◄ What Does 1 Peter 3:18 Mean? ►

When Peter writes: "Christ also suffered for sins once," he points to the Lord Jesus as the perfect example of One Who through His suffering, fulfilled the will of His Father in heaven. He was identified as the perfect example of a Man Who suffered unjustly at the hands of wicked men, in order to fulfil the plans and purpose of a holy God: "To bring us to God."

The Lord Jesus was indeed the: "Just One," about Whom Peter spoke on the day of Pentecost. The Lord Jesus was truly the righteous One Who died for the unrighteous; the eternal Son of God Who was sent from heaven to lay down His life for the sin of the whole world; the perfect Son of Man Who was born of a woman, in order to lay down His life for lost sinners: "That He might bring us to God."

He was the righteous Man who suffered for unrighteous men. He was the substitute Man Who died once for all on the Cross of Calvary: "In order to bring you to God." He was the righteous God-Man who laid down His precious life for a race of sinful, rebellious, prideful men, with the supreme purpose that He might bring us to God.

Jesus came as the incarnate Word of God, that He might redeem us from slavery of sin and cancel the debt of death and hell, which is our just desserts. But He did so much more for He clothed us in His own righteousness so that we might become the children of God and joint heirs with Him.

Should we not similarly be willing to suffer for His name-sake in a world that, in the main, has rejected His amazing gift of salvation, by grace through faith.

Heavenly Father, thank You that Christ was willing to suffer in my place for my sins. Thank You that He was willing to lay down His life for me so that by His death He could bring me to God. Thank You that His work on the Cross is finished and that there is nothing that I need to do to be saved, but to believe on His name. In Jesus' name, AMEN.