基督为我们的罪受死
彼得前书三章18至22节
18因基督也曾一次为罪受苦（有古卷作：受死），就是义的代替不义的，为要引我们到神面前。按着肉体说，他被治死；按着灵性说，他复活了。
19他藉这灵曾去传道给那些在监狱里的灵听，
20就是那从前在挪亚预备方舟、神容忍等待的时候，不信从的人。当时进入方舟，借着水得救的不多，只有八个人。
21这水所表明的洗礼，现在借着耶稣基督复活也拯救你们；这洗礼本不在乎除掉肉体的污秽，只求在神面前有无亏的良心。
22耶稣已经进入天堂，在神的右边；众天使和有权柄的，并有能力的，都服从了他。
信息分享
新约圣经非常清楚地告诉我们，基督为我们众人的罪受死，祂的死已足以为我们众人的罪付上赎价。祂的死永远都不会失去效用，所以，不会再有任何人要为到人类的罪而代赎牺牲。
有些人却传另一套道理，说我们人类始终要承担部分罪责，接受最终的刑罚。诚然，未得救的人因为没有接受基督的救赎，所以便要承担自己的罪；但基督徒却不然。基督已为我们一次而永远地受苦，承担了我们的罪；基督徒因为接受了基督的救赎，所以，罪只会妨碍我们与神的相交，却不会中断我们与神的关系。
另一些人却认为，撒但最终要为到我们的罪而承担部分责任；可是，圣经却坚称，只有基督为我们承担了罪的刑罚，祂亲身钉在十字架上，为我们的罪付上了全部赎价。以赛亚先知曾经预言，神已定意要祂担当我们的罪孽。
第19至22节并不容易解释。经文告诉我们，圣灵使基督复活，但对于接着的下一句，说基督复活后曾传道给在监狱里的灵听，经文却没有为我们提供清楚的解释。也许，当祂的身体还在坟墓里的时候，祂曾向旧约时代那些未曾相信神的话的死人显现，向他们说了类似的话：「你们不相信我会照预言所说降生为人和受死，看，我就是预言中的那一位，可以证明先知的话是完全真确的。你们早应该相信，现在是太迟了。」
正如方舟救了挪亚一家(20节)，基督也同样救了我们。把所有人淹死的洪水，却使方舟浮起，把挪亚一家送到安全之地。同样地，水成为众人的审判之时，基督却借着水来拯救我们，把我们送到平安之地。我们借着水礼来证明我们是属乎基督的。综观而言，这两节经文是描述了耶稣基督的死和复活。
最后，让我们牢记一个重要的真理，就是基督为我们的罪一次而永远地受死。我们只要接受祂为我们作成的一切，便可在祂里面得着完全的救恩。
CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS
1 Peter 3: 18-22
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,
19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison,
20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.
21 There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.
Message
The New Testament is very clear that Christ died once and for all, for our sins. His death was sufficient to pay the price for all our sins. His death never needs to be repeated. No-one can ever offer that sacrifice again.
There are those who teach that man will bear part of his own punishment for sin. The Bible never says that about Christians. Of course the unsaved person will bear his own punishment, but not the Christians. Christ has suffered once and for all for us. Sin may interrupt our fellowship with God, but never our relationship.
Other people say that Satan will one day bear part of the punishment for our sin. But the Bible says that it is Christ, and Christ alone, who paid all the penalty when a he took our sins in his body on the tree. Isaiah said that God laid on him - Christ - the iniquity for us all. We should thank God every day that Christ has done this for us.
There are a number of difficult thoughts in verses 19-22. Do not be disturbed by them. We are told that Christ was brought back to life by the Spirit of God, but we are not given a clear explanation of what is meant by his preaching to souls in prison. Possibly during the time his body was in the grave he showed himself to those who did not believe the word of God in Old Testament times. Perhaps he said something like this to them, 'You didn't believe that I was coming. Here I am, proof that the words of those prophets were true words. Now it is too late for you. You should have believed while you had the opportunity.'
In the same way that the ark saved Noah and his family (v.20), so Christ saves us. The very water that overwhelmed others, lifted the ark and carried Noah and his family to safety. So Christ carries us through the waters of judgement and keeps us absolutely safe. Baptism is the way to show that we belong to Christ. It is a picture of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Let us go back again to this great truth - Christ died for our sins once and for all. We have complete salvation in him, if we accept what he has done for us. Stop and thank God for that today.