Without Words
Hello everyone,
How are you doing on this day? I hope
well and bubbling in the Lord.
Primary
Text
“In like manner, you married women, be
submissive to your own husbands [subordinate yourselves as being secondary to
and dependent on them, and adapt yourselves to them], so that even if any do
not obey the Word [of God], they may be won over not by discussion but by the
[godly] lives of their wives,” 1 Peter 3v1 (AMP)
“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 …” 1 Peter 3v1 (NLT)
What message does your action and
conduct, as opposed to your words convey to others? What of as a wife? What do
your actions tell your husband? I am reminded of Psalm 1v1 (AMP) which says
“Blessed (happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the
ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes]…” Are you living a
godly life or an ungodly one, whereby you follow your own advice, plans and
purposes, or the counsel of those who do not regard God? The Bible here says
that even without words, husbands that do not obey the Word of God can be won
over when they observe their wife’s godly behavior. Veronica A. Robinson,
writes in an article called Wives, take your rightful position, which I would
encourage you to read at http://www.sarasdaughters.com/articles.html, that:
“In the marriage, who should submit?
Why would God require the wife to submit in the marriage? How do you submit to
someone who is not saved? These are the questions I asked when I was seeking
God’s direction concerning my unequally yoked marriage. I was miserable and
looking for a way out of my marriage when a young lady slipped me a note, which
read, “Husbands will be won by your submission. Learning to walk in
God’s love brings you into submission. Claim the promise of 1 Peter 3:1.” I did
just that and it worked for me and now I’m claiming the same promise for all
the 1 Peter 3 wives there out there today.” (article is continued below if you are interested).
Supplementary Text
“[Instructions
for Christian Households] Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting for
those who belong to the Lord.” Colossians 3v18 (NLT)
Father, I thank You for Your Word this
day. Father, we know Your ways are best. We pray that You will bless our homes,
that You will teach every wife what submission really is, how to submit and
give the grace to submit to her own husband in Jesus name, amen.
Article by
Veronica A. Robinson continued:
“…I
want to share with you in this article how God ministered to me when I was
seeking His direction regarding submission.
First, Who Should Submit? Scripture clearly
tell us it’s the wife’s responsibility to be in subjection to her
husband. This does not imply any kind of natural inferiority on the part
of the wife to her husband. In marriage, two people become one.
Therefore, there are two intellects, two sets of emotions, and two wills that
have been joined to constitute one. To keep the union from fracturing and
destroying itself, one of those persons is charged with leadership in the
relationship, and one is charged with submission.
So wives submit to your husband as unto the
Lord. This pleases God and it will make submitting a lot easier to do.
A cheerful subjection, and a loving, reverential
respect, are duties which Christian women owe their husbands, whether they be
good or bad; these were due from Eve to Adam before the fall, and are still
required, though much more difficult now than they were before, Gen 3:16; 1 Tim
2:11.
Why Should Wives Submit?
Their husbands may get saved as a result of their
behavior. “Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands;
that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the
conversation of the wives;” 1 Peter 3:1, KJV
Wives sanctify unbelieving husbands. “And
the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to
dwell with her, let her not leave him. For the unbelieving husband is
sanctified by the wife,” 1 Corinthians 7:13-14a, KJV
“For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save
thy husband?” 1
Corinthians 7:16a, KJV
It was in 1982 when the note I mentioned above was given
to me. That note gave me hope. Hope to stand in an unequally yoked
marriage for ten years. My husband was lost and I knew that Christ loved
him just as much as He loved me. I knew it was God’s desire that he not
perish but come to repentance. I then submitted to God’s will and allowed
Him to use me as a vessel to draw my husband into the kingdom. My husband
chose to dwell with me in spite of my Christianity; I continued walking in the
light of the Word allowing it to change my behavior; and God did the rest.
It has always been my desire to experience the Christian
marriage as God ordained it to be. But in September 1992, after 28-1/2
years of marriage, my husband went home to be with the Lord. His
salvation meant more to me then anything else. It was worth it all.
If your husband is lost and pleased to dwell with
you, you’re the closest one to him and God will use you as a vessel to draw him
into the kingdom, if you will let him. He will give you the grace you
need to endure in every situation. Lean not to your own understanding but
acknowledge God in all your ways and He will direct your path.
The commands are clear in the Word of God
concerning why wives should submit to their husbands. Now, lets look at some
suggested ways of how to submit.
How Do You Submit To Someone Who Is Not Saved?
Submit as unto the Lord. “Wives, submit
yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.” Ephesians 5:22,
KJV
Renew your mind to the things of God. “And
be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your
mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of
God.” Romans 12:2, KJV
Obey not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in
singleness of heart, fearing God. “Servants, obey in all
things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as
menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: And whatsoever ye do, do
it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;” Colossians 3:22-23,
KJV
Be a doer of the word. “But be ye doers of
the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” James 1:22, KJV
Polly Wigglesworth’s behavior in her marriage when
Smith Wigglesworth had fallen in a backslidden state is a good example of how
to submit. She never nagged her husband into changing his
attitudes. Over a period of two years in this ‘spiritual wilderness’, she
lovingly and prayerfully enticed her husband back to the place where he had
been on fire for his Lord.
For me personally, submission came as I read and
meditated on Matthew Chapters 5, 6, and 7. Reading these chapters over
and over again taught me how to walk in God’s love. It helped me to focus
on my behavior and not so much on my husband’s. Taking it one day at a
time, I renewed my mind in the Word, and purposed in my heart to not be a
hearer only but a doer of the Word.
Take a personal inventory of your behavior in the
marriage to ensure that you are not a hindrance to God’s plan for your
husband’s life. It’s so easy to look at and see the other person’s
fault. You must turn your focus inward and let God show you yourself.
Submission is not stupidity. Submission in
marriage is God’s way of setting order in the marriage union. Wives,
submit to your husbands as unto the Lord. Allow God to use you as a
vessel to draw your husband into the kingdom. Ask Him for wisdom,
knowledge and understanding in your marriage. Take a personal inventory
of your behavior in the marriage on a daily basis to ensure that you are not a
hindrance to God’s plan for your husband’s life. Last, but not least,
learning to walk in God’s love will bring you in submission. When
confronted with difficult situations, put the question before God. Ask
Him, “What would you do if you were in my situation?” Go to God with an
open heart. Imagine your heart is a blank sheet of paper and let God
write upon your heart His will for you in your marriage. His ways are not
our ways and will oftentimes go against your flesh. Submit your will to
God and whatsoever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord, and not unto men.
You have an awesome responsibility and I will continue to
pray for you and your marriage.
God
Bless You.”
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