____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ November 24, 1991 ____________________________________________________ 1 Peter 3:18-20 Who Preached To Whom? by Tom Edwards I imagine there are various views people have concerning the above passage. But what is it that God is actually conveying to us in this particular text? Does it have reference to Jesus preaching to lost souls while He was in Hades for the three days between His death and resurrection and, therefore, giving them a ``second chance?'' Or does it mean that Jesus personally preached to these lost souls while they were on earth? Or perhaps it is implying something completely different. Let us first of all consider the text: ``For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.'' In order that we don't make this passage inharmonious with the rest of the New Testament by our preconceived notions, we must test our views with the infallibility of the Word of God. As the Bible shows, there is no ``second chance'' for one to be saved after death: ``And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment'' (Heb. 9:27). This, therefore, refutes the false theory that a person's standing before God could be altered in anyway after death; and, consequently, praying that God would save lost souls who are now deceased is futile. It is only during one's life that one can take advantage of God's merciful and gracious plan of salvation. Furthermore, those who are referred to as having been preached to are described as being ``disobedient'' during the days of Noah. This means that if Jesus did go and preach to them after they had passed away then it would have been in Tartarus (a compartment of Hades) where He did this, for it is here where all the lost souls of mankind will temporarily await the Judgment Day. The saved, however, go to Hades' other compartment called ``Paradise.'' According to Scripture, this is where Jesus said He and the penitent thief on the cross would be after their death--not Tartarus. Also, there is no crossing over from Paradise to Tartarus or vice versa (Luke 16:26). Those in Paradise will ultimately make it to heaven, and those in Tartarus will regretfully arrive in hell after the Judgment Day. Since the destinies of these two classes are sealed, it would be useless to try to convert the lost dwelling in Hades. Therefore, the preaching must have taken place while these certain people were living; and these certain people are the ungodly of Noah's day who did not take advantage of God's mercy, love, and patience. But do we ever read of Jesus personally preaching to those of Noah's day? Let us look again at 1 Peter 3:18,19, ''...having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which also He [Jesus] went and made proclamation to the spirits [the ungodly of Noah's day] now in prison'' [at the time of this writing, these "spirits" were in Tartarus]. Though this passage might seem to indicate that the Lord personally did this preaching, nowhere in the historical record is this seen. What this passage is actually showing, though, is that it was in the Spirit that Jesus made this proclamation--by the same Spirit that quickened Him from the dead. With this Spirit in mind, let us now consider 1 Peter 1:10,11, ``As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful search and inquiry, seeking to know what person or time the SPIRIT OF CHRIST WITHIN THEM was indicating as HE predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow'' (emphasis mine). Who was doing this ``indicating'' and ``predicting?'' It was the ``Spirit of Christ.'' Noah himself was also a ``preacher of righteousness'' who allowed the word of Christ to speak through him (2 Pet. 2:5). As Peter also writes in 2 Peter 2:21, ``for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.'' Concerning the time shortly prior to the flood, the Lord states in Genesis 6:3, ''...My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.'' Since it is God's nature for none to perish, but rather for all to be saved (2 Pet. 3:9; 1 Tim. 2:4), this passage implies that during these days, God's Spirit was striving to encourage man to repent and be reconciled to Him. God was using Noah at this time to implore the others to hearken unto God, and this continued during the building of the ark which took the one hundred and twenty years mentioned in this verse. May we not be foolish like the multitudes of Noah's day who did not heed the message of salvation. Let us learn from their mistakes and emulate the character of Noah instead--for he listened and obeyed and, as a result, found deliverance, security, and a new world in which to dwell. ___________________________________________ A boy is like a canoe -- he behaves better if paddled from the rear (selected). Sometimes the best way to straighten out a child is by bending him over (anon.). Children have more need of models than of critics (Joubert). A torn jacket is soon mended, but hard words bruise the heart of a child (Longfellow). The greatest gift we can bestow on others is a good example (selected). ___________________________________________ `HE RESTRAINED THEM NOT' by John Iverson Do you think juvenile delinquency is an evil that is peculiar to our day? If so, then you would do well to read your Bible, particular such passages as are found in the book of First Samuel. Eli was judge in Israel and a priest of the living God. When he grew old, instead of his children being a source of joy to that religious leader of olden days, they caused him much heartache and grief. After Eli had heard of the almost unimaginable sins which his sons committed--as recorded in First Samuel 2:22--he said unto them, ``Why do ye such things? For I hear of your evil dealings by all this people...it is no good report that I hear. Ye make the Lord's people to transgress'' (1 Samuel 2:23,24). What a tragedy! The sons of this ``man of God'' were a stumblingblock to the Lord's people! However, the sons (though vile and wicked indeed) were not altogether to blame, for we are told in First Samuel 3:13, ``For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.'' Eli did not ``curb'' his children. He apparently just let them have their way. Perhaps he had the idea that ``boys will be boys.'' Yes, but those boys grew up to be men--''vile men''! This case alone should be enough to convince us parents that placing restrictions upon our children is needful if we expect them to grow up to be useful citizens and individuals whose manner of life will be worthy of ``the gospel of Christ.'' Fathers and mothers, think on these things! ___________________________________________ PARENTAL INFLUENCE by Allen C. Isbell Today, a member asked me to call a lady who lives across town. The lady's granddaughter swallowed gasoline, and lay desperately ill in another state. In reconstructing how the three-year-old girl got the gasoline, the father remembered that he had siphoned some out of the car for the lawn mower. She watched how he did it, and it was thought that later she imitated his act. As I left, I thought about parental influence and consequences. Little eyes are watching and little ears are hearing what we do and say as parents. Risks that we take before them may prove fatal to them. We would not endanger them in any way, yet, we do it through carelessness. Tragically, mothers and fathers are careless in their religious life, but the children who follow them are the ones who suffer most for it. If you knew your child would follow your example, how would you be acting? ________________________________________ Tri-State CHURCH OF CHRIST 1314 Montgomery Avenue, Ashland, Kentucky 41101 Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Bible class 10:50 A.M. Worship 6:30 P.M. Worship Wednesday: 7:30 P.M. Bible study evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (606) 325-9742 e-mail: tedwards@zoomnet.net Gospel Observer web site: http://www.zoomnet.net/~tedwards/go ________________________________________