1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
1Pe 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
1Pe 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
The Just (CHRIST) for the Unjust (US).
Why?
That he (CHRIST) might bring us to God.
Christ put to death in the flesh.
Christ brought to life by the Holy Spirit.
Christ alive to preach to those in captivity.
Luk 4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
Luk 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luk 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
People- disobedient - then and now.
Longsuffering towards the disobedient- God WAITED in the days of Noah as the ark was being built.
God WAITED and only a FEW- only EIGHT people were saved.
Now we are offered BAPTISM-a NEW life in Christ. A repentance, an asking for forgiveness, a dying to the old life and living to the new life in CHRIST. BUT…
NOT the putting away of the filth of the flesh. Did you read that? NOT the putting away of the filth of the flesh.
BUT the answer of a good conscience towards God- by the RESURRECTION of JESUS CHRIST our LORD, our SAVIOR, who is in heaven at the right hand of GOD, ANGELS, AUTHORITIES, POWERS- being made subject unto HIM.
We have to ANSWER to God in ALL good conscience- by Jesus.
We can put away all the filth we have in our flesh- we can but that WILL NOT make us have a good conscience towards God. We might mistake having a good conscience towards ourselves for having a good conscience towards God. We might put our good works down to an achievement that makes us believe we are right with our Savior. We can't do this! We cannot get caught up in what we perceive is our righteousness when what we really, really need is GOD'S righteousness.
People look at others and call them flesh filthy- okay, maybe they aren't doing that because so few even think in terms of the flesh and spirit, but people love to label others by their own perceived accepted beliefs, their own interpretations of truths. People love to say the truths are black and white and yet when the chosen men of God dragged the adulterous woman before Jesus as their established law dictated did Jesus pick up the first stone and throw it at her? It was black and white, it was CLEARLY established, the law was the law and meant to be kept. No one could tell any of them that there were extenuating circumstances- the law was the law! But Jesus didn't pick up that first stone, right? Jesus left all the stones on the ground and didn't make even the slightest gesture of trying to pick one up. They wanted Jesus to pick up the stone, they wanted Jesus to tell them that they were doing right by the law they were following, a law that they'd been given long, long ago and kept to the letter. They wanted their truth and the way they perceived their truth to be verified by this man who was claiming to be God's Son- or who others were saying He was. This Messiah had to uphold the law- right? If He were really God's Son He had to uphold God's laws- it was black and white- or so they thought. They really wanted to trap Jesus though, they wanted Him to NOT uphold the law so they could accuse Him of NOT upholding the law and punish Him, reveal Him as not being a man of God, of NOT being the Messiah, the Son of God.
Jesus didn't pick up the stone instead He spoke these words--
Joh 8:6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
Joh 8:7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
HE that is WITHOUT sin among you, let HIM first cast a stone at her.
Black and white was suddenly turned into gray.
They left without throwing a single stone.
Was she less guilty of adultery? No.
Did she deserve punishment? Yes.
Did she receive punishment? No.
She was forgiven.
While we look at others who seem to break all the laws of God and then some, living horrifically sinfilled lives we CANNOT judge their eternal lives, we just can't! We can judge that the actions that are sinful and know that we are not to commit them, but we have to pray and hope that God will save us ALL from those sins. The greatest sinner still has a chance for salvation through our Savior and we cannot believe otherwise. We CAN say that if a sinner goes on without ever repenting that their rewards will be death eternal, but we cannot ultimately judge a person- God alone is the judge.
We have to trust in our Savior and His righteousness and not our own righteous acts. Yes, live as we believe in the truth of the word of God revealed to us, but do so out of love for God, not out of hope for righteousness through our good works.
Please Lord help us, save us!
1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
Let us have a good conscience toward God by the resurrection of JESUS CHRIST!
Please Lord, help us, save us!
In the love of our amazing God!
All praise, glory, and honor to HIM!
Amen.
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