The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Peter 3:18-22,
"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him."
What a wonderful statement about our Savior Jesus Christ! Here we learn he suffered once, "Christ also suffered once for sins" - all our sins! He did it as the righteous Son of God, that we might share in his righteousness, "to bring us to God."
This passage also points to the water that covered the earth during the flood of Noah's day. Peter tells us the water that deluged the earth back then symbolizes baptism that is practiced within the church today. In Noah's day, the waters that covered the earth brought death. Today, baptism represents the death of our old self that we now be identified by "the pledge of a clear conscience toward God."
Paul makes the point in Romans 6:3-4, "Don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life."
Paul goes on to say, "For if we have been united with him [Jesus Christ] in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin." Romans 6:5-7.
"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him."
What a wonderful statement about our Savior Jesus Christ! Here we learn he suffered once, "Christ also suffered once for sins" - all our sins! He did it as the righteous Son of God, that we might share in his righteousness, "to bring us to God."
This passage also points to the water that covered the earth during the flood of Noah's day. Peter tells us the water that deluged the earth back then symbolizes baptism that is practiced within the church today. In Noah's day, the waters that covered the earth brought death. Today, baptism represents the death of our old self that we now be identified by "the pledge of a clear conscience toward God."
Paul makes the point in Romans 6:3-4, "Don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life."
Paul goes on to say, "For if we have been united with him [Jesus Christ] in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin." Romans 6:5-7.
I find this to be pretty amazing! We are no longer to be identified by our old sinful self, but, now that it has been put to death, "we too may live a new life."
How amazing is that?!
A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
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