Holy Living

Click here for the audio message of 1 Peter 3:1-7

Last week we started to look at some obligations that Christians have to this world. When we make Jesus the cornerstone of our life, we live for Him and we live like Him. So we get these examples from they way He lived His life.

As we have said, Christ is the perfect example of life. He did not seek revenge when He was wronged. In fact, He loved His enemies and prayed for them. We too should do the same.

Christ endured the suffering that came to Him to carry out God’s will. That too is something that each of us should be prepared to do. Christ also submitted to the authorities of this world so far as their laws didn’t violate God’s laws.

In our Scripture this morning, Peter continues the theme of holy living. Now he switches from the perspective of citizen, to that of a family nature.

First, he says, “Wives, submit to your husbands.” No doubt this is one of those Scriptures that has been abused throughout the centuries. Notice it doesn’t say, “Wives, let your husbands beat and abuse you.” It doesn’t say that nor does it mean that nor does it imply that at all.

Women are not inferior to men in any way. So how are women to be submissive to their husbands. That is an easy answer, but sometimes tough to do. You are to love them, even and especially if they are not Christians.

In fact, Peter even says, you can win your unbelieving husbands over to Christ by simply submitting yourself to him. Submission is tough for all of us, because we all want to be in charge, but part of being a Christian is submission to others.

Submitting yourself to another person means serving them. I know it sounds kind of sexist these days, but you know what. When you have a kind, loving, caring, and compassionate spouse, serving them is a wonderful thing.

If your spouse isn’t so kind, caring, or compassionate, then serving them will show them what holy living is like. A Christian brings the blessings of Christ to their entire household.

Peter then tells the women to focus on their inner beauty. Inner beauty is precious to God. It shows your heart to others. It is having a gentle, kind, meek, humble spirit. These are some of the characteristics of Christ.

It is challenging today to develop that inner beauty. The world pulls us in all kinds of directions and we rarely make time to focus on growing in our faith and changing our lifestyles to reflect our Christianity.

Think about your morning routine of getting ready for your day. It probably takes most of us about an hour to get ready to do whatever is on our agenda. We shower, shave, fix our hair, pick out our outfits and so on.

Now think about the amount of time you spend on God and focusing on your inner beauty each day.

There are many examples of this inner family throughout the Bible. We have studied Ruth who definitely showed that inner beauty. She was submissive, she was faithful, she was loyal. We’ve looked at Esther as well. She too was submissive and faithful. She stood up for what was right, not just for her or her family, but for her entire race.

These people were examples to others of a holy life. A holy pure life, doesn’t simply benefit us, but the blessing pour from us to others. The people around us get to see an example of life that isn’t focused on worldly stuff. It lets them know and see that there is something more to life.

Becoming holy is a process. It takes a lifetime to become holy and even at that we won’t know perfect holiness until we are with our Lord. We are not perfect and will never be while on this earth, but like Paul, we press on toward the mark.

God sanctifies us. He sets us apart from sin. He forgives our sin. But we have a responsibility too. We must flee from the temptations that try to trap us. Of course, we can only do this consistently by relying on the strength that God gives us.

Our actions speak louder than our words and we seem to learn this at a very young age. Children can sense when something is wrong, maybe by the tone of our voice, or the look on our face and we don’t even realize what we are doing.

Our lifestyle and our love for others can open the eyes of others to see that there is more to life than just stuff.

So Peter gives the first six verses to women, but it applies to men and all Christians as well. Finally, in verse seven Peter gives the men, the husbands some advice.

He says, “You husbands in the same way live with your wives.” In other words, husbands you too are submitting to your wives. You must love your wife. You must be sensitive to her needs, to her fears, to her feelings.

Husbands, you are to make her needs your needs. Marriage is the best earthly relationship that life has to offer. Our wives are our companions and we are to cultivate that relationship.

Not only is it what God wants, but Peter tells us this so that our prayers are not hindered. How about that? Husbands, if you are not treating your wife right, do you think God is going to listen and answer your prayers?

Submission is a requirement for all Christians. We are to submit to the authorities over us. We are to submit to each other. Next time we will see our submission requirements in the Church.

Of course, above all of this we are to submit to God. We are to make His will our will. We are to live the life that He wants us to live and He gave us that example of life through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Closing Prayer

Lord, we thank you for that perfect example of life that you have given to us to model our lives after. We want to be holy and we want to live that life, but we are weak and we fall into temptation in this dark world.

Make your presence known to us so that we may live the holy life you have for us. Help us to give up our selfish desires and focus our attention on others. Help us to live by your spirit and not by our flesh.

Use us to bring others to you.

AMEN.