Marriage: Practical Priorities

This sixth message on Biblical marriage describes how two individuals in a marriage submit to one another in difficult situations, such as when the husband is not a believer or when the wife is not recognized as valuable in society. WIVES were given six verses of instructions because their role was much more difficult in that day. They were to have the right attitude toward their unsaved husbands, modeling Christlikeness in order to win them to the Lord. Their adornment was not to focus on their external appearance, but on the internal - hearts that were meek and not unruly. An excellent example of this is how Sarah treated Abraham in the O.T. - obeying him, calling him lord and living without fear. HUSBANDS then received one critical verse, telling them to develop an aptitude for intelligently living with their wives - to work at knowing them intimately regarding their soul (as a female) and their body (as a weaker vessel). Peter also gave husbands a specific assignment regarding their spirits - to grant their wives honor as fellow heirs, treating them as those who had extreme value because they are equal partners in Christ. Then God could focus on each husband's prayers rather than on their sins.