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 also 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

The verses we study today were written by the apostle Peter. His point is clear but the details are very complex and the obscurity of these verses have occasioned many – almost universal – conflicting interpretations: they have served as the basis for the Catholic doctrine of purgatory and as foundation for the short lived inclusion in the Apostles creed that after Jesus Christ suffered and died He descended into hell – My older readers might have noticed the sudden disappearance of that statement from the creed. Who were the prisoners to whom Christ preached in the interval between death and resurrection? What did Christ proclaim? In short, these verses are not doctrinal.
But the purpose of this passage is clear; the faithful are called upon to bear witness to Christ in a hostile world where they can trust God to vindicate them just as Christ who suffered unjustly was vindicated by God through His resurrection and ascension to the right hand of God. Peter also uses the example of Noah who suffered in a hostile world but was vindicated by his delivery through the flood. Suffering in Peters time was linked to outward baptism or public confession of faith (this is not however a condition for salvation). They and we are called to give testimony to truth of the gospel. If we, in faith, bear witness, God will vindicate us.
Christ is our redeemer from sin and the faithful are not righteous outside of faith. Good works on the part of man are never sufficient but they and holy living are witness to our living faith. We are saved by Christ, not ourselves.

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (32) Give no offense,either to the Jew 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 he saved. 11:1 Imitate me, just as i also imitate Christ.

The letter to the Corinthians was written by the apostle Paul. In our verses today we study his final statement on Christian liberty; the principle, the purpose and the pattern – how we are to live within the framework of this liberty. We have our individual responsibility to order our lives to the glory of God – our entire lives with no compartmentalizing but as a whole.

I can best summarize the result of living in rigorous honesty – which is a new relationship with God – by quoting the promises of Alcoholics Anonymous: “We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness. We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it. We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace. No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience will benefit others. That feeling of uselessness and self pity will disappear. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows. Self-seeking will slip away. Our whole attitude and outlook on life will change. Fear of people and economic insecurity will leave us. We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves “

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 in 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; (20) and to the Jews I became a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; (21)to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; (22) to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. (23) Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be a partaker of it with you.

The first letter to the Corinthians was written by the apostle Paul. In our verses today Paul addresses the trend of Christian Corinthians who were demanding their rights in that corrupt city and advises them to instead imitate his life and that of Christ. Paul lived in service of others so that they might be led to faith and here he instructs the baby Christians on their behavior among others; to live and behave as not to be personally offensive in neutral matters of custom and culture.
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Paul constantly acted on the principle of abstaining in things of indifference; that he, Paul, had a right in Christian liberty to be free from social customs of others in non moral areas and that he laid these indifferent things aside, becoming all things to all people. Basically he removed all cultural barriers that would needlessly distract or offend others he was trying to reach. He taught that he didn’t want appearance or worldly views to be the issue – he wanted the gospel to be the issue. We are instructed that we need to know where people are and to meet them there. This is a struggle to maintain a balance and Paul attaches a warning that we are never to compromise our holiness and to stay distinct in lifestyle and behavior to not compromise the message. Everything Paul did was for the promotion of the gospel and he observes that one must live for the gospel to be a partaker of the gospel.

It’s important to realize our verses today are NOT saying we should adapt the message of the gospel to the language and perspective of others. Paul’s goal was to save some by teaching and imitating Christ.

And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled (22) in the Body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight – (23) if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, for which I, Paul, became a minister

The letter to the Colossians was written by the apostle Paul – the theme of our verses is reconciliation. He never visited Colosse but Paul is confirming the doctrine they received. He returns to the past to remind the Colossians of what they were in contrast to what they are now in faith in Christ. They were strangers to the covenant of promise; without hope and without God in this world. He writes of this estrangement to show that God’s mighty action in His plan of redemption in Christ means one day we will be presented holy to God.
In verse 23 Paul explores the truth of the believer’s eternal security – the truth of our profession of faith. Paul is countering the false teachers/Judaizers who taught false doctrine corrupting the gospel. His point was to examine the foundation of our faith – to test it. Some who said they believed the gospel were in danger of forgetting the message, proving they never really believed the truth of Christ in their hearts. Some of these unfortunates will endure for a time but soon forget the claims of the gospel. Paul is not saying who of the Colossians was reborn in faith – he had confidence that most of them were – but he wrote to stir up the conscience of any who were drifting. A readiness to adopt new and fanciful systems was a cause for grave concern.
The faithful are in this world are now fighting sin which has not been eradicated in our lives. We are not yet free from temptation; sow a thought and reap an action – sow an action and reap a habit – sow the habit and reap a destiny. In faith in Christ we are reconciled with God which is something man could never do – or in his sinful nature would not want to do. In faith He will bear you up on eagles wings – bear you on the breath of dawn – and make you to shine like the stars – and hold you in the palm of His hand.