Question: Why did Jesus, the Son of God, go to hell? I ask in view of Acts 2:27.
QUESTION: Last week we proved that the Lord did not spend any time at all in hell. Some will combine Acts 2:27 with 1 Peter 3:19 and attempt to prove that Jesus did spend time in hell. Is such actually the case?
ANSWER: Not at all.
(Please review last week’s article dealing with Acts 2:27). Peter had just stated that Christ was put to death in the flesh but was made alive by the Spirit (1 Peter 3:18). Death can destroy the body but not the soul.
Jesus taught, “Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell,” (Matthew 10:28). The death of Christ was temporary. His resurrection is everlasting! He ever lives to make intercession for His own (Hebrews 7:25).
Jesus continues to hold the keys of Hades and death (Revelation 1:18).
“In which also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison, that aforetime were disobedient, when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water” (1 Peter 3:19-20).
These verses have been abused and misused for centuries. Many have assumed that for the three days the body of Jesus was in the tomb, that His spirit journeyed to the Hadean realm of Tartarus and preached to the spirits confined in that realm of the dead. They were very much “dead” when Peter wrote this missive, but very much “alive” the preaching was done.
When was that? The text tells us plainly, “in the days of Noah.”
As we have observed, our Lord Jesus has never spent a single moment in hell!
Never has and never will.
Christ, in the person of Noah preached to the ungodly mass of humanity while the ark was preparing. In spite of 120 years of preaching done by Noah, none repented. These all perished in the flood waters of Noah’s day.
Christ, in the person of Noah preached a soul-saving message. If they had entered the ark, therein safety would have been found. When one dies in a lost condition, there is no second chance for salvation to be obtained. Only eight souls were saved by means of water, the text says so!
There was water in the plan. Today, water remains in God’s plan. Peter wrote “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us,” (1 Peter 3:21). The Bible declares that baptism can save us. Preachers by the thousands argue that baptism cannot save us, so we must decide which we will believe. I choose to stay with Peter and the affirmation of God’s Word.
Baptism stands between the sinner and salvation (Mark 16:16; 1 Peter 3:21).
Baptism stands between the sinner and the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).
Baptism stands between the sinner and being in Christ (Galatians 3:27). Baptism stands between the sinner and being made free from sin (Romans 6:3-7). Baptism stands between the sinner and having his sins washed away (Acts 22:16).
A warm welcome awaits you at all the services of the Maysville church of Christ, located at Main and Ash Streets. We have worship services each Sunday at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Bible classes for all ages are held Wednesday evenings at 6 p.m. We welcome your Bible questions at P.O. Box 562, Maysville, OK 73057, or at jessandterr@yahoo.com.