The Victorious Christ: 1 Peter 3:18-21 KJV
The Suffering of Christ
In 1 Peter 3:18-21, the apostle Peter highlights the suffering of Christ, emphasizing the importance of understanding the significance of Christ's death and resurrection.
18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
Jesus Christ, the righteous one, suffered once for our sins, taking the place of the unrighteous. His sacrifice was not for His own sake, but for ours, that we might be reconciled to God.
19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
After His death, Jesus preached to the spirits in prison, proclaiming His victory over sin and death.
20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
Peter draws a parallel between the salvation of Noah and his family, who were saved through the floodwaters, and our own salvation through the waters of baptism.
21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
Baptism, as a symbol of our identification with Christ's death and resurrection, saves us not by washing away our physical filth, but by cleansing our conscience, making us acceptable to God.
Conclusion
In this passage, Peter underscores the significance of Christ's suffering and resurrection, emphasizing that our salvation is rooted in His sacrifice. Through baptism, we identify with Christ's death and resurrection, and our conscience is cleansed, enabling us to approach God with confidence. May we ever remember the victorious Christ, who suffered for our sins, and celebrate our own salvation through faith in Him.
