WELCOME
By Elizabeth Peak
"For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband?" (1 Corinthians 7:16a)
This passage is telling the wife of an unbeliever not to give up on her mate. The wife may become the means of saving him. Live a dedicated Christian life each day, pray for your mate and God may answer your prayers.
In my life, I have known several Christian women whose husbands were not believers. The husbands didn't attend worship with the wives. The wives never ceased praying that their husbands would attend worship with them. They never ceased praying that their mates would become Christians.
In the early 1960's, we moved to Canyon, Texas, so my husband could attend college. My husband became acquainted with another man who had a young family. The two men became fast friends. The families met, and we became friends also. The man was an unbeliever, but the wife was a Christian. She and her small children attended a small church near their home. We attended a larger congregation. It wasn't long before they were attending church with us. The husband never came with them. We all prayed that he would attend church with his family. We also talked to him about God.
When he graduated in 1963, they moved to Colorado. The wife told me that each Sunday the children would ask their dad to go to church with them. Finally, he gave in and went to church with them. It wasn't long until he man was baptized into Christ. He was a faithful Christian until his untimely death at the age of 48.
"Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives." (1Peter 3:1)
This section of scripture seems to be telling us that a wife's submissiveness to her husband, as well as her conduct as a Christian, may win the unbelieving husband to the Lord.
When my husband graduated from college, we moved to Friona, Texas, so he could teach school. The first time we went to church we met a young woman with two children under the age of three. She was also married to an unbeliever. She was faithful in her attendance. She studied the Bible with her children at home and prayed with them.
Several years later the young woman's husband began attending church with her occasionally. After the birth of their third child, the husband began attending regularly. It wasn't long until he was baptized into Christ. He is a good example of being won by the conduct of a godly wife. He is now a deacon in the church.
The reading in 1 Peter 3:1-7 continues on with the idea that the husbands observe their wives "chaste conduct accompanied by fear." They also observe in their wives "the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit". These attributes may lead the unbelieving husband to want to know more about the Lord and His church.
Both of the above women had the above characteristics. The husbands might not have been converted to the Lord if these women had not had loving, caring ways and put the God first in their lives. God can do great things if one lives for Him.
Never give up on your mate because they are nonbelievers, for you may become the means of saving them. Bear your cross, be a good example and look to God. He may give your unbelieving husband or wife the answer to your prayers.
Questions:
1. How should the wife of an unbeliever conduct her life?
2. Should a wife be submissive to her husband?
3. Who should be first in the wife's life?
4. True/False The wife, without a word, may by her conduct win her husband.
5. True/False The husband should observe the wife's chaste conduct accompanied by fear.
6. True/False The husband should observe a mean and nasty spirit in his wife.
7. What can God do if one lives for Him?
8. Should one give up on their mate? Why?
9. Bear your _____, be a ______ example and look to ____.
All Scripture is taken from the NKJ Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson,Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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