Husband

“In the same way, you husbands must give honour to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.”
1 Peter 3:7 NLT

In this very important verse giving advice to Christian husbands, Peter starts with “In the same way”.The same way as what? To answer that we must read again the previous verses and review the intent behind Peter’s words. We read about “godly lives”, “a gentle and quiet spirit”, “trust in God”, and obedience. I’m not sure why Peter felt he had to write to wives over six verses but use just one for husbands. But the picture emerges of a relationship, seasoned by love, sacrifice and commitment. The message to the wives also has some important elements within it for the husbands.

A Christian husband, Peter wrote, must treat his wife with honour and understanding, the more so because Peter thinks she is the weaker member of the dual relationship. And he warns that if the husband doesn’t treat his wife properly, his prayer life will be hindered.

But the key message is around the word “equal”. So often in society, we hear about situations where the wife is very much the weaker, or less significant, or even mistreated member of the partnership, but Peter made clear that this should not be the case. In Galatians 3:28, Paul also made the case for equality. “There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.” We are indeed all equal in God’s sight. In this age of confusion over issues such as gender and feminism, Peter’s age-old advice paints a picture of marriage and life, built and implemented God’s way. 

Biblical marriage is between a man and a woman. There is no other option, in spite of the strident demands of the society in which we live, a stridency that has even persuaded many established churches to abandon what God has decreed and promote a different way. Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve, populated the Garden of Eden. And following God’s way in marriage I’m sure brings a smile to His face, as He watches His dear children behave in accordance with His created model for mankind. As we read in Ecclesiastes 4:12, “A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.”

Dear Father God. A marriage rooted and founded in You can never fail. Thank You. Amen.