Lesson Notes:  1 Peter  3:7 (NIV based)

TITLE:  How Husbands Are To Treat Their Wife

READ:  1 Peter 3:7, with vv.1-6 for context

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v.7
What does "in the same way" imply for husbands?
- - “be considerate as you live with” = "living" together (with them) "according" to "knowledge". 
(Strong's #4924, #2596, #1108)
- - “respect” =
Strong's #5092 “honor; a value; by analogy, esteem (especially of the highest degree) or the dignity of itself”.
- - “hinder“ =
Strong's #1581 “to render fruitless”.
- - “In the same way” directly asserts that the husband too has responsibilities for his marriage before God, especially in the higher authority position he has over his wife.
- - The husband is be willing to suffer for doing what is right - he is not exempt but is called to do this even in his marriage. 
(v.2:21)
- - He is to win her over with righteous living - so that the wife will follow in willing submissiveness.
- - He, too, is to develop inner virtues which are commendable
(v.2:20) and of great worth to God (v.3:4) - which will make it easy for the wife to follow him.
- - The husband is to submit with respect to those in authority over him
(vv.2:13,18) - and in so doing he is setting a good example to be followed.
- - He is to respect everyone, love believers, fear God, honor the king. 
(v.2:17)
- - He is not to respond to his wife with insults / retaliation / threats
(v.2:23) - which also implies not demeaning, ridiculing, sarcasm, and etc.
- - The husband is equally accountable to God
(v.2:15) because he is a co-heir.

From what bases of knowledge should the husband conduct himself in relation to his wife?
The husband should conduct himself from the knowledge of:
- - the directive his wife is under to subordinate to him;
- - the vulnerability his wife has by being subordinate to him;
- - the nature his wife has been created with by God, which is weaker than his, and thereby means she has reduced capabilities and some inabilities;
- - that his wife has equal co-heir status as her husband does before God;
- - of his accountability before God to treat his wife with respect as he operates from a position of authority and strength over her;
- - that God will promptly enact a consequence upon the husband for mistreating his wife by not responding to his prayers - i.e. the mistreatment will have a direct adverse affect upon the husband’s relationship with God;
- - that his wife battles between outer beauty vs. inner beauty;
- - that his wife has a different psychological nature and thereby different needs than he does and thereby he is to “be considerate” or accommodating to that different nature and corresponding different needs;
- - that his wife will have major displeasure over his lack of loving leadership - which is a main reason why this directive is given in the Scriptures here;
- - the wife will have mixed emotions and fears of submitting to the husband and of being dependent upon him;
- - that he would be wise to find and develop the strengths and abilities God has given his wife.

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BIG IDEA:  The husband should win and not command his wife over to righteousness by his considerate and respectful regard for and treatment of her, using loving leadership.

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MAIN POINT:  What would you say is the main point in these verses?

IMPORTANT SUB-POINTS:  What are some other important points God is making here in these verses?

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APPLICATIONS:  What applications can you think of for how we should respond to the concepts in these verses? 

PERSONALIZED APPLICATIONS:  From these verses, what do you think God wants you to learn, or know, or remember, or put into effect in your life?  How are you going to do that?

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Works Cited:
Bible. “The Holy Bible: New International Version.” The Bible Library CD-ROM. Oklahoma City, OK: Ellis Enterprises, 1988.

“Strong's Greek Dictionary.” The Bible Library CD-ROM. Oklahoma City, OK: Ellis Enterprises, 1988.
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Copyrights:
Scriptures taken from Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®
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Copyright © 2014 Mel W. Coddington, and permission is hereby granted that this document may be used, copied, and distributed non-commercially to non-profit organizations, individuals, churches, ministries, and schools worldwide, provided the copies are distributed at no charge and retain this sources documentation as supplied herein. This document is not for sale, resale, or for use as a gift or premium to be offered in connection with solicitations or contributions.
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File name: 1Peter3_7-Lesson.___ (.htm, .doc, .pdf)
Translation used: NIV, quoted or referred to in various places within this document
Source: www.BelieverAssist.com
Updated:  January 24, 2015