What God Joined Together - Family Radio

whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if
there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
She asks for God’s forgiveness when she thinks resentfully of her husband.
When her husband sins against her, no matter how often, she gladly forgives
him. No matter how her husband treats her, she tries to convey to him that she
is glad she is married to him. She can do this honestly because she realizes that
God has fused them into one flesh. She realizes that since they are married, her
life will remain intimately involved with her husband until God takes one of
them in death.
The impact of this kind of godly behavior on an unsaved husband is bound
to be enormous. Even though he is unsaved, he knows that he is wrong when
he mistreats his wife. He sees her continuing faithfulness to him, her quiet
submission, her continuing forgiveness, and he will slowly realize that his
wife is special. By God’s grace he should begin to relate his wife’s beautiful
conduct to Christianity. By God’s grace, God may use this awareness to open
his spiritual eyes. This is the essence of the teaching of I Peter 3:1.
Her patient, submissive conduct toward a tyrant of a husband may not be
understood by friends and relatives. If they do not understand God’s laws, they
might tempt this dear wife by accusing her of being a “doormat” or a “patsy.”
Because she is truly saved, she has within her an earnest desire to do the
will of God, which is an integral part of her life. I John 2:3-6 teaches:
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and
the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love
of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he
abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
The only time she is to disobey her husband is if he asks her to break God’s
laws. If he asks her to lie, steal, or engage in sexual activity with someone other
than himself, she, of course, must disobey. Such disobedience may bring her
husband’s wrath on her; however, if she has been the God-fearing, quietly
submissive wife God commands her to be, without question her husband’s
wrath will be reduced from what it might have been had she not been faithfully
obeying God’s rules.
THE WIFE’S SECRET WEAPON
One area of special concern may arise if her husband forbids her to engage
in spiritual activities. God commands in Hebrews 10:25:
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some
is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day
approaching.
Should she disobey her husband if he makes such an unreasonable request
Should she disobey him if he forbids her to teach the children the ways of
38 What God hath joined together...