husbands/wives & created order
This is one of a few sections that can be easily misunderstood or taken to mean something that it doesn't necessarily. It is a good example of a duality we live with: our actions before God in regards to salvation, and our actions in the world in regards to daily life. Both of the realities are present in this section. First it may be better to deal with the issue of equality. We must recognize that 'submission' does not, and should not, have connotations of inferiority. When wives are called to be submissive, it does not mean that they are in any way inferior to their husbands. A quick example of equality in submission is found in God himself, as Christ is submissive to the Father, but is quite obviously neither inferior nor lesser than the Father. It would be better to think of submission more along the lines of following an organization, or order, that God built into his creation. Things 'work' better when we live as God has intended. This point of equality is nuanced in verse 7 where Peter deals specifically with our equality in salvation through Christ. While men and women are fully equal as individuals, they are also fully equal before God in salvation. Verse 7 drives home the point that women are just as equal as men when it comes to being heirs of life in Christ, and it is so important that when this reality is discarded, it will hinder communication with God himself. The equality before God in salvation is also seen on other verses, such as Gal. 3:28, which clearly is speaking of a salvation reality, and not necessarily a secular reality (our actions in daily life). But Peter is also dealing with how we should live in our daily lives. Peter is drawing our attention to the fact that God didn't only create a world and hope it functioned day-to-day acceptably, but that he created an order to it. So, as can be seen in this 1 Peter section, we (men and women) are indeed both saved and equal before God, but we also live daily in the present world with that identity as forgiven men and women. Peter is urging us to live within the order for creation put into place by God himself. He tells us that wives are to be submissive to their husbands, and that husbands are to care for and protect their wives. We see this as a rather constant theme not only in the New Testament, but also in the Old. Interestingly enough, it is also not hard to find a large body of social research literature that bears this created order out as a general social theme for life. Although this is a general theme for creation (equal, but not the same), it should be noted that Peter is referring here only to wives and husbands.
Created over 3 years ago
