Sharon Reformed Presbyterian Church · Sermon study sheet

Husbands Honor Your Wife

Bryan Schneider · November 30, 2024

1 Peter 3:7

sharonrpc.org/sermons/husbands-honor-your-wife

Summary

Christian husbands must live differently from both passive cultural caricatures of men and sinful patterns of domineering authority.
A husband is commanded to dwell with his wife according to knowledge, thoughtfully considering her needs, strengths, weariness, preferences, and perspective.
Calling the wife the weaker vessel principally recognizes physical vulnerability and gives the husband a responsibility to protect and honor, never to intimidate, abuse, or despise.
Husband and wife have different responsibilities within marriage, yet the wife is not less valuable: both are fellow heirs of the same grace of life.
A husband must not place himself between his wife and Christ or restrict her direct participation in the Word, prayer, sacraments, worship, and benefits of redemption.
God takes a husband's treatment of his wife seriously; contempt and dishonor hinder prayer, while Christlike love bears the Spirit's fruit and glorifies God.

How well do I actually know my wife's present needs, burdens, strengths, and hopes?
Do my private thoughts and public words communicate honor for my wife or contempt and irritation?
Am I using physical strength and household authority for protection and service or for intimidation and control?
Where have I confused leadership with the right to disregard my wife's counsel, preferences, dignity, or agency?
Do I recognize my wife as a fellow heir with direct access to Christ and all the ordinary means of grace?
Is there sin in my treatment of my wife that I need to confess to God and to her?
Would an observer see Christ's love for the church reflected in the way I live with my wife?

Dwell with understanding: To share life attentively with one's wife according to real knowledge of her person, circumstances, needs, and gifts.
Honor: Treating one's wife as worthy of dignity, respect, consideration, protection, and practical care.
Weaker vessel: Peter's recognition of the wife's ordinary physical vulnerability, which calls forth care rather than inferiority or contempt.
Co-heir: A person who shares the same inheritance; husband and wife equally receive the grace of life through Jesus Christ.
Headship: The husband's God-given responsibility to lead and serve the household under Christ, never to become its tyrant or mediator.
Spiritual fruit: The love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control the Spirit produces in believers.