It [baptism] saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ…
Summary: Peter says that we are saved by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This simple phrase describes the incredible moment in history when God opens the door to salvation through faith in his Son, Jesus Christ.
The power of baptism is one of those things that is debated in Christian circles. What I like about Peter’s approach to the topic is that he keeps his focus on Jesus.
He begins with a reference to Noah and the ark. He points out that they were saved “through water.” The water, he says, “symbolizes” baptism. We are saved, he points out, not by the removal of dirt (filth, squalor) but by the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Yesterday I was struggling a bit with the passage in 21(a) that reads, “the pledge of a clear conscience toward God” (NIV). Today I was reading in the Mounce Reverse-Interlinear. Mounce does a more direct word-for-word translation which reads, “the answer of a good conscience to God.” I understand this to mean that our conscience responds to God’s question, “Do you love me?” with a pledge, “Yes!” It is this response to God that unleashes the power of the resurrected Christ in our lives.
And what is the power of the resurrected Christ?
To understand that we have to understand the impossible task that Jesus set out to accomplish. Where the NIV uses the word “dirt” in verse 21, the Greek is much more descriptive. The Greek word rhypos is described in Strong’s as filth, squalor, or moral depravity. A little dirt we can brush off. Moral depravity is a bit harder to ignore.
Returning once again to the beginning in Genesis 3, we see Adam and Eve turning their back on God. They reap the reward they had been promised by the serpent; eyes that are opened and know both good and evil. Once our eyes are opened, we see the good we cannot achieve on our own and the evil that we are drawn to by the desires within us.
God made us eternal beings (Matthew 25:46). Our father and mother, Adam and Eve, turned their back on God. In so doing, they turned their back on God’s plan for all of us. The consequence of rejecting God is to be rejected by God, forever (Matthew 25:41).
Some people have chosen to embrace the life offered by the world and enjoy the pleasures of the moment. They want to take all they can get now. The future has no hold on them. Others, look to the future and are afraid. What if this world is not all there is? What if there is an eternity after death? What if there is a God? What if hell is … real?
It is God himself who testifies to all this. He has given us his Word, the history of his conversations with mankind. He has given us his Son, Jesus. The physical demonstration of his existence has been testified to. The Apostles, except for John, all suffered death rather than deny Jesus. (John suffered other things for our Lord.) And it is God who has given us his Spirit, who calls us to him. (Romans 8:5)
The greatest demonstration of love and power possible occurred two thousand years ago. The God of the universe became man. This man, Jesus, allowed the people of earth to kill him. Contrary to every evil impulse of humankind, when God raised Jesus back to life, he appeared with a message of forgiveness and hope.
It is by this power that baptism saves, the power of Jesus Christ.
Application: Open your Bible to the Gospel of John. Spend a few minutes reading about the life of the most amazing man who ever lived, Jesus.
Food for Thought: What are the differences between the resurrection of Lazarus (John 11:1-44) and the resurrection of Jesus (John 21-22)?
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Tim,
You have given us a “timely” response! 🙂
Jeff
Lazarus was not crucified, Jesus was. There were soldiers standing guard over Jesus tomb,.. none for Lazarus. It took people to roll the stone away from Lazarus’s tomb but Jesus was already rolled away. The Son of God called Lazarus to rise from the grave, it was God The Father that resurrected Jesus from the grave,.. Lazarus went back to the grave where he came from and Jesus ascended back to heaven where He came from, Jesus is the only name under heaven given to men that we might be saved,.. Jesus is the only way to eternal life,.. Lazarus has to believe in Jesus in order to gain eternal life,.. and so do we..
John,
Thank you! Great analysis! I especially like your point about Lazarus going back to the grave “where he came from” and Jesus going back to heaven “where He came from.” Well said!
Good summation John.
When Lazarus was raised he was raised to an earthly body that died again. Jesus was raised to eternal life and a body that will never die.
More important for us – Lazarus being raised was great for Lazarus. It was his victory over death. Jesus being raised was great for us. It was also our victory over death.
Nicely said, Rich! 🙂
Well done Rich!
What are the differences between the resurrection of Lazarus (John 11:1-44) and the resurrection of Jesus (John 21-22)?
Lazarus laid in the tomb 4 days, his body had begun to decay. He came out of the tomb wrapped in his burial cloths and had to be unwrapped.
John, 11:39, “Lord, by this time there will be an offensive odor, for he has been dead four days!
John, 11:43-44, He shouted with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 Out came the man who had been dead, his hands and feet tightly wrapped in burial cloths, and with a cloth wrapped around his face.
Jesus did not see decay, He came out of His tomb unbound, without His burial cloths, and appeared to His disciples in a new body. He had a different appearance, Mary only recognized Him by His voice, two others walked with Him, spoke with Him and did not know Him. In His new eternal body He could walk through walls, sit in chairs and eat. Showed His scars to Thomas, remained on earth serving man forty days and ascended into heaven.
John 21:4, 4 As morning was breaking, Jesus [came and] stood on the beach; however, the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.
John 21:6 Told His disciples where to fish.
John 21:15-17, Told His disciples how to care for His flock. V15, Feed My lambs, V16, Shepherd My sheep V17, Feed My sheep.
John 21:13, Jesus had provided, He now served His disciples.
John 21:19, Jesus told them to follow Him, walk the same path of life He had walked.
Ron,
Nice summation! I appreciate the point about Jesus being raised with a different kind of body, an eternal body. You describe it well. As we await our time to leave this earthly body, we have the description of the Lord’s eternal body to look forward to.
Thanks guys,..