The gospel was preached even to those who are DEAD

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TonyChanYT

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1 Peter 3:

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous,
i.e., those who knew God and those who didn't

that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 19in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, 20a because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared.
What did Peter mean by "spirits in prison"?

Peter continued the explanation in the next chapter, but then he switched to the present tense, 1 Peter 4:

4 With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you.
Now, Peter was talking about people who were alive at his time.

5 but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this is why the gospel was preached [Aorist Indicative] even to those who are dead, that though judged [Aorist Subjunctive] in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.
When are the preaching and judging performed?

The aorists direct our thoughts to some definite occasion. Time is not indicated. They are done on the last day of a person's life, corresponding to the last day of the current creation for everyone.

Who are these dead people?

These dead people refer to:

  1. The deceased patriarchs and the Old Testament saints. (Papists' Limbus)
  2. The people who died in Noah's flood long ago.
  3. Those who are alive but spiritually dead. (Amplified Bible)
  4. The good Christians who died as martyrs.
  5. All the dead and all will head to heaven eventually. (Origen, universal salvation)
  6. Some dead people at the time. Some to heaven, others to hell.
  7. A selected (or elected) group of dead people who never heard of the gospel when alive but would believe if they heard it.
I think options 6 and 7 are most likely.
 
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Jane_Doe22

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I’m of the belief that the Gospel is indeed preached to the dead. Simple as that. They get the chance to hear of Him, same as the people that heard while alive. Everyone gets the chance to reject or accept Christ.
 

TonyChanYT

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I’m of the belief that the Gospel is indeed preached to the dead. Simple as that. They get the chance to hear of Him, same as the people that heard while alive. Everyone gets the chance to reject or accept Christ.
What happens to the people who heard it and rejected it while they were alive on earth? They get another chance to accept it?
 

Jim C

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What happens to the people who heard it and rejected it while they were alive on earth? They get another chance to accept it?
Definitely not. To reject the gospel of Christ until death is blaspheming the Holy Spirit, which is the only unpardonable sin.
(To blaspheme the Holy Spirit is to continually reject His testimony about Jesus)
 

Jane_Doe22

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What happens to the people who heard it and rejected it while they were alive on earth? They get another chance to accept it?
Yes, God is merciful. Though it is more difficult for someone who’s rejected things before to accept, due to hardness of heart.
 
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Mark51

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1 Peter 3:


i.e., those who knew God and those who didn't


What did Peter mean by "spirits in prison"?

Peter continued the explanation in the next chapter, but then he switched to the present tense, 1 Peter 4:


Now, Peter was talking about people who were alive at his time.


When are the preaching and judging performed?

The aorists direct our thoughts to some definite occasion. Time is not indicated. They are done on the last day of a person's life, corresponding to the last day of the current creation for everyone.

Who are these dead people?

These dead people refer to:

  1. The deceased patriarchs and the Old Testament saints. (Papists' Limbus)
  2. The people who died in Noah's flood long ago.
  3. Those who are alive but spiritually dead. (Amplified Bible)
  4. The good Christians who died as martyrs.
  5. All the dead and all will head to heaven eventually. (Origen, universal salvation)
  6. Some dead people at the time. Some to heaven, others to hell.
  7. A selected (or elected) group of dead people who never heard of the gospel when alive but would believe if they heard it.
I think options 6 and 7 are most likely.
The “spirits in prison” (1 Peter 3:19) are referring to sinful demons that rebelled during Noah’s time. (Jude 6) Jesus was probably preaching the forth coming judgment awaiting Satan and these evil spirit creatures. Jonah preach a judgment against Nineveh.-Jonah 1:1

The “dead” (1 Peter 4:6) that is being mentioned here are referring to both the physically and the spiritually dead.-Matthew 8:22; Romans 6:4; 1 Timothy 5:6; Ephesians 2:1.
 
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JunChosen

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The “spirits in prison” (1 Peter 3:19) are referring to sinful demons that rebelled during Noah’s time. (Jude 6) Jesus was probably preaching the forth coming judgment awaiting Satan and these evil spirit creatures. Jonah preach a judgment against Nineveh.-Jonah 1:1

The “dead” (1 Peter 4:6) that is being mentioned here are referring to both the physically and the spiritually dead.-Matthew 8:22; Romans 6:4; 1 Timothy 5:6; Ephesians 2:1.
I concur. Good insight.
 

Webers_Home

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~
In the hands of a competent Bible teacher: 1Pet 3:18-20 is actually a pretty good proof
text that the spirit of Christ (1Pet 1:11) and the spirit of God (Gen 6:3) are one and the
same spirit.


FAQ: How would the spirit of Christ go about preaching to folks back then?

REPLY: By means of Noah's sermons. (2Pet 2:5)
_
 

amadeus

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1 Peter 3:


i.e., those who knew God and those who didn't


What did Peter mean by "spirits in prison"?

Peter continued the explanation in the next chapter, but then he switched to the present tense, 1 Peter 4:


Now, Peter was talking about people who were alive at his time.


When are the preaching and judging performed?

The aorists direct our thoughts to some definite occasion. Time is not indicated. They are done on the last day of a person's life, corresponding to the last day of the current creation for everyone.

Who are these dead people?

These dead people refer to:

  1. The deceased patriarchs and the Old Testament saints. (Papists' Limbus)
  2. The people who died in Noah's flood long ago.
  3. Those who are alive but spiritually dead. (Amplified Bible)
  4. The good Christians who died as martyrs.
  5. All the dead and all will head to heaven eventually. (Origen, universal salvation)
  6. Some dead people at the time. Some to heaven, others to hell.
  7. A selected (or elected) group of dead people who never heard of the gospel when alive but would believe if they heard it.
I think options 6 and 7 are most likely.
Everyone who had or has not heard and received the Life which Jesus brought was or is dead in the eyes of God!
Mt 8:22But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

Jesus was preaching to the dead during all of his 3½ year ministry as the son of man on planet Earth. All of us were dead until and if we received Life.
 

DJT_47

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1 Peter 3:


i.e., those who knew God and those who didn't


What did Peter mean by "spirits in prison"?

Peter continued the explanation in the next chapter, but then he switched to the present tense, 1 Peter 4:


Now, Peter was talking about people who were alive at his time.


When are the preaching and judging performed?

The aorists direct our thoughts to some definite occasion. Time is not indicated. They are done on the last day of a person's life, corresponding to the last day of the current creation for everyone.

Who are these dead people?

These dead people refer to:

  1. The deceased patriarchs and the Old Testament saints. (Papists' Limbus)
  2. The people who died in Noah's flood long ago.
  3. Those who are alive but spiritually dead. (Amplified Bible)
  4. The good Christians who died as martyrs.
  5. All the dead and all will head to heaven eventually. (Origen, universal salvation)
  6. Some dead people at the time. Some to heaven, others to hell.
  7. A selected (or elected) group of dead people who never heard of the gospel when alive but would believe if they heard it.
I think options 6 and 7 are most likely.
1 Peter 3:


i.e., those who knew God and those who didn't


What did Peter mean by "spirits in prison"?

Peter continued the explanation in the next chapter, but then he switched to the present tense, 1 Peter 4:


Now, Peter was talking about people who were alive at his time.


When are the preaching and judging performed?

The aorists direct our thoughts to some definite occasion. Time is not indicated. They are done on the last day of a person's life, corresponding to the last day of the current creation for everyone.

Who are these dead people?

These dead people refer to:

  1. The deceased patriarchs and the Old Testament saints. (Papists' Limbus)
  2. The people who died in Noah's flood long ago.
  3. Those who are alive but spiritually dead. (Amplified Bible)
  4. The good Christians who died as martyrs.
  5. All the dead and all will head to heaven eventually. (Origen, universal salvation)
  6. Some dead people at the time. Some to heaven, others to hell.
  7. A selected (or elected) group of dead people who never heard of the gospel when alive but would believe if they heard it.
I think options 6 and 7 are most likely.
Please see my post, "Understanding 1 Peter 3:19" just now posted which addresses this.
 

Big Boy Johnson

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Everyone who had or has not heard and received the Life which Jesus brought was or is dead in the eyes of God!

Yes, spirituality dead as in separated from God... like Adam and Eve became spiritually dead when they sinned.

Then there is physical death as in being separated from one's body and separated from this physical world.

So, there are two types of death.

This is how we know in was speaking to Adam and Eve about becoming spiritually dead if they disobeyed because they lived physically for over 900 hundred years.

Some argue Adam and Eve did not die because they did not die physically... but God was speaking of spiritual death which is being separated from Him... Who IS Life.
 

amadeus

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Yes, spirituality dead as in separated from God... like Adam and Eve became spiritually dead when they sinned.

Then there is physical death as in being separated from one's body and separated from this physical world.

So, there are two types of death.

This is how we know in was speaking to Adam and Eve about becoming spiritually dead if they disobeyed because they lived physically for over 900 hundred years.

Some argue Adam and Eve did not die because they did not die physically... but God was speaking of spiritual death which is being separated from Him... Who IS Life.
So then having lived over 900 but always short of 1,000 years, should we suppose that the unattained age is something meaningful to us?
Jesus, of course, is Life! When we are like him will we be closer to or even at that 1,000 year mark?
 

Big Boy Johnson

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Some people get confused by death and what it means.

I'm simply pointing out there there are two types of death.

There is spiritual death (separation from the Lord)

And there is physical death (separation from one's body having left this world)

Most of the time when we see death in scripture it's referring to spiritual death as in being separated from the Lord... no longer in right standing with Him.

Romans 8:13
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.


As an example some people get confused about Romans 8:13 thinking it means if a Christian backslides and goes back to living in sin, the Lord kills them physically and takes them to Heaven.

This is not true and they are reading OSAS this into this scripture... Romans 8:13 is referring to spiritual death as in separated from God and no longer in right standing with Him.

The first mention of death in God's Word is when the Lord told them if they eat of that tree they shall surely die... the Lord was talking about spiritual death and we know that because Adam and Eve continues living physically
 

keithr

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I'm simply pointing out there there are two types of death.

There is spiritual death (separation from the Lord)
Can you quote some Bible verses that support the idea of a spiritual death? I think you may be misunderstanding what Paul taught.

Romans 8:13 is referring to spiritual death as in separated from God and no longer in right standing with Him.
Some more verses from Paul on the subject:

Romans 8:5-7 (WEB):
(5) For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.​
(6) For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace;​
(7) because the mind of the flesh is hostile towards God; for it is not subject to God’s law, neither indeed can it be.​

Paul is saying that if we live according to the desires of our corrupt and sinful flesh, and ignore the Laws of God and His will, then we will be living a sinful life, and God's has decreed that that will result in our eternal death - "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). But if we live according to the influence and leading of God's Spirit, then that will eventually result in us being granted eternal life - "the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).

The first mention of death in God's Word is when the Lord told them if they eat of that tree they shall surely die... the Lord was talking about spiritual death and we know that because Adam and Eve continues living physically
A more precise translation is:

Genesis 2:17 (YLT):
(17) and of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou dost not eat of it, for in the day of thine eating of it—dying thou dost die.'​
Genesis 2:17 (TLV):
(17) But of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil you must not eat. For when you eat from it, you most assuredly will die!”​

In other words, as soon as they ate the fruit they started to die - there was no turning back, they would inevitably eventually die (it was like a slow poison leading to death, not an instantaneous death). Adam and Eve did eventualy die, just as God had declared. Genesis 5:5 (WEB):

(5) All the days that Adam lived were nine hundred thirty years, then he died.​

It could not have been an instantaneous death or else there would have been no human race. Adam and Eve still had the duty to populate the world. God said to Adam and Eve:

Genesis 1:28 (WEB):
(28) God blessed them. God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”​

After their sin God said:

Genesis 3:16-17 (WEB):
(16) To the woman he said, “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth. In pain you will bear children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”​
(17) To Adam he said, “Because you have listened to your wife’s voice, and ate from the tree, about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ the ground is cursed for your sake. You will eat from it with much labor all the days of your life.​

They could not have had children, and have to labour to grow food, if God's punishment was instantaneous death. In the same way, nobody has ever died when they first sinned, but everybody has eventually died because of their sins. It was Satan that lied, saying, Genesis 3:4 (WEB):

(4) The serpent said to the woman, “You won’t really die,​

but God was telling the truth! The death that God referred to was a bodily death, and the cessation of life. God didn't mean that if they disobeyed Him then they would cease being on good terms. God meant what He said - they would die.
 

Ritajanice

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Can you quote some Bible verses that support the idea of a spiritual death? I think you may be misunderstanding what Paul taught
Is there anywhere in scripture that says our spirit is dead.?

I know you didn’t say this..just saying....surly if our spirit was dead we would be dead physically?

I think @rwb or @CadyandZoe said this...maybe they can confirm..or maybe I imagined it?
 
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keithr

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Is there anywhere in scripture that says our spirit is dead.?
I don't think so, although it can die - Matthew 10:28 (WEB):

(28) Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul {spirit}. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.​

I know you didn’t say this..just saying....surly if our spirit was dead we would be dead physically?
Yes - James 2:26 (WEB):

(26) For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.​
 
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CadyandZoe

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Is there anywhere in scripture that says our spirit is dead.?

I know you didn’t say this..just saying....surly if our spirit was dead we would be dead physically?

I think @rwb or @CadyandZoe said this...maybe they can confirm..or maybe I imagined it?
Yes, I said it. Genesis teaches us that our existence as human beings is the result of a unified spirit and body. (Genesis 2:7)
 
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Davy

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1 Peter 3:


i.e., those who knew God and those who didn't


What did Peter mean by "spirits in prison"?

Peter continued the explanation in the next chapter, but then he switched to the present tense, 1 Peter 4:


Now, Peter was talking about people who were alive at his time.


When are the preaching and judging performed?

The aorists direct our thoughts to some definite occasion. Time is not indicated. They are done on the last day of a person's life, corresponding to the last day of the current creation for everyone.

Who are these dead people?

These dead people refer to:

  1. The deceased patriarchs and the Old Testament saints. (Papists' Limbus)
  2. The people who died in Noah's flood long ago.
  3. Those who are alive but spiritually dead. (Amplified Bible)
  4. The good Christians who died as martyrs.
  5. All the dead and all will head to heaven eventually. (Origen, universal salvation)
  6. Some dead people at the time. Some to heaven, others to hell.
  7. A selected (or elected) group of dead people who never heard of the gospel when alive but would believe if they heard it.
I think options 6 and 7 are most likely.
Crazy! Why would you CLOUD such simple Bible Scripture? Peter revealed the time when Jesus went to preach The Gospel to those "spirits in prison", it happened at the time of Christ's resurrection!

1 Peter 3:18-19
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;
KJV

All that in 'red' should be read together. That is pointing to the time of Christ's RESURRECTION. Peter is speaking in the past tense, that Jesus accomplished that. So THAT... is when HE went and preached to those spirits in Satan's prison house.

And the 1 Peter 4:5-6 is a CONTINUING OF THE SUBJECT OF CHRIST PREACHING THE GOSPEL TO THOSE SPIRITS IN PRISON...

1 Peter 4:5-6
5 Who shall give account to Him That is ready to judge the quick and the dead.
6 For,
for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
KJV

Just because you have a Chapter division there put by man, does not mean Peter suddenly changed the subject of WHEN The Gospel was preached to the dead! Thinking that is ludicrous!

That Jesus, at His resurrection, would go and preach The Gospel to the 'dead', was prophecy per Isaiah 42:7...

Isa 42:6-7
6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
7 To open the blind eyes,
to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
KJV