3:13 Now who is he who will harm you, if you become imitators of that which is good?
3:14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake,
you are blessed. "Don't fear what they fear, neither be troubled."

3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts;
and always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason
concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear:
 

3:16 having a good conscience; that, while you are spoken against as evildoers,
they may be disappointed who curse your good manner of life in Christ.

3:17 For it is better, if the will of God should so will,
that you suffer for doing well than for doing evil.
 

3:18 Because Christ also suffered for sins once,
the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God;
being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;

3:19 in which he also went and preached to the spirits in prison,
3:20 who before were disobedient,
when God waited patiently in the days of Noah,
while the ark was being built.
In it, few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.

3:21 This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you -
not the putting away of the filth of the flesh,
but the answer of a good conscience toward God,
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
3:22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven,
angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.

vs 15 "Sanctify" means to set apart as special. The Lord should not simply be another relationship we have, nor doing his will just another category or compartment in our lives. These should be central to everything we do and think.  Being ready means that we have taken the time to prepare answers. But it also means that we are thinking through situations in which we can give such answers. It is written that, "The heart of the righteous studieth to answer." Pr 15:28 And we should be thinking not simply of answers, but also questions. What questions are really on other peoples minds that is relevant to our faith?

And finally, our lives should generate questions because of the hope we have. For we live not for this life but for the next. And we live not for ourselves but for him who died and rose again on our behalf. When we suffer as Christ did and bear it even with joy, this is certainly a curious phenomenon. When we are mistreated, but in response show love and tolerance, this is strange. When we are content with what the world is not content with, this can be attractive to those who seek contentment. Just behaving in a Christlike manner despite the circumstances, that can win a hearing.

However, many Christians have simply resorted to "flag waving" techniques to generate questions. Rather than behaving in a Christlike manner, they will just behave wierd in order to generate questions or interest. And then there are some among the healthy and wealthy Christians boasting in their riches who give false testimony proposing that if you become a Christian you'll be healthy and wealthy. But if its worldly health and wealth that one seeks, the world has a better offer. Christ died poor at the age of 33. And many of his devout followers suffered similar fates. Rather, let the rich be generous. And then perhaps they can win a hearing legitimately.

Furthermore our answers should not be pompous, arrogant and condescending, but rather as a fellow sinner who has received undeserved grace - as one begger showing another where to get a drink of water. Humility is the most essential of character qualities. Without it we cannot help the lost to develop saving faith. In fact without it, Christian love is nullified.

vs 16 There are two aspects to having a good conscience. First we need a healthy conscience. For as sinners our conscience is corrupt to a degree. But having been born of God, the Word of God and the Holy Spirit help to heal our conscience that we can discern better between right and wrong. But we must exercise it. "Solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil."Heb 5:14  And Paul says, "I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man." Ac 24:16 Don't violate your conscience. If you feel guilty for doing something or for not doing something, follow your conscience. Your maturity depends on it.

But those who falsely accuse others who are doing good are simply foolish. For when they come to realize the situation, their own conscience will condemn them. And they themselves will be found to be evildoers. This kind of thing occurs even within the Christian community.

vs 17-18 Many ask, "Why does God allow good people to suffer?" Isn't it unjust for those who do good to suffer for it? Isn't it better for people to suffer for the bad things they do rather than the good? But while it is acknowledged that God is just, Peter is speaking from the perspective of grace rather than the perspective of justice. Both are valid perspectives. But if we take God's plan and purposes in mind, now especially is a time for grace to reign. Justice will come, but let us walk in grace. In leading others to Christ we need to graciously tolerate a degree of abuse and sacrifice our rights if we are to walk in the same Spirit that Jesus walked in on the road to the cross.

vs 19-20 There are a couple of different interpretations of these verses. Who are the spirits in prison that Jesus preached to? Some say demons who incited rebellion during the times of Noah. But I don't think so. And did Jesus go to hell when he died? Well, he went to "Sheol", which is simply the place of the dead. Jesus describes Sheol in the story of Lazarus and the rich man of Luke16:19-31. It is composed of two parts - paradise and hell - with an impassable gap in between. (No purgatory scenario). To the thief on the cross Jesus said, "Today you will be with me in paradise." Thus Jesus descended into Sheol on the paradise side. However, just as in the Luke 16 where Abraham spoken across the gap to the rich man, so Jesus could have done the same in addressing those who went to hell in Noah's time.

I think Peter's point is that God was longsuffering in tolerating the abuses by the rebellious of Noah's time, but a time of judgment and vindication will inevitably come upon them. Christians should hold a similar perspective.

vs 20-21 BAPTISM
There are also different interpretations concerning these verses. What does it mean to be "saved by (through) water." The greek word translated "by" or "through" is "dia", which can take on a variety of meanings. The issue in this case is whether it is speaking of mechanism ("by means of" ) or whether it is simply speaking spatially ("going through the midst of"). In considering the story of Noah, I believe the second translation is favored. Noah was not saved by means of water, rather he was saved from the water by going through the water in the Ark.

And similarly in verse 21. I believe the NIV is incorrect in translating it "and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also". The word "water" is not found in verse 21 in the greek text. While it is true that there is a neuter gender match between "this" and "water", yet I believe what "This figure" really refers to is not simply the water, but the whole story of Noah and the Ark. Within that story the water represents the wrath of God. The Ark represents Christ. Noah was place in the Ark as Christians are placed into Christ and then Genesis says, "Then the LORD shut him in." Gen 7:16, which represents the eternal security of those who have been placed in Christ.

The baptism that saves is the one in which the believer is placed into Christ. Water baptism is symbolic but not substantive. It is an expression of the faith of the Christian as to what we believe has occurred in a spiritual sense. For Jesus baptizes not with water, but with the Holy Spirit. Getting wet of itself does nothing. It is vain to baptize babies. For in their baptism they aren't pledging a good conscience towards God. They are simply getting wet. But baptism into Christ requires repentance and faith neither of which can be expected of babies. Calvin was wrong on this point, as were Luther, Augustine and all the rest that attempt to justify infant baptism. It is unBiblical and only supported through the popularity of human dogma.

vs 22 And Peter's final point in this section on tolerating unjust suffering is that Jesus is the final authority. Even when Jesus' was subject to unjust persecution by officials, he kept the issue of authority before him.

 John 19:10-11 "Do you refuse to speak to me?" Pilate said. "Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?"  Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above."