Suffering for Doing the Right Thing
1 Peter 3:13-22
V 13–17: CLEAR CONSCIENCE
It is important that believers sanctify God in their hearts so that they can always give a response to anyone who asks why they hope in Christ. With good conscience, their testimony will be strong, and they will be upheld by God even if they suffer wrongly. V 18: EXCELLENT EXAMPLE
The excellent example of Christ is quoted. He ‘suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God’. No suffering we endure for Him, or for His cause or teaching, can compare with His suffering for us.
V 19–22: SALVATION’S SYMBOL
In between Christ’s death and resurrection, He proclaimed His victory to departed spirits. Linking this with those who were disobedient in the days of Noah, Peter makes the connection between water and salvation and passes on to the picture of baptism as a mere symbol of salvation. Baptism can never cleanse the soul or conscience. The crucified and risen Christ does this for those who trust in Him.