I am sure all of us have heard the verse that the title of this post comes from. It deals with two of the attributes of a godly woman.

"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." 1 Peter 3:4

I see so many women claiming to believe/support/promote this verse… but are they just promoters of it, or are they possessors of it also? Do they even really understand what it means? Or has having "a meek and quiet spirit" been reduced among some to almost being a cliché. Something said and acknowledged but not really understanding or following it. So what does it mean to have a meek and quiet spirit. Let's start off by defining the terms. (Definitions taken from the 1828 Noah Webster dictionary)

MEEK, a. [L. mucus; Eng. mucilage; Heb. to melt.]
1. Mild of temper; soft; gentle; not easily provoked or irritated; yielding; given to forbearance under injuries.
Now the man Moses was very meek, above all men. Num 12.
2. Appropriately,humble, in an evangelical sense; submissive to the divine will; not proud, self-sufficient or refractory; not peevish and apt to complain of divine dispensations. Christ says, "Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls." Mat 11.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Mat 5.
QUI'ET, a. [L. quietus.] – Peaceable; not turbulent; not giving offense; not exciting controversy, disorder or trouble; mild; meek; contented.
The ornament of a meek and quiet spirit. 1 Pet 3.
SPIR'IT, n. [L. spiritus, from spiro, to breathe, to blow. The primary sense is to rush or drive.] – Temper; disposition of mind, habitual or temporary; as a man of a generous spirit, or of a revengeful spirit; the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit. Let us go to the house of God in the spirit of prayer.

So godly women are to have a disposition, an attitude of mildness of temper, soft, gentle and not easily provoked or irritated, yielding, and given to forbearance under injuries. We are to be humble. We are to be peaceable, not turbulent, mild, and contented.

When I read the above definitions and verse, I envision a pleasant attitude, a cheerful countenance, gentle, kind, patient, humble, compassionate woman, who does not get mad or irritated easily. Can you say that you line up with this verse? Do you possess the the qualities described above? If not, how can you make claim to have a meek and quiet spirit?

The next verses go on to say:

"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: 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." 1 Peter 3:5,6

Another attribute of a godly woman, is that she will happily obey and submit to her earthly authorities/head, whether it be her parents if she is unmarried, or her husband if she is married (that is unless they are leading her to disobey God). She will not grumble, murmur, and complain about it.

The opposite of a godly woman would be someone who is harsh, blunt, lacking discretion, easily irritated, provoked, and easy to anger, willful, proud, of a unpleasant countenance, not peaceable, turbulent, giving offense, exciting controversy, in disorder or trouble, discontent, disobedient to authorities/head, contentious, being loud, not submissive, obnoxious, overbearing, having a bad attitude. If you can see any of these qualities in yourself? We all need to be constantly evaluating ourselves by the light of God's Word. The Lord expects us to be doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving our own selves. If we only want to claim a meek and quiet spirit in doctrinal knowledge, but not actually possess a meek and quiet spirit, we deceive ourselves.

Your sister in Christ,
Megan

This excerpt from Pilgrim Aflame does far more than just define the two types of obedience, it defines the true Christian.

I am guessing that this was originally written by Michael Sattler in German, and has probably been recorded in Martyr's Mirror, and the author of the book was compelled to include it in his story. It is definitely good, so take the time and read it, even though it is slightly lengthy:

Obedience is of two kinds, servile and filial. The filial has its source in the love of the Father, even though no other reward should follow, yea even if the Father should wish to damn His child; the servile has its source in a love of reward or of oneself. The filial ever does as much as possible, apart from any command; the servile does as little as possible, yea nothing except by command. The filial is never able to do enough for Him; but he who renders servile obedience thinks he is constantly doing too much for Him.

The filial rejoices in the chastisement of the Father although he may not have transgressed in anything; the servile wishes to be without chastisement of the Father although he may do nothing right. The filial has its treasure and righteousness; the servile person's treasure and piety are the works which he does in order to be pious. The filial remains in the house and inherits all the Father has; the servile wishes to reject this and receive his lawful reward.

The servile looks to the eternal and to the prescribed command of the Lord; the filial is concerned about the inner witness and the Spirit. The servile is imperfect and therefore his Lord finds no pleasure in him; the filial strives for and attains perfection, and for that reason the Father can not reject him.

The filial is not contrary to the servile, as it might appear, but is better and higher. And therefore let him who is servile seek for the better, the filial; he dare not be servile at all. The servile is Moses and produces Pharisees and scribes; the filial is Christ and makes children of God. The servile is either occupied with the ceremonies which Moses commanded or with those which people themselves have invented; the filial is active in the love of God and one's neighbor; yet he also submits himself to the ceremonies for the sake of the servants that he may instruct them in that which is better and lead them to sonship.

The servile produces self-willed and vindictive people; the filial creates peaceable and mild-natured persons. The servile is severe and gladly arrives quickly at the end of the work; the filial is light and directs its gaze to that which endures. The servile is malevolent and wishes no one well but himself; the filial would gladly have all men to be as himself.

The servile is the old covenant, and had the promise of temporal happiness; the filial in the new covenant, and has the promise of eternal happiness, namely, the Creator Himself. The servile is a beginning and preparation for happiness; the filial in the end and completion itself. The servile endures for a time; the filial will last forever. The servile was a figure and shadow; the filial is the body and truth.

The servile was established to reveal and increase sin; the filial follows to do away with and extirpate the revealed and increased sin. For if a man wish to escape from sin, he must first hate it, and if he would hate it, he must first know it, and if he would know it, there must be something to stir up and make known his hidden sin. Now it is law or Scripture which does this: for as much as the law demands, that much more the man turns from God to that which he has done, justifies himself therein, by his accomplishments, clings thereto as to his treasure and the greater such love becomes, the more and the greater will grow his hatred for God and for his neighbor. For the more and the closer a man clings to the creature, the farther he is from God. The more he desires the creature, the less he will have of the Creator.

Moreover, the law gives occasion to people to depart farther from God, not because of itself (for it is good) but because of the sin which is in man. This is also the reason why Paul says that the law was given that it might increase sin, and sin might thereby become known. Yea, the law is the strength of sin and therefore it is just like the servile obedience, that is, obedience to law, which leads people into the most intense hatred of God and of one's neighbor. Therefore filial obedience is a certain way through which man escapes from such hatred and receives the love of God and of one's neighbor. Therefore, as one administers death, and other administers life. The one is the Old Testament; the other, the New.

According to the Old Testament only he who murdered was guilty of judgment; but in the New, he also who is angry with his brother. The Old gave permission for a man to separate from his wife for every reason; but not at all in the New, except for adultery. The Old permitted swearing if one swore truly, but the New will know of no swearing. The Old has its stipulated punishment, but the New does not resist the evil.

The Old permitted hatred for the enemy; the New loves him who hates, blesses him who curses, prays for those who wish one evil; gives alms in this manner that the left hand does not know what the right has done; says his prayer secretly without evident and excessive babbling of mouth; judges and condemns no one; takes the mote out of the eye of one's brother after having first cast the beam out of one's own eye; fasts without any outward pomp and show; is like a light which is set on a candlestick and lightens everyone in the house; is like a city built on a hill, being everywhere visible; is like good salt that does not become tasteless, being pleasing not to man but to God alone; is like a good eye which illuminates the whole body; takes no anxious thought about clothing or food, but performs his daily and upright tasks; does not cast pearls before swine, nor that which is holy before dogs; seeks, asks and knocks; finding, receiving and having the door opened for him; enters through the narrow way and the small gate; guards himself from the Pharisees and scribes as from false prophets; is a good tree and brings forth good fruit; does the will of his Father, hearing what he should do, and then doing it.

The church of true believers is built upon Christ the chief cornerstone; stands against all the gates of hell, that is, against the wrathful judgment of the Pharisees, of the mighty ones of earth, and of the scribes; is a house and temple of God, against which no wind and water may do anything, standing secure, so that everything else which withstands the teaching which proceeds from it, denying its truth, may itself finally give evidence that it is a dwelling of God.

The believer's church is now maligned by the Pharisees and scribes as a habitation of the devil: yea, finally they shall hear, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God, etc. But of the house of the Pharisees and scribes, it shall be said, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird, etc. But to God (through whom everything which boasts that is is not, may be manifested that is) be all honor, praise and glory through His beloved Son, our Lord and Brother Jesus Christ. Amen.

– used from Diligently Seeking