Peter Exhorts the Persecuted Believers Volume 28

 Christian Wives in the Home 🏡 Part 2

1 Peter 3:3-4 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

As we stated in the previous study/commentary, our Lord Jesus Christ is the head of every husband that has been born again by Him and if that be true with the man 👨 or husband, then certainly as he follows Christ he will want to love his wife just as Christ loves His Bride 'the Church ⛪' as written for us with these words by the Apostle Paul, "So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the Church." (Ephesians 5:28-29) (NKJV). I wanted to add this just before the Apostle Peter now goes further into the wives outward and inward behavior in the Church and more importantly in her daily life with her husband whom she is to love above all others except her love should be greater for our Lord Jesus Christ above even her husband. Wives respond to the affection and nurturing loving care that their husband demonstrates to them on a regular basis, just as all of we redeemed, regenerated, and resurrected sons and daughters of Christ Jesus our Lord do with Him, therefore, the Apostle Peter gives these words of exhortation to every Christian wife back then and every era and generation, "Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." (1 Peter 3:3-4) (KJV). The reason the Apostle Peter draws attention to the plaiting of hair and the wearing of gold and the putting on apparel is not because there is any inherent evil or bad in women who would do so, but that in the time of Peter penning this letter ✉ it was common for the unsaved women of Rome to dress 👗 in the most provocative ways as if to flaunt themselves in public to entice men. So, Peter is exhorting the women of God to not follow this pattern of outward dress 👗 so as to esteem their union with Christ and their union with their own husbands with the honor and respect both are due from them. A women who loves and honors her husband wants to appear beautiful to him always and wants to be beautiful for him in public, but her natural beauty is what attracted her husband to her and it is what he sees most of their time together, so he loves the real her and wants to see and be with her in said manner always. Here is what Vincent's Word Studies had to say of the Roman women during that time ⌚ of Peter writing this letter ✉, "The Roman women of the day were addicted to ridiculous extravagance in the adornment of the hair. Juvenal ('Satire,' vi.) satirizes these customs. He says: 'The attendants will vote on the dressing of the hair as if a question of reputation or of life were at stake, so great is the trouble she takes in quest of beauty; with so many tiers does she lead, with so many continuous stories does she build up on high her head. She is tall as Andromache in front, behind she is shorter. You would think her another person.' The hair was dyed, and secured with costly pins and with nets of gold thread. False hair and blond wigs were worn. Female extravagance in dress in the days of the empire reached an alarming pitch." Juvenal was a Roman satirist who denounced the vice and folly of Roman society during the reign of the emperor Domitian (60-140). I would say that their time ⌚ had nothing on the time ⌚ we currently live in today as well as the past 2,000 years since Christ death, buriel, and resurrection, then His ascension back to heaven. What did King Solomon write 📝, "That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which it may be said, 'See, this is new'? It has already been in ancient times before us. There is no remembrance of former things, Nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come By those who will come after." (Ecclesiastes 1:9-11) (NKJV).

The Apostle Peter wanted to see His wife and all the other Christian wives back then and of every era and generation be more mindful of their inner beauty that is received from God's grace in the inner woman 👩, that is, the new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) that she has been made by the working of the Spirit of God in her, for this is real beauty as compared to the plaiting of hair or wearing of gold or the putting on of fancy and expensive dresses. When Peter says here a 'meek' spirit he declares that by the grace of God in the inner woman she will be holy and the non-violent agitations from her husband will be met with grace and not with a mean tempered response. When Peter speaks of a 'quiet' spirit, he is declaring her to be peaceable, that is, making peace in their home and not stirring up strife or contention with her husband and being undisturbed by the conflicts that arise between them (and their will be many), but instead she will endeavor to make peace in their arguments, however, at the same time ⌚, not being his doormat to be walked upon and over, but making her feeling's known to him and making her ideas known to him at the same time ⌚ respecting him as the head of the home 🏡 and his decision on matters that she has expressed her disagreement with. Note: "Again, I must continue to reiterate that our Lord Jesus Christ is not commanding any wife to stay in a home where she and her children 🧒 are being physically abused regularly, for this is not the meaning Peter or any of the other writers of Scipture are conveying to wives period. Get out of that situation until he gets help period." Here is what John Wesley had to say of a meek and quiet spirit, "Complete inward holiness, which implies a meek and quiet spirit. A meek spirit gives no trouble willingly to any: a quiet spirit bears all wrongs without being troubled. In the sight of God - Who looks at the heart." Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of a meek and quiet spirit, "More especially, the finest ornament of Christian women is a meek and quiet spirit, a tractable easy temper of mind, void of passion, pride, and immoderate anger, discovering itself in a quiet obliging behaviour towards their husbands and families. If the husband be harsh, and averse to religion (which was the case of these good wives to whom the Apostle gives this direction), there is no way so likely to win him as a prudent meek behaviour. At least, a quiet spirit will make a good woman easy to herself, which, being visible to others, becomes an amiable ornament to a person in the eyes of the world. The excellency of it. Meekness and calmness of spirit are, in the sight of God, of great price - amiable in the sight of men, and precious in the sight of God. A true Christian's chief care lies in the right ordering and commanding of his/her own spirit."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…