PARENTHOOD
a divine stewardship

MARRIAGE AND THE GRACE OF LIFE

With this issue of Parenthood, we begin a series of articles dealing with the issue of marriage in relation to child rearing. The relationship between the father and mother is the single most influential factor in the growth of children. In his first epistle, Peter speaks of the relationship between the husband and wife in terms of the wife's submission to her husband and of the husband's honoring of his wife. When either of these God-ordained functions in the marriage life is missing, the children suffer. The wife may feel control rather than honor; the husband may feel resistance instead of submission. In such a situation, the children do not have a proper covering for them to grow up in a healthy and proper atmosphere. In this issue we are addressing the matter of the wife's role and function. With the following issues we will deal with the husband's function and care of his wife.

The subject of submission is one which does not fit well with the prevailing attitudes in the world today. Hence, to the wives and mothers, it is troublesome. Every Christian wife and mother needs a vision of God's ordination in marriage in order that the function of submission and the adorning of a meek and quiet spirit may become a living source of enjoyment and fulfillment rather than a doctrinal source of frustration and suffering.

To enter into her God-ordained function and blessing as a normal Christian wife and mother, a sister needs to lay down her soul life. The blessing and reality of such a living in submission is called the grace of life. The husband and wife are heirs together of this grace of life. Brother Witness Lee says, "In brief, the grace of life is the Triune God processed to become the all-inclusive, life-giving, indwelling Spirit. The Triune God is now within us as the grace of life. Both husbands and wives are joint-heirs of this grace of life. We inherit the grace of life together." When this glorious, divine fact becomes reality in the view and living of a couple, the result will be a marvelous increase in their experience of the Triune God's indwelling presence. This blessing becomes reality to the Christian wife through exercising to put on the adorning of a meek and quiet spirit.

First Peter 3:1-13 is still in the section concerned with a life in an excellent manner toward all men in all concerns (2:11-3:13)…. In 3:1-7 Peter is concerned with marriage life, and in 3:8-13, with common life.

In Ephesians 5 Paul gives a word concerning married life that is familiar to every reader of the New Testament. But Peter's writing concerning married life in 3:1-7 also has some very good points, even the topmost point. The most outstanding point is what Peter says about a husband and wife being "joint-heirs of the grace of life."

Paul does not say anything about the grace of life, much less about a married couple being joint-heirs, or co-heirs, of the grace of life. In 3:7 Peter says, "The husbands, in like manner, dwelling together with them according to knowledge, assigning honor as to the weaker, female vessel, as also joint-heirs of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered." Peter wanted the husbands and wives to realize that they are heirs together, not of property or material possessions, but of the grace of life.

Perhaps you have been a Christian for many years and yet do not have any understanding of what Peter means by the grace of life. Some may not even know that there is such an expression in the New Testament. Christians are familiar with the grace of salvation or the grace of forgiveness. Actually, it is not even necessary for us to read the Bible in order to have the concept of the grace of forgiveness. But the term, the grace of life, is a uniquely biblical expression. The problem is that, when we read about this, our mind may be veiled, or we may not pay adequate attention to this term. By the Lord's mercy, we would place a proper emphasis on this matter so that we may all appreciate it. I hope that we all shall see the wonderful matter of the grace of life. The grace of life is something real and substantial that we can inherit. This is not merely unmerited favor; it is solid, substantial, spiritual property that can be inherited by a husband and wife. Hallelujah for the grace of life!…

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