The following is reprinted with permission
of The Timely Messenger
AN INFORMAL SURVEY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
A Dispensational Approach
I PETER
By: R B. Shiflet
I. THE REALITY OF SALVATION 1:2-21
II. THE REQUIREMENT OF BROTHERLY LOVE 1:22-25
III. THE READINESS FOR WORSHIP 2:1-3
IV. THE "ROYAL PRIESTHOOD" AND THE BODY OF CHRIST 2:4-10
V. THE REMINDER TO LIVE HOLY LIVES 2:11-12
VI. THE RESPONSIBILITY TO AUTHORITIES 2:13-17
VII. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF WIVES AND HUSBANDS 3:1-7
VIII. THE REPRESENTATIVE TRAITS OF CHRISTIAN LIVING 3:8-12
IX. RECOGNIZING THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST 3:13-15
X. REFLECTIONS ON SUFFERING-OURS AND CHRIST'S
A. Our Suffering
B. Christ's Suffering 3:18-19
"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." (I Pet. 3:18-19)
Where else in Scripture could one find two consecutive verses like these? Verse 18 states a number of profound truths, all of which are
rather easily understood. But verse 19 raises some difficult questions. Let us consider the great truths of verse 18:
1. The Precept -- Christ has suffered for sins.
Literally, Christ suffered once for all for our sins. The Old Testament sacrifices had to be repeated daily. This is the same
truth proclaimed by the Apostle Paul in Romans 6: 10: "For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth
unto God." It was also made clear in the letter to the Hebrews: "But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down
on the right band of God."
2. The Profoundness -- He suffered for sins.
The word for is a preposition meaning "concerning, about, or because of " This suffering was because of our sins.
But he suffered the just for the unjust! The righteous for the unrighteous. Here the preposition for is an entirely different word. It is a word that means in place of, instead of, on behalf of " The righteous Son of God suffered
concerning or because of my sins-the righteous One dying in the place of the unrighteous
ones-including me and all other sinners.
3. The Purpose -- "that He might bring us to God."
The concept involved here, from the Old Testament perspective, was that of bringing a priest into the presence of God in the Tabernacle. Note Exodus 29:4: "And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water."
The Greek word for "bring" is prosago, and it means to bring one near, to open a way of access, to make one acceptable to, to introduce one to."
Christ's suffering for sin was for the purpose of
a. Giving Us Access to Grace
"By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Rom. 5:2). The word access is our
word here.
b. Giving Us Access to God
"For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Through our Lord Jesus Christ (because of His suffering for our sins), we are drawn nigh, given access to, made acceptable to, God the Father, through the Holy Spirit" (Eph. 2:18). This is another marvel of grace!
c. Giving Us Access With Boldness
"According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him" (Eph. 3:11-12).
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