(5) SPIRITS IN HELL

(1 Pet. 3:18-21)- For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous , to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. In that state He went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits, to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also - not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The TNIV (Todays NIV) Study Bible is just out and on the shelves. It is good, but the print is small. It gives three interpretations for these verses. I agree with #1, but it is incomplete. Numbers 2&3 are far-out and 'off the wall'. Interpretation #1- Some hold that in His preincarnate state Christ went and preached through Noah to the wicked generation of that time. (2 Pet. 2:4)- If God spared not the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgement. NOTE:- (1 Cor. 6:3)(2 Pet. 2:4)- Know you not that we shall judge angels. These fallen angels are prisoners in Hell now. Also, all the spirits of the departed unbelievers are prisoners in Hell. Saints in Paradise are now in Heaven, but before Jesus rescued them, they were prisoners in Hell (in Paradise). The Hebrew Bible (Our Old Test.) used 'Sheol' 65 times. (Sheol means 'Place of the Dead') It was translated 31 times as Hell, 31 times as Grave and 3 times as Pit. (Hell, Grave and Pit are all in the earth and are the same place.) There will be fire in Hell when Hell is cast into the Lake of Fire. (Luke 16:26)- Speaks of a division in the earth with a gulf between Abraham's bosom and the place of torment. The reference to separation is right, but 'Lazarus & the Rich Man' is a parable. (A simplified story expressing a truth.) When Jesus died on the cross, His Spirit did not go straight to heaven. (Eph. 4:8)- He who ascended first descended into the lower parts of the earth. He took captivity captive, He led captives on high. This is when Jesus removed Paradise to heaven. Now, absent from the body, we will be present with the Lord. Jesus told the thief on the cross, "Today you'll be with me in Paradise". Jesus and the thief went directly to the lower parts of the earth and into Paradise. (1 Pet. 3:18)- Jesus was put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit. When we die, we aren't made alive like this. Our spirits will be at rest, not aware of time or anything else until we get our eternal bodies. When Jesus' Spirit went to Hell, some think Jesus went to the flames to finish paying for our sins. Not so, Jesus purchased the Church with His blood. He said "It is finished". All the spirits in prison were those of fallen angels, the ungodly lost and the Saints in Paradise. They were unaware of the Lord's presence. Jesus didn't preach to any of them in a way that they could understand. (2 Pet. 2:5)- Noah was a preacher of righteousness. Jesus (Jehovah in the OT) inspired Noah through the Holy Spirit. During 120 yrs, as he built the ark, Noah preached verbally and through his actions. They all rejected the truth until Noah, Shem, Ham, japheth and their wives were in the ark. God shut the door and man couldn't open it. After the door was shut and it started raining with the water rising, I'm sure they became believers --- Too late. (Many believe it had never before rained. There were 4 rivers in the garden of Eden. Without rain there couldn't be water flowing continually from high ground to lower ground. God created the laws of nature. A mist rose and watered the ground. That's what we call rain. God witheld creation of the rainbow until after the Flood and it was the sign of a covenant that God would never again destroy the earth by water. Next time will be by fire.) (Heb. 11:7)- By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of righteousness which is by faith. (1 Pet. 3:20)- When Jesus descended to Hell and was in the presence of, not only the spirits of those who were disobedient while the ark was being prepared, but to all of the spirits in prison. The 'presence' of Jesus was a proclamation of His victory over the grave and also the fullfillment of his prophetic preaching through Noah. (1 Pet, 3:20-21)- Eight souls were saved by water, the like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good concience toward God. Water separated Noah from the lost. Baptism by water is part of the obedience that separates the saved from the unsaved now. Noah was saved Through water. We are saved, not by baptism, but through baptism. We are saved by Grace, through faith, through repentance, through confessing Christ (not confessing sins) through baptism, and then Jesus baptizes us with the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. We are then sealed with the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption. After we are Born-Again of the water and of the Spirit, God will never take away the Spirit from us. This is the beginning of our eternal life. -(Eph. 1:13, 4:30) NOTE:- The thief on the cross wasn't baptized by John's baptism, for the forgiveness of sins, but he was saved. If a believer, who because of ignorance or physical handicap, is not baptized by water for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38), or is sprinkled instead of being buried with Him in a likeness of His death -(Rom. 6:4), but comes to Jesus with all of his heart, he is not rejected by our Lord. The Holy Spirit will take charge, leading that person into all righteousness. NOTE:- Click on 'Comments' below if you want to ask questions, add to, correct me, or suggest further discussion. Con