First Peter Three Verses One-Two
Words Of Truth

Words Of Truth


"That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth..." (Proverbs 22:21).

First Peter 3:1-2
The Conduct Of The Submissive Christian Wife To Her Non-Christian Husband

I. Introduction:

A. Christians, who have had sinful pasts, are supposed to be people who have changed they way we behave and think (Ephesians 4:22-24).

  1. As we have already discussed in this epistle, saints are to conduct ourselves in an honest [good; virtuous] manner; so that false charges against us are seen as such through our conduct (I Peter 2:12).
  2. Actions speak louder than words (Ezekiel 33:30-33, Matthew 7:15-20, Luke 6:46, and Titus 1:16).
B. Think about what the evangelist Titus was given to teach saints regarding conduct and speech (Titus 2:1-15).

  1. Are you a “do as I say, not as I do” person (Matthew 23:1-3 and Romans 2:17-24)?
  2. Does your life, as you live it before others, show the way of truth or the opposite to those watching (Psalms 15:1-5, Psalms 119:30, and I John 1:6)?
  3. Are you sure the world and the saints see godly sincerity [purity] in how you conduct yourself (II Corinthians 1:12)?

II. Body: I Peter 3:1-2

A. The text we are studying starts with “likewise”, which means we are still talking about submission to those in authority, just or unjust, and even suffering with Jesus as the example (I Peter 2:12-25).

  1. Like as to civil authorities and the like, wives are to submit to THEIR OWN husbands (Ephesians 5:22-24 and Colossians 3:18).
  2. The man here is one who has no obeyed the Gospel. Submit to him, for the man has authority over the woman regardless of whether he is a Christian or not (I Corinthians 11:3; I Corinthians 11:7-9 and I Timothy 2:11-15).
B. If they don’t obey the word, they may be won (cf. Proverbs 11:30) by the conversation of the wives (I Corinthians 7:10-16).

  1. As we have talked about already, conduct always matters, but especially when it comes to teaching (I Timothy 4:12-16 and I Peter 5:1-3).
  2. Think about this too… It is the role of a father to teach his children (Ephesians 6:4).
  1. What if the father is not a believer (Acts 16:1-2 and II Timothy 1:5; 3:14-15)?
  2. Wives, and fathers too, what sermon do you preach to your children through your conduct? It matters (Numbers 32:13-14, Acts 7:51, and I Corinthians 15:33)!
  1. Be wise how you conduct yourselves amongst unbelievers (Colossians 4:5-6).
  2. If they won’t learn right from wrong through hearing Scriptures, be sure they see it (Philippians 2:14-16).
  3. Even in the very context we are studying, we are told to look to the example of Jesus (I Peter 2:21).
C. Chaste [pure; modest cf. I John 3:1-3] conversation.

  1. Remember what we read in Titus 2:5.
  2. Not that this is just expected of wives or women, but all saints (I Peter 1:13-16).
D. With fear, again, like as we talked about earlier in the context (I Peter 2:17-18).

  1. If the Christian woman disobeys her husband, with the normal qualifier (cf. Acts 5:29), she is disobeying God. Fear that (II Thessalonians 1:8 and Hebrews 12:28-29)!
  2. Not only in fear of God, but in reverence [to frighten; alarmed; awe of; fear - Strong’s # 5399] of the husband too (Ephesians 5:33).

III. Conclusion; Our Next Study Will Be: I Peter 3:3-6