Strengthened for Suffering - Pt 5

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. (1 Peter 3:18-22 ESV).

The fourth way that Peter strengthens us for suffering is by describing the meaning of baptism. The flood waters that brought judgment on the world in Noah's day reminds Peter of Christian baptism (v. 21). Peter said that Christ died for sins and brought us to God (v. 18). But the question is: who is us? Whom does Christ's death actually save? That's what this verse answers. But Peter knows that this will be misunderstood if he does not qualify it. So when he says, "Baptism now saves you," he adds, "Not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience." This is virtually a definition of baptism. Baptism is an outward expression of a spiritual, inward declaration of God’s cleansing in Christ. Baptism may cleanse the body because it was by immersion. But that is not why he says it saves. It saves for one reason: it is an expression of faith (cf. Romans 10:13). When we have come through the water of baptism, we have passed through death and judgment. We have been buried with Christ and we have risen with him. We have passed from death to life. Judgment is past. The suffering we are experiencing cannot be the condemnation of God. That has already been experienced for us by Christ. We have received that by faith and we have expressed our faith by baptism. It stands as a constant reminder that the worst suffering has been averted. Christ took it for us. We will never have to come into judgment. There is now no condemnation. We have already died that death in Christ and been raised in him. Therefore our present suffering is not the wrath of God but the loving discipline of our Father and the preparation for glory. This also brings us the assurance that, while we are presently suffering, we are promised eternal life yet to come. The present is just a temporary circumstance. What awaits the believer is eternal perfection in Christ. All of this life will pale in comparison to that!