STORY / CONTEXT

We’ve been walking through God’s design for human flourishing.

• Life has value because God created it
• Marriage has purpose because God designed it
• And today…we see how that design actually gets lived out

Because let’s be honest—
it’s one thing to understand marriage… it’s another thing to live it.

Peter writes to believers living in a broken, unbelieving culture…
and gives very practical instruction for husbands and wives.

SCRIPTURE READING

1 Peter 3:1–7

BIG IDEA

God’s design for marriage is not just theological—it’s practical.

It shows up in how we live, love, and relate to one another.

WIVES

1. Trust God’s ORDER

God’s design is not about superiority—it’s about structure.

• Equal in value
• Distinct in role

Submission is not weakness.
It is trust in God’s design.

2. Mind your CONDUCT

1 Peter 3:1–2

Your life may speak louder than your words.

• Respectful
• Pure
• Consistent

Truth:
God may use your conduct to do what your words cannot.

3. Pursue biblical BEAUTY

1 Peter 3:3–6

Not external first… internal first.

• Gentle spirit
• Quiet strength
• Imperishable character

Key Insight:
External beauty fades—
internal beauty endures.

4. Find a worthy MENTOR

1 Peter 3:5–6

Look to faithful women who have walked this road.

• Learn from their example
• Follow their faith
• Trust what God has already proven works

HUSBANDS

1. LIVE with your wife

1 Peter 3:7

This is more than proximity—it’s responsibility.

• Provision (1 Timothy 5:8)
• Protection (physical, emotional, spiritual)

Truth:
You don’t just share a house—you share a calling.

2. LEARN about your wife

Live with understanding.

• Study her
• Know her
• Pay attention

Key Insight:
You cannot love well what you refuse to learn.

3. LOVE your wife as God’s daughter

1 Peter 3:7

• Show honor publicly and privately
• Recognize her value
• Remember who she belongs to

Line to land:
She is not just your wife—
she is God’s daughter.

4. LINK God’s hearing with your doing

1 Peter 3:7

“…so that your prayers may not be hindered.”

This is weighty.

• Your marriage affects your prayer life
• Your obedience affects your access

Truth:
How you treat your wife is tied to how God listens to you.

SUMMARY

God’s design for marriage is clear:

• Wives trust, live, and reflect
• Husbands lead, learn, and love

And both…

…live out the Gospel together.

FINAL APPLICATION

Marriage is not about winning arguments.
It’s about reflecting Christ.

So the real question is:

Is your marriage shaped more by culture…
or by God’s design?