Where was Christ during the 3 days and 3 nights following His crucifixion?

In chapter 4 of this precious book of 1st Peter, the Big Lovable Fisherman is going to tell us a little more of what we can expect to encounter if we follow Christ and live the lifestyle befitting a servant of God.

And he speaks not only from the wisdom of understanding the Word of God, but with the wisdom obtained through experience itself, which we could call "street wise".

It is also remarkable how much Peter and Paul thought alike, i.e. were like minded.

But then it isn't remarkable because they were both scholars of the Word of God and therefore both had the like mind of Jesus Christ.

Paul would say in Ephesians 6:11 to "Put on the whole armor of God" and in Philip. 2:5 to "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus".

Of course one never totally ceases from sinning as long as one is in the flesh, but if he follows Jesus Christ and arms himself with His mind, His word, then he will cease from his former sinful ways. (Oh, please!

You ladies didn't think this just applied to men, did you?)

If you doubt this, then read the Book of Ecclesiastes and see what the wisest man who ever lived [other than Christ] had to say about it.

Peter says to do the "will of God".

Wouldn't you think you are going to have to know the will of God in order to do the will of God?

Well, it should come as no mystery [though it is to some] that the will of God is contained in His oracles, His word.

So open the "little book" and read what God would have you do rather than listening to men.

You see, men are going to want you to come to church every week and tithe to them.

And for your faithful service to them [which they will say is to God] they will give you some baby formula, along with melba toast and some morsels and crumbs of truth, and you'll never grow up to be a mature Christian.

And so the words of the apostle Paul will come to pass once again for the umpteenth time.

What did all your "friends" say when you stopped the revellings, and parties, and the excess of wine, and chasing other party animals?

But remember one thing from our previous studies.

They may speak evil of you, but they will notice your change, and your new behavior in Christ will have planted a seed in their minds, without saying a word!

Remember?

Let the gospel armor do it's thing, and know that they will have to give account to Him.

For the cause of judging, i.e. for the cause of salvation the gospel was preached also to them that are "dead".

Remember 1 Pet. 3:19-20 in our last study?

Where was Christ during the 3 days and 3 nights following His crucifixion?

He was preaching to the "dead", those who have lived and died in the flesh, but are certainly alive in their spiritual bodies.

Let's talk about "dead", for there is much misunderstanding concerning this subject.

In our last study we discovered that NO ONE is dead in the sense that they do not exist in either a flesh body or a spiritual body.

Even Satan himself is alive and well and living in heaven, behind Jesus (Mat. 16:13, Mk. 8:33, Lk. 4:8), in a location where he is restrained by Michael.

So Satan is not dead.

Now, there are 2 deaths.

There is the first death, which is the passing away of the flesh body.

This happens to everyone as it is written in Hebrews.

The death of the soul is the second death and as we documented in our last study, all who will experience the second death will do so at the same time when they march into the lake of fire to perish for ever and ever.

It is the second death that you need to be concerned with.

It is reconciliation to God and salvation from the second death that is what the Bible is all about!

And the good news is: If you are one of God's elect and are part of the first resurrection [raising to or granting of eternal life] then you are exempt from the second death.

The first resurrection occurs at Christ's second coming.

1 Thes. 4:17 talks about the "dead in Christ".

Who are they?

They are simply people who have died a flesh death and who believed in Jesus Christ.

Paul goes to great length in 1 Thes. 4:13-18 to show where they are.

They are alive and well and living with Jesus Christ in their spiritual bodies and will come with Him when He returns.

That's comforting to know, as Paul says in verse 18. So the "dead in Christ" aren't even "dead", are they?

They just died the first death in the flesh.

They will not die the second one.

But it says in verse 17 that the "dead in Christ" will "rise" first?

Yes, the word "rise" means to "appear" first, not come up out of the ground or some other silly explanation.

Paul is talking about we who are still in flesh bodies when Christ returns with the saints [the dead in Christ who are with Him].

As he explains in 1 Cor. 15 when the last trump [the 7th one] sounds we who are alive and remain will not experience death [sleep] in the same manner as is common to men, but we will instantly be changed into our "breath of life" bodies, our "air bodies", i.e. our spiritual bodies.

The saints coming with Christ are all ready in their spiritual bodies, so we can't precede them in being raised to a spiritual body, can we?

It only makes perfect common sense or shall we say, "duh"!

The other common use of "dead" in the Bible is in referring to those who are subject to judgment whereby the sentence could be the second death.

Therefore, they are spiritually "dead", which means they have no life [eternal], i.e. they still have a mortal soul which could die the second death.

So in Rev. 20:12 when the "dead" stand before God for judgment, they are alive and well and living in spiritual bodies, and so can "stand".

But they have no "life" eternal unless God grants it to them at that time.

One last verse from Peter for today's study.

Therefore, be sober minded and watch unto prayer, for the events of this final generation are quickly coming to a close.

Watch, watchmen, watch!

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.

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