SCRIPTURE: 1 Peter 3 

KEY POINTS TO PONDER: 1) Peter continues the theme of submission in various institutions -- in this case marriage. 2) Peter here talks about the virtues of living a holy life (vv. 8-9). 3) Part of doing good in the face of suffering means being ready to give a response for the hope that is within us (v. 15). 

CHALLENGING TERMS: Wives submitting to husbands. It is likely in this context that this is referring to a Christian woman married to a non-Christian man (v. 1). Part of the way they were to win their husbands was through their conduct. There is no possible way to exhaust all that could be said about submission, but for further study read Ephesians 5:21-33. In these verses notice how Christ both pursues his bride with sacrificial love, and even as representing the husband in the picture of marriage, he gave himself for his bride, the church. The imprisoned spirits in verse 19 may be more fully explained in Ephesians 4:7-13. It seems that Christ preached in some manner following his death. Those who were in the ark (v. 20) were safe from judgment, and so when in Christ we are safe from judgment. 

QUESTION: Which of the virtues in verses 8-9 do you feel that you can grow in? 

PRAYER: Thank you, Father for the hope you’ve given us. Help us to articulate this hope to others. 

Consider praying that