Covenant Relationships Covenant Roles

Review Covenant relationships form the basis for all other human relationships Covenant relationships form the basis for all other human relationships

Review A covenant involves the whole person, binding 2 parties together in permanent and unconditional unity A covenant involves the whole person, binding 2 parties together in permanent and unconditional unity God created a covenant with Abram that was contingent only upon God keeping his word God created a covenant with Abram that was contingent only upon God keeping his word

Review Covenants take precedence over every other human relationship Covenants take precedence over every other human relationship Headship and mutual submission mark covenant relationships Headship and mutual submission mark covenant relationships

Review When covenant partners compromise covenant responsibilities, the result is collateral damage When covenant partners compromise covenant responsibilities, the result is collateral damage

Covenant Roles Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives- vs. 1-2

Submission= hupotasso: a continuing attitude of willful subordination of ones desires, wants and needs to another Submission= hupotasso: a continuing attitude of willful subordination of ones desires, wants and needs to another Others-centered Others-centered

Covenant Roles The gospel should be evident in both words and actions. The nature of covenant relationships demands action over words

Reverence- phobos- fear Reverence- phobos- fear Of whom? Of whom?

Covenant Roles Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes…

Covenant Roles …Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight- vs. 3-4

Covenant Roles The intended audience should determine a womans view of beauty

What determines how we view feminine beauty today? What determines how we view feminine beauty today?

Media: TV, Magazines, Movies, Computer Media: TV, Magazines, Movies, Computer

Involves: Involves: Lips Lips Hair Hair Eyes Eyes Body Body Shape Shape Size Size Proportion Proportion

Leads to: Leads to: Comparison Comparison Feelings of inadequacy Feelings of inadequacy Great expense and time Great expense and time Never feeling like you measure up Never feeling like you measure up Resentment Resentment In the extreme, eating disorders and surgery In the extreme, eating disorders and surgery

Covenant Roles Could it be that this view of beauty is wrong? Your beauty should not come from outward adornment…

Covenant Roles Who is your audience?

Covenant Roles If its other men, what does that say about me? If its other women- trying to make them jealous- what does that say about me?

Covenant Roles Who is your audience?

Covenant Roles What should they see?

Covenant Roles …the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit …the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit Gentle- humble, nothing to prove Quiet- peaceable (cf. Prov. 25:24; 11:22)

Covenant Roles Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised- Proverbs 31:30

Covenant Roles …Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight- vs. 3-4

Inner self- concealed heart Inner self- concealed heart If the heart is right, the actions will be right If the heart is right, the actions will be right

Covenant Roles True worth or value is determined by God, not by men or by society. And the monetary cost is…nothing

My wife is the standard of beauty by which all other women are measured My wife is the standard of beauty by which all other women are measured And they all fall short by comparison And they all fall short by comparison

Covenant Collateral For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful…

Covenant Collateral …They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear- vs. 5-6

Applying make-up meant growing in/following God and respecting husbands Applying make-up meant growing in/following God and respecting husbands

If you do what is right and do not give way to fear If you do what is right and do not give way to fear Of whom? Why? Of whom? Why?

Covenant Roles Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives…

Covenant Roles …be considerate- gnosis- special knowledge, experientially learned knowledge, deep insight

Covenant Roles A mans goal is to study and know his wife completely, then provide for her according to her needs

She…He… Is not feeling loved, but is afraid to ask him for fear that his answer wouldnt be genuine Thinks things are just fine Asks him to change the oil in the car instead of going golfing Wants to know why he cant do that tomorrow instead Is not interested in oil- she just wants to know shes more important than golf Hes angry that she complains all the time

Covenant Roles A husbands # 1 job is to continually seek out and understand his wife, then serve her according to her particular needs Supercedes work, hobbies, sports, etc.

…be considerate as you live with your wives… …be considerate as you live with your wives… be at home + with- fully involved in all matters of family life be at home + with- fully involved in all matters of family life

Havent I given you many material things?? Havent I given you many material things??

Sure- youve given me everything but yourself Sure- youve given me everything but yourself

Covenant Roles …and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life…

Respect= Great honor and value Respect= Great honor and value

Covenant Roles A real man honors and values his wife, protecting and serving her as a co-equal partner in the marriage If he has to pull the headship card, hes already lost

…heirs with you… …heirs with you… Marriages centered on Jesus include: Marriages centered on Jesus include: Repentance Repentance Humility Humility Serving Serving Otherwise, both partners are incompatible Otherwise, both partners are incompatible

Covenant Roles …so that nothing will hinder your prayers- vs. 7

Covenant Roles A man who wont respect and honor his wife is wasting his breath praying for anything other than repentance

Covenant Roles Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another…do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing…

Covenant Roles For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil- vs. 8-9, 12 (cf. 2 Chronicles 16:9)

Covenant Roles A covenant partner who follows Jesus and does what is right will experience the full strength and blessings of God as he or she serves in love

Takeaways: Who is my primary audience? Why? Who is my primary audience? Why? Where does my sense of beauty and worth come from? Do I need to make a change starting today? Will I? Where does my sense of beauty and worth come from? Do I need to make a change starting today? Will I?

Takeaways: Nothing to prove, peaceable- would those who know me best describe me that way? Why or why not? Nothing to prove, peaceable- would those who know me best describe me that way? Why or why not?

Takeaways: Do I seek to know my wife as a priority of my life? And to serve her according to her needs? If not, will I confess that as sin and begin knowing her? Do I seek to know my wife as a priority of my life? And to serve her according to her needs? If not, will I confess that as sin and begin knowing her?

Takeaways: Am I involved in all areas of my home life? Would my wife describe me as a spiritual leader, a man of God? If not, what needs to change? Will I? Am I involved in all areas of my home life? Would my wife describe me as a spiritual leader, a man of God? If not, what needs to change? Will I?