Chaste Living with Fear 1 Peter 3:2

Peter shared the manner in which the “scattered” Christians were to behave before unbelievers, and as he began to share with specific groups, he told the wives to be “in subjection to” their “own husbands” so “that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives”. In chapter three and verse three of his letter, Peter continued his instructions to the wives and he shared about living in a “chaste” manner “coupled with fear” where we read:

While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.

The verse begins, “While they behold your chaste conversation...” Peter began with the word, “While” they behold” which refers to “the husbands overseeing, looking upon, watching and viewing attentively” “your chaste” or “exciting, reverential, venerable, sacred, pure and modest” “conversation” which means “manner of living, conduct, behavior and deportment”. As husbands watched their wives' “reverential, pure and modest” behavior, it was certain to affect the way they viewed Christianity.

The verse goes on to say, “...coupled with fear.” Peter continued with, “coupled with” or “among, at, on and through” “fear” which is the Greek word “phobus” and means “dread, terror and reverence”. Along with their “pure and modest” behavior, when wives “revered” their husbands, they would influence them and bear witness of Jesus Christ as well.

When we think upon these words of Peter, we may find them more difficult for wives today. We must keep in mind that Peter is concerned with the lost and unbelieving husbands, and the wives were to be witnesses of their relationship with Jesus Christ while they lived their lives in the way he described. Let us examine ourselves and discover whether we abide by the standard Peter has given, and should we find ourselves falling short, let us ask the Lord for His help in keeping His word.

Next time Peter shares about wives' “outward adorning”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.