For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,  (19) by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, (20) who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.  (21) There is also an antitype which now saves us – baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, (22) who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.

This letter was written by the Apostle Peter, likely after the city of Rome burned.   The Romans believed that the emperor, Nero, was responsible for the fire and to deflect this belief, Nero’s scapegoat was the Christians.   As a result, the already vicious persecution of the Christians escalated and Peter wrote this letter to teach them how to live the Christian life in the midst of that hostility.

The verses we study today are very complex and obscure – even Martin Luther confessed he didn’t know how to interpret them.  So today we will consider the point of this passage which addressed a new slant on suffering – that Christians are to be lights in a hostile world and that they can trust God to vindicate them in the eternal life of the spirit.  The truth of the Scriptures will be stated clearly and repeatedly so we don’t need to worry about the complexity of interpretation of verses 19 through 21 as Verse 18 and 22 present us with the clear theology of the Church.

As we studied the words of the Apostle Paul last week, Paul urged Christians to imitate him as he imitated Christ.  Christ suffered unjustly and was vindicated by His resurrection and ascension just as Christians may suffer for doing what is right.  Victory has already been won and it is just a matter of time for the outcome to be revealed.  This outcome is certain.  Peter relates the atoning work of Christ to our suffering – we should also be ready to suffer for righteousness.  Christians, like Christ, may suffer physically but like and because of Christ they may triumph spiritually.  Unbelievers will not so triumph.

Noah was delivered through literal water and Christians have spiritual deliverance in Christ which is symbolized by water baptism. But Peter is talking about baptism of the spirit, not mere water baptism – the rite of water baptism is a public act of obedience and a public profession of faith in Christ.   It is not the act of baptism that saves but what our intentions are that saves.  We are to bear witness to the risen Lord through holy living and Peter gives us principles of suffering to guide us in the face of persecution and living in a hostile, temporal world..

Therefore whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.  (32) Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God.  (33) just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.  (11:1) Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

The Apostle Paul wrote the first letter to the Corinthians in response to problems in the Church he founded there   Chapter Ten of this letter is about  the personal liberty of the Christian and  today’s verses present the concluding principle for living the Christian life.

The question Paul is addressing here is how does a Christian function in the framework of liberty.  Christians were not under the ceremonial or dietary restrictions of Jewish Law and there were gray areas concerning certain behavior – what was right or wrong – what was allowed as a Christian.  Paul ‘s final statement on this was to tell his readers to do all to the glory of God.

There are limitations on Christian behavior.  Some things which are not forbidden can in some circumstances can be a stumbling block for others.  Paul is telling the Corinthians to consider edification over gratification – meaning that whatever action would have a beneficial result for one’s self AND others is the behavior that should be chosen.  The Christian should sacrifice their liberty for the benefit of others.  This comes out of love for others and in the long run will benefit the spiritual growth of the Christian.

Paul lived not for his own profit or glory but he lived so that all may be saved through the gospel he preached.  Any hindrance to God’s glory was to be avoided – and in all things: eating, drinking or any conduct,  Christians were to try to avoid all offense.  We are bound to offend some but Paul’s advice – to imitate him as he imitates Christ – will always bring glory to God.

Alcoholics Anonymous has a saying that recovering alcoholics may be the only Big Book that others will ever read.  Meaning the behavior of the recovering alcoholic may be the impetus  for the suffering alcoholic to get sober – the principle of “I want what he has”.   This is the lesson for today.  We are to do all we do for the glory of God and in so doing we may be the only Bible some ever read.

For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me:  yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!  (17) For if I do this willingly I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship.  (18) What is my reward then?  That  when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority inn the gospel.  (19) For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more;…………….(22) to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak.  I have become all things to ll men, that I might by all means save some.  (23) Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.

The first letter to the Corinthians was written by the Apostle Paul  to address problems in the church he founded in Corinth – problems in the main of unity in the Church.  Disunity arose from the cult of personality in that Church – also discord among Christians even to the point of suing in the courts – and discord from the false teaching of men who were critical of Paul.  From these problems of favoritism, infighting and false teaching came disunity, envy, wrath and strife – all symbolic of the terrible stresses in the early church.

The object of the verses we study today is to talk about winning people to Christ which was at the heart of Paul’s ministry.  He tells his readers that preaching the gospel is nothing that he feels he can boast of – God chose him for that mission and Paul felt he had no say in his ministry – even further, woe to him if he should not be obedient to God.    He describes himself as bondholder and servant of Christ – in other words, Paul was all in.

As a Christian,  some things or actions were neither good nor bad – a gray area – and Paul describes his style which was to present himself to his audience in a way to gain their interest and attention.  Through Christ, Paul was not bound to Jewish tradition, customs or ceremonies including following dietary laws of the Jews.  But he makes himself “all things to all men” in order to save souls for Christ – when Paul was with the Jews he adopted the customs of the Jews.  (Paul was Jewish, and a rabbi, so this was acceptable behavior to the Jews and got them to listen to Paul’s arguments for the gospel of Christ Jesus.)

For the Gentiles, he is not saying he is disregarding God but is under the law of Christ.  He was talking ceremony here:  things like eating with the Gentiles and eating any food that might be offered.  Paul would not do things that would offend the Gentiles.  Paul never set aside the truth though.  He set aside personal liberties to reach all men.

The Apostle Paul limited his freedom by love of another.  He didn’t want the Corinthians to think that he was doing an end run – saying one thing and meaning another and he is telling them in this letter that his motive in setting some of his liberty aside was to live a life of self denial and self control and to do all to remove any hindrance to preaching the gospel of Christ crucified and risen from the dead.   Winning people to Christ was at the heart of Paul’s ministry.

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But I want you to be without care.  He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord – how he may please the Lord.  (33) But he who is married cares about the things of the world – how he may please his wife.  (34) There is a difference between a wife and a virgin.  The unmarried woman cares about the things of the lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit.  But she who is married cares about the things of the world – how she may please her husband.  (35) And this I say for your own profit, not that I may put a leash on you, but for what is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction.

The Apostle Paul wrote the first letter to the Corinthians and the verses we study today concern undistracted devotion to God.  Marriage is not an eternal state but one for this earthly age.  It is an institution to be entered into or not.  What Paul is saying here is that marriage can cause a conflict of interest while remaining a single person gives an opportunity to serve God with no conflicting obligations.  But the single state does not automatically result in this high purpose.  We are called to a certain condition in life but should not be expecting that being single or married to be the answer to  holy or happy living.

There seems to be a conflict on this issue in Corinth in the days of the early Church.  Jewish people felt you have to be married and the Greeks are saying you can be more spiritual as a single person.  Paul is saying it doesn’t matter – either is fine and neither is good or bad.  In those days marriage was the standard accepted by society.  But Paul is also saying that God has gifted people for the single life and it’s different from marriage but no less significant.  God has a plan and both single and married life were designed and blessed by God.

In preparing for the verses this week I came upon an example of choices made by Mary and Martha and  how they could relate to single vs. married life.  When Jesus visited their home Mary abandoned any effort to prepare for hospitality for the guests and chose to sit at the Lord’s feet, totally focused on His teaching while Martha was distracted and had divided attention to the things of the world.  Martha complained to Jesus asking him to instruct Mary to help with the worldly preparation for the meal and Jesus answered her saying that she (Martha) was anxious and troubled about many things.  He further told her that Mary had chosen the better way and that he would not have this taken from her.  That was her gift.

So Paul is saying that both single life and married life is good but there are divided cares and loyalties in marriage.

What then shall we say to these things?  If God is for us, who can be against us?  (32) He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?  (33) Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect?  It is God who justifies.  (34) Who is he who condemns?  It is Christ who died, and futhermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

The letter to the Romans was written by the Apostle Paul.   It is almost impossible to overstate the importance of this letter for it’s theological truths, its beautiful doxologies, its breathtaking revelations assuring the justification, sanctification and glorification of the faithful.  Every Christian man and woman should carefully read the letter to the Romans – it is the soaring affirmation of eternal life through Christ.

Our text today follows verses telling us that all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.  God is sovereign of all things and His purpose is to glorify Christ –  Christ is the firstborn among many brethren and the salvation of those who believe is secure.  Paul is thinking of this when he asks “What then shall we say to these things?”  The fact that God gave His own Son to die for us proves that He is for us.

Paul is focused on how believers can endure suffering for the sake of the gospel – persecution, jealousy, hatred, even death.  This was an issue in the time when Paul wrote these words, no less than today with extreme Islam bent on the eradication of Christianity in large parts of the world.  Few here in this country know first hand about this direct persecution and it is unlikely that Christians in the United States will face what is happening in the rest of the world.  However in this day of secularization – marginalizing Christianity – we might know ridicule, condemnation, discrimination because of faith – probably not prison, confiscatory practices and bodily harm.

Verse 31 infers that a response is required by Christians to God’s promise of salvation for the faithful – they need to respond and obey.  Paul speaks of confidence in salvation and gives us the reason for confidence – not in ourselves.  Christians are delivered from the consequences of sin by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.  We know God is for us because of this ultimate sacrifice and who indeed can be against us.  Salvation is first to last of the Lord.  Amen