Preaching to the dead

[jesusandyou]

We read in 1 Peter 4:6 that the gospel is preached to the dead. How can we preach the good news to the dead? Anybody practicing it?

I will clarify this misunderstaning after other forum members contribute their thoughts to this thread.

[Seeker]

How can we preach the good news to the dead? Anybody practicing it?

I don't think we can preach to the dead.  In that passage, it was Christ who preached to the spirits in "prison" so that they might hear the Good News and the just could enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.  He did this after His death on the cross won their freedom.

This topic has also been discussed  here and here.   You'll need to scroll down to see how the original topic got to the Bible passage you mentioned.  See what you think.

Looking forward to your view.

[jesusandyou]

It is neither to the dead nor to the spirit. It is talking about the people who lived at that time who were preached the gospel and later dead. The gospel was preached when they were live.

[Seeker]

That's an interesting interpretation.  I never thought of it that way.  Thanks.

Are you saying this is referring to those who heard the Gospel through Jesus, but died before he died on the cross, or those that heard Jesus teach and died after He died on the cross?

What happened to just men like Noah who died before Christ came to earth, preached the Gospel, and died for men's sins?

[jesusandyou]

The gospel is "Jesus died for your sins and he is the ONLY way." The verse refers to the people who heard this. That means who died after Jesus died on the cross.

God has a redemption plan for the human kind. The time we live now, the salvation is only through Jesus. Before Jesus, the redemption was done through the prophets or people like Moses. They did not die for your or any generation's sins. But they were instruments in the hands of God. The next phase is Jesus's second coming. What happened to the people who died before us? Or what will happen to your grand children? Will they all go to Heaven though they have not heard the gospel?

Well, We'll know that only when Jesus comes back. I don't mean in your life time but at any time when he comes back in the mid heaven.

The gift of salvation is left to the people on the earth. One will not get a chance to listen to it after they die. The only thing left after your death is judgement.

[Seeker]

The time we live now, the salvation is only through Jesus. Before Jesus, the redemption was done through the prophets or people like Moses.

How does that fit in with the idea that Christ died for all men's sins and that He is the one mediator between God and man?  Are you saying that Jesus's death wasn't for the redemption of the people that lived before He was born?


I'm trying to understand exactly what you're saying.