Read 1 Peter 3:18–20
[Christ] went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed
long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while
the ark was being built.
1 Peter 3:19–20
Jesus Christ is the only Savior, and the lost world needs to hear His gospel.
Some people try to use this complex passage of Scripture to prove a
second chance for salvation after death. But even if these “spirits” were
those of unsaved people, this passage says nothing about their salvation.
And why would Jesus offer salvation (if He did) only to sinners from
Noah’s day? And why did Peter use a different verb meaning “proclaim
as a herald” instead of the usual word for “preach the gospel”?
Hebrews 9:27 makes it clear that death ends the opportunity
for salvation. This is why the church needs to get concerned about
evangelism and missions, because people are dying who have never
even heard the good news of salvation, let alone had the opportunity
to reject it. It does us no good to quibble about differing interpretations
of a difficult passage of Scripture if what we do believe does not
motivate us to share the gospel with others.
Peter made it clear that difficult days give us multiplied opportunities
for witness.
Are we taking advantage of our opportunities?
Something to Ponder
What opportunities to witness do you have? What tempts you to skip
those opportunities?