1 Peter 3:18 “That He Might Bring Us to God.”

Introduction

The same good news is as powerful today as it has been the past two thousand years. Today we will look at one dimension of Jesus’ work and what it means for our lives. We will see that through Jesus’ life, death, burial, and resurrection we have been “brought to God.”

1 Peter 3:18 ESV

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,

How Jesus Brought Us to God

In his description, Peter points out three truths about how Jesus’ work has brought us to God. (1) Through suffering for us. (2) Through exchanging his righteousness for ours. And (3) by his resurrection life. Let’s walk through each step.

“For Christ Also Suffered Once for Sins”

One of the main themes of 1 Peter is suffering. The believers in the churches that Peter writes to are experiencing a good deal of suffering, and they’re looking for a connection between their pain and their hope in Jesus. Peter repeatedly points the Christians back to Jesus’ work on the cross and his victorious resurrection as the connection between our suffering and hope. The gospel is good news, but it is good news drenched in blood. The reality is that none of us had any hope of coming near to God in our sin. We deserved the eternal wrath of God for our rebellion against God. Humanity invited suffering when sin entered into the world. Still, the beauty of God’s love for us is that Jesus took on suffering as the sacrifice for our sins once and for all. The only way that we could ever hope for access to a right relationship with God is for Jesus, the perfect sacrifice, to suffer in our place. This leads me to our next point.

“The Righteous for the Unrighteous”

One of the core truths of the gospel message is that in Christ’s sacrifice, an exchange of justice took place. Paul describes it like this in Colossians 2:13-14

Colossians 2:13–14 ESV

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

One of the great struggles of the Christian life is that often we feel like salvation is a thin sheet of ice that we walk on. If I’m obedient, God will be happy with me. If I am not, God must be angry. I project on God how I view others. If someone wrongs me, I am often keeping a tab. Sure, I’ll “forgive” them, but in reality I am keeping a record of debt, planning my revenge, and hoping for the opportunity to see them get what I think they deserve. According to this passage, (1) Jesus’ sacrifice was once and for all. meaning that I don’t need Jesus to keep going to the cross for me every time I sin. Why? Because of the “Divine exchange” that has taken place. Jesus took on all my unrighteousness, past, present, and future. He nailed the list to the cross. In return, he really gives me his perfection. God sees in every Christian the full righteousness of Jesus! This is amazing, because it means that as God looks at you and I, and he doesn’t have in the back of his head every wrong thing that we’ve done lately. This is at least part of the dynamic of being “brought to God.” C.S. Lewis has helped me here, because he explains the difference in being excused and being forgiven:

Forgiveness says, "Yes, you have done this thing, but I accept your apology; I will never hold it against you and everything between us two will be exactly what it was before." But excusing says, “I see that you couldn’t help it or didn’t mean it; you weren’t really to blame.” C.S. Lewis

Do you think of God’s relationship to you as forgiveness or excusing? How you answer will reveal if you understand what Jesus really has done for us. Jesus’ exchange means that the debt is paid for. We have Jesus’ righteousness. We can truly be forgiven of our sin by God and truly be “brought to God” in reconciliation. Let’s look at one more dimension of how Peter tells us we have been brought to God.

“Being Put to Death in the Flesh but Made Alive in the Spirit”

The reason we celebrate today is not just that Jesus died for us. The New Testament makes clear that the hope of every Christian rests not just on the cross, but on the empty tomb. If Jesus is not really alive, we are wasting all our time this morning. If Jesus is not really alive, the cross doesn’t mean anything at all except that a religious leader was executed by his rivals. There is some debate among scholars about exactly what it means that Jesus was made alive in the spirit. Is Peter trying to give us commentary on what happened to Jesus between Friday and Sunday? Potentially. However, I think the emphasis of the text points us to the means by which Jesus was raised. We could argue that what Peter means is that Jesus’ resurrection is a work of the Holy Spirit. Look at your translation and see if the end of verse 18 you see a capital “S” in Spirit. The NIV translates the verse that way:

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.” (1 Peter 3:18, NIV)

We can compare this verse with 1 Timothy 3:16 to further understand what Peter means:

“Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.” 1 Tim. 3:16

One commentator is helpful on this point:

1, 2 Peter, Jude ((2) Christ’s Suffering as the Pathway to Exaltation (3:18–22))

The message for the readers is clear. Even though Jesus suffered death in terms of his body, the Spirit raised (cf. Rom 8:11) him from the dead. Similarly, those who belong to Christ, even though they will face suffering, will ultimately share in Christ’s resurrection.

We have been brought to God through Jesus’ suffering, through the exchange of righteousness, and also through the Spirit’s power at work in our souls. The New Testament often talks about the power and presence of the Holy Spirit as the affirmation and confirmation that we belong to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:11 tells us that

“If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.” Rom. 8:11

Summary Conclusion

Think for a moment about all that we have said so far. The gospel brings us to God because Jesus suffered on our behalf, because Jesus has switched records with us and paid the price in full, and because the Spirit of life that worked to raise Christ on the first Easter is present and active in us. The access that we have been given to God through Christ is truly amazing. This is why the gospel message that has been proclaimed for centuries is still powerful this morning.

The Impact of Being Brought to God

We’ve talked about how we have been brought to God by Jesus’ works. Now I want to talk a little about what being brought to God means. What is the real life impact of Resurrection Sunday on your life? I think in the surrounding text of our passage gives us some compelling implications of our access to the Father. I want to share three of those now.

His Victory is Our Victory!

If anyone has been reading ahead this morning, you have probably already picked up on the fact that this is one of the more challenging passages of Scripture to make sense of. What does Peter mean that Jesus “proclaimed to the spirits in prison?” What does this have to do with Noah’s ark? Does baptism save a person? There is a lot of debate about how to connect these thoughts together. Martin Luther wrote:

1, 2 Peter, Jude ((2) Christ’s Suffering as the Pathway to Exaltation (3:18–22))

“A wonderful text is this, and a more obscure passage perhaps than any other in the New Testament, so that I do not know for a certainty just what Peter means.”

I’m going to admit with Luther, that I am not entirely dogmatic about the meaning here. To help our understanding I will read quickly a summary of the four major options that much smarter people have offered up:

NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible:

(1) they have been used to support the idea that Jesus descended into hell on the Saturday between his crucifixion and resurrection—when his body was dead but his spirit remained alive (v. 18). At that time he preached either to the souls of people who were disobedient in the days of Noah or to fallen angels who had incited humans to such evil that God sent the flood at the time of Noah to destroy it (Gen 6:1–7)… (2) That the preincarnate Christ preached through Noah to the wicked generation destroyed by the flood… (3) That Christ’s resurrection and ascension were the proclamation of victory over the most extreme powers of evil the earth has ever known, which these “imprisoned spirits” represent. With Jesus’ victory over death, their condemnation was sealed.

I know that is a lot. Here is what I will offer up today: the principle that we see from the text that crosses over all these views is the idea of victory being proclaimed. There may be some nuance to understanding exactly who the victory of the gospel was proclaimed to and when it took place, but the point remains: Jesus’ work was an eternal proclamation of the power he has over sin, death, and the powers of darkness. The word Peter uses for “proclaim” means “to announce.” It is important to remember that, “Christianity is not first theology, but news.” (Piper, 50 Reasons Why, 62.) As I was studying this passage I was also watching a World War 2 show about the Air Force. In the show, one of the major characters has to eject from his plane and is captured by the German forces. He is imprisoned for a long period, but, as the Allied armies advance, the prisoners keep getting news about what is happening. By the end, the prisoners see the Allies coming and join in the fight to capture the prison camp they are being held in. There is a very moving scene where the main character is running around in the heat of the battle for the prison asking if anyone has an American flag. He finally finds it and races up the building to tear down the Nazi flag and replace it with the stars and stripes. I think Peter is illustrating in these sentences what has happened in the eternal and spiritual realm. Jesus has won the victory. His flag has been raised over every evil force as 1 Peter 3:22 further explains what has taken place:

“[He] has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.” 1 Peter 3:22

Jesus has won the victory. His resurrection is the proof. And, for all of us who trust in his victory, our nearness to God is accomplished in the victory. It is wonderful to know that no matter what power or evil or enemy that exists in heaven or on earth, Jesus has won the war. Every Christian is a trophy and testimony to Jesus’ victory. We have been brought to God so that God gets the glory in the cross. The victory Jesus won on the cross belongs to us today.

His Perfection is Our Purification!

Peter also teaches us that in being brought to God, we have a clear conscience and complete confidence that we will be saved from God’s wrath and the disease of our sin. Jesus’ perfection is our purification. Peter connects baptism to the ark surviving the flood. In English, the text seems to teach something we as Protestants may feel uncomfortable with. Doesn’t Peter know that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone? It is important to understand what Peter means:

NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible: Follow God’s Redemptive Plan as it Unfolds throughout Scripture (Chapter 3)

Baptism saves only in the sense that it represents what Christ has achieved. The waters of the Noahic flood symbolize baptism, and baptism is the sign and seal of salvation “by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (see Rom 6:4)… Baptism is not merely a religious ritual that washes the body; it is one’s pledge to God to live righteously from that time on, which results in a clear conscience before him.

We know that God is holy. We know that if we were still in our sinful and rebellious state we could never be “brought to God.” But, Peter says, like those who survived the flood in Genesis, all who by faith identify with Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection have the confidence that we will survive the wrath of God not because of our own effort, but because Jesus has come through the wrath of God already like the ark came through the flood. I want you to think about that reality as a believer. Why do we get baptized? Why do we baptize new Christians? Baptism isn’t just a ritual, it is a promise and commitment that we now identify with Jesus. And since we identify with Jesus, we see ourselves no longer as spiritually “dirty” but as fully pleasing to God. It is so important that we understand that being brought to God guarantees our purification. Some of you may remember back in your Lit classes in high school and college the famous scene in Shakespeare’s MacBeth where Lady MacBeth walks around wringing her hands crying out about the imagined spot of blood she sees after her crime. She says that “All the perfumes of Arabia” couldn’t remove the smell of blood from her hands. This is how guilt and shame work on us. We are convinced both by our own hearts and by the Enemy that we can never really be wholly washed. Peter tells us that Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection are the definitive point in History where our guilt finds hope for true purification. We’ve been brought to God not to continually wonder if we’re good enough, but to embrace the reality that we have professed in baptism: our conscience is clear because of the work of Jesus!

His Mindset Is Our Mindset!

The last point of impact that I want us to see if that in “bringing us to God,” Jesus gives us a new mindset toward our pain and suffering. Look with me at 1 Peter 4:1-2

1 Peter 4:1–2 (ESV)

Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.

One of the major themes of Peter’s letter is that Christian suffering isn’t meaningless. Christian suffering is actually following the path that Jesus walked in the world. Jesus told his disciples, “…In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”” (John 16:33, ESV) The New Testament repeatedly emphasizes that following Jesus is an invitation to suffer.

Reference Verse List?

It may not feel encouraging or exciting to talk about the pain and suffering that we walk through, especially on Easter, but I want to propose to you that one of the primary ways that we apply our closeness to God in real life is the way that we look at the world and the pain that we and others face through the mindset of Jesus’ suffering. I want to hit three quick truths about Jesus’ way of thinking about his suffering and connect them with our daily lives.

#1 Jesus Suffered to Display God’s Glory

In John 17, Jesus begins his famous “Priestly Prayer” by recognizing that in his death, burial, and resurrection, the glory of God will be on display:

“When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,” (John 17:1, ESV)

Jesus went to the cross knowing that his suffering was not meaningless. God’s glory and majesty would be displayed on the cross in such a powerful way that it would change the history and hope of humanity. Jesus knew this. His suffering was shaped not by doubting God’s goodness, but by realizing that God was flipping the script on death and pain. This is now the mindset that all believers should walk in. If we suffer for the right reasons and with the right mindset, God’s glory is on display even in our greatest moments of pain.

#2 Jesus Suffered for the Sake of Others

Another aspect of Jesus’ approach to suffering is to see that he saw his pain and suffering as lovingly laying his life down for the good of others so that they might be brought to God. One of the remarkable and distinguishing themes of Christianity from other worldviews and philosophies is the distance Christians have been willing to go and the sacrifices they have been willing to make so that others might “be brought to God.” Ryan shared with us the story of the missionaries to Ecuador who were willing to face death itself so that people could hear the gospel. Christians throughout history have truly believed Jesus’ words that we truly find our lives when we follow Jesus’ path of laying our lives down for others. I recognize that all of us may not be called to go to unreached and unengaged people groups. Still, I wonder if we could zoom out and see that when it comes to facing the pain of life, Christians don’t do it selfishly! Who are you suffering for? How does your pain work to display God’s love?

#3 Jesus Suffered for the Joy That Was Set Before Him

Jesus went to the cross with a mindset of joy. Hebrews 12:1-2 says:

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1–2, ESV)

One of the reasons it is important to talk about following Jesus in his suffering (even on Easter) is that the Bible closely ties together the pain of the cross with eternal joy. Joy is a defining character trait of a person who understands the gospel. Can you connect your pain and suffering in life with the eternal joy that God is working out in your heart?

Some of you who have heard of Joni Erickson Tada who has faced a lot of pain and suffering in this life. An accident early in life paralyzed her body. Yet, she has spent her life ministering to others through God’s love. I want to share with you a quote from Joni that I think perfectly illustrates how joy and suffering are connected:

“Every morning I wake up with eternity in my crosshairs. I have my sights on heaven. It’s just what keeps me going, because over 50 years of living in a wheelchair, it’s incredibly challenging, especially at my age, but I’m a little like Jesus who for the joy that was set before him endured his cross, so should I not endure mine?

Especially when I consider that hands down slam dunk joy that’s awaiting me? Oh, my goodness, my response to my wheelchair is accruing for me happiness on the cosmic level. So, shouldn’t I be joyful, even if on earth I may have to taste a small sample of the hell that Christ ultimately rescued me from?

Look friend, the Bible says that your afflictions are winning for you a rich reward for all of eternity. It means every time you muster a godly response to your trials, your eternal joy becomes weightier and bigger and happier and far more glorious, so would you join me in setting your sights on heaven, and living for the Lord of joy?” Joni Erickson Tada

Conclusion

Friends, we have been brought close to God. This is a wonderful truth. The work of Jesus has accomplished for us what we never could on our own. I want to challenge you to consider this week how really grasping the truth of Jesus’ work for you is impacting your life. You have his victory. You have his purity. You have his mindset toward pain and suffering. Let’s grasp it together and let it direct our lives toward living for God’s glory every moment. Amen.

SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS

How does the cost of our access to God (Jesus’ suffering) impact the value we place on having access to God?

How does your understanding of the “Divine Exchange” of Christ’s righteousness shape your Christian walk?

How do we “own” the victory of Christ over sin, death, and brokenness?

How does Jesus’ approach to his suffering change the way that we as Christians approach suffering in this life?