Jesus Isn't

"It is God's judgment not Satan's."

THE DEAD cannot raise the dead. They are dead. This seems logical thinking, except the church teaches otherwise.

A man wore a hat with some such saying – “Destroy hell.” As if that’s our mission here on earth. It isn’t. Nor is our mission to “empty hell,” as others say. In fact, we aren’t in charge of hell at all. Hell belongs to the Father, who never, at any point in time, had to fight hell. Neither devils or spiritual beings condemned there, nor people. It is God’s judgment not Satan’s. No one His judgment has sent there tormented Jesus after His death. Instead, Jesus’ death destroyed, or rendered useless, Satan (Hebrews 2:14). Jesus’ death destroyed, or dissolved, the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). Jesus was never spiritually dead. He is Christ, the Anointed One. The anointing upon Him is the Holy Spirit, who cannot die nor be removed. And Jesus, alone, has the full measure of Him (John 3:34).

Our incorrect vision of hell brings out doctrinal errors. Men’s incorrect visions of it add to our wrong beliefs. It is torment. This is stated in the story of the rich man and the poor man (Luke 16:23). But what that torment is IS NOT what we think. This Truth goes to the character of God. He created hell, and He is righteous and holy. He does not tempt men with evil nor is He tempted by it (James 1:13). Therefore, we know it is not the unreasonableness of sin that causes His judgment. We also know He views those there with mercy and great regret. He is love (1 John 4:8). He is never NOT love. This is why He sent Jesus, to give forgiveness.

Forgiveness and mercy are so much His heart that it actually takes A LOT, being totally consumed by sin, to be condemned to hell. We are quick to condemn people. Jesus isn’t. What we don’t see is a person’s thoughts and intents (Hebrews 4:12). We’re judging by the outside, by behavior. God sees the inside. What we also don’t see in our faulty visions is God’s authority. Hell is absent of God’s goodness. But it isn’t that He has abandoned those held there. Psalm 139:8 tells us the Spirit is found even in hell. A few verses later it says darkness does not obscure God’s vision.

Before His Resurrection, Jesus preached to the spirits in prison in hell (1 Peter 3:19). Preached, proclaimed His identity. God the Son stood in hell and spoke salvation. The results are not given, where Peter mentioned this, how it was received, but the reason is God’s nature. He is of endless depth of compassion and wisdom. We need to adopt His ways and be like Him.

Instead of saying inane things like “destroy hell,” we should seek the Spirit and grow up. He is Teacher, who brings all things to our remembrance and opens the Scriptures, so we’ll see them fully. One thing He has spoken loudly to me is Jesus’ obedience. He was and is most humble, not arrogant. There is no place for our swaggering in the church. No place for our chest thumping when it comes to what we’ve misunderstood about the authority of Jesus’ name. Over people. Over devils. Over the church itself.

Jesus is LORD. The Father is greater than Him (John 14:28). The Spirit is the power, dunamis, of God. They are patient and kind.

Photo by Sasun Bughdaryan on Unsplash


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com