Title Authority and Assumption (1)
Contents Authority and family (1) 1 Peter 3:1-5 09 The meaning
Last week we thought about authority and obedience. Authority is precious. Because the source of all authority is God. So, in all areas where authority is involved, we must first look to God. And you must have an attitude of respecting that authority. To deny or oppose authority is to oppose God.
The issue of authority can also be applied to the family. There is absolute authority in the family.
The first is parental authority. Parental authority is also God-given authority. God has delegated authority to parents so that they can bring up their children with that authority. Therefore, the most important attitude of children toward their parents is to obey their parents.
Obedience to parents is not obeying because they are good parents or good parents, but obeying the authority that God has established. This is a stronger concept than filial piety emphasized in Confucianism. In our society where the philosophy of Confucianism has already collapsed, the most powerful basis for teaching filial piety to parents is the Word of God.
1. There is one more authority in the family. That is her husband's authority.
God has established men as the representatives and leaders of the family. Therefore, the husband has the authority given by God. Wives are obliged to recognize and respect the authority of their very husbands. That's why verse 3:1 says, "Wives, in the same way, submit to your husbands."
'In this way' refers to 2:13. That is, it is an authority established by God. The submission of wives to their husbands is not as inferior in status, but refers to the function of family life according to God's creation order.
2. While it is God's will for wives to submit to their husband's authority, there is another important reason. Let's focus on that issue today. In verse 1, there is an important saying, “For even those who do not obey the Way may be saved, not through words, but through the deeds of their wives.”
'Disobedient to the Way' refers to a situation in which Christian women marry unbelieving men. However, it can be said that this is a case of not only marrying an unbeliever, but also of the unbelieving husband slandering a woman he trusts for various reasons.
The question of how we can lead husbands who do not believe in this way, especially those who have an unfavorable view on our faith, to the Lord cannot but be the greatest prayer topic.
1) In the eyes of the Lord, the husband is also a lost soul.
In other words, if you are not saved, you will go to hell. So you must be saved.
2) This is because a happy family life and a family life that fulfills the Lord's will are possible only when the husband is saved. A couple should not become one. Our hearts must be one, and above all, we must become one spiritually. There must be a deep union. You have to save your husband for that. Only then can you enjoy a deep marital relationship.
3) For your children. In order to raise children as people of God who inherit the heritage of faith, couples must work together, but it is difficult if the father does not help. You must save your husband for the sake of your children.
4) For a devoted life of faith.
You cannot do the Lord's work to your heart's content if your husband does not support and support me to serve in the Church. It can be a huge loss for me personally and for the church. For you to spread your wings, your husband must be your supporter. That way you can freely serve. both in time and materially. There are so many important reasons, but there is no reason to delay the salvation of your husband.
For this job, I really have to fast, stay all night, and if I can die, I have to die. If you really love someone, some people give their lives to save the person they love. A righteous man saves others at the subway station and even kills himself. I give my life to save someone I've never seen in my life, but if I can save my beloved husband, I shouldn't be prepared to die.
But there is no real death. You can only have that determination. The only way to actually die with such a determination is to kill one's self-esteem, not one's own body. My pride, my stubbornness, my ego should die. Then, the miracle of the husband's life and salvation takes place. Hallelujah! I hope to make this decision today.
3. Let's look at today's text carefully.
In exhorting wives to obey their husbands, it is said that there is an important purpose of obeying their husbands. This is <so that even those who do not obey the Word can see their wife's deeds and be saved, not through words.>
Here are a few things we can think of.
1) It is impossible to save an unbelieving husband with words.
<Not through words...> No matter how systematically and persuasively preach the gospel with words, husbands do not believe because of it. Let's not be mistaken. The same goes for sermon tapes and good faith books. It shouldn't be like that. If you try to put it into words, it will only become an argument. Words only make our relationship worse, because so many times it starts with good intentions and ends up in an argument. So do not try to persuade with words.
2) He said that he could gain salvation through his wife's deeds.
What, but not words, moves a husband and makes him come to God? it is our conduct Seeing our deeds, my husband is moved and felt, so he makes a decision of faith. In other words, our deeds are more powerful than words.
3) If so, what concrete actions must be taken to move the husband's heart?
It is given in verse 1. “In this way, obey your husband.” The act of obedience moves her husband's heart. Let's meditate a little deeper on the act of being obedient to this husband.
Being obedient to your husband is another way of saying that you must acknowledge your husband's authority. If you do not acknowledge your husband's authority, you cannot obey him.
Here again we must remember that the husband's authority is not an acquired authority. It's not that my husband is obedient by my standards because he has a good personality or because he has many abilities. Of course, it would be great if you could do that, but obeying authority doesn't mean obeying because of that, but it means obeying God while thinking of God because God has appointed you as the representative of your family. This should be clear.
If a husband obeys because he is good, who would not be obedient? If the husband is good but does not obey, the wife has a serious problem. When God tells us to obey, he is not admonishing us with a problem that everyone can do. I am telling you to obey because you have to obey even when it is difficult to do.
Husbands who do not believe should think that we are always prepared to find faults whenever they have a chance because we have different thoughts and different beliefs. That's why even the smallest mistake we make is without room to slander us. Therefore, in order to silence such slander, we must set an example in our conduct (2:12,15). That is why our behavior, especially the behavior of obedience, is important.
4. Sisters should do some research on husbands.
You need to know what husbands want from their sisters. Husbands want to be recognized for themselves, at least in the home, not knowing elsewhere. At home, there is a desire to be a leader, a head, and a desire to be respected.
However, if the authority is not recognized and ignored in the family, it cannot be tolerated. I almost feel like dying. It is the nature of men to suffer that much. Therefore, sisters should not, under any circumstances, act or say anything that seems to disregard the pride and authority of their husbands. Truly wise wives are wives who respect their husband's authority in the home and save his spirit. If wives without faith should do the same, we who have faith should do better.
5. Look at verse 2. Husbands don't agree with us right now who have faith, but they are still watching our conduct carefully.
The word to see here is the Greek word meaning 'to watch carefully'. Unbelieving husbands look really attentive. <My wife says she believes, but what does it mean to believe?> We look at our lives very carefully.
In other words, depending on how we act, we can either lead our husbands toward God or, on the contrary, lead them further away from us. So you have to act well. Then, what do husbands see in our religious life in particular? see two
1) out of fear
The Greek word that corresponds to this is ann pobo, not the fear of the husband, but the fear and reverence of God. A non-Christian husband is to see if his Christian wife is living in fear of the true living God, always aware of Him.
If we know that we are truly afraid of God in our appearance, and do not be careless about what we say and do, but be careful and do something special, husbands will feel that God really exists through such appearances. But, if we are temperamental, speak recklessly, and act like that, can we act like that, believing that they believe in God? it feels like this So there is no conduction.
2) chastity
This means a 'pure life' without blemish and cleanliness. Roman society at that time was a very sexually and morally corrupt society. Especially high society. It is said that he was so corrupt that there was no maiden to choose his wife for. In the meantime, it is said that believing virgins lived so chastely that even non-believing high society people preferred them as wives. that it was so unique.
This era is no different. You don't know how sexually and ethically corrupt and depraved. In times like these, it becomes a challenge when we show ourselves to be chaste and chaste. Today we will only look at this.
< Conclusion >
Our earthly task is the salvation of my husband. How can I save my husband? You really have to think hard about it. And if you can save your husband, you have to do anything. There are some things we must do.
1. Recognize and obey your husband's authority.
Respect. stand up
2. See with life, not with words.
Husbands are not evangelized by words, but by seeing our lives. Show that you fear God. Demonstrate chaste and chaste behavior. So, I hope that all husbands will be saved and become faithful servants who serve the Lord with the same faith as we do.