5110

The"American Wisdom Series"

presents
Pamphlet #5110 KC1Peter10

When anyone dies the shadow death (the death of their flesh and blood body), they instantly go to heaven; some being awarded eternal life during Jesus Christ's return, at the "1st resurrection to eternal life". And the rest; to spend the 1000 year Millennium attending discipline and discernment classes, and then, to be judged, based on their works during the Millennium; (no longer by faith in Jesus and God's grace because they believed in Him, and repented of their sins, inviting Him into their heart to cleanse it during this 2nd earth age); It will no longer take faith to believe in Jesus, because He will be here for them to see for the entire 1000 years, They will then be judged at the "great white throne of judgment", after those 1000 years, to see if they too can qualify for, and be awarded eternal life at the "2nd resurrection to eternal life" OR die "the death of their soul, along with Satan in "The Lake of Fire".

We have learned a great deal so far from the Big Fisherman in this chapter 3 of 1st Peter.

He has given us much detail and examples of how to conduct ourselves in a godly manner with specific instruction to always follow Christ and the examples He set forth.

The remainder of chapter 3 contains some in-depth teaching.

We should be reminded that this book is written to God's elect, who having eyes to see and ears to hear, means that they can see past the traditions of men.

Let's review verse 18 of chapter 3 where we left off in our last study.

1 Pet. 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

We know that Jesus Christ was crucified in the flesh, but let's consider two questions:

(1) Was Jesus ever non-existent?

(2) Was He ever unconscious, meaning He was "nowhere" for the 3 days and 3 nights He was in the tomb?

The answer to both questions is no!

He was God incarnate, i.e. dwelling in the flesh.

And He has always existed and always will, and has NEVER stopped existing!

Here are Christ's own words:

Rev. 1:8
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

So let's not be blinded and believe that while Jesus was in that tomb for three days and three nights He was "nowhere".

He had to be somewhere because He was alive, right?

And you can be certain He didn't just sit around on the rock slab and play solitaire until it was time to roll back the stone.

So where did He go and what did He do?

Well, we know where He wasn't!

We know that He hadn't yet ascended to the Father and taken the seat at His right hand because He said to Mary in John 20:17:

John 20:17
Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: ...

So again: Where did He go?

Peter tells us in verse 19.

1 Peter 3:19
By which also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

"By which" continues from verse 18 and means in the condition of spirit, not flesh.

So while He was in the tomb, "He went and preached unto the spirits in prison."

What spirits and what prison is Peter talking about?

Let's look at the word prison.

prison: phulake, foo-lak-ay', Greek 5438; from Greek 5442 (phulasso); a guarding or (concrete guard), the act, the person; figurative the place, the condition, or (special) the time (as a division of day or night), literal or figurative :- cage, hold, (im-) prison (-ment), ward, watch.
keep: phulasso, foo-las'-so, Greek 5442; probably from Greek 5443 (phule) through the idea of isolation; to watch, i.e. be on guard (literal or figurative); by implication to preserve, obey, avoid :- beware, keep (self), observe, save.Compare Greek 5083 (tereo).

This word is most often translated "keep" or "kept". So the spirits were "imprisoned" or "kept" for what?

This should be a "no brainer":Until Jesus Christ had paid the price to free them from their sins and through accepting His sacrifice, receive salvation!

Remember what we read from Peter back in verses 9-11 of chapter 1 concerning salvation?

Let's review:

1 Peter 1:10-11
Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: [11] Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

You see, Jesus Christ hadn't paid the price yet, and we just read that the prophets all looked forward to that time!

And once He did pay that price they were now able to wash their robes in the blood of the Lamb.

Understand, neither they, nor anyone else could not wash their robes in the blood of Lamb when there was no blood, could they?

And so now we see in Rev 5 & Rev 7 the great, innumerable multitudes around the throne of God who have washed their robes.

You now know where Christ was for the period of time He was in the tomb.

But here's something that really confuses folks.

Every soul, good or bad, when he/she dies, instantly goes to heaven, back to the Father who sent him (Eccles. 12:7).

This is a fact that is little understood because through traditions people think that only "good" people are in heaven.

But ask yourself this question: Has Satan been destroyed yet?

Answer: No he hasn't.

He has been sentenced to death which is why he is called the "son of perdition" meaning the "son who will perish", i.e. be destroyed, die, cease to exist.

But that perishing will not take place until the second death, which is the lake of fire.

Make no mistake, the lake of fire is the second death.

Here is the documentation:

Rev. 20:14
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev. 21:8
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

The lake of fire is the destruction of the soul, but that lake of fire hasn't come into being yet.

So where is Satan and where is everyone who has ever lived in the flesh and died, even starting from Adam and Eve until Jesus Christ paid the price and even unto this very day?

They're not here, are they?

And we know that no one, not even Satan, has died the second death yet, i.e. perished in the lake of fire.

So they must all be in heaven!

Yes, even Satan and the fallen angels of Genesis chapter 6 are in heaven.

Now that doesn't mean they are all with Jesus, as are all the saints, does it?

In fact, we know from the parable of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16 that there is a gulf which separates shall we say "the good from the bad".

You see, it is documented in Rev. 12:7-9 that Satan and his angels are cast out of heaven by Michael and company, which occurs at the 6th Trump.

So they have to be there, in heaven, in order to be cast out.

Duh! 2 Thes. 2:7 reveals that Satan, that son of perdition, is currently restrained (by Michael) but will soon be let loose, i.e. cast from heaven, to play the role of the false messiah.

Note: Satan and the fallen angels, the Nephilim (see appendix 25 in the Companion Bible), were not offered salvation when Christ went to proclaim victory to the spirits in prison.

Satan has already been judged to die and the 7,000 fallen angels of Gen. 6 await destruction (Jude), having brought eternal damnation upon themselves by leaving heaven, their first estate, and coming to earth without being born in the flesh.

Thus they made their decision on earth as spirit beings and will surely perish.

Let's now continue the thought of Peter who just told us that Christ went to preach to the spirits in prison.

1 Pet. 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

Which sometime [before Christ] were disobedient, or disbelieving.

Peter is talking about all the people all the way back to the beginning, but gives the example of Noah's time to draw the analogy in the next verse to water and baptism and the ark of salvation.

[21] 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 conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

Baptism will not stop you from sinning, but through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ you can be made clean and pray to our Father with a "clean slate", i.e. a clear conscience.

So where is Jesus Christ right now?

1 Pet. 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

He has gone to heaven and been given ALL power and authority in both heaven and earth, so that when He returns at the 7th Trump He will come as the King of kings and Lords of lords, and every knee will bow!

Paul documents that for us in his letter to the Philippians.

Philip. 2:9-10
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: [10] That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

That's every knee!

And He will remain in Heaven until which time all His enemies are made His footstool.

Paul again gives the documentation.

Hebrews 10:11
And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:

There is only one sacrifice that can take away sins, only one:

[12] But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

Following His appearances after the resurrection He ascended and sat down on the right hand of God, which is where He is now.

[13] From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
Paul was directly quoting from the prophet David.

Psalm 110:1
A Psalm of David.
The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

Paul continues in Hebrews:

Hebrews 10:14 For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

He tells us if you are sanctified by the only sacrifice that can cleanse sin, the shed blood of Jesus Christ, then and only then can you be made perfect.

The point of all that Peter and Paul have been saying is that our Father is completely just and fair concerning salvation.

Jesus Christ is no respecter of persons and will soon return as The King of kings and Lord of lords at which time another era of salvation will be ushered in, the great Millennium.

To study the Bible is the noblest of all pursuits; to understand it, the highest of all goals.
We pray that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you accomplish both.

1 Corinthians 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them {the ancient Israelites} for ensamples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

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