Preaching to the Spirits

For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he 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 3:18-19

The meaning of preaching "to the spirits in prison" is not completely clear, and commentators have explained it in different ways. The traditional interpretation is that Christ, between his death and resurrection, announced salvation to God's faithful followers who had been waiting for their salvation during the whole Old Testament era. Matthew records that when Jesus died, "the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people." (Matthew 27: 52, 53). In any case, the passage shows that Christ's Good News of salvation and victory is not limited. It has been preached in the past, as well as in the present; it has gone to the dead as well as to the living. God has given everyone the opportunity to come to Him, but this does not imply a second chance for those who reject Christ in this life.
Why continue to live with sins that Jesus has already died for? Whether you understand it or not, believe it and go free. It is our responsibility to acknowledge our need and His responsibility to meet that need. This, in fact, he has already done. Count it as so and move on. Heavenly Father, we admit that we are sinners and that we cannot save ourselves. However, we acknowledge that Jesus is our Savior, and we accept Him into our hearts right now. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God bless you,

J.H