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Christ our Spiritual Ark
"...during the construction of the
ark in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water"
The ark is a type of Jesus Christ upon whom the waters of God's judgment fell to the benefit of Noah and his family. This shows how God has given us a way of escape in Jesus who bore God's wrath for our sin on Calvary's cross.
"Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you"
Noah was safely inside the Ark under the waters and when it rested atop mount Ararat (the Hebrew word for Ararat means "curse reversed"). This is a pre-figure of spiritual baptism; how a sinner is baptized into the death of Christ for the forgiveness of sins and then raised in newness of life, free from God's curse on sin.
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click here for more on the Ark as a type of Christ
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In Christ our sins are forgiven and washed away
"not the removal of dirt from the flesh"
The sacrament of physical baptism does not save a sinner; it can only remove physical dirt from a physical body. But that act of obedience symbolically demonstrates that a believer has died and been born again.
"but an appeal to God for a good
conscience"
Spiritual baptism occurs when we earnestly seek to have our guilty conscience cleansed from sin through the risen Christ. It is a free gift to all who trust in Jesus Christ to save them from God's judgment on their soul because of sin.
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In Christ we have eternal life
"through the resurrection of Jesus Christ"
Salvation of man is possible because Jesus died at Calvary in our guilty place and then arose from the dead. Through Him is the only way to heaven.
"who is at the right hand of God having gone to heaven"
Just as Jesus was received into heaven, so will His body (all believers) be received into heaven at His second coming.
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In Christ we will "judge angels"
"after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him"
No man had been given authority over heavenly beings until the Lord of Hosts became the Son of Man and ascended victoriously to heaven. Throughout eternity, the Head will grant certain authority to His Body so that they might rule with Him.
We have been saved to serve...
on earth now and in heaven soon
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click here for more art by Pat Marvenko at revelationillustrated.com
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