Covenant Relationships Covenant Roles. Review Covenant relationships form the basis for all other human relationships Covenant relationships form the

Covenant RelationshipsCovenant RelationshipsCovenant RolesCovenant Roles

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• Covenant relationships form the basis for all Covenant relationships form the basis for all other human relationshipsother human relationships

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• A covenant involves the whole person, A covenant involves the whole person, binding 2 parties together in permanent and binding 2 parties together in permanent and unconditional unityunconditional unity

• God created a covenant with Abram that was God created a covenant with Abram that was contingent only upon God keeping his wordcontingent only upon God keeping his word

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• Covenants take precedence over every other Covenants take precedence over every other human relationshiphuman relationship

• Headship and mutual submission mark Headship and mutual submission mark covenant relationshipscovenant relationships

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• When covenant partners compromise When covenant partners compromise covenant responsibilities, the result is covenant responsibilities, the result is collateral damagecollateral damage

Covenant RolesCovenant Roles

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

• Submission=Submission= hupotasso: a hupotasso: a continuing continuing attitudeattitude of willful subordination of of willful subordination of one’s desires, wants and needs to one’s desires, wants and needs to anotheranother

• Others-centeredOthers-centered


The gospel should be evident in both The gospel should be evident in both words and actions. The nature of words and actions. The nature of covenant relationships demands acovenant relationships demands actionction over words over words

• ReverenceReverence- phobos- f- phobos- fearear

• Of whom?Of whom?


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


……Instead, it should be that of your Instead, it should be that of your inner inner selfself, the , the unfadingunfading beauty of a gentle and beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of quiet spirit, which is of great worthgreat worth in in God'sGod's sight- vs. 3-4 sight- vs. 3-4


The intended aThe intended audienceudience should determine should determine a woman’s view of beautya woman’s view of beauty

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

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

• Media: TV, Magazines, Movies, Media: TV, Magazines, Movies, ComputerComputer

• Involves:Involves:• LipsLips• HairHair• EyesEyes• BodyBody• ShapeShape• SizeSize• ProportionProportion

• Leads to:Leads to:

• ComparisonComparison• Feelings of inadequacyFeelings of inadequacy• Great expense and timeGreat expense and time• Never feeling like you “measure Never feeling like you “measure

up” up” • ResentmentResentment• In the extreme, eating disorders In the extreme, eating disorders

and surgeryand surgery

Covenant RolesCovenant RolesCould it be that this view of beauty is Could it be that this view of beauty is

wrong?wrong?

Your beauty Your beauty should not comeshould not come from from outward adornment…outward adornment…


Who is your audience?Who is your audience?


If it’s other men, what does that say If it’s other men, what does that say about me?about me?

If it’s other women- trying to make them If it’s other women- trying to make them jealous- what does that say about me?jealous- what does that say about me?


Who is your audience?Who is your audience?


What should they see?What should they see?


… …the the unfadingunfading beauty of a beauty of a gentle and gentle and quiet spiritquiet spirit

Gentle- Gentle- humble, nothing to provehumble, nothing to proveQuiet- Quiet- peaceable (cf. Prov. 25:24; 11:22)peaceable (cf. Prov. 25:24; 11:22)


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


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

• Inner self- Inner self- “concealed heart”“concealed heart”

• If the heart is right, the actions will If the heart is right, the actions will be rightbe right


True worth or value is determined by True worth or value is determined by GGodod, not by men or by society. And the , not by men or by society. And the monetary cost is…nothingmonetary cost is…nothing

• My wife is the sMy wife is the standardtandard of beauty of beauty by which all other women are by which all other women are measuredmeasured

• And they all fall short by And they all fall short by comparisoncomparison

Covenant CollateralCovenant Collateral

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

Covenant CollateralCovenant Collateral

……They were submissive to their own They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters You are her daughters ifif you do what is you do what is right and do not give way to fear- vs. 5-right and do not give way to fear- vs. 5-66

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

• If you do what is right and do not If you do what is right and do not give way to feargive way to fear

• Of whom? Why?Of whom? Why?


Husbands, Husbands, in the same wayin the same way be be considerateconsiderate as you as you live withlive with your your wives…wives…


……be consideratebe considerate- gnosis- special - gnosis- special knowledge, experientially learned knowledge, experientially learned knowledge, deep insightknowledge, deep insight


A man’s goal is to sA man’s goal is to studytudy and know his wife and know his wife completely, then provide for her completely, then provide for her according to her needsaccording to her needs

She… He…

Is not feeling loved, but is afraid to ask him for fear that his answer wouldn’t 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 can’t do that tomorrow instead

Is not interested in oil- she just wants to know she’s more important than golf

He’s angry that she complains all the time


A husband’s # 1 job is to continually seek A husband’s # 1 job is to continually seek out and understand his wife, then serve out and understand his wife, then serve her according to her particular needsher according to her particular needs

Supercedes work, hobbies, sports, etc.Supercedes work, hobbies, sports, etc.

• ……be considerate as you live with be considerate as you live with your wives…your wives…

• ““be at home + with”- fully involved be at home + with”- fully involved in all matters of family lifein all matters of family life

• ““Haven’t I given you many material Haven’t I given you many material things??” things??”

• ““Haven’t I given you many material Haven’t I given you many material things??” things??”

• ““Sure- you’ve given me everything Sure- you’ve given me everything but yourself”but yourself”


……and treat them with respect as the and treat them with respect as the weaker partner weaker partner and as and as heirsheirs with you of with you of the gracious gift of life…the gracious gift of life…

• RespectRespect= Great honor and value= Great honor and value


A real man honors and values his wife, A real man honors and values his wife, protecting and serving her as a co-equal protecting and serving her as a co-equal partner in the marriagepartner in the marriage

If he has to pull the headship card, he’s already lostIf he has to pull the headship card, he’s already lost

• ……heirs with you…heirs with you…

• Marriages centered on Jesus Marriages centered on Jesus include:include:• RepentanceRepentance• HumilityHumility• ServingServing

• Otherwise, both partners are Otherwise, both partners are incompatibleincompatible


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


A man who won’t respect and honor his A man who won’t respect and honor his wife is wasting his breath praying for wife is wasting his breath praying for anything other than repentanceanything other than repentance


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


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


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

Takeaways:

• Who is my primary audience? Who is my primary audience? Why? Why?

• Where does my sense of beauty Where does my sense of beauty and worth come from? Do I need and worth come from? Do I need to make a change starting today? to make a change starting today? Will I?Will I?

Takeaways:

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

Takeaways:

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

Takeaways:

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

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Covenant Relationships Covenant Roles. Review Covenant relationships form the basis for all other human relationships Covenant relationships form the