The Theme
1 Peter 1:23 NIV For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
Today’s Text
1 Peter 3:19-22 NIV 19 After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— 20 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,
Note: Here he speaks to God’s plan for salvation – Christ
- Romans 6:23 NIV For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Romans 6:10-12 NIV The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.
21 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,
Baptism
- Ephesians 4:3-6 NIV Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Generally speaking, there are two types of baptism mentioned in the Bible: a physical (water) baptism and a spiritual baptism.
- One is literal, done in water;
- the other is figurative, accomplished in the Spirit.
Water Baptism Water baptism was commanded by Jesus for all of His followers (Acts 1:8).
- Colossians 2:12 says, “Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.”
- Through water baptism, believers publicly proclaim their testimony that they have been born again by the grace of God.
- Being baptized with water does not save us; faith in the finished work of Christ saves us (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:9).
- But water baptism is an outward indication of an inward change. It is a wonderful picture of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.
- Being immersed in water symbolizes the cleansing of our hearts and the washing away of our sin by the blood of Jesus (Acts 2:38).
The Holy Sprit
- This spiritual baptism “into Christ” is performed by the Holy Spirit the moment a repentant sinner accepts the gift of salvation and is born again (John 3:5; Ephesians 2:18; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Acts 8:12).
- We choose to lose ourselves and be immersed in Him (Matthew 16:24),
- Jesus had promised the disciples that He would send “the Comforter” (John 14:26; 15:26; Luke 24:49).
- That promise came in Acts 2. The Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples, and they were never the same again.
- They were bold in their witness, empowered to perform miracles, willing to endure persecution, and all but one died a martyr’s death.
- Throughout the book of Acts, that baptism by the Holy Spirit was repeated as people came to know Jesus, both Jew and Gentile, and served to unify the church as the Jewish believers realized that the Holy Spirit was poured out on their Gentile brothers as well.
22 who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.
- Hebrews 7:23-25 NIV Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
- Romans 8:26-28 NIV In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.