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Key Verse May Seem Insignificant. ( 1 Peter 3:20 ) “That aforetime were disobedient, when the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.” (ASV)
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Key Verse May Seem Insignificant • (1 Peter 3:20) “That aforetime were disobedient, when the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.” (ASV) • Scriptures emphatically declare that only a remnant of the world will be saved • God's people have always been in the minority • We ought to expect this and not view it as disapproval
Jesus' Affirmation: • (Matt 7:13-14) “13 Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” • (Luke 13:23-24) “23 And someone said to him, Lord, will those who are saved be few? And he said to them, 24Strive to enter the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” • Strive - “agwnizomai” – “to struggle” – to agonize
Exhortation for Endurance: • (1 Peter 3:18) “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.” • Opposition by majority does not represent God's disapproval • The majority will probably always be against God! • (Luke 23:20-24) – Look at the majority in regards in making the decision of whether the Son of God ought to be put to death.
Exhortation for Endurance: • Peter shows Christ was indeed approved by God: • By this means of suffering, Christ brought us to God • (Eph 2:16-18) “ 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.” • The resurrection is the proof: • “Being put to death the flesh but made alive in the spirit” (1 Peter 3:18) • Paul gives this same proof: (Rom 1:3-4; Heb 9:14)
Preaching of Salvation: • (1 Peter 3:19-20) “19 in which He went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, 20 because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.” • “In which” – through the use of the Holy Spirit • “Spirits in prison – Speaking of their current state because of their former disobedience • “Through the Holy Spirit, He went and proclaimed to those persons that are now in prison.”
Preaching of Salvation: • “He went and proclaimed” – not Christ personally • (Eph 2:17) “He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.” • Did Christ personally preach to the Gentiles? Then why must we conclude that He preached to the spirits personally? • Christ preached through Noah the preacher: • (2 Peter 2:5) “If He did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly” • Preached during God's patience – 120 years
Preaching of Salvation: • Christ preached salvation to us through the Gospel • (1 Peter 4:5-6) “ 5 but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the Spirit the way God does.” • Living – like Noah – those that have been made alive by the Spirit • Dead – like those now in prison – Spiritually dead – live after the flesh • Few then – Few now – Majority will mock! • (1 Peter 4:3-4) “3 The time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. 4 With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and the malign you.”
The Likeness of Baptism to the Flood • (1 Peter 3:20-22) “ 20 because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.” • Baptism is antitype to the water of the flood. How? • It now saves us, as the flood waters saved Noah
The Likeness of Baptism to the Flood • How did the flood waters save Noah? • Separation of righteous and unrighteous • (Gal 3:27) • (Col 2:11-2) • New birth for Noah also for the Christian • (John 3:3, 5; Rom 6:3-4) • “Not the removal of the filth of the flesh” • Appeal to God for spiritual cleanliness • (Acts 2:38; Titus 3:5)
Conclusion • (1 Peter 4:1-2) “ 1 Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.”