Christ in the Days of Noah
“For indeed Christ died for sins once for all, the Just and Righteous for the unjust and unrighteous [the Innocent for the guilty] so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit; in which He also went and preached to the spirits now in prison, who once were disobedient, when the great patience of God was waiting in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons [Noah’s family], were brought safely through the water. Corresponding to that [rescue through the flood], baptism [which is an expression of a believer’s new life in Christ] now saves you, not by removing dirt from the body, but by an appeal to God for a good (clear) conscience, [demonstrating what you believe to be yours] through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God [that is, the place of honor and authority], with [all] angels and authorities and powers made subservient to Him.” (1 PETER 3:18-22 AMP)
Jesus was put to death in the flesh (He suffered a physical death but not spiritual death) and His body was resurrected by the Holy Spirit.
Back in the days of Noah, Christ went through His Spirit (the Holy Spirit) to preach the message of righteousness by faith to the wicked people through Noah.
They are in prison (Hell) now because back then they didn’t place their faith in the message preached through Noah for at least 100 years while the ark was being built.
Sadly, none of them except for Noah’s own family believed.
The eight of them who survived: Noah and his wife, together with his three sons with their wives, safely passed through the waters of judgment.
The floodwaters had destroyed all life that wasn’t in the ark.
The waters struck the ark repeatedly but Noah and his family were completely shielded from it inside—not one drop of floodwater touched them.
After the flood had abated, Noah and his family emerged from the ark to a new life in a new world.
They were greeted with a rainbow—a promise of no more judgment, just God’s goodness.
In Noah’s story, the ark represents Jesus.
Likewise when we first believed in Jesus, we were placed in Him and baptized (immersed) into His death (died to sin) and resurrection (forever alive to God).
All the judgment of God that was meant for us because of our sins was fully exhausted upon Jesus on the cross and we are unscathed.
Now that all judicial punishment for sins has been completed, all that remains is God’s blessings and rewards for us to look forward to—God promised that He will never again judge us for our sins.
Peter wasn’t saying that the act of water baptism is what saves us. He was referring to the true baptism that water baptism symbolizes.
The act of water baptism is symbolic of us identifying with and sharing in Jesus’ death and resurrection. That is what saves us.
When we are immersed into the water it represents us sharing in Jesus’ death and burial.
Then when we emerge from the water, it represents us sharing in Jesus’ resurrection and ascension.
Today, our spiritual position is that we’re sitting with Christ in Heaven—our spirits are perfectly righteous in Him and we can stand boldly before God in prayer, knowing that we are fully accepted and loved by Him.
Water baptism is not for cleaning dirt away from the body but a response of a believer who knows that he/she has already been saved—perfectly cleansed from sin.
We can only have a good conscience towards God—having no sin consciousness or fear of punishment, when we know that our sins have been totally forgiven.
The “resurrection of Jesus Christ” referred to is actually a synecdoche for the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.
It is through His finished work at the cross that we can have a good conscience towards God.
Because Jesus was glorified to the highest level, we know that we shall surely receive the final part of our salvation when He returns for us—the salvation of our bodies.
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