should turn to relationships between husbands and wives. Back in the time of Scripture’s inspiration, looking at the contem poraneous w r itin g s , extra-Biblical and not inspired, we find that con ditions in this area as far as mari tal standards were concerned had greatly degenerated. The words of the Holy Spirit to Peter couldn’t have come at a more desperate hour. Historians of the day tell how the rabbis permitted divorce even on the smallest pretext. The women to whom Peter was writing in the third chapter of this epistle were in a very unique posi tion. Doubtless, they had all accept ed Jesus Christ as Saviour follow ing marriage, for they were living in those first hours of Christianity. Now there are many women today who have gone through similar ex periences. Although they have been reared in Christian homes, they themselves never made a profession for Jesus Christ. It was some time after marriage that the realization of their need for the Saviour was made so evident. By the power of the Holy Spirit, they came into a per sonal relationship with Him, finding eternal sa lva tion . However, their husbands still did not know the Lord. This, of course, was the great concern of their hearts. There is another category of wom en with unsaved mates. These are those women who have known the Lord for many years, perhaps find ing Him even before their teens. Al though they may have been aware of explicit Scripture on the subject, still they entered into the contract of marriage with unbelievers. Dr. Harry Ironside forcefully pointed out, “I f a child of God marries a 3
A m o n g t h e thousands of letters received here at “The Biola Hour,” none touch our hearts more, or seem more prevalent among lis teners experiencing difficulties, than correspondence from women whose husbands don’t know Jesus Christ as their Saviour. As an example, here’s a note on my desk from an individual telling of the grief in her heart because three teenage children, as well as their father, have never experienced salvation and seemingly have no interest in the things of Christ. She concludes by saying, “There is, at times, a real ‘charged’ atmosphere in our home. I frequent ly wonder if we’re not all going to pieces.” How wonderful it is to know that God has not left us to our own rea sonings, but in His Word, He has carefully established principles, en tirely reliable, which are not just in the form of suggestions, but real ly reveal how we may carry them out effectively. It has some very {jointed things to say about how a Christian wife is to live before her unsaved husband. In the study of I Peter 3:1-7, we should first gain a grasp on the con text in which the portion is found. Peter has been exhorting servants or slaves to endure suffering or hard ness, even under the most oppressive circumstances, that glory might ulti mately be given to God. He points out that as Christ bore the marks of man’s sinfulness in like manner, so that we might give a testimony to the world of our unflinching faith, we too must be willing to go through testings and trials that God ultimate ly will be glorified. After completing his exhortation to slaves and ser vants, it’s most interesting that he
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