Dearly beloved in Christ,

“Husbands, in the same way, show consideration for your wives in your life together, paying honor to the woman as the weaker sex, since they too are also heirs of the gracious gift of life – so that nothing may hinder your prayers” I Pet. 3:7.

A similar exhortation to the wives also contains the phrase ‘in the same way’. The advice is to take Jesus as model for intrafamily relationship. “As servants of God, live as free people, yet do not use your freedom as a pretext for evil. Honor everyone. Love the family of believers. Fear God. Honor the emperor” 2:16-17.
Through the vicarious suffering of Jesus he has made us free from sins that we might live for righteousness (2:23-24).

The required order in the household, as outlined by Peter, is the one approved by the society at large. But the Christian genuineness of the intra-family relationship takes its content from the example of Christ.

Wives are being called to accept the authority of their husbands. The corresponding exhortation to the husbands is to honor the wives. The parallelism Peter uses here is not antithetic but synonymous. Honoring one is accepting one’s authority and accepting one’s authority is honoring one. Entrusting himself to the one who judges justly, Jesus never bothered to establish his rights. In spite of the strong and weak points of both the partners, the Christlikeness of the family rests not on the establishing and maintaining of the right of the one against the other but in following Jesus in his servant hood.

Women are equal to men in Christian household. Mutual submission is after the example of Christ and any violation of this is a violation against Christ. Let us keep away from that!

With regards,

Rev. Daniel George
Christ Church

01 March 2009

1. Colin Oommen Joshy, S/o Mrs & Mr. Joshy Oommen, Puthuchira C. Mansion, Trivandrum of this parish and Roshni Merin Thomas D/o Mrs. & Mr. K.E. Thomas, Thundiyamkulathu, of St. Stephen’s CSI Church, Mallappally on 14-02-2009.

2. Sibu Thomas John S/o Mrs. & Mr. John I. Kurian, Valanjattil, Trivandrum of this parish and Liza Mary Sam D/o Mrs. & Rev. Sam Samuel, Pulickal of CSI Ascension Church at CSI Holy Trinity Cathedral, Kottayam on 11-02-2009.

3. Ancily Isaac, D/o Mrs. & Mr. M.S. Issac, Mattaplackal, Trivandrum of this parish and John Jacob S/o Mrs & Mr. Jacob Mammen, Parappurackal, Melukavu of CSI Cathedral, Melukavu on 14-02-2009.

4. Annley Mercy Wilson D/o Mrs. & Mr. Wilson P. Mathew, Anugraha, Trivandrum of this parish and Roise Geo Abraham S/o Mrs. & Mr. P.S. Abraham, Cherukara Koikal, Mallappally at St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India, Thiruvalla on 14-02-2009.

1. Annamma Abraham Jr (72), Valiyaparambil on 28th January 2009.

2. Elizabeth Mathew (63), Madathilparambil on 3rd February 2009.