must have the heart of Jesus and the character of our Savior, we cannot respond with as much evil as the other person is dishing out. That will just fuel a situation into an uncontrollable inferno. No one will survive unscathed. But, as a believer, if you are able to keep your cool and step back with the self-control given to you by the Holy Spirit you can diffuse an otherwise combustible situation. Will it be easy? Hardly not. But the more time you spend in the Word of God, the more you will develop the attitude of Christ. Eventually, you will see how your heart will grow into a more resilient person, when evil tries to derail you, you will be able to respond to its offense with integrity.
Verse 3:9b…
- “…Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you…”
When we react with the full force of our sinful nature, we can create a situation that could’ve been resolved with kindness, love and gentleness. But, at times, when we aren’t feeling particularly humble and tenderhearted, our retaliation can come across as even more harsh than the person who threw the first insult. Why? It’s because, as a believer, our response is expected to be of a kinder nature, so if we come at someone with our insults fully loaded, it can be even more devastating to the other person. I’m sure each of us can think of several instances of reactions we’ve had that have been less than honorable. Repent of those things and realize that retaliation in any way never has a good outcome and may drive the other person even that much further from ever coming to know the Lord.
Verse 3:9c…
- “…pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do…”
Whether any of these negative offenses are between you and a non-believer or between you and a believer, our response should always be that of love and compassion. I’m not saying this is easy! We need the heart of Jesus! We need the help and power of the Holy Spirit! But we are called to represent the name of Jesus! We are called to lead people to Christ, not drive them away. When we respond in any situation with love and with a blessing, it may result in a completely different outcome that you never would have guessed! If a nasty response was what was expected but instead the offender is met with love, kindness and blessing, it might be just the type of response they needed to hear in order to give their lives to Jesus. We just don’t know! That’s why our response to every situation must be in an attitude of blessing.
And why is that? Because when we follow the heart of Jesus and mirror the attitude of Jesus, we will be granted a blessing from the Father.
Lets’ drop down to verse 3:12…
- “…The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and His ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns His face against those who do evil…”
Psalm 34:12-16 is where the verses from 1 Peter 3:10-12 are quoted… Look at what Psalm 34:15-16 says…
15 “The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right;
His ears are open to their cries for help.
16 But the Lord turns His face against those who do evil;
He will erase their memory from the earth.”
Verse 3:12b in 1 Peter and verse 34:16 in Psalm give us a pretty compelling reason to put into action what the Scriptures tell us to do. No believer should ever want to learn that the Lord has to turn His eyes from them because of continued sinful activity. When we obey the Word of the Lord and have the same attitude as Christ, our prayers will not be hindered! But if we don’t learn from the things we are reading in the Bible and don’t put these things into practical use… We could set ourselves up to missing the blessings God has promised to us. For the non-believer, there is a separation from God’s blessing and a turning away of His face until they come to accept the Son of God into their lives. Psalm 34:16b says, “He will erase their memory from the earth.” It’s time to cry out! It’s time to have the ears and the eyes of the Lord looking at you and hearing your prayers.
Be mindful brothers and sisters to everything you learn from these precious Words from our Lord!
James 4:17…
“Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.”
~AMEN~