“How Should You Respond to an Unreasonable Spouse?” November 27
It’s one thing to talk about biblical submission when a husband is loving, gentle, and easy to follow.
But what if he isn’t?
What if he’s unreasonable?
Harsh?
Unsaved?
Disobedient to God’s Word?
Surely Peter couldn’t mean that a wife should still respond with respect and godliness in a situation like that.
Or could he?
And if he does, what exactly does biblical submission require—and what does it not require?
Peter’s words in 1 Peter 3 come immediately after his teaching about believers who were being treated unfairly.
Then he says:
“Wives, likewise…”
That little word matters.
But Peter doesn’t stop with wives.
He turns to husbands and gives them their own sobering responsibility: live with your wife with understanding, honor her, and remember that how you treat her can even affect your prayers.
So what does a Christlike response look like when the person you’re married to is difficult?
And how do we obey these passages without excusing sin, enabling abuse, or returning evil for evil?
