1 Peter 3:7 Husbands

1 Peter 3:7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

One part of The Fall that often gets overlooked is the change in relationship between husbands and wives. Something happened on that day they ate of the fruit and were ‘discovered’ by the LORD naked, but wearing fig leaves. Their usurping of the authority of the LORD to determine right and wrong has cast its shadow to the present day.

The relationship between Adam & Eve was perfect. This was expressed in the words that they were “naked and unashamed.” There was no reason to hide from each other, nothing that would bring embarrassment or ridicule. This came after the rebellion.

Our text comes to a scattered group of primarily Jewish believers scattered through a large swath of what is now modern day Turkey. These scattered followers of Jesus are experiencing extreme persecution. Their lives are in danger every day.

The tendency when persecution comes is for those who are being persecuted to blend into the society around them, to eliminate the distinctives that make them the object of the persecution. But this is exactly what Peter tells his readers they must not do. They must continue to live the distinctive life to which they were called.

Their lives needed to remain holy, set apart for God’s use, separate from their neighbors, not in their physical location, but separate from the sin and culture that pollutes. It would be easy to slip under the radar by giving up the outward expressions of their Christian faith. They could love less, they could adopt the same priorities as those around them. That would be easy.

But Peter wants them to continue to live in a distinct way. They should even go through the process of persecution, just as Jesus went through His time of trial. Jesus didn’t waver from His mission, but kept His eye on the Cross.

These believers are to live such an exemplary life that others want to imitate them. These believers, even in the face of intense persecution, needed to life the life. That is one thing that persecution does. It weeds out the fakes and tag alongs. No one would be crazy enough to go through persecution if they didn’t believe what they were being persecuted for.

This attitude that sustains them through persecution is the same attitude that will sustain them through difficulties in relationships. Whether it be to governing authorities, slaves and their masters, or wives and husbands, we are all to submit to the LORD’s will. Persecution can bring out the best in people, namely the grace of Christ.

Two things about our text. First, husbands are supposed to treat their wives with respect. They are our equals in faith. They are heirs with us of the promises. Together we form one humanity for which Christ died.

What gets some people fired up from this verse are the words “weaker partner” that are used here. If wives are an heir with their husbands, the weaker must not be in the area that is most important. As we have seen in the news lately, when men compete against women, men are physically stronger. Let’s not make this too complicated. Let’s just face the facts.

Men have the tendency to take advantage of weakness. Husbands must not do this. We must use our power to protect only when protection is needed. Our wives form part of who we are. They are our conjoined twin. Don’t kill your twin.