Christ died once for our sins. An innocent person died for those who are guilty. Christ did this to bring you to God, when his body was put to death and his spirit was made alive.
Christ then preached to the spirits that were being kept in prison. They had disobeyed God while Noah was building the boat, but God had been patient with them. Eight people went into that boat and were brought safely through the flood.
Those flood waters were like baptism that now saves you. But baptism is more than just washing your body. It means turning to God with a clear conscience, because Jesus Christ was raised from death. Christ is now in heaven, where he sits at the right side of God. All angels, authorities, and powers are under his control.
I Peter 3:18-22
How do you get a clear conscience? There are those who sincerely believe that they have never done anything wrong, and so their consciences are clear. Oh they may have committed a little sin or two and asked God to forgive them, but they feel no guilt and believe that they stand right before God. The only problem is that their clear consciences are not based on the Blood of Jesus and His sacrifice on the Cross!
The human heart is wicked and totally lost without Jesus Christ. The filthy rags of human righteousness are useless in covering the sinfulness of a man's heart.
Anything that makes you feel justified and good about yourself other than the Cross of Christ is a deception and a lie! What can wash away my sin? "Nothing but the Blood of Jesus!"
If you live a "good and moral" life in order to please God and secure for yourself a place in Heaven, you will be most surprised and eternally disappointed. You will find out that real righteousness in your life comes because of the blood of Jesus and not because of your human self discipline.
When you live in the reality of His deliverance you will appear to be the most self disciplined of all, but in truth you will be the most yielded to His moment by moment will for your life! Never forget that the Cross is the source of your clear conscience!
"Lord Jesus, I am so tempted to trust in myself, or others and the ways of this world. Let my walk with You demonstrate to everyone that I am daily under Your control! May You be praised forever. Amen!"
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