Remembering What Is Needed

I Peter 3:17-22

A housing contractor advised “always leave some small flaw for the building inspector. He has to find something to prove he’s doing his job. If he doesn’t find anything wrong, he’ll keep looking till he does. It’s cheaper to control what has to be fixed.” The pressure to show he is doing his job exists for every inspector or regulator.

This same mindset has allowed many distortions in our society. Bernie Madoff was able to con people out of huge amounts of money, while hundreds of legitimate investment advisors were stripped of their licenses for some unintentional mistake. Small but solid banks have been seized as not sound while huge and clearly insolvent banks have been rescued by the Federal Government. Because they try to obey the rules, the small banks are examined more closely, and mistakes are found, while the dishonest ones can conceal their frauds.

The world looks to find flaws in everybody to justify their own sin. There is no reason to attack the person who is worse than yourself, although you may have to protect yourself from him. For example, most people don’t bother about a drunk as long as he isn’t obnoxious or driving, but the non drinker is made to feel uncomfortable at many business functions. Peer pressure is used to get many people to do wrong. One who refuses may be accused of considering themselves better than other people, and avoided, or even physically attacked because they don’t participate.

“For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.” (I Peter 3:17-20)

We have the example of Christ, who was accused of wickedness and crucified like a criminal though he was innocent, suffering these things to provide salvation for mankind. It is somewhat like the example of Noah. He did not participate in the sins of those around him, but believing God, built an Ark at his own expense, with great labor. II Peter 2:5 tells us that he was a preacher of righteousness, implying he warned others of the danger to come.

Tradition claims it took 120 years to build the Ark, but the scripture makes no such claim. Until the day that the flood came, every human on earth still had the opportunity to come into the Ark. Only eight people did so. Everyone who got on the Ark was saved from the flood. The rest died because they chose not to get on the Ark. Neither God nor Noah can be held accountable for their refusal. The ark was there, and the warning had been given.

A similar situation exists today. Jesus Christ has provided a means of salvation. He promised that everyone who believed would be saved, and that everyone who did not would die. The boat is ready, but only those who get on board can be saved. John 3:36 states, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” This similarity is what Peter means by a like picture.

“The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.” (I Peter 3:21-22)

The Greek word translated baptize means “to put into, to immerse.” Romans 6:3-6 explains that we were spiritually put into Christ, and the results in our lives. “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”

Just as Noah’s family physically went into the Ark, the Christian enters spiritually into Christ by faith. Water baptism portrays us being placed into Christ. It is a testimony of our faith in him. Peter is very clear that it is not the action of the water removing filth, but the good conscience obtained by faith in Christ that saves us.

Like Noah and his family, we do not want to forget where our salvation lies. It is well worth sacrificing earthly pleasure and convenience for.