whom you have pledged to share your life and with whom you have lived these years. I have heard some women chide their mates erron eously, "Why can't you be like so- and-so's husband?" What Peter is saying here is that you are not to revere someone else's husband. The fact of the matter is you do not know what the problems are that his wife may have to endure. Behind the facade, her situation may be very, very difficult, even far worse than your own. Next, will you notice we read the important statement, "If your mate will not obey the written word, then perhaps by not using a single spoken word, your life and your testimony may win him to Christ." We almost have a pun here in the original. There is both the definite and the indefinite ar ticle in the original to help us in getting some basic understanding. What Peter is talking about here is a sermon without words. The insertion of "conversation" in the King James may be a little confusing without keeping in mind the way it was used in Peter's day. Conversation did not mean neces sarily a dialogue with one anoth er. "Conversation" then actually meant conduct, behaviour or man ner of life. We might say, "What you do becomes a conversation piece." Faith, after all, is more a way of walking than it is a way of talking! Some women may explain, "But he won't listen to me!" That may well be. Yet, if he will not listen to your words, he cannot help but observe your chaste be haviour and exemplary walk. Make sure your life measures up to the way you want him to believe. Wives, you are to be in subjec- Page 39
that "the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him." Peter and Paul were in definite accord on this, as well as other major doc trines of the Word. For a few moments, what about the matter of "subjection"? In a day and age when women are seeking to be liberated, this word seems rather old-fashioned and one-sided, perhaps even difficult to accept for some Christian wo men. Our final authority is not Gloria Steinem, Bella Abzug or Kay Millet. The Authority for such state ment is the Word of God. Take for instance the fifth chapter of Ephes ians. Twice in that portion wives are told to submit to their hus bands. We hasten to add, however, the interesting thing that three times in the same chapter, hus bands are told to love. You see, it is 100% involvement by both par ties. There can never be true sub mission until there is, first of all, an ample display of love. It is al ways a "two-way street." Because there are immediate questions, we need to go further in explaining that testimony. For instance, if in a home a husband is seeking to subject his wife to some aspect of definite immorality or principles which are obviously anti-Biblical, then primarily she cannot compro mise her stand. The subjection Scripture refers to centers on our day-to-day experiences of life. Notice the very clear exhortation given by Peter. He frankly tells Christian wives that they are to be in subjection to their own hus bands. One translation has that you should be in subjection to your "private" husband, to the one with
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