Winning an Unbelieving Husband

1 Peter 3:1-7 lays out the wife's duty to submit to her husband. Submission is only absolute towards God - towards husbands and other human authorities, it must not extend beyond God's commands. Obeying a husband who wants you to disobey God is not submission. Sapphira followed her husband in lying to the Holy Spirit, and she was punished for it. Abigail disobeyed Nabal in doing good to her fellow man, David, who was God's anointed, and she actually preserved her husband's life for ten days. The apostles refused to submit to the authorities who commanded them to stop preaching the Gospel. The wife is to submit to her own husband, and if he is unbelieving, to win him without a word. This means to not nag or pressure or cajole him, but to be silent when he is being disobedient. A godly gentle and quiet spirit is precious, valuable in God's sight. It is imperishable, renewed daily, and is a gift from Jesus Christ. What better jewel to wear than that? A wife is to follow Sarah's example when she followed Abraham from Ur, and when she obeyed him in serving food to the angels. She also called him lord, or master, a sign of respect. We are to imitate her and be without fear. God will not punish the godly woman for denying herself and submitting to her husband in all that she can, and she is not to fear that her husband will abuse or take advantage of her. These principles carry over even when the husband is godly, for he sometimes disobeys. She is to submit in as much as she can.