1 Peter 3:1 ~ Wives Submit Yourselves...

Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own 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.

Oh how grievous to me to hear so many women object to this scripture... Here is why they should not object. Firstly, we cannot in our fallen condition, though yet having the Holy Spirit, fully understand God's ways and His Will for our lives. How does the Holy Spirit help us when we read such scripture? It helps us to accept the Word of God as right for us because His ways are not our ways.

You see, the wife must discharge her duty to her own husband, though he obey not the word. We daily see how narrowly evil men watch the ways and lives of professors of religion. Putting on of apparel is not forbidden, but vanity and costliness in ornament. 

Religious people should take care that all their behavior but few know the right measure and bounds of those two necessaries of life, food and raiment! Unless poverty is our carver, and cuts us short, there is scarcely any one who does not desire something beyond what is good for us. 

Far more are beholden to the lowliness of their state, than the lowliness of their mind; and many will not be so bounded, but lavish their time and money upon trifles. 

The apostle directs Christian females to put on something not corruptible, that beautifies the soul, even the graces of God's Holy Spirit. A true Christian's chief care lies in right ordering his own spirit. This will do more to fix the affections, and excite the esteem of a husband, than studied ornaments or fashionable apparel, attended by a froward and quarrelsome temper. 

Wives should be subject to their husbands, not from dread and amazement, but from desire to do well, and please God. And when, reading 1 Peter 3 further, we learn that we as women should not be concerned about outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry or beautiful clothes. We must instead clothe ourselves with the beauty that comes from within.... gentle and quiet. 

James 2 ~ Faith and Works...

Reading from James 2: 14-26

What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,” but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that? So too, faith by itself, if it is not complemented by action, is dead. 

But someone will say, “You have faith and I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that God is one. Good for you! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 

O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless? Was not our father Abraham justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith was working with his actions, and his faith was perfected by what he did.  

And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God. As you can see, a man is justified by his deeds and not by faith alone. 

In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute justified by her actions when she welcomed the spies and sent them off on another route? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

True believing is not an act of the understanding only, but a work of the whole heart. That a justifying faith cannot be without works, is shown from two examples, Abraham and Rahab. Yes, Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness; this was true believing... a work of the whole heart and the same can be said of the prostitute.

Faith is the root, good works are the fruits; and we must see to it that we have both. This is the grace of God wherein we stand, and we should stand to it. There is no middle state. Every one must either live God's friend, or God's enemy. Living to God, as it is the consequence of faith, which justifies and will save, obliges us to do nothing against him, but every thing for him and to him.

Faith and Assurance ~ Hebrews 11: 1-6

Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see. This is why the ancients were commended. 

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous when God gave approval to his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.

By faith Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. 

In reading Matthew 7:21-29, we need to understand this: Christ here shows that it will not be enough to own him for our Master, only in word and tongue. It is necessary to our happiness that we believe in Christ, that we repent of sin, that we live a holy life, that we love one another. This is his will, even our sanctification. Let us take heed of resting in outward privileges and doings, lest we deceive ourselves, and perish eternally...MH

In more common terms...if you have always wondered why Cain's offering was not acceptable to God it is because it was given as an offering of his (Cain's) work/doings, not God's work in him... which is of faith. Cain failed to see that God did it all and that everything belonged/belongs to God. Cain's offering was not given in faith but in works. 

If we give everything to God, He will give everything to us. Sadly, in many churches, people give in to 'doings' which means they give to the creation more than they give to the Creator. We need to rest in Him (credit Him) for He is our everything! Abel rested in the Lord which means that he gave credited where credit was due; Abel's assurance was not of himself but his faith in the Lord God. 

That assurance comes by faith = believing in Christ, repenting of sin and living a holy life. Again, it is not by our works that we can believe, repent, live a holy life in the Lord but faith in Christ ...not in works done in this fallen world for doings/works here could never make us right with God.

Remember the man who proclaimed to do so many things in the Lord's name and God said, "I never knew you?" - Matthew 7:23. "We are to love God first and to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength" ~ Mark 12:30.