1 Peter chapter 3

In 1 Peter chapter 2 Peter speaks about believers submitting to God in heaven and submitting to leaders and rulers on earth.  There is order in God’s universe.  I believe that we are given instructions about God’s order in Ephesians 5 and in 1 Peter chapter 3.  In talking about submission, Paul and Peter are giving examples of God’s order in His Kingdom on earth and in the world.  We are to submit to God.  He must be first in the order of things in our lives.  The next most important relationships are found in the family.  Here is where they both talk about submission and the order of family relationships.  Under God is the husband.  Under the husband is the wife.  Under the father and mother are the children.  As we see today, with the breakdown of the family comes the breakdown of society.  When God is eliminated from society there are no absolutes.   People live without order or accountability and anything goes.  Wives are to honor and respect their husbands and husbands are to love their wives as Christ loves the church.  When parents disrespect each other, children do not learn to respect their parents and in turn do not respect others in authority.  God’s commandment found in Exodus 20:12 tells us to honor our father and mother.  God has given us His Word to teach us how to live and be blessed.    

Christ loved us in submission to Father God.  We are to love and submit ourselves to each other.  Husbands and wives are to live, love, and submit in obedience to God’s order for God’s blessings and for our benefit. We are of great worth to our Creator.  Our worth and beauty are internal, not judged by any external adornment.  God honors our quiet loving internal spirit.  We are blessed by God to be a blessing to others.

The eyes of the Lord are on those who love rightly (live righteously in Christ).  The eyes of God, not the eyes of man, are what we should be concerned about.  We want to please God.  We are not to be ashamed of professing Christ or our faith.  Our ultimate judge will be God, not man.   Some day we will answer to how we lived on earth. We will be at God’s right hand in the attendance of angels, authorities, and powers; all under God’s submission.  We will know and do in heaven what God has taught us on earth.