“Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement” (I Peter 3:6).

Sarah called Abraham “lord,” which means “supreme in authority,” or “controller.” Not only was Sarah termed obedient, she was also a woman of faith. “Through faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised” (Hebrews 11:11).

There are two criteria in our text verse for being a “daughter” of Sarah. The first is to “do well.” To do well means to act virtuously, and Peter uses this term frequently. “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” (I Peter 2:20). “For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing” (I Peter 3:17). “Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator” (I Peter 4:19).

The most notable incident concerning Sarah’s obedience is found in Genesis 20 when she agreed to tell the Egyptian king, Abimelech, she was Abraham’s sister. In doing so, she demonstrated Peter’s second criterion in that she was “not afraid with any amazement,” for Sarah “judged him faithful who had promised.” She realized the violation of the promised seed of Abraham was at stake, yet she had come to trust the omnipotent God who expected her to obey and leave the results to Him. The results? God caused Abimelech to return her untouched to Abraham (Genesis 20:3,6). “And the LORD visited Sarah as He had said . . . For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age” (Genesis 21:1,2). CJH