1 Peter 3:19-22 (part 2)
Raised for Our Salvation

REVIEW:

Peter's Creed

From heaven he went and preached through Noah to the men of Noah's time

  1. Baptism saves you just as Noah was saved
    1. You have passed safely through the judgment waters
      1. Just as Noah escaped the judgment of God by water...
      2. So your baptism represents and seals to you the escaping of God's judgment
      3. Noah escaped the wicked and perverse generation that surrounded him and emerged into a new creation (figuratively speaking)
        1. Peter in his second letter even makes a division between "the world that then was" and the world "that now is"
        2. The earth has been symbolically purged of all evil
      4. So their baptism signifies and seal their escape from the evil generation that surrounds them into the new creation and the presence of God.
    2. Not a cleansing of the body but of the conscience
      1. Not an outward and ceremonial cleansing
        1. The blood of bulls and goats provided this, "purifying" the flesh (Med. Passage Heb 9:13)
        2. But the blood of bulls and goats could not really take away sin
        3. An inward cleansing, a cleansing of the conscience, is necessary
      2. Baptism, Peter says, provides that inward cleansing
        1. It gives you the answer (or testimony or pledge) of a good conscience to God
          1. Difficult to understand the exact meaning of this word
          2. However "appeal to God for a good conscience" (NASB, NRSV) forces an unlikely meaning on the text
          3. It is clear that in Peter's mind baptism provides for a good conscience before God, and that's the important thing.
          4. "Answer" or "Testimony" works well here
          5. The baptized individual is able to say, "I have a good conscience before God himself" (not merely before men as in 1 Pet 3.16)
        2. It is God testifying concerning your conscience so that you may testify concerning it
          1. Just as he testified that Noah was righteous and thus saved him
          2. So Noah was able to testify that he was right with God on the basis of the salvation God had provided.
      3. Don't be worried by the idea that baptism "saves"
        1. This is not "baptismal regeneration", the idea that anyone who's baptized is automatically saved. This violates Peter's clear intention in rejecting the idea that the ritual is external
        2. God alone saves
          1. We can say "faith saves" and mean that "by faith we lay hold of the salvation God has provided in Christ."
          2. And we can say "baptism saves" and mean that baptism points to the salvation that God has provided in Christ Jesus and seals it to us as we lay hold of it by faith.
          3. Don't be tempted to rely on your baptism for salvation.
          4. Rather let your baptism preach to you that you must rely on Christ
            • because only he has gone through God's judgment and wrath
            • And only he can provide the purity of conscience God requires
            • And how does this happen?
  2. Baptism saves you through the resurrection of Christ
    1. Christ was justified at his resurrection
      1. Men testified against him that he was guilty
        1. They accused him of a guilty conscience before God and men
        2. He was put to death in the flesh (3:18)
      2. The grave itself testified against him, for only sinners die
      3. But God testified that he was righteous
        1. He was made alive in the spirit (3:18)
        2. Or, as Paul says, he was "justified" in the Spirit (1 Tim 3:16), i.e. he was declared to be just by being raised again from the dead
      4. The testimony of men and the grave was overthrown at his resurrection
      5. God declared to all the world, one last time, This is my Beloved Son with whom I am well pleased
      6. In that way, Christ passed through the judgment waters into life everlasting
    2. Christ was raised for your justification
      1. This resurrection gives us the answer of a good conscience to God.
      2. This resurrection saves us
        1. He suffered for sins to bring us to God (3:18)
        2. He was delivered up for our offenses (Rom 4:25, c.f. "the just for the unjust" of 3:18"
        3. And raised for our justification
      3. Col 2:12 — We were both buried with him in baptism and raised with him
      4. Your baptism unites you with Christ not only in his sufferings but in his resurrection to new life
        1. At the resurrection, God has declared of you This is my beloved Son
        2. At the res, God has said you are done with sin and cannot be judged for it anymore
        3. God has said of you that nothing will separate you from his love, not death itself
        4. God has said of you, come and enter the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world
        5. In Christ, you are perfect, righteous. You have the clean hands and the pure heart without which no one can ascend the mountain of the Lord and live
      5. Baptism saves you by calling you to faith in these truths
  3. And Christ has gone ahead into heaven with power
    1. He has already entered heaven on your behalf
      1. You come boldly to the throne of grace because of this; Jesus the forerunner has already gone. He has made heaven safe for you.
      2. Those who come to God are asked "Do you have a clean conscience?"
        1. But Jesus has already testified "yes"
        2. And he points to his resurrection as proof
        3. Baptism unites you with that resurrection and therefore with that "yes"
      3. Imagine the saints of Peter's day
        1. They are harassed by unbelievers and ridiculed because they will not love this world and find their satisfaction here.
          1. (It was even so in the days of Noah)
          2. They were ridiculed for setting aside the first day of the weak as the day on which they entered into a foretaste of the heavenly rest.
          3. They were harassed by those who wanted them to indulge their flesh in drunkenness and passion
          4. They were beaten by harsh masters or punished by unbelieving husbands.
          5. And they seem so outnumbered.
        2. They are tempted to despair.
          1. Will there really be an end to this persecution?
          2. Will there really be a new creation?
        3. But Christ has gone ahead
          1. His persecution and suffering have come to an end
          2. He has entered that new creation where perfect peace dwells and lasting treasures abide.
          3. There is no need to wonder. It has already been attained.
        4. As surely as they are united with Christ in his suffering now, so surely will they be united with him in the resurrection and ascension to glory.
        5. And so shall you
          1. You also are ridiculed for setting aside this day
          2. You also are outnumbered by unbelievers and tempted by the things of this world which are passing away
          3. Stand firm. Christ has already gone ahead and prepared the way.
          4. From heaven he testifies to you that the future is glorious and that he will bring you safely home.
    2. And he has already overcome all the forces that oppose you
      1. He has had angels and authorities and powers subjected to him.
        1. Things in heaven and on the earth and under the earth.
        2. Demonic powers and human governments and anything else that claims authority
      2. What assurance for the saints of Peter's time!
      3. And what assurance to us as well!

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