August 3, 2016 1 Peter 3
Submissive Servants
Peter introduced the idea of submissiveness in chapter 2. Chapter 3 is a continuation of that discussion. This is a chapter that gives me pause to wonder if the average US believer has really considered the character of the one who follows Christ. We often hear of submission to Christ and we have been consistently told through the ages that the wife is to submit to our husband. However, the admonition to “submit to every human institution” has given way to “if you fail to stand for something, then you’ll fall for anything.” An Amen can quickly be given for the slave to submit to his master, but for a husband to live in a submissive way to his wife (although the word is not used in verses 7 when it says “in the same way”) seems to cut against the grain of a patriarchal culture. If the male dominant crowd and the feminist crowd could simply catch the heart of the Scripture, they would see Jesus elevated women above their status of the 1st century and established the principle of mutual submission. Please do not confuse mutual submission with identical roles.
The goal of Peter’s work is for the early church to live Godly live and to be effective witnesses. Submission was taught by the example of Jesus. Remember, he humbled himself to the incarnation, he submitted himself to the rules of the Roman empire (paid taxes), and lived under authority. Consequently he was crucified without cause and became the Savior of the world. Peter’s prescription for an effective witness is to live in submission. The submissive wife of an unbeliever gains an effective witness and a submissive husband gains access to the throne of God in prayer (your prayers will not be hindered).
In the current political climate, it seems impossible for a godly person to assume the role of a public servant. Peter strongly teaches the believer must not return insult for insult but return a blessing instead. Can you imagine a political contest in this age when the candidates refuse to insult one another. While our world considers such behavior to be a weakness, in reality it requires a tremendous amount of moral courage and spiritual fortitude. But that fortitude is empowered by the intervention of the living God. Remember, “the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Peter spent the remainder of his words in chapter 3 explaining what it looks like for the eyes of the Lord to be upon you. In reality, you really do stand for something, the method of standing is not the method of the world. The godly method is one of gentleness and reverence keeping a good conscience. While the earthly payoff may be the slander of men, it results in the blessing of God on your life. Would you rather have the praise of man and the wrath of God or the slander of men and the approval of God? Remember, “it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for what is right than for what is wrong.”
garymayblog 