My husband is as non believing as you are going to get: pretty atheistic with generally very left wing views. Prayer doesn't seem to be enough for someone as blind as him.
Hi, thenorthstar.
First of all, I commend you greatly for your selfless love towards your unsaved husband. To be willing to deny yourself while fasting and praying for his salvation for 21 days speaks volumes about your own character in a positive manner. Quite frankly, the world could definitely use a lot more women like you.
That said and meant, the Bible does give specific advice on how a believing wife can best positively affect her non-believing husband in relation to salvation, so I'll share that with you now for the potential benefits of both you and your husband.
We read:
I Peter chapter 2
[11] Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
[12]
Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
[13]
Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
[14] Or unto governors,
as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
[15]
For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
[16] As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but
as the servants of God.
[17] Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
[18]
Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
[19]
For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
[20]
For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
[21]
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
[22]
Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
[23]
Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
[24] Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
[25] For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
I Peter chapter 3
[1]
Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;
[2] While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.
[3] Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
[4] But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
[5] For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:
[6] Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
Although Peter's advice for believing wives with non-believing husbands doesn't begin until verse 1 of chapter 3, that verse begins with the word "likewise", and that brings us back to what he had just finished saying in chapter 2 (chapters and verses were added by the translators...this originally read as a continuous epistle or letter). In other words, his advice for believing wives with non-believing husbands was very similar to the advice that he had just finished giving to others who were in different conflicting sorts of relationships themselves, so we should familiarize ourselves with the same in order to get the full impact of what Peter was trying to convey to his readers.
For example, in I Peter 2:11-12, he gave generic advice to all Christians in relation to us “having our conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against us as evildoers, they may by our good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation”.
The word which is translated here and in I Peter 3:1-2 as “conversation” does NOT mean speech. Instead, it is an Old English word which means “manner of life”, “conduct”, or “behavior”, and you can verify that for yourself at the following link:
https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=G391&t=KJV
In other words, when it comes to non-believers in general or those who “speak against us as evildoers”, we can minister to them by our lifestyles or by allowing them to “behold our good works” by which they will ultimately “glorify God in the day of visitation”.
This is precisely the principle that Jesus taught here:
Matthew chapter 5
[14] Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
[15] Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
[16]
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Again, in I Peter 2:13-16, his advice to Christians as “servants of God” (vs. 16) is in direct relation to us “submitting ourselves” (vs. 13) unto good rulers or those “that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well”. This is important because, although the Bible does teach that wives should submit themselves unto or be in subjection to their own husbands (Eph. 5:22, Col. 3:18, I Pet. 3:1), this does
NOT mean that they should ever submit themselves or be in subjection to anything that is evil in the sight of the Lord.
For example, please consider what this same Peter said elsewhere:
Acts chapter 5
[1] But a certain man named Ananias,
with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
[2] And kept back part of the price,
his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
[3] But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
[4] Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
[5] And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
[6] And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
[7] And it was about the space of three hours after, when
his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
[8]
And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
[9]
Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.
[10]
Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
[11] And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
Here, Sapphira should have never agreed with her husband “to tempt the Spirit of the Lord” (vs. 9), and, in doing so, she literally lost her life (vs.10).
(continued in my next post)
