Lesson 58
Study of
First Peter Chapter 3
Review:
3:21 Which (picture of Noah and his family in the
ark being saved or delivered through the flood water) a better type also now at this time saves you
(illustration), namely baptism (believer) not the removal of dirt
from the flesh but a pledge of a good conscience towards God through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Observations
1. In 3:20-21 we
have 2 types (illustrations) picturing salvation.
a. the deliverance of Noah and
family from the judgment of the flood in the
b. believer's baptism is a better
type or illustration of the reality of salvation, deliverance from being in
Adam to a new life in Christ
2. In the flood - baptism typology, Peter is saying that
baptism is a better type, a superior way of illustrating the deliverance in
salvation.
3. As types they both, the flood and water baptism,
picture the deliverance in salvation.
4. RITUALS AND
TYPES DO NOT SAVE!!
-
Good example is the Levitical offerings
Heb 10:4
- These sacrifices are detailed in Lev 1-6
- In Lev 1-3 are the three sweet savor offerings, which
portrayed the person and work of Christ.
(The shadow of the reality in Christ)
#1 Burnt offering à
work of Jesus Christ bearing sins
(propitiation)
#2 Meat/food offering à
perfection of the person of Christ
#3 Peace offering à
pictures reconciliation, being brought to God
- In Lev 4-5 Un-sweet offerings; those offerings connected
with what is repugnant to God, sin natures production
of personal sins.
#1
sin offering à through ignorance of the will of God, still guilty
#2
trespass offering à emphasis on known sins
- The point is that the blood sacrifices only covered sin,
kaphar rpk it was insufficient to take away
sin.
5. So the correspondence or illustration is between a
"better type" (water baptism) which is a picture of salvation (at
this time) and the lesser type, the deliverance by the ark from the floodwaters.
6. Examine the typology of Noah and the ark.
a.
All who climbed onto the ark were believers before they did so!
b.
The ark is a picture of Jesus Christ.
c. Therefore the passengers, Noah and family (8) were in
the ark portraying the believer being in union with Christ, CPT.
d. The flood waters picture judgment from God in 2 areas.
#1 the waters battering the ark portrays
personal sins being judged by being poured out on Jesus Christ.
#2 Those outside the ark, outside
of Christ, that is unbelievers were judged by the flood waters. Those in the ark were delivered, no wrath or
judgment to those in Christ.
7. Remember that the better type here is water baptism not
Spirit baptism as is often taught. Why?
Spirit baptism is a real baptism therefore not a type of anything.
8. Water baptism then as a type illustrates what occurs in
salvation with the real baptism by the Holy Spirit which occurs at the point of
salvation.
9. In ritual water baptism we have the portrayal of two foundational truths, CPT and
RAPT.
10. First Retro-Active Positional Truth
a. When we believe in Jesus Christ, God the Holy Spirit
through His baptizing ministry enters us into union with Christ and we are
retroactively identified with Christ in His death on the cross. Rom 6:3-4;
b. Implications
1) Knowing that God the Father has judged all our sin and
guilt on when Jesus Christ was judged in our place on the cross, 1 Pet 2:24;
2) also we know that all human
good/works were also rejected at the cross Titus 3:5; Isa
64:6
3) Therefore being identified with Him in His death,
burial and resurrection we recognize that the sin nature has been dealt with,
we no longer have to live under its rulership.
- experientially this becomes a
reality as we learn to make decisions to walk by the Spirit and apply the truth
illuminated and brought into our thinking and applied
c. Symbolism: going into the water represents being
identified with Christ in His death, being judged by the water.
11. Next is Current
Positional Truth
a. This speaks of our on going position in Christ from the
day of salvation that we're in union with Him.
b. Therefore as believers we have a permanent relationship
with the King.
c. Implications:
1) This speaks of the present reality in our life because
of our union with Christ (also has future implications)
2) It is because of CPT (U/C) that we chare in everything He has, we
are heirs, we share His destiny (resurrection body, future reign with Him)
d. Symbolism:
1) Coming up out of the water into the air represents
being identified with His victory over sin, death and Satan, that His work was
complete and that it satisfied +R of the Father which was manifested overtly by
His resurrection.
2) Being identified with Christ we are now empowered by
the awesome provisions made available to us so that we are able to walk in the
newness of life.
12. The phrase "not the removal of the dirt from
the flesh" immediately negates the erroneous teaching that somehow
salvation can be realized by water baptism.
13. The issue is that the ritual does not solve the
problem of the guilt and penalty of sin and the sin nature only the reality can
do that but it portrays the solution by the ministry of the Holy Spirit at
salvation.
14. The next phrase "a good conscience towards God"
reminds us that this baptism is for those who have believed in Christ and in
fellowship, living out the precepts of the Word
- So then having a clear or good conscience denotes the
personal integrity of the believer before God.
Cannot exist if an unbeliever.
15. The last phrase of verse 21 "through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ" reminds us that it was His
resurrection that is the overt proof or manifestation that salvation, His work
of justification was indeed complete.