Nov 24 Ezekiel 45, Ezekiel 46 1 Peter 3 Proverbs 28:18-28
1 Pet 3:1-2
Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct.
and…
1 Pet 3:7
Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honour to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
There’s two sections in here, both talking about marriage. One for the men. And one for the women. It’s tempting to expand on these but really they are both pretty self explanatory.
But to encourage women with unbelieving husbands, Peter gives some great advice. Don’t fight against them, love them. Honour them. They don’t need you to preach at them (in fact they will very often push against that) they can be won without a word, when they see what God has done in your life. Show them the gospel. Live the gospel and they can see that it’s true.
And for men. Some important advice here, or rather a warning. Treat your wife wrong and your prayers can be hindered. That means threatening your wife poorly effects your communion with God. It effects the quality of your prayer. Because after all, it’s the prayer of a righteous man that avails much. And a righteous man treats his wife right.
1 Pet 3:17
For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.
Have you ever met anyone who has never suffered? No, me either. Suffering comes to all. Yes, to varying degrees but it still comes to all. There’s no avoiding that.
So in that case – Peter is saying, it’s better to suffer because of doing good than as a result of doing evil. And it’s a good point.
The wrong things we do bring with them consequences. The nature of sin is that it brings suffering, both to the doer and the victim. It bring destruction and problems.
When we do good, well – we still suffer, because the world tends not to like that. However, we do make the world a better place. We do please God… so if you have to choose the type of suffering to get… this one is far better.
