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Did Christ Go To Hell?
Scripture Passage:
Acts 2:25 Attached audio files:
Introduction: There is much controversy over this question. What does the Bible say?
- Did Christ go to hell?
- Yes.
- The Bible clearly says so (Acts 2:25For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
See All..., 27, 31). - Biblically speaking, what is hell?
- It is a place of torment clearly distinguished from the abode of the Old Testament saints. (Luke 16:22-23 [22] And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
[23] And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
See All...,28) - Throughout the King James Bible, hell is consistently a place of eternal, fiery, judgment for the damned. The Bible does not teach that it had two compartments.
- The Hebrew word, sheol, refers to the place of the dead and is not perfectly synonymous with hell. It is variously and correctly translated as pit, hell, or grave. Job 14:13O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!
See All... translated sheol as grave . However, when the King James Bible refers to hell, it is always the fiery place of torment. - The Greek word, hades, is consistently translated hell with one exception. The Greeks may have used hades to refer to the abode of the dead but the New Testament used it to refer to hell.
- The English use of hell in the King James Bible is clear and consistent. It is the place of eternal judgment for the lost.
- Did Christ suffer our hell?
- Yes
- The suffering of His soul satisfied the wrath of God. (Isaiah 53:10-11 [10] Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
[11] He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
See All...) - This is the meaning of propitiation. (1 John 2:2And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our's only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
See All...; 1 John 4:10Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
See All...) - Did Christ suffer in hell?
- No
- All references to His payment for sin, point to the cross. (1 Peter 2:24Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
See All...; 1 Peter 3:18For 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:
See All...) (2 Corinthians 5:21For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
See All...) - This is the meaning of “It is finished” (John 19:30When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
See All...) - Questions about hell
- Why then did Christ go to hell?
- He bore our sins. (Hebrews 9:26-28 [26] For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
[27] And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
[28] So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
See All...) - Where did He take them?
- He descended into hell. (Acts 2:27Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
See All...) - What better place to leave our sins?
- He preached to disobedient spirits. (1 Peter 3:18-20 [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:
[19] By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
[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.
See All...) - Note: Does not sound like He was suffering.
- He took the keys of death and hell. (Revelation 1:18I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
See All...; Hebrews 2:14-15 [14] Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; [15] And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
See All...) - He conquered death by passing through it victorious: the same with hell.
- He moved quickly to paradise. (Luke 23:43And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
See All...) - He ascended with the Old Testament saints (Ephesians 4:8-10 [8] Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
[9] (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
[10] He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
See All...) - Perhaps at this time, hell enlarged herself. (Isaiah 5:14Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.
See All...) - He triumphed over the powers of Satan. (Colossians 2:12-15 [12] Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
[13] And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
[14] Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
[15] And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
See All...) - He sprinkled His blood on the heavenly mercy seat. (Hebrews 9:12Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
See All...,24; John 20:17Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
See All...; Revelation 11:19And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
See All...)
Conclusion: What is your response to what He did for you?
Proverbs 26:20
Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.