BELIEF COMMON TO NEARLY ALL CHRISTIANS AT ALL TIMES
We describe our ministry as a “mere Christianity” Christian ministry because we follow C.S. Lewis’ practice as he explained it in in his book, Mere Christianity:
“Ever since I became a Christian, I have thought that the best, perhaps the only, service I could do for my unbelieving neighbours was to explain and defend the belief that has been common to nearly all Christians at all times.”
This belief includes Christ’s descent into Hell, which was part of the price Christ paid, with His death by crucifixion on the Cross, to redeem all who receive Him as Lord and Savior, from the eternal separation from God that we would otherwise experience for our sins.
This particular teaching is not one of those that are essential to Salvation, but it is good to know the full extent of the price Christ paid to redeem us.
Martin Luther, in his Easter sermon at Torgau, in April of 1533, talked about Christ’s descent into Hell, quoting Psalm 16:10 with reference to Christ:
“For You will not leave My soul in Hell. . . ”
Eastern Orthodox commemorate Christ’s descent into Hell in a special Church Service every year. Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Anglicans, Presbyterians, and most other Protestant Churches, accept The Apostle’s Creed, a summary of basic essential Scriptures from the Bible which includes:
“He descended into Hell. On the third day He rose again;
He ascended into Heaven.”
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BELIEFS IN THE THE EARLY CHURCH & IN THE PSALMS
The Church Fathers (the title of respect given to those recognized as great Teachers in the Early Church), including St. Irenaeus and St. Augustine, taught Christ’s descent into Hell.
I continually study to try to understand the Psalms as much as I am able to, and I would also like to be aware of everything Christ has done for me.
I recommend reading all of Psalm 18 (posted below), which we will be examining closely, to see its verses in their proper context — in fact, I recommend reading all of Psalms 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 24 and 116 together at the same time, and for the same reason.
They all speak about Christ’s death and Resurrection.
Our Lord talked about two parts of Sheol, the abode of the dead, and Lazarus and the Rich Man in Luke 16:19-31. I have posted this section of Scripture below.
Christ visited both parts in His descent to Sheol. These were the “Abraham’s Side” or “Paradise” part (but to cover that would be an entire separate Bible study!), and the “place of torment” part, which we will be looking at next.
Since the time 2,000 years ago, when Christ offered His precious Blood to pay the price of our sins, when we leave this world we know that we will now enter directly into the presence of God. As the Apostle Paul taught:
“Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: for we walk by faith, not by sight.
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” -2 Corinthians 5:6-8
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LAZARUS & THE RICH MAN
(Christ’s words recorded in Luke Chapter 16):
“There was a certain rich man, whio was clothed in purple and fine linen, and dined sumptuously every day.
And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, who was laid at his gate, full of sores, who desired to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
It came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side: the rich man also died, and was buried; and in Hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham in the distance, and Lazarus beside him.
And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’
But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you in your lifetime received good things, and Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted, and you are tormented.
And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that these who would pass from here to you cannot; neither can those pass to us, who would come to us from there.’
Then he said, ‘I beseech you, father Abraham, that you would send him to my father’s house. For I have five brothers; that he may testify to them, lest they also arrive in this place of torment.’
Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’
And he answered, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one went to them from the dead, they will repent.’
And Abraham said to him, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, even if one rose from the dead.'”
-Luke 16:19-26
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THE SCRIPTURES EXPLAINED BY CHRIST
The Early Church received its teaching directly from the Apostles, who had received their understanding of the Scriptures interpreted and explained to them directly by Christ:
“And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He explained to them in all the Scriptures, the things concerning Himself.” -Luke 24:27
“We have learned from none others the plan of our salvation, than from those through whom the Gospel has come down to us, which they did at one time proclaim in public, and, at a later period, by the will of God, handed down to us in the Scriptures, to be the ground and pillar of our faith.” -St. Irenaeus (c. 200 A.D.) Against Heresies
“Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.” -St. Augustine (c. 400 A.D.)
There are currently many different interpretations of the time Christ’s body lay in the tomb. One researcher claims to have recorded 183 different interpretations. Most are of relatively recent origin; almost all from just the last 150 years.
As I tried to understand the Psalms better, verse by verse, I saw that what has been generally held and taught by almost all Christians throughout history is the same as what is found taught in Scripture.
I begin my Daily Hour of Prayer every day by praying 5 Psalms (see our webpages: One Daily Hour of Prayer in the Prayer Category, and also our Daily Psalm Chart: Pray 5 Psalms a Day – All 150 Each Month, in the God’s Word Category).
For my own prayer use I have designated Themes for all of the Psalms, to help me remember the main teaching of each. The Theme I have chosen for Psalm 18 is:
