Hello This is a Test

Friday Devo

Scripture:

1 Peter 3
4 You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. 5 This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They put their trust in God and accepted the authority of their husbands. 6 For instance, Sarah obeyed her husband, Abraham, and called him her master. You are her daughters when you do what is right without fear of what your husbands might do.

Commentary:

3:3–4 Do not let your adorning be external. Peter’s instructions here were common in his day (see Seneca, Epistles, To Helvia 16.3–4; Dio Chrysostom, Orations 7.117; Juvenal, Satire 6.457–463; 490–511; Plutarch, Advice to Bride and Groom, Moralia 141E; Epictetus, Handbook 40). Such “external … adorning” can be witnessed in portraits and sculptures from the first century, where the elaborate braiding of women’s hair and the wearing of ostentatious jewelry was common in upper-class Roman society. In contrast to this, the Christian woman should focus on inner (hidden) beauty of the heart. What matters to God is the godly character of the wife, characterized by a gentle and quiet spirit. It is clear that Peter is not literally prohibiting all braiding of hair or all wearing of gold jewelry, because if this were the case the same prohibition would apply also to wearing clothing! Instead, Peter warns against both an inordinate preoccupation with personal appearance and material excess in such matters.
3:5 Hope in God is expressed in a wife honoring her husband by submitting to him, as the venerable women in the OT did.
3:6 Sarah obeyed Abraham. Peter describes Sarah’s submission in terms of obedience. Such obedience does not mean the relationship between husbands and wives is like that of parents and children, but it does show that a wife is to follow her husband’s direction and leadership. In the culture of her day, Sarah expressed her submission by respectfully referring to Abraham as lord (see Gen. 18:12). do not fear. Peter calls on wives to model themselves after such godly women, not fearing that harm will come to them, but trusting God as Sarah did.

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 2409.

Questions:

  • Wives: A gospel-centered wife BREATHES LIFE! You have a choice to either be contentious, which is a detriment to your husband, or to be a godly, noble woman, which will help your husband flourish. Which will you choose to be today? What has God been speaking to you this week? What needs to change?

  • Husbands: You are the one that will stand before God one day and answer for how you led and nurtured your family. What will God say about the job you're doing? What has God been speaking to you this week? What needs to change?

  • Singles: The most important part of finding a spouse is to follow Jesus with all your heart. He must come first, no matter what! What has God been speaking to you this week? What needs to change?

Pray:

  • That you would do what's necessary to do marriage God's way.
  • That you would have the courage to change. 

This Week's City 7:

Try to commit to memory! 

5. Why do I follow Jesus? I follow Jesus because Jesus rose from the dead proving that He is the way, the truth and the life.
(Matthew 7:24-27; John 14:6)

No Comments