Christ’s Ministry to Angels

Transcript

GRM 898
Christ’s Ministry to Angels
Eph.1-4
04-18-04


I want to follow-up on what we were talking about in our study of I Timothy chapter 3 and verse 16. As I mentioned in the summary that Paul gave there, there is a concise consideration of the great truths that concern Jesus Christ and are expanded through the rest of scripture. And I want to focus on one or two things there that are developed in other part of scripture. I want to focus particularly on Christ’s ministry among the angels and the impact of that ministry following His death.

But you remember in I Timothy chapter 3 verse 16 Paul wrote “great is the mystery of godliness”. We noted that the mystery is that which God has revealed concerning His purposes and plans, particularly focusing in His Son. A mystery is something that would not be known apart from God’s revelation. And I want to direct your attention to the book of Ephesians, just note some matters out of this book. As I mentioned to you, and you’re aware if you’ve been part of our study of I Timothy, Paul wrote to Timothy probably after his release from his Roman imprisonment. Timothy has been left at Ephesus. Paul went back to revisit Ephesus and then felt it necessary to move on, evidently go over into Greece. And he left Timothy there to complete the work, and he wrote Timothy saying that “I hope to come to you shortly but in case I’m delayed I want you to know how you should conduct yourself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God”. It’s in that context he wrote to him about the mystery of godliness, and then he summarized that mystery in those six statements of I Timothy chapter 3 verse 16.

Well sometime earlier while Paul was imprisoned in Rome, he wrote several letters. One of those letters that he wrote was the letter to the Ephesians. So the church at Ephesus would already have had in hand the letter that Paul wrote called the letter to the Ephesians when he visited them again with Timothy and then left Timothy there and wrote the letter to Timothy regarding instructions for the church at Ephesus. And if you’re in the letter to the Ephesians, just note some things that Paul says here that relate to what he tells Timothy. So that’s not new material for the church at Ephesus. He has an extensive sentence we have to break into, and we have it broken up in English. But it’s really a long sentence that comprises much of the opening part of the letter. But note in verse 9, “in all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will”. There you have that emphasis on the mystery, that which God had not before revealed but was now making known, the mystery of His will. And really what the mystery of His will is is made known in verse 10, about the middle of the verse, the summing up of “all things in Christ”. If you were here for our study in I Timothy 3:16 we noted that Jesus Christ is the focal point of God’s revelation, the center of all God’s truth. And here you have it stated as the summing up of all things in Christ. That’s the mystery of His will, what God has now revealed with a fullness that had not before been revealed. He prophesied about His Son’s coming through the Old Testament prophets, but the fullness of that revelation is now unfolded through the New Testament apostles and prophets.

He continues down through there in elaborating on that subject, but come over to chapter 2. And you’ll remember that Paul was writing to the church to Timothy and the church at Ephesus so that they would know how to conduct themselves in the family of God. And in chapter 2 verse 10 Paul says “we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them”. This is how we should live. That’s in contrast to verse 1 of chapter 2, “you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you formerly walked”. You used to live this way, but now as a result of God’s grace bringing salvation to you, verses 8-9, we are to walk in good works God has prepared for us. We are not saved by good works. “For by grace you have been saved through faith”, verse 8, “not as a result of works”, verse 9. But we are His workmanship now, and so good works follow our salvation. They don’t bring about our salvation, they are the result of our salvation, a new way of walking, a new way of living.

Then he transitions and begins to talk about the transformation God has brought about for us Gentiles. “We were formerly”, verse 11, “Gentiles in the flesh, separated from all that God had promised to His people, Israel”. The end of verse 12 he says “we have no hope, we were without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off”, talking about us Gentiles, “for the covenants and promises were made with Israel but now in Jesus Christ God’s salvation has been provided for all men”. And he talks about that work of Christ. Down to verse 19, “who are God’s fellow citizens with the saints, are of God’s household”. Remember I Timothy 3:15? “We are the household of God, the church of the living God”. Well they were already familiar with that, not only from Paul’s direct teaching, but from the letter he had written to them. You are God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets.

Then you come into chapter 3, and here he talks about God’s work in revealing to him the truth concerning Christ and the church, comprised of Jew and Gentile into one body. The church, one holy temple as he referred to it at the end of chapter 2. He talks about in verse 2 the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you. The stewardship of God’s grace is the revelation God gave to Paul for the benefit of those who would come to believe in Christ that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery. So you see there is what a mystery is. It’s something that is only known by direct revelation from God. And by revelation there was made known to me the mystery. And in verse 4 he says “I’m writing this so you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ”. This additional insight--revelation and truth concerning Jesus Christ, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men. I’m stressing this because it’s important. There is some confusion today among a number of people who fail to understand what a mystery is in scripture. It is not a puzzle that you have a hard time understanding and have to sort out, it is something that is impossible to understand or know apart from direct revelation from God. So the mystery of Christ Paul’s talking about is the truth that God revealed to me concerning the work of Christ and the establishing of the church comprised of Jew and Gentile that was not made known in prior generations. But has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets, not just Paul, but to the other apostles and New Testament prophets. And what is this mystery, the content? “That the Gentiles”, verse 6, “are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. And I was made a minister or servant of this gospel according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me”. We want to talk about that God’s gift of grace and Paul was a recipient of such a gift. “Of which I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace.”

Down in verse 8, “to me the least of all the saints this grace was given to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things”. So the mystery is not something new to God, the mystery is the part of God’s plan that He chose not to make know until the appointed time. Been hidden for the ages in God so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenlies. We talked about the summary of Christ’s work, life and work, given in I Timothy 3:16. A part of that summary was He was seen by angels. And here you see in verse 10 “that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavenlies”. We noted that there was no salvation provided for angels. Angels who sin were forever fixed in their lost condition and destined for an eternal hell. There is never any repentance, there is never any forgiveness provided or offered to angels. Even the holy angels have never experienced transforming grace, for they have never sinned, they have never rebelled against God, they have never been tainted by sin. There are two divisions of angels, those who have sinned and those who have not, the fallen and unfallen angels. So all the angels behold the wonder of redemption as they see God’s purposes in salvation being accomplished and carried out in the church. They are beholders of God’s work of salvation, but they are never those who experience God’s work of salvation. This is the wonder of the mystery being played out, if you will, in the church--God’s plan of redemption in Christ Jesus.

When you come to chapter 4, that exhortation “to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you’ve been called” begins this section, building on the truth that he has just taught in the first three chapters. He reminds them of their oneness in Christ through the first 6 verses and their responsibility in light of that oneness that has been brought about in Christ. Jew and Gentile with their diversity and difference have been made one in Christ. And that oneness now is to be evident in their relationships to one another in the way that they live. But that unity, that oneness has a diversity associated with it. And the one body, the one spirit at work, the one God who is over all, one faith, one baptism and so on. But there is diversity in the oneness, and so verse 7, “but to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift”. The fact that we are all one in Christ does not mean that we are all the same, that there is a bland sameness about us. There is a beautiful diversity and so with verse 7 he emphasizes that diversity, to each one of us. And the stress is on each one individually. That gets the emphasis in the structure of this sentence to each one grace was given. And the unity now has a diversity that characterizes us. Verse 6 he said “one God and Father of all who is over all, through all and in all”. And now you see each one of that all broken down. Each one of us grace was given. And here grace refers to the gifts given to the church. Each individual believer in Jesus Christ is supernaturally gifted by God to make a contribution to the functioning of God’s family, God’s people, the body of Christ.

Back in chapter 3 now, back up to where we were, chapter 3 verse 2. “If you indeed have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me.” Down in verse 7,”of which I was made a servant, a minister according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me”. Verse 8, “to me the very least of all saints, this grace was given to preach Christ to the Gentiles”. So you see Paul’s gift as an apostle was God’s grace bestowed upon Paul for service. Paul’s gift was apostleship. Associated with that gift of apostleship was receiving direct revelation from God. Each one of us as believers in Jesus Christ have also been a recipient of God’s grace in giftedness, in giving us a gift, an ability so that we can contribute to the functioning of the body. No doubt Paul was unique, he was an apostle. He had a gift that was different than my gift or your gift, but God’s grace is just as real in each of our lives as it was in Paul’s life. It’s the same grace of God that works in each one according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

And these gifts, some of them will be mentioned down in verse 11 of chapter 3. “He gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers.” There he focuses on gifts that are involved in the communication of God’s Word, the proclamation of God’s truth. There are more extensive lists of the gifts given in Romans chapter 12, I Corinthians chapter 12, in particular. Gifts like serving, administration, helping, showing mercy. There is a wide diversity in the gifts. So that the body is complete, even as it functions in its given locality. What I mean is every local church raised up and established by God as a manifestation of the universal body of Christ has all that it needs to function as the body of Christ in that place. We won’t take the time because we’re not going to go into a study of the gifts right now, but Paul begins his letter to the Corinthians by telling them that they have all the gifts, everything that they need to function as the body of Christ in that place, as the church of God in Corinth, has been bestowed upon them by God’s grace. And that naturally brings obligations and responsibilities because we will give an account for the grace that God has bestowed upon us. I find that a fearful thing, that God would gift me with His grace and I would not use it. To that extent the body is crippled, is limited, is inhibited in its ability to function as completely as it should in bringing glory to God and honor to Him, because I am resisting God’s purpose, because I refuse to make my contribution, if you will, if I don’t exercise the gift that God has given me. The analogy of the body is so clear, that we have one body but it has many parts. And any time one of the parts breaks down, to that extent the body is curtailed in its effectiveness. And so we look around and say well I think there are plenty of people, this church doesn’t need me. That’s not humility, that’s pride, that’s me telling God what is needed in this body. That’s me forgetting who is sovereign, and it’s not me. So we do that perhaps thinking we’re being humble, but we’re really being arrogant. How much more arrogant could you be than to tell God He’s wrong. You put me here but I have nothing to contribute. I may have to say Lord it’s not clear to me yet how I can contribute to this body, but I know I can because you brought me here, you made me part of this fellowship. And I know that you’ve gifted me with your grace to make this body more effective in bringing honor and glory to you.

So to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. You’ll note it says to each one grace was given. And again just to remind you, the gifts are sovereignly bestowed by God. I don’t look around and decide I think I want this gift and I simply look around. How could I be used? And as I function I find where I am most effective and how I can be most effectively used by God. That may not be the most prominent, it may not seem that I am the most important or get the most recognition, but here is where I make my most significant contribution I believe. It’s relatively simple. Just begin to function. I can function in other areas I’m not gifted in, but I will be most effective in the area where God has gifted me to function.

All right, all that’s my introduction. Now we come to verse 8, “therefore it says when He ascended on high He led captive a host of captives and He gave gifts to men.” To substantiate what He said he reaches back into the Old Testament, quotes Psalm 68:18. And I want to spend some time on this section, in verses 8-10, to be sure we’re clear on what takes place here. I’m reminded of this because as I was preparing our study in Timothy and the overlap into this I’m reminded of how many commentaries take a view that is reflected in the Apostles’ Creed, that Christ descended into hell. And so they interpret verse 8, the host of captives, generally to refer to Old Testament saints that were being held in a compartment of Hades until Christ completed the work of redemption. Then following His death on the cross He descended into Hades or to hell and made proclamation of the finished work of redemption. I don’t think that is what the passage is saying. That is what the Apostles’ Creed says. Some of you may not be familiar, depends if you’re from a more liturgical church you probably are familiar with the Apostles’ Creed and often it is recited as part of their services. Let me read you the Apostles’ Creed. We don’t normally recite it here. I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, death and buried. He descended into hell, the third day He rose from the dead, He ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He shall come to judge the quick and dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic church (catholic there referring to universal), the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Amen.

And basically what is here we would agree with, except I question He descended into hell. Let me say a few things, a couple of things about the Apostles’ Creed. The Apostles’ Creed was not written by the apostles. The Apostles’ Creed took shape over 500 years, beginning in 200 A.D. down to 750 A.D. You can see adjustments, changes, additions being made to what we know of as the Apostles’ Creed. So it’s not that which was written by the apostles, but it reflects what at least some people thought was a summary of what the apostles taught. That statement, He descended into hell, it only appears in one version of the Apostles’ Creed, in one man’s writing, before 650 A.D., and he took that to mean He descended into Hades into the grave. You understand nobody before 650 years after Christ understood anything in the Apostles’ Creed as referring to Christ descended into the place of departed spirits. Only one man even makes reference to His descent into Hades, not hell but Hades, and he understood that by his explanation to mean that Christ descended into the grave. Now I just want you to be familiar because some people will say the Apostles’ Creed teaches He descended into hell. You understand the only teaching on that occurred 650 years after the death of Christ. So we’re not dealing with New Testament or that New Testament era doctrine. That was something developed later.

But some of those who would try to substantiate it would come to a passage like when He ascended on high He led captive a host of captives and gave gifts to men. It’s a question of who are these captives. A popular teaching, and it is still held by some popular teachers, well known teachers. Some of them you would be familiar with if I would mention them, and I won’t right now. But they hold that prior to the death, burial and resurrection of Christ and His ascension to heaven, there was a place called Hades and Hades was divided into two compartments. And so the righteous went into the place of blessing in Hades, the wicked went into the place of torment.

Luke 16 verses 19 and following, remember Abraham’s bosom, you have the poor man that died and was carried into Abraham’s bosom. And the rich man who died and lifted up his eyes being in torment and he saw Lazarus, the poor man, who was now enjoying the blessings of being in the presence of Abraham. And in that they said there’s a great gulf fixed, we can’t cross over. Some take that to mean they both went to Hades because nobody could go to heaven until Christ died and went to heaven. There are a number of problems with that. I don’t think there is any reason Old Testament saints couldn’t go to heaven. Remember the great example of salvation by faith, being declared righteous by God through faith is Abraham, Romans chapter 4. So if God declared Abraham righteous, and Abraham is the example of righteousness that we today receive when we believe in Christ, I don’t know what would keep Abraham out of heaven. So I assume Old Testament saints went directly to heaven upon their death. The picture described in Luke chapter 16 is at death you either go to a place of blessing or the place of torment and there is no changing your place, rather than describing a given locale where they are hollering back and forth over the chasm. Can I come over? No. Can you send someone here? No. I think the point being made in that account is there is no changing a place. It is a fixed location. Other descriptions of hell are a place of darkness and torment.

All right, what does he mean, He ascended on high? When He ascended on high, Christ’s ascension, that’s then following His death, His resurrection, His ascension, He led captive a host of captives and gave gifts to men. This connects, I believe, to what we talked about with fallen angels. What he really is talking about here is not that there were a group of righteous people being held captive waiting for Christ to come and free them. How could Abraham, the father of the righteous, be being held captive someplace? I mean God declared him righteous, what is he being held captive for? God declared him righteous, he’s righteous. There are no restrictions on that.

Turn back to the Old Testament to Judges chapter 5, just see this exact expression was used in the translation of the Old Testament into Greek, Judges chapter 5. So Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges chapter 5 verse 12. “Awake, awake Deborah. Awake, awake, sing a song. Arise Barak and take away your captives.” Well who’s he talking about? Literally, take captivity captive. Same expression we have in our passage in Ephesians. Well Barak now is to take those that he has conquered. Formerly they held people captive, they subjugated Israel. But now Barak has been used of God under the leadership of the prophetess, Deborah, to bring deliverance and defeat the enemies of the people of God. So those who formerly held people captive are now themselves captive. And the one who is the victorious conqueror leads the defeated host. Turn to Isaiah 14, Isaiah chapter 14. The end of verse 2 gives the same idea, Isaiah 14 and verse 2. Look at just the last line of verse 2, “they will take their captors captive and will rule over their oppressors”. That’s the idea. Those who held them captive will now be defeated by them. That’s the picture.

So when you come back to Ephesians in the New Testament in Ephesians chapter 4, He led captive a host of captives, He really is taking captive those who held others captive. I think he’s referring to the devil and fallen demonic beings, the fallen angels. Look in Colossians chapter 2. We looked at this passage in our study in connection with Timothy. Colossians chapter 2 verse 15, “when He had disarmed the rulers and authorities He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him”. I take it this is parallel to the passage in Ephesians 4, “He led captivity captive”. What do you mean? He disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public display of them. So when He was seen by angels, according to the way it’s put in I Timothy 3:16, “He was seen by angels”, there was the demonstration before the angelic realm that Satan and his hosts were defeated.

Turn over to Hebrews chapter 2 verse 14, Hebrews chapter 2 verse 14. “Therefore since the children share in flesh and blood”, they are humans, we talked about this with the incarnation of Christ. “Since the children share in flesh and blood He Himself likewise also partook of the same that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.” So Satan and his host who held men in their power now is rendered powerless, has been defeated by Christ and the work of redemption that He accomplished on the cross. John 12:31, you don’t need to turn there but let me read it to you, “now judgment is upon this world, now the ruler of this world will be cast out”. Obviously Satan is still at work, but the redemption of Christ has now brought freedom to men and women so that they might turn and believe in Him, Jew and Gentile alike, be delivered from the power of the devil and his doom is sealed. But he won’t take everybody to hell with him. You understand he’ll take every angel who sinned with him to hell. If it were not for the intervention of Christ in the plan of God to bring salvation for human beings, he would have taken everyone of us to hell with him. But you and I have been set free, we are no longer under the power of the devil, we are no longer under the power of sin. Came to render powerless him who had the power of death.

So those who held men captive refers to the fallen angels under the leadership of the devil. But the work of Christ. So He was seen by angels and Colossians 2 put it very graphically that there was a display as He disarmed the rulers and authorities, displayed His triumph over them. That’s what it means, “He led captive a host of captives”. We only get a glimpse into what is summarized in that statement in I Timothy 3:16, “He was seen by angels”. And here was the plan of God that there be a display of the defeat. Now the final subjugation of Satan and his casting into hell is a future event, but it is a settled event. And by the grace of God you and I will be delivered when Satan and the angels who followed him are cast into hell. In Matthew 25, Jesus will, in sitting in judgment, declare to those who have not believed in Him ”depart from Me you cursed ones into eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels”. But he is defeated, there is freedom for all who will believe in Christ.

Now back in Ephesians 4 verse 8, “He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives and gave gifts to men”. So you see this is a triumphal procession. The military conqueror as we saw in Judges and Isaiah marches in victory and here displayed are the conquered enemy who formerly subjugated people. But now they’ve been defeated and at the same time this victorious conqueror is bestowing gifts upon his followers. So you have the picture and the display of the defeat of the satanic host has taken place in the realms of glory. But the gifts that have been bestowed are manifest here and all of those who have become followers of Christ are the recipients of the gifts that He bestows. He gave gifts to men. They are the result of His victory. Again, the church is a result of His victory, right? I mean we are here because Christ defeated sin, set us free from sin, from the power and control of the devil. And we’ve been the recipients of the gifts that He bestows on men, the men here being the followers of Him.

Now this expression He ascended, what does it mean except that He had descended into the lower parts of the earth. Now wait a minute. Does that mean He descended into the lower parts of the earth, He went to hell, into the bowels of the earth, maybe it means. You’ll note that the contrast is with His descent and His ascent. This expression “He ascended”: verse 8 “He ascended on high”. Now this expression He ascended, what does it mean except that He had also descended unto the lower parts of the earth. I think the contrast is with His coming to earth, His suffering and death. That’s His descent. “He humbled Himself and became obedient”, Philippians 2 says, “even to the point of death, death on the cross”. That was His descent, stepping from the throne of glory, becoming a man and then suffering the worst of deaths, crucifixion on the cross. That’s what makes His ascent significant. If He had not taken to Himself humanity and suffered and died, the fact that He would have come and walked this earth would have meant nothing, then ascended to heaven would have meant nothing. He had to come and take to Himself full humanity and suffer and die to pay the penalty for sin.

So I take it the contrast is with His stepping to earth, becoming a man, suffering and dying and His ascent to heaven. He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens so that He might fill all things. He has been given the most exalted position, not just on earth but in the heavens. Remember that at the name of Christ every knee should bow, things in heaven, things on earth, things under the earth. He is the most exalted. So He’s been exalted above the heavens. So I don’t think this passage has anything to do with Christ descending into hell or into Hades. Don’t think scripture indicates that that would be taking place. Some say He went to Hades to announce to fallen angels that are confined there the work of redemption. Why? There is no redemption for fallen angels, there is no salvation for fallen angels that are bound someplace, Hades or another place. No reason for Christ to go and make any announcements to fallen angels in Hades of something.

We have a moment. Turn over to I Peter chapter 3, I’ll just mention this otherwise you’ll come up and ask me afterwards, and rightly so. I Peter chapter 3 verse 18, “for Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit; in which He also went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison”. These spirits were those who were once disobedient when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah during the construction of the ark. Some say well wait a minute, Christ went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison and they put that together and say all right when He died on the cross three days in the grave. During that time He went to Hades and preached to the spirits in prison. I don’t think so, I don’t think scripture supports that anywhere. There is no proclamation to make to the spirits in prison. Some would say well these are the angels who sinned in Genesis. Well this took place all during the construction of the ark. I take it the picture here is that this Christ is the one who in the person of the spirit went and made proclamation while Noah was building the ark. How did He make proclamation? Through Noah.

Turn to II Peter chapter 2 verse 5, “God did not spare the ancient world but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness”. That word translated preacher is the same basic word translated proclamation in I Peter 3:19, “in which also He went and made proclamation”. In other words it was the spirit of Christ preaching through Noah, and those people did not believe and so they are now in prison. They do go to Hades, like the rich man in Luke 16, and await final sentencing to hell. So I don’t think it refers to Christ doing something following His death. The time we’re here, there’s only a special group that are referred to, those who were disobedient during the days of Noah. He wants to use Noah as the example here, because he’s going to use the destruction of the flood and those saved through the destruction of the flood as a picture of judgment and salvation from judgment. So opportunity was given. Noah was a preacher of righteousness and when he was preaching coming judgment while he built the ark, it was the spirit of Christ using him as a mouthpiece.

There is no doubt Jesus went right to heaven when He died on the cross. Remember the thief on the cross, the one who asked Christ to remember him when he comes into His kingdom? What did Jesus say to him? Today you will be with Me in paradise. Well see He didn’t say heaven, He said paradise. So paradise must be Abraham’s bosom. That’s the good part of Hades. No. How do you know? Well I’m a preacher, I said so. No. II Corinthians chapter 12, II Corinthians chapter 12. Paul wants to talk about visions and revelations God had given to him as an apostle. Verse 2 of II Corinthians 12, “I know a man in Christ who 14 years ago, whether in the body I do not know or out of the body I do not know, God know”. Paul can’t tell whether God bodily transported him or it was just a vision he saw. Such a man was caught up to the third heaven. The third heaven is the realm where God lives. The first heavens are the atmospheric heavens around the earth, the second heavens would be the stellar heavens, the third heaven is the abode of God. “Such a man was caught up to the third heaven. And I know how such a man, whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows, was caught up into paradise.” What did Jesus say to the thief on the cross? Today you will be with Me in paradise. Where is paradise? It’s the third heaven, it’s the abode of God. Jesus Christ was going to be there that very day and so was that other man on the cross. He wasn’t going to spend three days in Hades someplace, he was going to the third heaven which is paradise, the dwelling of God. Abraham’s bosom in Luke 16 is paradise. Made it clear for the Jews, that’s where Abraham is, the father of the righteous. Remember the conflict the Jews had with Jesus? They wanted to say we have Abraham as our father. Jesus said if Abraham was your father you’d believe in Me. You are of your father, the devil. And Abraham upon his death was ushered into the presence of God. So Abraham’s bosom is going to be in the company of Abraham. Jesus said I’m going to paradise, you’ll be with me in paradise today. Paul said I was caught up through visions in paradise.

So I take it Old Testament saints transported immediately to heaven upon their death. They were saved on the basis of what God was going to do through the finished work of Christ. And He declared them righteous on the basis of their faith in the revelation He had given. Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness, and that righteousness would ultimately be accomplished through the death and resurrection of Christ.

So to put these things together I think it’s clear that when unbelievers die they do go to Hades, they don’t go directly to hell. Hades is the place of suffering and torment, fiery torment. The difference between Hades and hell is hell is eternal and Hades is the holding point. Everyone in Hades is brought out to stand before Christ, remember, in Revelation 20 at the Great White Throne. And then we’re told that everybody who was in Hades is cast into hell. So it will be like being in jail, awaiting sentencing to prison. What’s the different between jail and prison? Duration. You’re going to be put in a small cell, confined to that place. Well why did they put you in jail? Well you have to wait until you get your final sentencing to prison. So you are held there until your sentence. Similar kind of comparison.

The righteous have always been ushered into the presence of God upon their death, Old Testament saints and New Testament saints. When Jesus Christ died on the cross His spirit left His body and went into the presence of His Father in heaven. What about in the garden with Mary? “Don’t cling to me, I have not yet ascended to My Father.” He had already been in His Father’s presence in paradise. Why did He tell her don’t cling to Me? King James says don’t touch me. The word means to hold on to, to grasp, to cling. Now the point there is, He’s telling Mary I’m not back. He had not ascended. The formal ascension of Acts chapter 1 had not yet occurred. So He’s not had that formal ascension, when He returns the next time to earth after that ascension of Acts 1, it will be with permanence. This same Jesus will return in the way you’ve seen Him go, and then He’ll establish His kingdom. He’s telling Mary, don’t hold on to Me, I’m not back to stay. Natural thought, oh good He’s here. Now we have Him for good. No. Don’t cling to Me, don’t hold on to Me. I’ve not yet ascended. But it didn’t mean they can’t touch Him. What did He tell Thomas? John chapter 20, “put your finger into the wounds of my hands, into the wound of my side.” Touch me, see. Told His disciples, handle me. The spirit doesn’t have flesh and bone as I do. But He tells Mary don’t hold on and cling to Me because the ascension hasn’t occurred yet. I’m not back to stay. Following the ascension of Acts chapter 1 the next time Christ comes to earth He’ll be here to stay, to rule and reign forever and ever.

So all those passages fit the pattern and so my understand is Christ did not descend to hell, He did not descend to Hades. He left the cross and was ushered immediately into paradise. And shortly thereafter the thief on the cross experienced physical death and was ushered into the same paradise, because today you will be with Me in paradise. II Corinthians 12 says paradise is the third heave, the abode of God.

We are those who have a glorious and wonderful redemption. The finished work of Christ has brought us complete salvation. Most of us are Gentiles. Praise the Lord, we are now joined to the promises given in the covenants. We haven’t replaced Israel, but the salvation blessings promised to Abraham and his descendents we have entered into because in Abraham all the nations of the earth will be blessed. This in no way nullifies or sets aside any of the promises to the nation Israel. But God has brought a fullness to that and a clarity to that not before understood, but now understood through the revelation of the mystery of Christ given, that God was going to bring Jews and Gentiles together into the church and form a unique body for this time. And we are the recipients of the blessings of God’s finished work in Christ. And when He ascended He provided for gifts to be bestowed and we continue to be the recipients of those gifts. When you believed in Christ you received the spirit of God. And so at that time you received a spiritual gift, an enablement so that you would fit into the body and be able to make a contribution according to the plan of God to enable the body of Christ to bring greater glory to Him. And that’s what our lives are all about.

Let’s pray together. Thank you, Lord, for a salvation that is awesome and wonderful. Again we’re amazed at the simple clarity of the truths regarding the redemption our Savior has accomplished for us. We are amazed at the depth and the breadth of the truth that is contained in the revelation concerning Him. Thank you, Lord, that by your grace we have come to know Him. We have not only been the recipients of the grace of salvation and forgiveness of sins, new life in Christ, but the grace of enabling gifts. And each one of us personally by your divine plan and appointment have been the recipient of a special, enabling power from the spirit of God who dwells in us to contribute to the functioning of your body in such a way that the body is more effective in honoring you and accomplishing your purposes. Lord, we are humbled that we have been so honored by you. And our desire is that our service would be acceptable in your sight. We pray in Christ’s name. Amen.