stephen R Harrison

“Our Cleansing Redeemer”

“And this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—

not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

-1 Peter 3:21

As I write this, I am excited to baptize a couple this Sunday I led to Christ about six months ago. I’ve been discipling him, and he and his wife read the Scripture and pray together daily. It is incredible watching them grow in the Lord. Jesus cleansed them from their sins and saved their souls. He gave them a new spirit and set His Holy Spirit in their lives. What a joy it is watching people go from death to life!

Baptism is an outward sign of an inward change. It is genuinely our public testimony of how Jesus saved us. After writing about Christ’s suffering for our sins in 1 Peter 3:17-18, Peter wrote about an interesting time Jesus preached to imprisoned spirits after His resurrection (vv. 19-22). Many have given their thoughts on this unique experience. Did Jesus descend to hell? Were these imprisoned spirits angels or humans? Was he giving another opportunity to hear the gospel after death? What does Noah have to do with all of this? While there are so many questions here, don’t miss the main points.

Context is king, as always. Peter wrote to dispersed exiles in Asia who were facing immense persecution for living for Christ in the foreign lands in which they now lived. He reminded them who they are in Christ and to look to Christ as their example to follow in unjust suffering. Peter also connected these dispersed exiles to Noah to give them examples of how to suffer during injustice. God saved Noah and his family from the Great Flood judgment long ago and would save Peter’s current audience from their unjust suffering. Jesus is the Ark in which we enter and are saved. While we must not overlook these difficult passages, we will miss this simple point if we major on them. Jesus is our example of suffering as he suffered for our sins to bring us to God. He triumphed over sin, evil, death, and hell and is now seated at the right hand of God (v. 22). 

Another difficulty in this text can be the misinterpretation that baptism saves us. Baptism symbolizes our salvation from the waters of judgment. The ark also represents this. Both point us to Christ’s redemptive work as he triumphed through suffering unjustly on the cross by resurrecting from the grave. The waters didn’t save Noah and his family, the ark did. Faith in Christ saves, not the baptism waters. We are saved by grace through faith (Romans 4:1-8; Ephesians 2:8-10; Galatians 2:14-22). Peter is clear, though, as we don’t need the baptismal waters to remove physical dirt. We need our sinful hearts cleansed, something physical water could never do. That’s something only the Savior can do. “The pledge of a clear conscience toward God” can only happen through the resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:21). 

During Lent, I pray you have allowed Jesus to cleanse you from sin through his completed work on the cross and victory over the grave. I also pray you have been baptized and have presented to those watching how Christ has saved you. That’s one of your best opportunities to proclaim the Good News that Jesus saves.

Questions: 

Have you been baptized? 

What is the basis of your salvation?

How can you identify with Noah and Peter’s dispersed exiles?

Prayer:

Jesus, we are thankful for how you cleansed us from sin through your suffering on the cross. Just as you rescued Noah, his family, Peter, and his exiled readers, you also rescue us from our sins. Thank you for the testimony of baptism, through which we can preach the gospel to all who witness it. Help us look to you in our temporary earthly suffering. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.

Read: 

1 Peter 3:20-22

Action Step:

If you haven’t been baptized, talk with your pastor about it.  Write a congratulations and encouragement note to the next person you witness being baptized.