From now on - LIVING TO GOD

Finally Simon Peter is going to nail it for us in 1 Peter 4. This is where ‘rubber hits the road’... and has done for thousands upon thousands of saints faithful unto death.

Peter saw our Saviour suffer for us, so we should have the same mindset: ‘Don’t be surprised guys when you cop persecution; instead be happy to God’s glory’

The time is over for living like the world does – don’t forget, judgment awaits the living and the dead, in fact... 



“judgment must begin at the house of God”!

Scripture* tells us: “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” ...so I wonder what Peter meant with:  
“For this cause was the gospel preached ALSO to them that are dead.”  
Maybe you know?

Is our Saviour God so intent on saving as many as possible from a lost eternity that we can scarcely fathom it?

Meanwhile...let’s be sober, watchful, prayerful, hospitable, loving, using the gifts God has given us as good stewards....

INCREDIBLE GRACE?

Are you ready for this one? This will be so amazing it is hard to believe!

“For Christ has once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18- )... no problem there, hey... “...being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit” – amazing and wonderful!

Now let’s slow down and read this very carefully...           

“By which also he went and preached to the spirits in prison...”

Who went and preached? Christ did.                   

How??  By the Spirit.                                             

(Noah hasn’t even been mentioned yet)

So who did Christ preach to?                                  

Those who... “which sometime were disobedient when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah”

Is this what it is saying?...

Christ, by the Spirit, preached to those in prison who had been disobedient to God’s longsuffering in Noah’s time!

WOW!! This is more grace than us Christians can cope with, let alone appreciate.

Moving on... 

Are we saved by baptism? Of course not – it is only a figure, just like Noah’s ark, of what Christ has done for us: “The like figure whereunto...”

Whatever this amazing Scripture means...                

What have you done with God’s incredible saving grace towards you?