This week we begin worship with:
For Christ also suffered 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, . . .
This verse follows after Peter's encouragement for believers to keep a good reputation and to be willing to suffer for doing good. Peter here, puts forward as our example, the one who "also suffered", Jesus Christ, our Lord, whose reputation was spotless, who was sinless, and who suffered to the point of death.
Jesus died at the hands of men, but better said He died within the sovereign will of the Father. This is why Jesus, in His divinity as the Triune God could say:
For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
Our passage goes on state what He did while in the spirit for the three days, prior to taking up His life again (1 Peter 3:19-20).
It is this transition from flesh to spirit, and from spirt to a new body that we await, and it is what Peter is encouraging us with here. For it is not only Christ who will do this, but by His authority, He will "bring us to God", who is spirit (pneuma).
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