Joshua and Judges: Crossing the Jordan - Obeying God's delegated authority, part 6. Jos 1:16-18; 1Pe 3.

Title: Joshua and Judges: Crossing the Jordan - Obeying God's delegated authority, part 6. JOS 1:16-18; 1Pe 3.   

 

Announcements / opening prayer:

 

 

1PE 3:1 In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own [unbelieving] husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives,

 

1PE 3:2 as they observe your chaste [pure] and respectful behavior.

 

1PE 3:3 And let not your adornment be merely external —  braiding the hair [elaborate hairdo], and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses [apparel];

 

1PE 3:4 but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.

 

When they sinned, the power to adorn themselves spiritually left them, and finding that their bodies had death and sin and decay in them, they made clothing to cover up their sin and shame.

 

God made coverings for them. He clothed them. These clothes of animal skin were symbolic or types of the covering God would provide through Christ. The glory of God, far and above any outward covering or adornment, would be given to mankind through the spiritual death of Christ.

 

We fast forward to the eternal state and the resurrection body. Christ revealed His resurrection body.

 

When the saints receive their glorified bodies, that power of producing an outward adornment which comes from within and is truly representative of one's inner nature will return, and the saints will shine with the glory of a new life principle motivating their resurrection bodies. [Wuest]

 

At salvation our outward adornments did not change, but within, everything changed in the most dramatic way - made brand new creatures in Christ.

 

At salvation we were baptized into union with Christ, being identified with Him forever, and so in time we are actually adorned with Him. This is in position, which all believers have.

 

We are actually and literally adorned with Christ.

 

And through study, faith, study, faith, application, study, faith, etc. we can learn to adorn ourselves with what has been given within, i.e., in thought, speech, and conduct being imitators of our Father in heaven and conformed to the image of the Son of God, our Lord and Husband.

 

COL 3:9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices,

 

COL 3:10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him

 

COL 3:11 a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.

 

This is not for some elite category of Christian but for all believers.

 

COL 3:12 And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;

 

COL 3:13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

 

COL 3:14 And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

 

COL 3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.

 

COL 3:16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

 

COL 3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

 

Even in the animal kingdom we find God revealing this very thing. The beautiful fur of an animal that is highly valued and the beautiful plumage of various birds all have their origins from within. They are not coats that can be unzipped and casually cast off, the roots or hair and feathers are beneath the surface.

 

ROM 12:2

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

 

And, when it's time for war with the invisible KOD, with the capacity from practicing and honing our skills throughout all the details of life, finding our "swing," we put on the full armor of God.

 

EPH 6:11

Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

 

Adam and the woman did not hold their ground against the schemes of the devil, but now we are given an armor to adorn ourselves that they could have never dreamed of.

 

The angel Lucifer before he fell was covered with an enswathement of glory, for he was an angel of light.

 

EZE 28:13, 15

You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: … Until unrighteousness was found in you.

 

When he fell into sin, he became an angel of darkness, that glory covering departed, and he gave expression to the darkness of sin that was true of his inner being.

 

But Paul tells us that Satan has transformed himself outwardly into an angel of light.

 

2CO 11:14

for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

 

This is a masquerade in order to deceive the hearts of men.

 

1PE 3:1 In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives,

 

1PE 3:2 as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior.

 

1PE 3:3 And let not your adornment be merely external —  braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses;

 

1PE 3:4 but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.

 

Now Peter uses the examples of the holy women of the past. They were not sporting halos. They were sinners all of them, but sinners saved by grace. Holy means that they set themselves apart as unto God and away from the common worldly type of behavior found in all other women. They obeyed their husbands because it was a command from their Lord to Whom they set their lives apart. It was not because of the husbands that  they did this, but as unto the Lord.

 

1PE 3:5 For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands.

 

They hoped in God - confidence that God's way is the only way to life.

 

1PE 3:6 Thus Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear.

 

Sarah referred to him as lord in deference to her true Lord.

 

GEN 18:12

And Sarah laughed to herself, saying, "After I have become old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?"