"Ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands..."
Does that mean you should always give your husband the remote control when he wants it?

So conduct is important, very important!

If you are not a "doer" of the word, then you are just kidding yourself.

That's what Peter has been telling us and so says James in James 1:22, "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."

Many think they must "preach" in order to plant seeds, but guess what?

You are literally planting seeds just by walking in the Lord through the field [world]!

And you don't even have to say a word.

Your conduct speaks and testifies!

You know, actions speak louder than words.

You see, "actions", shall we dare say "works", confirm the Word of God in us.

People can tell by our actions!

So Peter continues in chapter 3 with the subject of Christian conduct and now he brings it right into our homes, into our living rooms.

You've heard the phrase "Practice what you preach"?

Well Peter has a method which we will call "Practice and don't preach".

Ladies first of course.

So ladies, here's how you might convert your husbands!

Actually, if you are a Christian woman you will completely understand this verse in context and know that it has nothing to do with inequality, spiritually or otherwise.

But if you are a "feminazi", a hater of men, you'll be jumping up and down screaming "the Bible is chauvinistic".

But what Peter is saying in verse 1 is that "Actions can and do speak louder than words".

You may have tried and tried the old preaching method on your "sinner" but he's still a fisher of fish.

It's time to stop trying to convince him with words and give him a demo, a living demonstration of how Christianity works.

(Start by giving him the remote control when he wants it, heh, heh.)

So be a "doer of the Word" and start walking the walk instead of talking the talk.

And you know what?

Whenever a person changes his or her behavior it has a profound impact on those around them.

And the closer their relationships to you, the more they will notice and be impacted.

"Conversation" is more correctly translated "conduct" or "behavior", and "fear" means "revere" or "reverence".

Paul says in 1 Timothy just don't dress up like a harlot.

What Peter is saying is that a Christian woman's true beauty is not seen in her outward appearance.

It's not that "skin deep" beauty that makes her glow.

It's not the gold that you see on her ears and fingers that make her beautiful, it's the shekinah diamonds on her heart.

She glows from the heart as her pearls of wisdom and meekness and kindness and gentleness adorn her spiritual body, her inner being.

Paul used the term "Gospel Armour" to describe the protective qualities of the Word so let's use the term "Gospel Jewels" to describe the beauty of a Christian woman.

So put on the Gospel Jewels.

For as Peter says in the last part of verse 4, they are beautiful and priceless in the sight of God, and your husband will love them, too!

They will both recognize what a true "Gem" you are.

The women of God have always been adorned within.

It comes from trusting in God... and giving your husband the remote control.

Do you remember when she and Abraham traveled to Gerar and Abimilech, the king of Gerar, looked upon her and wanted her?

I believe she was even 60 years old at the time.

She obviously took care of herself on the outside as well, and so should we all.

What does the phrase "and are not afraid with any amazement" mean?

Do you get hysterical and yell at him or her?

Do you "major" in minor things?

That's what Peter is talking about, i.e. your behavior at home as a Christian woman.

Uh, oh!

I get the feeling I'm going to have to give the remote back.

"Dwell with them" [and put up with them... Peter wasn't married, or was he?
Anyway, he spent a lot time with fish, who don't talk back.] "according to knowledge", i.e. with common sense and wisdom.

I've tried logic but it doesn't seem to work.

(Boy, I'm making friends now, aren't I?) "Giving honour unto the wife" [not to mention giving her a $50 bill, works wonders sometimes too], "as unto the weaker vessel".

She and I both know that women can't lift as much as men, but by dwelling with her in knowledge, I now know not to discuss this subject.

OK, that's enough.

I hope you all know by now that sometimes I jest and get carried away.

I don't mean to take anything away at all from what Peter is saying.

On the contrary, the fact is that we are real people and what Peter is talking about gets right down to the spilled juice and the remote control levels of our lives.

It is God's will that we be "heirs together in the grace of life", i.e. that we enjoy life together and receive His blessings.

If there is constant bickering and fighting between you and your husband then it creates a bunch of static on your prayer transmission line and God doesn't like listening to a bunch of static.

So He might not!

That's what it means, "Your prayers are hindered".

And guess what?

You can't bicker and fight with someone who won't bicker and fight back, can you?

Share all the "jewels" together, spiritual and otherwise.

By the way, the word "pitiful" means "kind".

"Ok, Ok, we'll even share the remote control.

How about you hold it and I'll push the buttons?

That seems logical to me!"

If you are married, God wants to bless your marriage but you must do it His way.

No bickering and fighting and ranting and raving and getting hysterical and calling each other names, etc., etc.!

Got it?

You were called to be a blessing to others, including and especially your spouse, and you will be blessed if you are.

One more time.

You were called to be a blessing to others, including and especially your spouse, and you will be blessed if you are.

Because your prayers won't be hindered and your marriage will be blessed.

"Be ye all of one mind" (vs. 8).

"I knew you'd see it Peter's way, honey!

Thanks!

I love you!"

Click, click, click, click, click...

Well, if you've ever had children and one of them threw a tantrum or behaved poorly in public then you know how embarrassing that can be.

Yes, the behavior of children is reflective upon their parents.

So if we say that we are children of God, then we "represent" the family of God and our behavior is reflective upon Him.

Now no one is more qualified to discuss this matter of behavior than Mr. Animation himself, the apostle Peter.

And he has been telling us why and how we should conduct ourselves as good citizens, as good employees, as loving husbands and wives, etc.

He has told us that our futures as God's elect are magnificent and until we receive our unfathomable inheritance, while we are here sojourning in flesh tabernacles, we need to be kind, generous, and forgiving and learn to put away petty differences and stop getting excited over stupid petty things.

Do you love life?

Or as the great Mahja Rushie would say, "Are you having more fun than a human being should be allowed to have?"

 You can you know!

Especially as a Christian with the unfair advantage of knowing what is going on in the world.

Do you want to see good days?

It is a choice, says Peter.

Then knock off the cynicism, the criticism, the bickering and the guile, all of which are negative spirits.

Tell the next person who whines to you that if they would like to dump their garbage in your living room that would be ok, but they may not dump their garbage in your mind.

In fact, make up a sign that reads "WHINING - $5.00 Charge" and hang it up.

Peter says seek peace and seek serenity and "ensue it", which means "go for it".

So go have a good day!

The Lord watches over us and His ears are open to our prayers.

All we have to do is try and be willing.

Of course none of us is perfect and we will occasionally "lose it" and even get "down in the dumps" a little.

And we know from the Book of Ecclesiastes that we will have some bad days and some good days.

Live Link to- Ecclesiastes Chapter 3

But they don't have to come from our own making by harboring such evil things as envy and jealousy and contention and strife!

"Eschew!" God Bless You.

Stand against all those things and follow that which is good.

After all, the Gospel Armour is designed to withstand fiery darts traveling at the speed of fake light.

Who cares what others think or say?

And don't be intimidated by their ranting and raving.

And don't "buy into it"!

"Eschew!" God Bless You!

The word "sanctify" means to separate or set aside, as in making place or room for Jesus Christ in your heart, which means in your mind.

The more you pray and study His Word, the more room you give Him so that when persecution or false accusation, i.e. the opportunity to do the right thing, presents itself to the nuclear reactor of your mind, there He may appear also to prevent a meltdown of your character and conduct as a Christian.

Because when there's a meltdown, there's a long and arduous clean-up process to follow.

And you must also sanctify the Lord God in your mind if you are to do as Peter instructs in the second half of this verse and "be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear".

You see, your accusers will ultimately be ashamed of their unfounded and undeserved condemnation of your Christian conduct.

When will that be?

When they suddenly realize what a great person "you" really are?

No!

When they finally hit bottom and realize what great sinners "they" really are.

And your conduct just might have been the good "work" that helped them see "hope", i.e. that there is better way of life.

And the connection will be from your conduct to Jesus Christ.

And as Peter says in verse 15, if and when they come to you and ask you "a reason of the hope that is in you", be ready and skilful enough in the Word to give them an answer.

And the answer is Him, the Living and the Written Word of God.

As Christians we must be able to lead them to Him.

It's part of the job description as one of God's elect, one of the chosen generation, one of the royal priesthood, which you are, remember (1 Pet. 2:9)?

So do as Paul says in 2 Tim. 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

Go for it!

but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God."

Why?

That He might bring us to God.

And He has!

So you do know who you are!

We have learned a great deal so far from the Big Fisherman in this chapter 3 of 1st Peter.

He has given us much detail and examples of how to conduct ourselves in a godly manner with specific instruction to always follow Christ and the examples He set forth.

The remainder of chapter 3 contains some in-depth teaching.

We should be reminded that this book is written to God's elect, who having eyes to see and ears to hear, means that they can see past the traditions of men.

Let's review verse 18 of chapter 3.

The answer to both questions is no!

He was God incarnate, i.e. dwelling in the flesh.

And He has always existed and always will, and has NEVER stopped existing!

He had to be somewhere because He was alive, right?

And you can be certain He didn't just sit around on the rock slab and play solitaire until it was time to roll back the stone.

So where did He go and what did He do?

Well, we know where He wasn't!

Peter tells us in verse 19.

So while He was in the tomb, "He went and preached unto the spirits in prison."

What spirits and what prison is Peter talking about?

Let's look at the word prison.

This should be a "no brainer":Until Jesus Christ had paid the price to free them from their sins and through accepting His sacrifice, receive salvation!

Remember what we read from Peter back in verses 9-11 of chapter 1 concerning salvation?

And once He did pay that price they were now able to wash their robes in the blood of the Lamb.

Understand, neither they, nor anyone else could now wash their robes in the blood of Lamb when there was no blood, could they?

And so now we see in Rev 5 & Rev 7 the great, innumerable  multitudes around the throne of God who have washed their robes.

You now know where Christ was for the period of time He was in the tomb.

But here's something that really confuses folks.

Every soul, good or bad, when he/she dies, instantly goes to heaven, back to the Father who sent him (Eccles. 12:7).

This is a fact that is little understood because through traditions people think that only "good" people are in heaven.

But ask yourself this question: Has Satan been destroyed yet?

Answer: No he hasn't.

He has been sentenced to death which is why he is called the "son of perdition" meaning the "son who will perish", i.e. be destroyed, die, cease to exist.

But that perishing will not take place until the second death, which is the lake of fire.

Make no mistake, the lake of fire is the second death.

So where is Satan and where is everyone who has ever lived in the flesh and died, even starting from Adam and Eve until Jesus Christ paid the price and even unto this very day?

They're not here, are they?

And we know that no one, not even Satan, has died the second death yet, i.e. perished in the lake of fire.

So they must all be in heaven!

Yes, even Satan and the fallen angels of Genesis chapter 6 are in heaven.

Now that doesn't mean they are all with Jesus, as are all the saints, does it?

In fact, we know from the parable of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16 that there is a gulf which separates shall we say "the good from the bad".

You see, it is documented in Rev. 12:7-9 that Satan and his angels are cast out of heaven by Michael and company, which occurs at the 6th Trump.

So they have to be there, in heaven, in order to be cast out.

2 Thes. 2:7 reveals that Satan, that son of perdition, is currently restrained (by Michael) but will soon be let loose, i.e. cast from heaven, to play the role of the false messiah.

Satan has already been judged to die and the 7,000 fallen angels of Gen. 6 await destruction (Jude), having brought eternal damnation upon themselves by leaving heaven, their first estate, and coming to earth without being born in the flesh.

Thus, instead of coming to earth as flesh and blood beings as God comanded we are all to do. they made their decision to come directly to earth as spirit beings, not waiting their turn to be born of womsn like the rest of us and they will surely perish because of it.

Let's now continue the thought of Peter who just told us that Christ went to preach to the spirits in prison.

Peter is talking about all the people all the way back to the beginning, but gives the example of Noah's time to draw the analogy in the next verse to water and baptism and the ark of salvation.

So where is Jesus Christ right now?

Paul documents that for us in his letter to the Philippians.

And He will remain in Heaven until which time all His enemies are made His footstool.

Paul again gives the documentation.

The point of all that Peter and Paul have been saying is that our Father is completely just and fair concerning salvation.

Jesus Christ is no respecter of persons and will soon return as The King of kings and Lord of lords at which time another era of salvation will be ushered in, the great Millennium.

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