# "won without a word"



## Der Pilger (Jan 29, 2010)

I've often wondered about this text:

*"In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior."* (1 Peter 3:1-2, NASB)

Does this indicate that regeneration and salvation are possible without the preaching of the gospel? I doubt it, since so much else in the NT militates against that idea, so I wonder if something else is meant by the phrase "won without a word." Any thoughts on this?


----------



## Marrow Man (Jan 29, 2010)

The key to understanding that passage, Jeremy, involves the phrase "so that _even if any of them are disobedient to the word_, the may be won without a word." Earlier, Peter has already pointed out that being disobedient to the word is rejecting Christ and gospel, for which there is only condemnation and doom (2:8). The husbands are unbelieving pagans; wives have converted to Christianity in an age in which wives were expected to follow the religion of the husband of the household (and Peter is instructing wives _not_ to do this). In the greater context, citizens are instructed to keep their behavior excellent before governing authorities and institutions (2:13-17), servants are called to obey their masters (2:18-21), and all Christians are to do so among their neighbors (3:8ff). None of this mitigates against the preaching of the word (of course, wives would not actually "preach" the word since women are not called to that office); it simply means that when we live in a time in which there is widespread persecution and rejection of the gospel, Christians should not feel discouraged because they live in a minority that wants nothing to do with the gospel and even lies about Christians and the gospel. Christians must live out the Christian life, but there will arise those times in God's providence when you will have an opportunity to present the reason for the hope you have in you as a Christian (3:15) and those who have lied about the gospel will be put to shame (3:16). So, the word must be preached/taught/spoken even in these situations; but sometimes the deeds of Christians, which are designed to bring glory to God (2:12), will open up opportunities for the communication of that word. And that certain can happen in households where one of the spouses is a believer.


----------



## Romans 9:16 (Jan 29, 2010)

It is important to remember that those who are to be ‘won without a word’ have already heard it (rejection implies reception 3:1). I think our understanding of regeneration would need revision if those who where to be ‘won without a word’ never had a word at all to begin with. However, no text supports such an understanding. Faith involves cognition. Empirical evidence of a woman neatly and submissively cleaning up and making casseroles is of zero soteriological value (epistemologically, it has no propositional value at all). The good news is news. The faith cannot be communicated by deeds. It is only communicated by words. Deeds, however, validate that you yourself take the words seriously. In the case of wives, this (by the grace of God) may make the unbelieving husbands take more seriously the gospel they rejected earlier on and think on it afresh. This, I propose, is Peter’s mind in this text. 

Thus the oft heard quote: “preach the gospel, and if necessary, use words,” is worthless. A friend of mine sent me a counter quote which is quite funny (unfortunately I don’t know the source – I can’t give due credit): “give out your phone number, and if necessary, use digits.”


----------



## Marrow Man (Jan 29, 2010)

Romans 9:16 said:


> It is important to remember that those who are to be ‘won without a word’ have already heard it (rejection implies reception 3:1). I think our understanding of regeneration would need revision if those who where to be ‘won without a word’ never had a word at all to begin with. However, no text supports such an understanding.


 
Excellent point. Both 1 Peter 2:18 and 3:1 indicate that the unbelieving husband has already heard the word.


----------



## Der Pilger (Jan 29, 2010)

Thank you, Tim and Steve, for your responses. They were helpful. Tim, you wrote:



Romans 9:16 said:


> Thus the oft heard quote: “preach the gospel, and if necessary, use words,” is worthless.



I agree wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, contemporary Christendom's paradigm for outreach seems to have adopted this as its core value. I wrote a short post on my blog some time ago that asked two questions:

1.) Is it possible for someone to be saved without hearing/reading/learning the gospel message?
2.) Is it possible for someone to be saved without observing a Christian’s godly life?



> A friend of mine sent me a counter quote which is quite funny (unfortunately I don’t know the source – I can’t give due credit): “give out your phone number, and if necessary, use digits.”


 
That is priceless. Thanks for sharing.


----------



## Jack K (Jan 29, 2010)

Yes. The husbands have already heard the word. Now it's time for the wives to not be argumentative, but rather demonstrate the truth of the word by their chaste and respectful lives. In short, at this point their good example will be more effective than nagging. Wise advice for us all.


----------



## nnatew24 (Jan 29, 2010)

> It is important to remember that those who are to be ‘won without a word’ have already heard it (rejection implies reception 3:1).



Exactly. The implication is that the 'word' has already been spoken, to no avail, and thus works are to then adorn that word in hopes that he will be won by the combination of the two. It can be spoken of as being 'won by the works' because the previous word did not create faith. But it cannot be spoken of as being won by the works alone, without the foundation of the word already being laid. 

We'd never deny the necessity of the spoken word to regenerate hearts; but we would of course affirm that the spoken word must be adorned with good works, in accord with the gospel which we proclaim with our mouths.


----------



## Marrow Man (Jan 29, 2010)

Romans 9:16 said:


> Thus the oft heard quote: “preach the gospel, and if necessary, use words,” is worthless. A friend of mine sent me a counter quote which is quite funny (unfortunately I don’t know the source – I can’t give due credit): “give out your phone number, and if necessary, use digits.”


 
The quote is usually attributed to Francis of Assisi. How ironic that many "evangelicals" find their theology more in line with a Medieval Roman Catholic than the preaching of the word emphasized by the Reformers and their heirs.


----------



## au5t1n (Jan 29, 2010)

If a man heard the gospel preached one day, didn't believe it, and then three weeks later came to believe it while he was at home alone, he would have been regenerated while the Word was not currently being preached to him. It is not a requirement that regeneration happen while you are presently hearing someone speak the Word. Likewise, the husbands in the passage know that their wives are Christians, and by their behavior they might be persuaded that what their wives believe is true.


----------

