Sometimes It Takes Awhile To Get Through

For 23 years I have taught relentlessly, never perfectly, always passionately on the sovereignty of God in salvation.  The tension between God's work in salvation and man's necessary response troubles many, many people.   Myriads of people struggle to accuratelyarticulate sovereign electing grace in biblical harmony with necessary human choice; and do so without diminishing one or the other. This week I experienced something so vivid it woke me up to a reality.  Like a framing hammer hitting me over the head I came to this sad but evident realization:

Many Christians will correctly fight for all they are worth to protect the truth that mankind must make a personal, conscious, free choice to accept Christ as Savior, but will not allow God, the ultimate Uncaused Cause of the Universe to make a personal, conscious, free choice of them to be saved.

How sad!  How emptying of His glory.  Isaiah 42:8

Soli Deo Gloria



I Am Free!

Freedom is not absolute.  Freedom for trains is track-bound.  Freedom for boats is water buoyancy.  Freedom for parachutists is the Law of Gravity.  Genuine freedom always comes with complimentary submission.

 “I do not merely decide that Christ shall be my Lord. He is my Lord, by right. I was a slave of sin and Satan, and, try as I would; I could not obtain my freedom. I was never a free man, 'I was born in sin and shapen in iniquity.' A slave! And there would I be now, were it not that Christ came and 'bought me with a price.' What follows 'Ye are not your own.' I am still not free! I have been bought by a new Master ! I am a slave, the bond-servant of Christ ! He is my Lord, for He has bought me. He does not 'demand my soul, my life, my all;' He has bought them, they are His. I am His, because He is my Lord, because He owns me, because He has bought me with His own precious blood.’"--Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones.[1]

The great paradox of genuine Christianity is that freedom can only be found in slavery – slavery to Christ.

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[1] Quoted in Loraine Boettner. The Atonement (Kindle Locations 685-689). Monergism Books.

Did Jesus Go To Hell Between Good Friday and Easter Sunday? Part 4

As I stated in the first blog in this series, biblical evidence that Christ, post-resurrection, may have gone to Hell to preach, is found in 2 passages principally:

 1 Peter 3:18–19 (ESV) — “8 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.”

And

1 Peter 4:4–6 (ESV) — “4 With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; 5 but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.”

The weight of evidence from 1 Peter 3 seems to indicate that in fact Christ may have went into Hades to preach to imprisoned spirits under damnation; and specifically to those who rejected the message of Noah. In such case both the punishment for sin and the triumphal victory of Christ would be the essence of the message of our risen Lord.

What about 1 Peter 4?  Are Peter’s comments in chapter 4, verse 6, analogous to that? I think that this is easier to interpret.  Again we need to start with the broader context.  As we saw earlier the flow of thought from Peter would be like this:

I. Salutation (1:1-2)

                        II. The Identity of the People of God (1:3–2:10)
                        III. The Responsibilities of the People of God (2:11–4:11)
                                    A. Summary: The Mission of God’s People in the World (2:11-12)
                                    B. Respect: The Key to Living in the World (2:13–3:12)
                                    C. Doing Good: The Promise of Vindication (3:13–4:6)
                                                1. Suffering for Doing Good (3:13-17)
                                                2. The Triumph of Christ (3:18-22)
                                                3. Living for the Promise (4:1-6)
                                   D. Mutual Love: The Key to Christian Community in the End Times (4:7-11)
                        IV. The Responsibilities of a Church and its Elders in the Midst of Trials (4:12–5:11)
                        V. Concluding Remarks (5:12-14)

 So in chapter 4, in the verses under consideration I would argue that Peter is still promising vindication to the saints but here he is causing them to focus on “living for the promise” or living by faith (or living by future grace!).  Peter is speaking to Christians and warning them that that will have to suffer, but there is a promise of vindication coming.  He reminds them that their friends will be surprised that they don’t spend their time in sinful pursuits.  In verse 5 he reminds them that their friends who laugh at them and deride them will also have to stand before God.  Peter tells the Christians what most of have experienced, that their lifestyle proves to be a condemnation on the wicked. Their feelings of condemnation often turn to hatred and abuse.

This judgment is near (4:7); and it will be universal, for it will embrace all the living and all the dead. In it unbelievers will have to give an account of their lives. 

Now we come to verse 6.  "For this is the reason" (eis touto gar) is not retrospective but prospective. The coming judgment not only will bring sinners into account (v. 5) but will also reverse the judgments of men (v. 6).[1]  Peter likely is talking about people who are dead, who heard and responded to the Gospel.  Even though they were persecuted they will live in spiritual power.  The wicked who lived, will spend eternity in eternal death.  “While these believers may have been condemned and put to death in the realm of the flesh, there will be a great reversal in God’s judgment. God promises that believers will live in the new resurrection realm.”^[2]

“Given the immediate context, “those who are dead” refers to Christians to whom “the gospel was preached” when they were alive but who have since died. This fits with the meaning of “dead” in v. 5. Even though believers will experience physical death (i.e., they are judged in the flesh the way people are), believers who have died live in the spirit the way God does (that is, they live in heaven now, and they will live as well at the resurrection when Christ returns).”[3]

So based upon context there is little evidence that chapter 4 gives room from any interpretation that Christ preached to spiritually dead people after the resurrection; and certainly there is no suggestion of a second chance.  I would argue that 1 Peter 4 has nothing to do with 1 Peter 3 in subject.

Conclusion

Although scant there is a glimmer of evidence that the Apostles’ Creed is right.  Unfortunately 1 Peter 3 is the only place that gives that flicker, so to be dogmatic would be unwise.

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[1]Expositor's Bible Commentary, The, Pradis CD-ROM:1 Peter/Exposition of 1 Peter/IV. The Suffering and Persecution of Christians (3:13-5:11)/C. Death to the Old Life (4:1-6), Book Version: 4.0.2

[2]Believer's Study Bible. 1997 (electronic ed.) (1 Pe 4:6). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

[3]ESV Study Bible (Kindle Locations 153033-153036). Crossway Bibles.

Who Brings Back the Wanderer?

“My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” (James 5:19–20, ESV)

This is a fascinating word from James.  Here you have someone wandering from the truth such like if he or she is not restored his or her soul will die and a multitude of sins will remain uncovered.  That’s the jist of it. 

Some think that this is someone (a Christian) slipping away into doctrinal error … an error that if it persists could lead to physical death (e.g. 1 Cor 11:30).  Others think that this person is a professing Christian (recognized so by their persistent pursuit into error) who apostatizes.  The death in this latter case is spiritual death including the multitude of sins that accompany the unbeliever.

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary gives this notation: “That this cannot be physical death may be inferred from the literal translation of the Greek text: it "shall save his soul from death." So it would seem that spiritual death is in view. Since Scripture teaches that once a person is regenerated he can never be lost, it may be assumed that his hypothetical wanderer is not a genuine believer. He would be one who had been among the believers and had made a profession of faith, but his profession had been superficial. To bring him to genuine faith in the truth is to save his soul from eternal death. The result of bringing the wanderer back is that "many sins" will be covered. Genuine faith brings full forgiveness of the wanderer's sins; and they are covered, never to be held against him again.”[1]

The context seems to favor the second option. “In v. 20, the wanderer is called “a sinner,” not a brother, and it is his “soul” which he is in danger of losing. “Soul” in this passage has the meaning of “life,” and more particularly, his “eternal life” that will forever continue in either heaven or hell. James may again be echoing the words of the Lord Jesus, who said in Matt. 16:26, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?”^[2]

Many Christians have trouble with this type of issue because we don’t have a robust doctrine of apostasy.  The early church did.  We tend to see things in systems: Calvinism and Arminianism à eternal security and loss of salvation.  I doubt if the intended readers even wrestled with that idea.  One must leave the final outcome of the person with the Lord.  The point that James is making (whether this is a real or nominal Christian) is that it is a good thing for the church to be in the business of restoring “wanderers”.

The debate should not center on whether this person “lost their salvation”. The point of James is to call the Church, the people of God to reach out to the “wanderers”.  It is not simply the task of the pastor and elders; the deacons and leaders.  It is the Church’s responsibility to look around from time to time and see who is missing and make that call.  James makes it clear: “Brothers or brethren (ἀδελφός a fellow believer, united to another by the bond of affection^[3]) if any one of YOU wanders from the truth.”

Do we know a professing believer that has been absent from our fellowship and your assembly?  Are you waiting for someone else to reach out to them? Why do we not see this as our responsibility?  Will you make the call today?

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[1] Expositor's Bible Commentary, The, Pradis CD-ROM:James/Exposition of James/XII. Miscellaneous Exhortations (5:7-20)/D. Concerning the Wanderer (5:19-20), Book Version: 4.0.2

^[2] Believer's Study Bible. 1997 (electronic ed.) (Jas 5:14). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

^[3] Strong, J. (1996). The exhaustive concordance of the Bible : Showing every word of the text of the common English version of the canonical books, and every occurrence of each word in regular order. (electronic ed.). Ontario: Woodside Bible Fellowship.

Did Jesus Go To Hell Between Good Friday and Easter Sunday? Part 3

So did Christ, after His resurrection go and proclaim a triumphant message in Hell, according to 1 Peter 3:18-20?   There appears to be a couple options.  Let me chart them for you:

Option A		Option B
1. The spirits are unsaved humans that lived during Noah’s day (because of “. . . 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 . . ..”)		1. The spirits are the fallen angels who were cast into hell to await the final judgment because Almost without exception in the NT, “spirits” (plural) refers to supernatural beings rather than people (e.g., Matt. 8:16; 10:1; Mark 1:27; 5:13; 6:7; Luke 4:36; 6:18; 7:21; 8:2; 10:20; 11:26; Acts 5:16; 8:7; 19:12, 13; 1 Tim. 4:1; 1 John 4:1; Rev. 16:13–14; cf. Heb. 1:7)
2. They (the unsaved human spirits) are now in prison – undergoing judgment.		2. The word “prison” is not used elsewhere in Scripture as a place of punishment after death for human beings, while it is used for Satan (Rev. 20:7) and other fallen angels (2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6).
Other supporting evidence:		3. In this case the message that Christ proclaimed is almost certainly one of triumph, after having been “put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit” (1 Pet. 3:18)
a. Peter calls Noah a “herald of righteousness” (2 Pet. 2:5),  where “herald” represents Greek κῆρυξ “preacher,” which corresponds to the noun κηρύσσω, “proclaim,” in 1 Pet. 3:19.
b. Peter says the “Spirit of Christ” was speaking through the OT prophets (1:11); thus Christ could have been speaking through Noah as an OT prophet.		4. Some interpreters limit these spirits to the  “sons of God” in Gen. 6:2–4 assuming they are angels who sinned by cohabiting with human women.  How does this relate contextually?  This occurred “when God's patience waited in the days of Noah” (1 Pet. 3:20)
c. The context indicates that Christ was preaching through Noah, who was in a persecuted minority, and God saved Noah, which is similar to the situation in Peter's time: Christ is now preaching the gospel through Peter and his readers (v. 15) to a persecuted minority, and God will save them.

“This passage is one of the most difficult to interpret in the Bible, there being more than 90 variations of interpretation attempted by Christian scholars since the second century.”^[1]  Both of the two options that I present contain problems.  Option A seems to hold more contextual integrity whereas Option B explains better the notion that in reality Christ did go, in chronological certainty, from His resurrection to the imprisoned spirits (“but made alive in the spirit, ¹⁹ in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison”).  My solution is a combination of both Options.  Could it be that Christ indeed went into Hades to preach to imprisoned spirits under damnation; and specifically to those who rejected the message of Noah?  In such case both the punishment for sin and the triumphal victory of Christ would be proclaimed by our risen Lord.  Maybe? 

Next Blog:  What about 1 Peter 4:4-6?

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^[1] Believer's Study Bible. 1997 (electronic ed.) (1 Pe 3:18). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Did Jesus Go To Hell Between Good Friday and Easter Sunday? Part 2

Before we try to figure out who the spirits are and where the prison is, we need to ask the question as to why.  What would be the purpose of Christ proclaiming anything to imprisoned spirits?

1 Peter 3:18–22 (ESV) 

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.

Peter was writing to Christians who were going through various levels of persecution for their faith.  They may have been confused about this and perhaps not responding in the right ways.  “Peter exhorted them to stand strong, repeatedly reminding them of Christ’s example, the riches of their inheritance in him, and the hope of his returning again to take them to heaven.“^[1]

Where does this paragraph fit within the context of the Letter?  A suggested outline is:

I. Salutation (1:1-2)

                        II. The Identity of the People of God (1:3–2:10)

                        III. The Responsibilities of the People of God (2:11–4:11)

                                   A. Summary: The Mission of God’s People in the World (2:11-12)

                                   B. Respect: The Key to Living in the World (2:13–3:12)

                                   C. Doing Good: The Promise of Vindication (3:13–4:6)

                                                1. Suffering for Doing Good (3:13-17)

                                                2. The Triumph of Christ (3:18-22)

                                                3. Living for the Promise (4:1-6)

                                   D. Mutual Love: The Key to Christian Community in the End Times (4:7-11)

                          IV. The Responsibilities of a Church and its Elders in the Midst of Trials (4:12–5:11)

                          V. Concluding Remarks (5:12-14)

So within Peter’s encouragement to the Church he promises, that in the end, the persevering Christian will be vindicated. The wrongs will be made right.  He uses the triumph of Christ as an exhibit.  His argument goes like this:

                 I. The Triumph of Christ (18-22)

                       A. Triumph through suffering

                                   1. He suffered once for all concerning sin (18)

                                   2. He proclaimed to the spirits in prison (19-20)

                                   3. Noah as a type of our deliverance from sin (20-21)

                                   4. Christ's Triumph in His Session (22)

So who are these “spirits” and where are they?   Why was important for Christ to proclaim His victory to them? 

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^[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2001 (1 Pe). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Did Jesus Go To Hell Between Good Friday and Easter Sunday?

Was Jesus in hell preaching to the lost during this time frame, nearly 2000 years ago?   That is what the tradition English version of the Apostles Creed[1] suggests:

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. AMEN.

The Latin: descendit ad inferna would suggest the same, as well as the Greek version.  There have been a number of views[2] suggested by this affirmation:

1. To some, the descent into hell represents the physical agony of death upon the Cross.  

2. To others, the word hell means Hades or Sheol, the collective abode of the dead, divided into Paradise or Abraham's Bosom--the state of God-fearing souls—and Gehenna, the state of ungodly souls. Thus the descent into hell may suggest that the Son of God carried the sins of the world to hell; or the Son of God carried Good News of deliverance to the godly dead such as Lazarus the beggar and the repentant thief.

3. Yet another view comes from a third-century Syrian Creed that speaks of Jesus, "who was crucified under Pontius Pilate and departed in peace, in order to preach to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the saints concerning the end of the world and the resurrection of the dead."

4. Finally, some denominations consider it optional or refuse to include it at all. The problem with this phrase begins with what it connotes.

Biblical evidence offered by some is rooted in two texts of Scripture.  They are:

 1 Peter 3:18–19 (ESV) — “8 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.”

 1 Peter 4:4–6 (ESV) — “4 With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; 5 but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.”

Some questions that must be answered integrally within this letter are:

1. How does chapter 4, verses 4 to 6 relate to chapter 3 verses 18 and 19, if indeed they do at all?

2. Does 3:19 and 4:6 assert that Christ went into Hell and preached there prior to Easter Sunday?

The study continues ………………..

 

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[1] http://www.creeds.net/ancient/apostles.htm

[2] http://www.creeds.net/ancient/descendit.htm