1Peter 3:1-6
We Are Different
We are at the third group whom Peter singled out to give a special
command. The two previous groups were (1) everyone, (2) slaves. The
command that he is emphasizing to every group is to submit. Tonight,
we will study the verses where Peter emphasized this truth to the
wives.
Let’s consider three thoughts tonight, two of them before we even get
into the text.
I. Men and women are NOT the same.
A. The world wants us to believe that men and women are the same.
1. They cry today is not so much for equal rights as
sameness.
2. No Christian should have a problem with the fact that men
and women are created equal, but every Christian should
have a problem with the notion that men and women are the
same.
B. Science proves men and women are not. Some of those facts are:
1. Men and women differ in every cell of their bodies. The
difference begins at the chromosome level which is the
basic cause of development into either maleness or
femaleness.
2. Woman have greater constitutional vitality. Normally, in
the United States, the woman outlives the man by three or
four years.
3. The basal metabolism of the woman is normally lower than
that of man.
4. Men and women differ in skeletal structure, woman having
a shorter head, broader face, a less protruding chin,
shorter legs and longer trunk. Boys’ teeth last longer
than do those of girls.
5. Women have a larger stomach, kidneys, liver and appendix,
but smaller lungs.
6. A woman’s thyroid is larger and more active; it provides
resistance to cold, and is associated with the smooth
skin, a relatively hairless body, and thin layer of
subcutaneous fat.
a. These are important elements in the concept of
personal beauty.
b. It also contributes to emotional instability—she
laughs and cries more easily.
7. Even the woman’s blood is different from a man’s. A
woman’s blood contains more water and 20 percent fewer
red cells. Since these supply oxygen to the body cells,
she tires more easily and is more prone to faint.
8. In brute strength, men are 50 percent stronger than women.
9. A woman’s heart beats more rapidly (80, vs. 72 for men);
her blood pressure is an average of 10 points lower than
the man but varies from minute to minute. Women have much
less tendency to high blood pressure—at least until after
the menopause.
10. Her vital capacity or breathing power is lower.
11. She stands high temperature better than man does.
C. There is also a great body of psychological evidence that men
and women are different.
1. Women and men think and act differently.
2. Their brains are just wired different. These differences
an be read in many marriage help books, such as Men Are
From Mars + And Women Are From Venus.
a. Men are more aggressive than women.
b. Men are more willing to take risks.
c. Men are more self-centered and stubborn than women.
d. Men tend to be more logical and decisive than women.
e. Women are more aware of things around them and
emotional than men.
f. Women have better people skills.
g. Women tend to more intelligent than their
counterparts.
h. Women multitask better than men.
i. Women listen better than men.
j. Women are more compassionate than men.
https://www.dobsonlibrary.com/resource/article/9149f0c1-006e-4e69-
8443-f4901c11843e
II. God commands men and women to stay different.
A. Men and women are different because God made them that
way.
B. God has commanded men and women to stay different in at
least 3 ways.
1. God commands separate dress:
Deuteronomy 22:5 The woman shall not wear that
which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man
put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are
abomination unto the LORD thy God.
a. That is an Old Testament commandment and because
of that, many feel it has no relevance to the
church.
b. However, if you will notice, God did not give a
penalty with the command. He gave an assessment.
(1) God doesn’t say that anyone wearing the
clothing of the other sex has committed a
crime.
(2) He says that they have committed an
abomination.
(3) The word means something improper,
disgusting, abhorrent.
(4) On February 24, 2019, Billy Porter, a gay,
black actor who has a role in Kinky Boots,
wore a full and flowing black dress to the
Oscars.
(a) Any normal person is going to think that
is disgusting.
(b) However, a woman can dress like a man
and for some reason, most think
nothing of it.
(c) Why is one disgusting and the other not?
(d) God says both are.
c. Are cloths the most important topic we need to
deal with in this age? No, but it is a command
given to us by God and it should be obeyed.
2. God commands separate hairstyles:
1Cor 11:14 Doth not even nature itself teach you,
that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto
him?
15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to
her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
a. The command concerning dress is Old Testament and
so largely dismissed by New Testament Christians
today.
(1) However, this teaching is found in the New
Testament and is still dismissed by New
Testament Christians today.
(2) That tells me that most Christians objections
are because of where the verses are found
but because of our personal preferences.
b. This teaching is more specific.
(1) The command on dress does not tell us what
proper dress for a man or woman is. It just
tells us to keep it different.
(2) However, this passage does teach us that men
should have short hair and women should have
long hair.
c. Is hair the most important topic we need to deal
with today? No, but it is a teaching of the Word
of God, and Christians should obey it.
3. God commands distinctive sexual roles:
a. When we make the journey from looking like a
person of the opposite sex to being the person
of the opposite sex, we cross a major sin
threshold.
Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind,
as he lieth with a woman, both of them have
committed an abomination: they shall surely be
put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
Leviticus 18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind,
as with womankind: it is abomination.
b. Homosexuality—no matter who is pretending to be
what—is both a crime under the Old Testament Law
and for those not under the law, it is called an
abomination.
c. Even more, God declares that those who commit this
abomination are lost and hell-bound.
1Cor 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall
not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived:
neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor
adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of
themselves with mankind,
C. In all three of these areas, we have the choice to obey
God or not, but all three of these are sins for the same
reason.
1. They all violate God’s command for the sexes to stay
separate.
2. The world is desperately searching for some
scientific proof that man and woman’s sexual
orientation (as they call it) is not a gender
imprint.
3. It’s another case of them disregarding science in an
attempt to prove their philosophy.
4. We sin by choice and Christians need to abandon the
world’s philosophy of dress, hair, and sexual roles.
III. God commands the women to behave differently.
A. That should not offend anyone, male or female.
1. Why? Because God commands the men to behave differently
too.
2. I understand the problem. Some are offended not because
God commands different behavior but because of what God
commands.
B. Three commands:
1. \\#1\\ Submit
1Peter 3:1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection
to your own husbands…
a. That is the one that bothers people.
b. God established a line of authority, not because He
prefers one gender over the other but because He
created man and woman at different times and for
different purposes.
(1) God created man first to serve and glorify Him.
(2) God created woman second to be a helpmeet to the
man.
c. That does not mean the woman is less important to God
or that she cannot serve God. It is just the order
of creation.
d. As Christians, we either accept and obey God or we do
not.
2. \\#2\\ Be chaste
1Peter 3:2 While they behold your chaste
conversation coupled with fear.
a. The word means "modest, clean, pure, innocent."
b. Among the many things we have perverted is how we
present ourselves, and in this text, how the women
present themselves.
c. The way most people want to present themselves is with
SEX APPEAL; that is by displaying their sexuality
to attract others.
d. Ladies, you are beautiful and very appealing to men;
but there should be one and only one man that you
desire to attract and impress, your husband.
e. Use your beauty and charm to light up his world and
your relationship, but for everyone other human
being, be chaste.
3. \\#3-4\\ Adorn your spirit more than your body.
1Peter 3:3 Whose adorning let it not be that
outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of
wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
4 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.
a. This is not a command forbidding any beautification of
the body.
b. It is a command to keep the emphasis on the inner
person.
c. This world has enough beautiful bodies. What we need
are some beautiful souls.
C. \\#6\\ Peter gave one example: Sara.
1Peter 3:6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling
him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye
do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
1. Sarah must have been a beautiful woman, being more than
65, Pharaoh wanted her for a wife. (Gen 12)
2. But it is not beauty for which we remember Sarah.
a. Neither is it spirituality or loving disposition.
b. We remember her for her obedience.
c. Not once, but repeatedly Abraham told her to call him
her brother, and she did it, even at harm to herself.
3. Why? Apparently because that is what she believed God
wanted her to do.
4. I do not think a woman she follow her husband into
immorality or wrong, but the Bible does teach that women
should submit.
Now it is up to the women whether they will or will not.
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