Peter's Letters
7 - Suffering and Salvation
We need to remember that the early church was constantly under fire. Slanderous charges were continually being levelled at believers. They were accused of turning slaves against their masters because large numbers of poor slaves fled to the shelter of the Christian church where they found liberty, love, acceptance and equality between slave and owner. Christians were accused of disloyalty to Caesar. No Christian would worship the Emperor’s godhead and burn his pinch of incense, declaring “Caesar is Lord.” Consequently Christians were accused of plotting the overthrow of the Empire and the dethronement of Caesar. Their private meetings were thought to be convened for unlawful political purposes. From Nero’s day onwards it was dangerous to be a Christian, although persecution was not constant and consistent throughout the Empire. It depended on the governor and if complaints were received. It followed that Christians had to live exceptional lives in order to silence their critics by the excellence of their conduct.
1 Peter chapter 3 verse 14 “But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.” The suffering Christian must ever remember he follows a suffering Lord. The main theme of 1 Peter is suffering. It’s mentioned 15 times. Christ gave us an example of innocent suffering. It’s important to have thought out your faith for at times it will be challenged. Peter writes “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have, but do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander” (verses 15 and 16). Obviously, Jesus Christ Himself demonstrated that a person could be in the centre of God’s will, greatly loved, and still suffer unjustly.
The original Greek word for “give an answer” is ‘apologia’. It has the sense of a defence lawyer speaking on his client’s behalf. ‘Christian apologetics’ is the way Christians handle questions and defend their faith.
Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring us to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit. He then visited Hades, the realm of the dead. When it says (verse 19) ‘He went and preached to the spirits in prison’ it does not mean the people of Noah’s day had a second chance to repent and believe. The Greek word used for ‘preach’ here does not mean to evangelise or preach the gospel. The word is ‘to announce as a herald’, ‘to proclaim the victory’. He addresses the fallen spirits. He went to Hades to herald His finished work and deliver the proclamation “I am victorious.”
In verse 20 Peter mentions Noah – a man of faith who kept doing God’s will even when he seemed to be a failure. This would encourage Peter’s readers. If we measured faithfulness by results, Noah would get a very low grade, but God ranked him very highly. Peter says the eight in the ark ‘were saved through water’, that is, brought to safety through the flood because they were in the ark. ‘This water symbolises (or corresponds to) baptism’ (verse 21). Christ is our ark who carries us across from the old life to the new. This illustration does not imply salvation by baptism, but baptism is a figure of that which does save us, namely, the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Baptism does save us from one thing, a bad conscience. We know that a clear conscience is important to a successful witness (verse 16).
Bible teacher Warren Wiersbe says the ark rested on Mount Ararat on the 17th day of the 7th month (Genesis 8 verse 4). The Jewish civil year began with October. The seventh month is April. Jesus was crucified on 14th day as the Passover Lamb (Exodus 12:6). Three days later – on the 17th – He rose from the dead, mighty Conqueror.
We don’t have to be baptised to go to heaven, but baptism is necessary in order for us to have a good conscience before God. Our obedience to baptism is “the pledge of a good conscience” (verse 21).
The chapter closes with the apostle emphasising Christ’s utter supremacy over ‘angels, authorities and powers’. At the ascension and Christ’s victorious entry into heaven all Satan’s’ evil hosts submitted to His Lordship. In chapters 2 and 3 there’s a lot about submission. All the beings in heaven are in submission to Him – only man rebels.
Chapter 4 opens by reminding us that a Christian mind-set or attitude is hostile to sin and friendly to righteousness, whatever the cost. For a believer, sin is not an option any more. Let me ask you “Are you done with sin?” People said of the evangelist Billy Sunday, “He preached on sin and he always was specific when he spoke about sin. He spelled it out.” So does Peter here. He says, in effect, live the rest of your earthly life for God. “You have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do – living in debauchery (sexual sin), lust (appetite run wild), drunkenness, orgies and detestable idolatry.” In pagan worship there was often gross immorality and religious prostitution. Pagans “think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you” (verse 4). The pagan life style of ‘living for kicks’ no longer appeals to the believer. He can see through it and has given up that reckless drive for pleasure without any brakes put on. Believers are wiser, knowing there is a day of reckoning and wisdom dictates they should live in the light of coming judgement.