To bring you to God

Read 1 Peter 3:18

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The enduring of unjust suffering for the sake of witness to others (17) was modelled to us by Jesus himself. But the parallel is only partial, for by his death Jesus established the very basis of salvation – he not only bore witness, he bore our sins (2:24). Peter now unpacks what that means.

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Jesus’s death had a purpose – he “died for sins”. This was by God’s will, in accordance with the Scriptures, in order to save us (1 Cor.15:3; Gal.1:4). He did this “once for all” i.e. a finished work with no need for his sacrifice to be repeated (Jn.19:30; Rom.6:10; Heb.7:27). He who was righteous became “sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor.5:21).

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He did this in order “to bring you to God”. It is sin which prevents us from entering God’s holy presence so because he has dealt with our sins we can now approach him – we are at peace with him and have access by faith into his grace (Rom.5:1-2; Eph.2:18). The lamb of God has died for our sins (1:19) and “therefore we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us” (Heb.10:19-20). So come to him freely and often, in prayer and thanksgiving, and live in his love.