16. The Epistle of 1Peter 3:18-22

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1 16. The Epistle of 1Peter 3:18-22 (4/4/18) 1 Peter 3:13-18 (NKJV) 13 And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. "And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled." 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 16 having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. 17 For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. As we have already seen when we studied these verses here Peter is making personal, practical application to our lives from the example of Jesus Christ whom he presented as the ultimate and perfect example of someone who suffered unjustly in His service to the Father and yet accepted it with humility 1 Peter 2:21 (NKJV) 21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: Peter then continues his application by saying 1 Peter 3:18a (NKJV) 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God Alright, let s break this down into its three parts For Christ also suffered once for sins 1

2 As a Jew who lived his entire life under the Old Covenant sacrificial system (law of Moses) until he met Jesus Peter knew that no animal sacrifice could be offered once that would completely cleanse a person from sin for the rest of their life. And yet when Christ offered Himself on Calvary s cross as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world He only had to offer Himself once for all time and for all people. Hebrews 10:1-4, (NLT) 1 The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. 2 If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared. 3 But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year. 4 For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins 10 For God s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time. 11 Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. 12 But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God s right hand. 13 There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. 14 For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy. Hebrews 9:24-28 (NLT) 24 For Christ did not enter into a holy place made with human hands, which was only a copy of the true one in heaven. He entered into heaven itself to appear now before God on our behalf. 25 And he did not enter heaven to offer himself again and again, like the high priest here on earth who enters the Most Holy Place year after year with the blood of an animal. 26 If that had been necessary, Christ would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice. 27 And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, 28 so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him. And for those who are skeptical about how one Man could die for all the sins ever committed by every person that has ever lived Paul answered that in Romans 5 Romans 5:15-17 (NKJV) 15 For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the 2

3 grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many 17 For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) the just for the unjust Of course, the idea here is that, under the law of Moses, an animal sacrifice had to be without spot or blemish in other words, perfect if it was going to be accepted by God to atone for sin. This also had to be true of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ He had to be sinless if His sacrifice for sin was going to be acceptable to God the Father. And for Jesus to be born without original sin passing down to Him from Adam He had to be virgin born. (Explain) It was the only way He could have been born one of us yet without sin and the only way He could have died for us in our place as our substitute 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV) 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 1 Peter 3:18 (NKJV) 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God One author The phrase bring us to God is a technical term that means gain audience at court. Because of the work of Christ on the cross, we now have an open access to God (Eph. 2:18; 3:12). We may come boldly to His throne! (Heb. 4:14-16) 3

4 Another said this The verb translated He might bring (prosagō) expresses the specific purpose of Jesus actions. It often describes someone s being introduced or given access to another. In classical Greek the noun form refers to the one making the introduction. In ancient courts certain officials controlled access to the king. They verified someone s right to see him and then introduced that person to the monarch. Christ now performs that function for believers. Ephesians 2:13 (NKJV) 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:18 (NKJV) 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. 1 Peter 3:18 (NKJV) 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, So, Jesus died for our sins (physical body) and was then raised by the Holy Spirit from the dead One pastor said this Here, the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the dead. It also tells us that the Father raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 6:4), and it says that Jesus raised Himself from the dead (John 2:18 22). The resurrection was the work of the Triune God. 1 Peter 3:19-20 (NKJV) 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. These words by Peter have generated a good deal of controversy as to exactly what he is saying here. 4

5 Some contend that what Peter is saying is that Jesus, after He died on the cross, went into hell and preached the gospel to those people who died in the Flood giving them a second chance to be saved. There are numerous and glaring problems with that interpretation not the least of which is that when Peter wrote this as it is to this day no one is in hell (lake of fire) yet. At this present time all unbelievers when they die are sent to Hades a temporary place of incarceration in the center of the earth where they are held until they stand before Christ at His Great White Throne Judgment (Rev.20:11-15). Jesus spoke about Hades in the story He told about the rich man and Lazarus as recorded in Luke 16: (Comment) The first people to be cast into hell will be the Antichrist and false prophet when Jesus returns to the earth to establish His kingdom at the end of the Tribulation Period. (Rev.19:20) The next ones cast into the lake of fire (hell) will be Satan (and no doubt his fallen angels also), followed by all of those who refused to believe in Jesus Christ throughout human history this judgment will take place after the thousand-year Millennial Kingdom Revelation 20:7-15 (NKJV) 7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. 11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is 5

6 the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. I believe that after Jesus died on the cross, He descended into Hades (not hell) which is what Peter is alluding to in v.19. Why do I believe that? Matthew 12:40 (NKJV) 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. (The garden tomb where Jesus was buried was hardly the heart of the earth ) Ephesians 4:7-10 (NKJV) 7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8 Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men." 9 (Now this, "He ascended"--what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) 1 Peter 3:19-20 (NKJV) 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. And so, for those who believe that this verse is teaching that Jesus, after He died on the cross, went into Hades and preached the gospel to those people who died in the Flood giving them a second chance to be saved that interpretation has no merit in Scripture. Nowhere in Scripture do we read anywhere that God has ever given someone a second chance to be saved after they have died Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment (Heb.9:27) 6

7 Besides, the word translated preached in v.19 is kērussō in the Greek and means to declare or herald an important announcement. In the ancient world, heralds would come to town as representatives of the rulers to make public announcements or precede generals and kings in the processions celebrating military triumphs, announcing victories won in battle. If Peter was talking about Jesus preaching the gospel he would have used the Greek verb euangelizō ( to evangelize ). Besides that, the word spirits He went and preached to the spirits in prison is a word in the New Testament that is never used of people ( except when qualified by a genitive (e.g., Heb. 12:23; the spirits of the righteous ). If Peter was talking about people who had died that Jesus preached to he would have used the word psuchai ( souls ) instead of pneumasin ( spirits ) So, what exactly is Peter talking about here? I believe Peter is referring to spirits (fallen angels) who did something so horrendous during the time of Noah that God chained them in Hades ( prison -v.19) until the day of judgment. And that when Jesus died, He went into Hades (heart of the earth) and declared His victory to these wicked creatures implying a battle He had won over some nefarious plan they tried to implement, under the leadership of Satan, but a plan that God thwarted. To understand what I m talking about turn to Genesis 6 7

8 Genesis 6:1-2 (NKJV) 1 Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose. That phrase sons of God only appears in three other places in the O.T. in Job 1:6; 2:1; and 38:7. In each of these passages the phrase sons of God is a clear reference to angels so much so that the NIV simply drops the sons of God phrase in favor of the word angels One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them (Job1:6- NIV) I believe what s in view here in Genesis 6 is that fallen angels came down to earth and cohabitated with human woman ( daughters of men ) in an effort to contaminate the human race with demon seed so Messiah couldn t be born. However, this in and of itself wouldn t be enough to convince me that Genesis 6:1-4 is talking about fallen angels or demons coming down to the earth to cohabitate with human women. What really drives this view home to me is that this incident is mentioned not once but three times in the N.T. Jude mentions it once and Peter twice, once in each of his two epistles. Jude 1:6-7 (NKJV) 6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; 7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. 8

9 And the point Jude is making is that fallen angels left heaven ( their proper domain ; their own home ) and came to the earth to commit sexual immorality by going after strange flesh. He uses Sodom and Gomorrah as an illustration of what it is he s referring to just like homosexual sex is unnatural so is sex between fallen angels and human women. Those that disagree with this interpretation claim that angels are spirit beings and therefore sexless which means they are incapable of having sex with women let alone producing children with them. Well we know that angels can take human form and did so many times in the O.T. Genesis 18 being one example (also Heb.13:2). (Explain) To say that angels are incapable of having sex with women is something the Bible never says, and history refutes. There are many documented accounts of women in the occult and in pagan religions that have had sex with demons Are you telling me they had children by these demons? Well Genesis 6:4 says so Genesis 6:4 (NKJV) 4 There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to [had sex with] the daughters of men and they bore children to them It is significant that when the angels are referred to in Scripture it is always with the masculine pronoun he, and they are always described as men that s why they are called the sons of God. 9

10 The word giants in verse 4 is nephilim and is a word that literally means fallen ones. I personally believe that these were half human, half demon hybrid creatures. Satan had his angels come down to the earth to try to comingle and corrupt the human race with demon seed to keep the Deliverer from coming whose mission it would be to defeat Satan (crush his head -authority) and free the earth from his control (Genesis 3:15). If Satan was successful there would be no way a Messiah could deliver the world who was himself half demon so God purged the earth: Genesis 6:7-11 (NKJV) 7 So the LORD said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them." 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. 9 This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. Noah was a just (righteous) man because of his faith and as a result he lived a righteous life on the earth at a time when it says in verse 5 Genesis 6:5 (NKJV) 5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. But it also says in verse 9 that Noah was perfect in his generations. The word perfect comes from a Hebrew root that means uncontaminated. 10

11 Noah and his family may have been the only ones left on the earth still pure and uncontaminated by demonic inbreeding which would explain the Flood, and what Jude and Peter are referring to. Let s read what Peter had to say on this subject 1 Peter 3:18-20 (NKJV) 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. (Comment) 2 Peter 2:4-5 (NKJV) 4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell [the Greek is tartarus explain] and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; 5 and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; (Comment) I m going to take it a step further I don t believe this demonic contamination was limited to the human race I believe it involved the animals on the earth as well. And if that s true it explains why God completely wiped out everything He had made everything that lived on land including man all except for Noah and his family. He wiped them all out because Satan had corrupted (contaminated) animals and people with demon seed Genesis 6:9-12 (NKJV) 9 This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect [uncontaminated] in his generations. Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt [contaminated]; for all flesh [animals and man] had corrupted their way on the earth. 11

12 There are many ancient myths, stories, legends whatever you want to call them of demigods on the earth that were half-man and half-animal that may be rooted in fact. In fact, it could be that this came about as a result of genetic manipulation as mankind opened doors more and more to the demonic in their cultures and the demons used willing women as hosts splicing their DNA with animal DNA and fertilizing their eggs to produce half-human, half-animal creatures. And this practice eventually brought the judgment of God on everything the Lord had created that lived on the earth by destroying it in the Flood everything except for Noah and his family. These angels that Jude speaks of Jude 1:6 (NKJV) 6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day I believe they are the same fallen angels that Peter is speaking of in 1Peter 3 1 Peter 3:19-20 (NKJV) 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. So, these fallen angels were disobedient in that they left their proper domain (heaven) and came down to the earth to co-habitat with human women in an attempt to contaminate the human race with demon seed to keep Messiah from coming and fulfilling His mission to defeat Satan on Calvary s cross so we could be saved and the earth could be bought back from the usurper. And God was very patient during the time the ark was being built (120 years) and for all that time Noah was preaching the gospel (yes Noah knew and preached the gospel as revealed to mankind in the Garden of Eden Gen. 3:15)). 12

13 The statement in v.20 that Noah and his family were saved through water is not a reference to water baptism. What Peter is saying is that Noah and his family were saved thru water (saved thru the waters of judgment i.e. the Flood) by being sealed in the ark (a type of Christ). And yet many point to Peter s next statement as proof that water baptism does save us 1 Peter 3:21 (NKJV) 21 There is also an antitype which now saves us baptism When I was a young pastor, a woman mailed me a tract that taught that water baptism was essential for salvation and even gave the steps for the only kind of water baptism God accepted. (Explain and finish the story) 1 Peter 3:21 (NKJV) 21 There is also an antitype [something foreshadowed by a type] which now saves us--baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, You see, the word baptism (from baptizō) simply means to immerse. Here, Peter is using it not in terms of immersing a person in water (not the kind of baptism that removes some dirt from the physical body i.e. water baptism ). No, here Peter is using it to denote another kind of baptism (immersion) as when a person believes in Christ and His resurrection and that person is immersed (baptized) into Christ (saved). 13

14 And as such, Peter is using Christ figuratively as an ark that, just as Noah s ark saved Noah and his family from the waters of judgment, so to when we believe in Jesus we are placed in Christ (baptized) where we are safe from the coming judgment during the Tribulation Period and ultimately hell. One author said That he was actually referring to a spiritual reality when he wrote baptism now saves is also clear from the phrase, an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The only baptism that saves people is dry the spiritual one into the death as well as the resurrection of Christ of those who appeal to God to place them into the spiritual ark of salvation safety (cf. Rom. 10:9 10). 1 Peter 3:21-22 (NKJV) 21 through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him. The main point Peter wanted to emphasize was Christ s complete victory over all angels and authorities and powers (1 Peter 3:22) the mighty victory that our Lord Jesus Christ won for us in His death, resurrection, and ascension. Colossians 1:16 (NKJV) 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. Colossians 2:15 (NKJV) 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. 14