The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum 1st Peter ch.4 :6

Can someone throw some light on this verse and its context, please. Thank you.

ps. I am enjoying reading the posts on the discussion board <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/applause.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/BigThumbUp.gif" alt="" />

john a,

This is one of the few places that I think the New International Version is helpful.


Calvin comments in the same way only a bit more complexly:

"For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, or, He has been evangelized to the dead. We see in what sense he takes the former passage in the third chapter, even that death does not hinder Christ from being always our defender.

...the meaning is almost the same, that is, that Christ had been made known as a redeemer to the dead, or that salvation had been made known to them by the gospel. But if the grace of Christ once penetrated to the dead, there is no doubt but that we shall partake of it when dead. We then set for it limits much too narrow, if we confine it to the present life."

This verse should not be taken as a literal "preaching to the dead" but as a preaching to those when they were alive but are now dead.

Denny

Romans 3:22-24

Thanks Denny,I was looking at Calvins rendering of this passage.So Denny the "Emphasis" is on the past tense when they were alive as, when they heard the gospel .
this is not the second chance theory that jw. and mormons hold to.
May God Bless You Real Good.
john

<img src="/forum/images/graemlins/nope.gif" alt="" /> And it isn't just JWs and Mormons who hold to some form of "second chance" theology. Many "evan-jelly-cals" do also, e.g., Billy Graham and even some Roman Catholics do likewise.

The intent of the passage is meant to be an encouragement to those who are alive in regard to assuring them that not only they, but also their loved ones or relatives who believed in Christ before His coming, i.e. ALL believers will be infallibly saved by Christ's atonement made in their behalf. In other words, salvation wasn't restricted to only those who believed on Christ after His appearance on earth.

In His grace,

john a,


IMO, the JW's believe this because of a literal rendering from their New World Translation.


The NWT was translated by an "inspired" committee, the most scholarly qualified of which had only two years of study in Greek, and had learned Hebrew "on his own".

As for the Mormons, possibly J. Smith received this "second chance" idea from an erudite salamander. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/moron.gif" alt="" />

Denny

Romans 3:22-24

Thanks Denny and Pilgrim,your thoughts were helpful.
I am NOT a second chance man (God for bid).Pilgrim I am not surprized about Billy Graham, I have heard/ read some statements of his and that is enough said. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> can I just say,Pilgrim that you run a very good board,though I havent posted much I have been reading other post on the board. May God Bless You All Real Good.
john