Sharper Iron — The Imperishable Inheritance: Baptism Now Saves You

Rev. Carl Roth, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Elgin, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 1 Peter 3:18-22.

St. Peter arrives at the theological heart of his first epistle. This creedal text lays out the saving work of Jesus Christ as the reason for the hope that is in us. Jesus suffered once for sins as the righteous one for the unrighteous ones in order to bring us to God. After His death and resurrection, He descended into hell to proclaim His victory over the devil and his demons. St. Peter specifically speaks about the days of Noah in order to preach the comfort of Holy Baptism, the water combined with God’s Word that saves us. The horsepower of Baptism is the death and resurrection of Jesus, by which we are given a good conscience before God, at whose right hand Jesus reigns over all things for our good.

“The Imperishable Inheritance” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistles of 1 and 2 Peter and Jude. The life of the Christian Church right now is life in exile. We endure attacks from various trials and from false teachers. Such suffering makes us long for the eternal home that will be ours at the resurrection of the dead. In Jesus, we have this promise of eternal life that can never be snatched away. These three epistles strengthen us to hold fast to Christ in the midst of suffering and to give witness to the hope that is ours in Him.

Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen.

Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund, where your investments help support the work of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit lcef.org.

1 Peter 3:18-22

¹⁸For Christ also suffered^[a] once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, ¹⁹in which^[b] he went and proclaimed^[c] to the spirits in prison, ²⁰because^[d] they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. ²¹Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²²who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

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Footnotes

1 Peter 3:18 Some manuscripts died
1 Peter 3:19 Or the Spirit, in whom
1 Peter 3:19 Or preached
1 Peter 3:20 Or when

English Standard Version (ESV)

Rev. Timothy Appel

Although a mathematics degree may not be incredibly helpful to (proudly born-and-raised Texan) Rev. Timothy Appel while hosting Sharper Iron, his love of CFW Walther and the season of Easter will come in handy. His Call is shepherding the flock at Faith Lutheran Church in Godfrey, Illinois, and he’s also husband to wife Kristin and dad to their growing basketball team of children. When he’s not carrying out pastoral duties, you may find him reading “The Lord of the Rings,” snacking on Reese’s peanut butter cups, playing dominoes with his boys, or studying up on Texas history (including Sam Houston, of course).