1. INTRODUCTION

I began this series by writing that the saints who died before Lord Jesus did not go to hell.  If you are reading for the first time, click on the right side link called spiritual  revelation and you will find previous posts.  It is commonly taught that Jesus preached to dead saints in prison, but Apostle Peter taught  us the truth and it could not be more clearly spoken.  I will quote the New International Version for greater clarity:

It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,

through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison

who disobeyed 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 … (1 Pet 3: 18- 22)

Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin.

As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.

For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do–living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.

They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you.

But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit (1 Pet 4: 1- 6).

2. REVIEW OF  KEY FACTS IN CHAPTER 3: 18-22?

a. Jesus died and His Spirit descended to the prison. He  “preached to the spirits … who disobeyed 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”. As I previously showed, the Greek word for prison is phylake and Apostle John used it in Revelation 20: 7 when speaking of  the prison in  which Satan was bound  for 1000 years.  Rev 2o: 1- 3  also shows that this prison or phylake in which satan was bound is synonymous with the bottomless pit or abyssos.

b. Jesus already told us that the phylake was reserved for the devil and his angels. However, scriptures teach that  the spirits of the disobedient dead also are sent there (as we learned in Luke 16).

c. Apostle  Peter told us that Jesus specifically preached to those who had died in the flood (when only eight were saved)

d. God was longsuffering, giving the people in Noah’s time ample opportunity to repent at his preaching. Based on Gen 5: 32 and 8: 20-21, Noah must have preached for about 100 years before the flood came, yet only eight were saved.

3. KEY FACTS IN 1 PETER 4

a. Apostle Peter began the chapter by using the adverb “therefore”, meaning that a consequence was about to be given for Christ’s suffering. In fact, Apostle Peter stated the outcome quite clearly:

Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin.

Ironically, Jesus had done no sin, yet took on our sin in order to free us. Those who are believers are to kill the flesh, thus putting away sin. This is scriptural and taught repeatedly (e.g. Rom 6:1) Let’s look at some irony hidden in this verse. Those who die and go to hell are dead in the flesh and alive in spirit. they can no longer sin. While there are sinners in hell, there is no sin there, only fire and torments.

b. Apostle Peter also showed parallels between the lifestyles of those living in the days before the flood and those of  the time in which he lived. He called them the “lusts of men” and  “the will of the Gentiles”. There were sins of   “lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings and abominable idolatries’. The NIV says that the sinners were living in “debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.” Dictionary.com defines debauchery as “excessive indulgence of the appetites; especially, excessive indulgence of lust; intemperance; sensuality; habitual lewdness”. These sins are still being practiced today.

c. Apostle Peter teaches us that  God will one day judge the dead will be judged one day according to their works (also Rev 20: 12 and 13).  Jesus preached to these spirits in prison, giving them a second opportunity to hear the gospel.

Blessings and more to come!