Baptism as Spiritual Warfare: Making Sense of I Peter 3:18-22

What happened when you got in the water at your baptism?

Guess what? You didn’t just get wet.

You made a proclamation of faith- not just to any humans who witnessed your baptism- but a proclamation of faith that reverberated throughout the entire spiritual realm.

And if you have no idea what I’m talking about, you’re in the right place, because this episode today is going to explain the significance of baptism in the demonic realm.

And along the way, we’ll also explain one of the most puzzling passages in scripture:

I Peter 3:18-22

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,

19 in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison,

20 because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.

21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

Woah, baptism save us? This passage went off the rails real quick. I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible.

Turn to I Peter 3, and let’s get weird.

0:00 - Introduction

2:10 - Dedication

4:45 - The Spirits in Prison

11:50 - Baptism Now Saves You?

19:15 - A Spiritual Loyalty Pledge

22:45 - Next Time

24:00 - What Happened at Your Baptism?

Special thanks to the Two Witnesses Live podcast for inviting me on their show recently! Here is a link if you’d like to see/hear it: https://www.youtube.com/live/Mh0bTZhUKwk?si=vqVdx6KZx9tQIZSo

If you want to get in touch, my email is [email protected]

Hosted by Luke Taylor