In the authors' chronicle, they say on Pages 168-169 that...
"Herr Pettersson was also permitted to visit the spirit world and discovered, much to his surprise, that even the worst in heaven exceeded the best on earth.
To Herr Pettersson the world of spirits resembled the material world. There were many countries, or "kingdoms". There were cities and villages...flowers...animals...The people were very busy. Some were preaching on street corners and in assembly halls, and all had great congregations.
"Who are they?" Herr Pettersson asked (referring to the preachers)?
"They," his guide answered, "belong to the church of the Firstborn, and they have been sent here to be ministering spirits to those who shall yet become heirs of salvation."
"I am afraid," stammered Herr Pettersson, "that I do not comprehend you. Are we not in heaven? How can the world of salvation be preached here?"
"No brother!" the guide replied, "We are not in what mortals call heaven! This is Hades."
> Wow. That must have been mind-blowing! Why the need to preach to those in Hades? You will be recalling just what place Hades is currently; the place of departed souls of those who had NOT accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior while living on earth. Hades is somewhat pictured as a 'holding tank' waiting for the last days when those souls will be let out to rejoin their bodies and to come before the Great White Throne of God their Creator to be judged. God will have His books opened and then will see if their name happens to be written in the Lamb's Book of Life. If it is not, then they will be sent to Hell.
Why is there preaching in Hades? The question begs asking; we see also the confusion of Herr Pettersson in the account above.
I, too, wonder. Personally, the answer I thought I had to that question was "must be a misguidance directly from Satan or one of his minions getting us to think wrongly; throw us off from the real scenario (he is an incorrigible liar and a deceiver).
However, I went spelunking through Google to see what John MacArthur of Grace to You, and John Piper of desiringGod.org had to say. There was one other chap, also a pastor, who had something to say, but I didn't record who he was nor the website so if I say something that is not by either of the other two yet is incorporated in the whole, please forgive me.
John MacArthur does believe that there was not preaching, per se, but that Jesus "went in spirit to hell to proclaim His victory over evil and conquering of the grave".
John Piper states that when Scripture talks about those who go to preach to the dead, it actually means that they have already been preached to while they were still on earth; eg. those to whom Noah preached to for so many years prior to The Flood.
The "unnamed pastor" believes that those in Hades will have a second chance to hear the gospel and that even Jesus, when He went to Paradise (a part of Hades/Sheol at that time), preached to the souls there. This pastor believes that many more there will come and confess Jesus is Lord and will be eventually seen in Heaven.
I'd really, really like to believe this since many of my departed relatives didn't know Christ or hadn't been able to get the chance (as far as I know), while still on earth to hear the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ.
Yet I have trouble grasping this in light of the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). This portion tells of "the great gulf fixed" between the two sides of Hades (vs 26). The folks from either side were unable to cross over to the other side even if they wanted too.
That, coupled with the verse, 2 Corinthians 6:2, which tells us,
"Behold now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation;"
leads me to believe: only "now"....NOW, while still living on earth in this dispensation of time theologians term "The Day of Grace". The "now" being our one and only chance to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives.
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| At the Moment, Still Time |
There are several opinions of thoughts, then, as you witness above, as to when preaching is done, and how many chances a person gets to have 'time' to accept Christ. However, I wouldn't leave anything to chance. If I were you, I'd be prepared in the here and now of earth. Be safe. The wise would accept Jesus now! Later may well be too late.
~ERC 2016~
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