What it Means to "Be Kept"

Have you ever heard (or spoken) of a woman who doesn’t have to work because her husband supports her as being “kept?” That word in that context intrigues me. It’s never used in a positive tone. It’s as though the wife should fend for herself or hold up her half. Some think of a “kept woman” as a mistress. But in some contexts, it means to live off of a rich husband, and it’s an idea that offends feminists.

But here’s another way to look at this. The husband and wife relationship is a picture of Christ and the church, is it not?Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (Eph. 5:25) Here’s the question. Does Christ keep us? Absolutely.  We see this in 1 Peter, which we are studying.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,  Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Pet. 1:3-5)

Christ is rich, and he has an inheritance for you reserved in heaven. It’s for you, who are kept by the power of God.

The word kept in the Greek means “to guard, protect by a military guard.” God keeps you, and He doesn’t expect you to fend for yourself and keep up your half. He keeps you because that’s what he does. Let’s go on a New Testament journey on this idea:

But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed….And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.  While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. …And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.  My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.  I and my Father are one…. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord….Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ…Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. (Galatians 3:23; John 17:11-12; John 10:28-30; Romans 8:38-39; Philippians 1:6; Jude 1:24) 

Jesus keeps you in God. It’s what he does. He rose again and makes intercession for you to this day. He will continue to do so, and He doesn’t expect you to work for your keep. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee…Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.  Isa 26:3; Prov. 3:5-6