« Christ in Hell Part 5 of 9 | Main | Dwelling in Darkness - How to Have Victory Over Besetting Sins »
Christ in Hell Part 6 of 9
By Bro. Cheek | October 20, 2007
Table of contents for Christ in Hell
Christ in Hell
Part Six
Did Jesus Christ Go to Hell?
Continued
By Pastor Robert L. Cheek Jr.
Victory Baptist Church
In our last lesson we were considering the two possibilities for the explanation of the vicarious (substitutionary) death of Jesus Christ. First, we mentioned that His vicarious death could refer to the time when He was on the cross and was separated from the Father on our behalf (because death means separation). Let’s consider another possible meaning.
2. His vicarious death refers to the time He went to hell and was sentenced to die the second death on our behalf.
2 Corinthians 1:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
2 Corinthians 1:10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
To determine which death (separation) He experienced in our place, we must ask the question, what death were we sentenced to? Were we sentenced to be separated from God for just a short period of time (three hours that Christ was separated from God on the cross), or were we sentenced to be separated eternally from God? The answer is eternal separation.
Revelation 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Revelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
The death that Christ suffered on our behalf was the eternal spiritual death of separation from God forever. The only way Christ could do that was to suffer the death that we should have suffered. That death was the death we would have experienced in hell and ultimately the lake of fire. Well, Jesus Christ experienced that death for us.
Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
Jesus spent time in hell to “taste death.” He tasted the second death that we were condemned to before we got saved. The reason He did not have to stay there forever, like we would have to, is because of the Father’s acceptance of the sacrifice of His Son.
Isaiah 53:11 He [the Father] shall see of the travail of his soul [the Son], and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
Acts 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
Acts 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
God loosed the pains of the second death that Christ suffered on our behalf, because it was not possible that Jesus Christ could be held by death forever. Why? Because His resurrection was necessary for our complete justification before the Father.
Romans 4:25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
The substitutionary death of Jesus Christ is a supporting argument that He went to hell. Since we know that we will die one day, that death must have been a spiritual death. Spiritual death only occurs in hell and the lake of fire. Therefore, Christ must have gone to hell if he died a substitutionary death for us.
B. Christ’s ownership of the keys of death and hell is a supporting argument.
Revelation 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
It is clear from the Bible that Christ not only went to paradise to take the O.T. saints to heaven, He also went to hell. In fact, He went to hell first, making a show of Satan and his angels in that He went to hell and then came out – something no other person had ever done. Coming out, He now has the keys of death and hell in His possession. What comes to mind when we think of keys? The answer is doors and locks. I carry a set of keys around with me. The fact that I have the keys is a testimony that I have been to the locks where those keys belong. That is quite logical. I believe that Christ, having the keys of death and hell, are symbolic of two facts. First, He has the key of death because He tasted the second death for every man.
Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
Second, He has the key of hell because He went there in our place.
Acts 2:31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
Isaiah 53:11 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.
Christ’s ownership of the keys of death and hell support the argument that Christ went to hell.
C. The inclusion of the burial of Christ in the Gospel is a supporting argument that He went to hell.
Notice with me the three elements of the Gospel.
1 Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
1 Corinthians 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
There are three elements to the Gospel according to Paul. They are the death of Christ, the burial of Christ, and the resurrection of Christ. All three elements are necessary to our salvation. Let’s consider each one to see this. We don’t have time to exhaust the subject, we just want to touch on these three elements in order to establish the necessity of Christ’s trip to hell.
1. The death of Christ
The death of Christ destroyed the power Satan had over death.
Hebrews 2:14 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;
The death of Christ took away the enmity between us and God. We are now reconciled by His death.
Colossians 1:21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
Colossians 1:22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
Ephesians 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Ephesians 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
Romans 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
2. The burial of Christ
For just a moment, let’s pass over the burial and consider the resurrection of Christ. We will come back to this point shortly.
3. The resurrection of Christ
His resurrection provides us our justification. In other words, because of His resurrection, we know that God accepted His Son’s payment for sin. We are now just as if we had never sinned.
Romans 4:25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
His resurrection also provides us with hope of resurrection ourselves.
2 Corinthians 1:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
1 Corinthians 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
1 Corinthians 15:21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1 Corinthians 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
Finally, His resurrection gives us assurance that Christ was who He said He was.
1 Peter 3:21 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:
1 Corinthians 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
1 Corinthians 15:18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
1 Corinthians 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
1 Corinthians 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
These are just some of the verses that show us the importance of the death and resurrection of Christ with respect to our salvation. Now let’s go back and deal with His burial.
2. The burial of Christ
What does the burial of Christ have to do with salvation? Stop and think about that question. Why is His burial important to our salvation, even necessary to our salvation? That question is very hard to answer if one believes that Jesus Christ did not have to go to hell to be the burnt offering for sin. If we look up the word “buried” in the N.T., we find the significance of Christ’s burial. Our text was 1 Corinthians 15:3-4.
1 Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
1 Corinthians 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
When we lookup the word “buried” in the N.T. within the context of the burial of Christ, we find there are two themes associated with the use of the word. Those themes are hell and baptism. This is an important consideration.
A. Hell
Acts 2:29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
Acts 2:30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
Acts 2:31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
Acts 2:32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
B. Baptism
Romans 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Notice all three elements of the Gospel in these verses: death (Acts 2:29; Romans 6:3), burial (Acts 2:29; Romans 6:4), and resurrection (Acts 2:30-32; Romans 6:4).
Colossians 2:12 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.
Colossians 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
Here again, we have all three elements of the gospel: death, burial, and resurrection in these two verses.
In both Romans 6:3-4 and in Colossians 2:12-13, burial and baptism are linked.
These are the only verses that give any hint of significance to the burial of Christ with respect to our salvation. Hell and baptism are the significant themes. To baptize means to immerse. When we consider the burial of Christ, baptism (to immerse) and hell are mentioned in connection with His burial. The soul of Jesus Christ was baptized (immersed) into hell when His body was in the grave. He went to Hell to pay the debt that our sins required. Without that fact, there is no significance to the burial of Christ. If Christ did not go to hell we would not be able to show any benefit from His burial. In other words, His burial lacks reason and benefit to our salvation if Christ did not go to hell. He could have simply died on the cross, then five seconds later come back to life, and then be resurrected right there on the cross. The only purpose for His burial was that His body had to have a place of uncorrupted rest until His soul finished the payment for sin. That makes for a strong supporting argument that Christ went to hell.
D. Jonah’s experience is a supporting argument that Christ went to hell.
Matthew 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Jonah was in the whale’s belly for three days and three nights. During that time, Jonah prayed a most prophetic prayer to God. We see a perfect picture of Christ in hell in the words of Jonah’s prayer. Jesus Christ Himself said that Jonah was a sign to the Jews concerning Himself. That means that there are prophetic implications to what Jonah experienced. When we read Jonah chapter 2 within the context of Christ in hell we see this very clearly. What Jonah was describing was prophetic of what Christ would experience in hell. Read though these verses.
Jonah 2:1 Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish’s belly,
Jonah 2:2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.
Jonah 2:3 For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.
Jonah 2:4 Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.
Jonah 2:5 The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.
Jonah 2:6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.
Jonah 2:7 When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.
Jonah 2:8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.
Jonah 2:9 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.
Jonah 2:10 And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.
That is a very good description of Christ in hell. We know that Christ connected His burial to the story of Jonah. If Christ did not go to hell when He died, how does the story of Jonah and Jonah’s description of his time in the whales belly tie in with Christ in the tomb? The truth is, there is no relevance to Jonah other than a time period of three days and three nights. The typology is very weak if Christ did not suffer in hell. This is yet another supporting argument that Christ went to hell.
We have looked at four supporting arguments to the assertion that Christ went to hell. Space does not permit us to exhaust ourselves with supporting evidence, although much more could be said. This should be more than enough to convince anyone open to the truth of God that Christ went to hell. Praise God He did that for us!
Topics: Studies |
May 9th, 2008 at 10:47 pm
Thank you so very much for publishing your messages on this site. I am going to give a message next month on Hell and your work provided me with much needed research. This particular section was an eye-opener as it was something I never thought about before.
Blessings
Your sister in Christ
Denyse
Assembly of God Pretoria West RSA