Lesson 6 - 1 Peter 3:13-22 - SUFFERING AND VINDICATION
INTRODUCTION: Last week, in 1 Peter 3:1-12, Peter continued to explain how Christians should strive to live holy lives in a world that is largely opposed to God. The first topic dealt with Christian women married to lost husbands. Peter instructed them to stay with their husbands and make every effort to win them to salvation by demonstrating the type of loving character and respect in the home that brings honor to Christ. To Christian husbands, Peter reminded them that their wives were spiritually equal to them before God and should treated with 'understanding.' Finally, Peter encouraged his Christian audience to return good for evil when they are treated with hostility. He explained that the evil for evil option always results in isolation and alienation, whereas a good for evil option can lay the foundation for reconciliation and peace. This week, in 1 Peter 3:13-22, the apostle moves further into the spiritual precept of suffering for the sake of doing good. Peter's audience was experiencing intense persecution for their faith, and even today in the USA, Christians are increasingly facing opposition. So, how should we handle it, and more importantly, how can we use it as a witnessing tool that will encourage and bless others? He starts off by telling us to be eager and enthusiastic for doing what is "good." As believing Christians, doing good outwardly reflects who we are and what we believe. But at the same time, doing good may cause us to suffer for our faith.
Read 1 Peter 3:13-14 - DO NOT FEAR INTIMIDATION OR BE TROUBLED
13 Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED,
v. 13: "Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good?" - The implied answer to this rhetorical question is "no one." However, history proves that enemies of the gospel, then and now, can cause harm to faithful Christians. We might say in general, that people who follow a path of doing good in society will not be harmed. Along this same line of thinking, Christians who employ a strategy of kindness and peacefulness in their actions can often disarm their opposition and give then a blessing. As we learned last week (3:8-9), Christians have an important spiritual contribution to make in society by breaking the natural human cycle of people returning evil for evil, insult for insult.
APPLICATION 1: Christians who approach others with kindness and peacefulness can often disarm opposition. As Christians, we have the potential to make a real spiritual contribution to make in society by breaking the natural human cycle of people returning evil for evil, insult for insult.
v. 14a: But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed." - Here, Peter take the analysis to a worst-case scenario-violence, arrest, or even death. Peter is telling his audience that in whatever may come, God can and will overrule the world, in other words, our enemies might be able to silence us, hurt us, or kill our bodies, but they can't damage our souls because we are eternally protected by God. God will bless those who suffer for His name.
v. 14b: "AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED," - Here, Peter cites Isaiah 8:12 to encourage his readers to fear God instead of men. As Christian believers, we are called to say 'no' to our natural instinct to be fearful of people who might mistreat us for our faith in Christ. We are told not to cave-in to "INTIMIDATION" from our opponents and get our anxieties under control. The next three verses will reveal what we should do instead of being immobilized by our fears.
Read 1 Peter 3: 15-17 - IT'S BETTER TO SUFFER FOR DOING RIGHT RATHER THAN WRONG
15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; 16 and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. 17 For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.
v. 15a: "but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts," - This means that we accept Christ as Lord of our life because that's who He is. We give Him the proper place in our life-in our "hearts"-which described the very center of our being-our mind, emotion, and will. It defines us.
v. 15b: "always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;" - In a word, we need to be prepared. Our rationale for the "defense" of our faith needs to be on the tip of our tongues. We don't need to have an arsenal of theological arguments so we can blow people away with our intellectual ability; but we should be able to basically explain: (1) How faith in Jesus has made a difference in my life; and (2) How the gospel message-"the hope that is in you"-saved me; and (3) How this gospel can save them, too. The key is to be ready at a moment's notice.
v. 15c: "yet with gentleness and reverence;" - This goes back to giving a blessing instead of an insult. It means responding to people with kindness and respect, regardless of how they treat you.
APPLICATION 2: In order to defend the gospel, we must be "ready." Our rationale for the "defense" of our faith needs should be on the tip of our tongues, ready to use. It doesn't need to be complicated. Just tell them (1) how your faith has made a difference your life, (2) how the gospel message-faith in Jesus-saved you, and (3) how it can save them, too.
v. 16a: "and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered," - This connects with our ability to give a blessing for an insult. If we respond to our critics with openness, kindness, and respect to de-escalate potential conflict, we have a good "conscience."
v. 16b: those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame." - This makes me think of the old saying "kill them with kindness." When we Christians are "bad-mouthed" by our secular human opponents or even by members of religious cults, it's possible to disarm them by simply being nice, rather than responding in kind. While we might not actually win them over to the gospel, it's very possible for us to let them know that we really aren't such 'bad' people.
v. 17: "For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong" - The clear message of this verse is that if God puts us in a situation-i.e., tests us-where we suffer misunderstanding, abuse, or even bullying for the sake of the gospel, it's far better for us to suffer for doing what is right than suffering for doing what is wrong. It should also reminds us that we are far better off-spiritually-than the evildoers who seek to oppress us.
APPLICATION 3: It's a lot better to suffer for doing what's right. The clear message of this verse is that if God puts us in a situation-i.e., tests us-where we suffer misunderstanding, abuse, or even bullying for the sake of the gospel, it's far better for us to suffer for doing what is right than suffering for doing what is wrong. Consider that we're much better off than people who want to oppress us.
Read 1 Peter 3:18-22 - THE VINDICATION OF CHRIST
18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; 19 in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, 20 who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water. 21 Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you-not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience-through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.
v. 18: "For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;" - The term "Christ also" is used here to introduce Jesus Christ as the ultimate example of suffering for doing good.
APPLICATION 4: Jesus died for the unrighteous. Jesus said, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners" (Mark 2:17). Jesus' voluntary sacrifice of Himself on the cross on behalf of the unrighteous, gave us the supreme example of what it means to do good for evil.
Note: Interpretation of vv. 19 and 20 is very difficult. Attempts to explain these passages over the centuries has generated a considerable amount of scholarly debate, which is not within the scope of my teaching this morning. I will limit my explanation to the conservative interpretation offered by Dr. Charles C. Ryrie (d. 2016), former chairman of the Department of Theology at the Dallas Theological Seminary. It is also the view which is entirely consistent with the Baptist Faith & Message.
vv. 19-20: "in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, 20 who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water." - Some understand this passage to mean that Christ, between His death and resurrection, descended into Hades and offered those who lived before Noah a second chance for salvation. This view was adopted by the Catholic Church in 1274 A.D. and subsequently codified into the Doctrine of Expiatory Purification, commonly known as Purgatory; however, this interpretation of the passage has no absolutely no scriptural support or theological ground to justify it elsewhere in Scripture. Others Bible scholars, namely Protestants who rely solely on the systematic theology derived from apostolic teaching and interpretation of Scripture, interpret this passage simply as an announcement of Christ's victory over sin to those in Hades without reference to a second chance.
APPLICATION 5: People who think they can get to heaven without faith in Christ are mistaken. There's no such thing as a second chance for salvation. The Bible clearly teaches that there is no other way to salvation than through faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus said of Himself, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me" (John 14:6)
v. 21: "Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you-not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience-through the resurrection of Jesus Christ," - This verse can also can easily be misconstrued, so once again, I will defer to the theological expertise offered by recognized authorities from D.T.S. and S.W. Bapt. Th. Sem. for my explanation.
APPLICATION 6: Baptism never saved anyone. While baptism is the outward expression of the changed life of a person who is professing faith in Jesus Christ, the NT is crystal clear about the truth that salvation is only by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. Paul explained, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 3:23-24).
v. 22: "who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him." - This verse describes Christ's ultimate vindication and confirms the central truth that Christ has triumphed over all His enemies. It's noteworthy that the Lord Jesus not only arose from the dead, but ascended to heaven, from where He originally came and now sits at the right Hand of God, and all of the angels and the demonic powers are subject to Him as the Christ and Lord of all. Therefore, as Christians, we can rejoice when we suffer for the sake of Gospel because we know without a doubt, like Christ, we will be vindicated. It's assured to us.
APPLICATION 7: Because Christ was vindicated, we will be vindicated. Jesus, by his death, resurrection, and ascension to heaven, triumphed over all his enemies. In the same, way, when we are called to suffer for the sake of the gospel, we can be sure that we'll be vindicated, too. Like Job in the OT, we can say, "As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, And at the last He will take His stand on the earth" (Job 19:25)
