While I completely agree with the quoted passage from the WCF
Do you agree with the Scriptures also?
I would add that Creeds perform the necessary function of refuting errors.
They have
not done that for you so far. Every appeal to Scripture we have made YOU have been unable to biblically (
from the Scripture) defend your view. Again, the confessions were never meant to be a substitute for Scripture.
Instead the Concordists publicly refuted this misinterpretation of 1 Peter 3:19 in a binding confession.
FOC, SD, Christ's Descent into Hell
And since even in the ancient Christian teachers of the Church, as well as in some among our teachers, dissimilar explanations of the article concerning the descent of Christ to hell are found, we abide in like manner by the simplicity of our Christian faith [comprised in the Creed], to which Dr. Luther in his sermon, which was delivered in the castle at Torgau in the year 1533, concerning the descent of Christ to hell, has pointed us, where we confess: I believe in the Lord Christ, God's Son, our Lord, dead, buried, and descended into hell. For in this [Confession] the burial and descent of Christ to hell are distinguished as different articles; 2] and we simply believe that the entire person, God and man, after the burial descended into hell, conquered the devil, destroyed the power of hell, and took from the devil all his might…..
May I ask where the refutation is. This is merely a statement of “some men” not an exegesis from Scripture. Where’s the Beef?
Now, let’s look “very briefly” at your confession. First, it appeals to LUTHER
first and not the Scripture.
Second, Lutherans assert that Christ descended into Hell between the death of Christ and the resurrection. However, then Christ would have had to arise
before the 3rd day since His
whole person was in Lutheran Hell preaching—apostate doctrine!
Third, since Jesus’ did not arise before the 3rd day, if Jesus really did descend into the literal Hell then it could have only been according to the soul, but this brings other problems; (1) Christ had already committed his soul to His Father (Luke 23:46), and (2) the Scripture plainly says, “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).
Fourth, whereas the term “preach” (
kerusoo) refers elsewhere in Scripture to the “full” proclamation of the Gospel (explicit/implicit), to the Lutheran it may now “only” refer to judgment (for these “in Hell” would have had no opportunity of salvation), since it is appointed unto man once to die and then the judgment (Heb 9:27).
Fifth, do you believe new Christians being baptized go to Hell (2 Cor 4:10; Rom 6:3-4; Col 2:12), since they are baptized in the “likeness” of Christ’s death?
Speratus, come back to the Scripture. You have been deceived once again by your confessions, which stand in opposition to the Word of God. Speratus, I appeal to you once again to come to Christ and His Word alone.
