Christian Life Church
February 28, 2024 at 7:00 pm
TOUGH TOPICS WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT JUDGMENT? DID JESUS DESCEND INTO HELL?
Locations & Times
Christian Life Church Columbia
2700 Bush River Rd, Columbia, SC 29210, USA
Wednesday 6:30 PM
TOUGH TOPICS FEBRUARY 28, 2024
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT JUDGMENT?
SCRIPTURE
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Matthew 7:1-2
This text isn’t about judgment, but about being judgmental.
“Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” Matthew 7:20
Judgement is the idea of making a moral distinction between good and evil.
“Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.” John 7:24
Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. Ephesians 5:11
CATEGORIES OF JUDGMENT
1/ I am called to judge myself.
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. 2 Corinthians 13:5
Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. 1 Corinthians 11:28-31
2/ I am called to judge some people.
It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. 1 Corinthians 5:12-13
This isn’t about preferences but judging sin.
“If your brother sins against you, go tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won your brother.” Matthew 18:15
This should be done only by those who have influence and relationship.
When confronted with sin, we need to be humble and repentant.
When confronting a sin, we need to be humble, gentle, merciful, and restorative.
“When confronting someone, do we come with a hatchet or a scalpel? They both cut. But only one cuts to heal.” Ian Simkins
3/ I am not called to judge some people.
It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. God will judge those on the outside.
1 Corinthians 5:12-13
In a sense, we do judge those on the outside.
But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him? And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them? Romans 10:14-15
When (the Holy Spirit) comes, He will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment. John 16:8
4/ I am called to judge some disputes.
If any of you has a legal dispute against another, do you dare go to court before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? Or don’t you know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest cases? 1 Corinthians 6:1-2
5/ I will judge angels.
Do you not know that we will judge angels? 1 Corinthians 6:3
6/ God judges and will judge the world.
It has been seen in the past.
It will be seen in the future.
It will be seen in eternity.
7/ God judges and will judge me.
God will judge me in this life.
God will judge me in the next life.
TOUGH TOPICS
DID JESUS DESCEND INTO HELL?
SCRIPTURE
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. After being made alive, He went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits—to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. 1 Peter 3:18-20
WHEN DID JESUS DESCEND?
1/ Some believe this happened in Noah’s time.
2/ Some believe this happened on Holy Saturday.
“I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; He descended into hell; on the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there He will come to judge the living and the dead.”
It's important to remember that the creeds are helpful, but not inspired.
3/ Some believe this happened after the Ascension into heaven.
WHERE DID JESUS DESCEND TO?
Hebrew cosmology understood Sheol as being a place for the righteous and unrighteous dead. There were two compartments. One was Paradise or Abraham’s Bosom for the righteous. The other was Hades for the unrighteous.
1/ Some believe Jesus’ descent was related to earthly experiences.
This is the idea that Christ’s descent was from heaven to the womb of Mary, or from the earth to the grave, or from heaven to the Upper Room (Holy Spirit).
2/ Some believe Jesus’ descent was related to a spiritual experience.
This is the idea that Christ suffered an eternity of Hell while on the cross.
3/ Some believe Jesus’ descent was from the grave to Hades.
This is the idea that Christ went to Hades to proclaim the Gospel.
4/ Some believe Jesus’ descent was from the grave to Paradise.
This is the idea that Christ went to Paradise to take the righteous into Heaven.
But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; He will surely take me to Himself.
Psalm 49:15
5/ Some believe Jesus’ descent was from the grave to a prison for evil spirits.
This is the idea that Christ went to another realm to declare His victory.
Part of this comes from the context of Peter and Jude’s writings. The Nephilim were a product of either:
Fallen spirits somehow having sexual relations with women.
Godly men having sexual relations with wicked women.
Fallen spirits embodying men having sexual relations with women.
CLOSE
“I do not know what Peter means!” Martin Luther
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT JUDGMENT?
SCRIPTURE
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Matthew 7:1-2
This text isn’t about judgment, but about being judgmental.
“Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” Matthew 7:20
Judgement is the idea of making a moral distinction between good and evil.
“Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.” John 7:24
Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. Ephesians 5:11
CATEGORIES OF JUDGMENT
1/ I am called to judge myself.
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. 2 Corinthians 13:5
Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. 1 Corinthians 11:28-31
2/ I am called to judge some people.
It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. 1 Corinthians 5:12-13
This isn’t about preferences but judging sin.
“If your brother sins against you, go tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won your brother.” Matthew 18:15
This should be done only by those who have influence and relationship.
When confronted with sin, we need to be humble and repentant.
When confronting a sin, we need to be humble, gentle, merciful, and restorative.
“When confronting someone, do we come with a hatchet or a scalpel? They both cut. But only one cuts to heal.” Ian Simkins
3/ I am not called to judge some people.
It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. God will judge those on the outside.
1 Corinthians 5:12-13
In a sense, we do judge those on the outside.
But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him? And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them? Romans 10:14-15
When (the Holy Spirit) comes, He will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment. John 16:8
4/ I am called to judge some disputes.
If any of you has a legal dispute against another, do you dare go to court before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? Or don’t you know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest cases? 1 Corinthians 6:1-2
5/ I will judge angels.
Do you not know that we will judge angels? 1 Corinthians 6:3
6/ God judges and will judge the world.
It has been seen in the past.
It will be seen in the future.
It will be seen in eternity.
7/ God judges and will judge me.
God will judge me in this life.
God will judge me in the next life.
TOUGH TOPICS
DID JESUS DESCEND INTO HELL?
SCRIPTURE
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. After being made alive, He went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits—to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. 1 Peter 3:18-20
WHEN DID JESUS DESCEND?
1/ Some believe this happened in Noah’s time.
2/ Some believe this happened on Holy Saturday.
“I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; He descended into hell; on the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there He will come to judge the living and the dead.”
It's important to remember that the creeds are helpful, but not inspired.
3/ Some believe this happened after the Ascension into heaven.
WHERE DID JESUS DESCEND TO?
Hebrew cosmology understood Sheol as being a place for the righteous and unrighteous dead. There were two compartments. One was Paradise or Abraham’s Bosom for the righteous. The other was Hades for the unrighteous.
1/ Some believe Jesus’ descent was related to earthly experiences.
This is the idea that Christ’s descent was from heaven to the womb of Mary, or from the earth to the grave, or from heaven to the Upper Room (Holy Spirit).
2/ Some believe Jesus’ descent was related to a spiritual experience.
This is the idea that Christ suffered an eternity of Hell while on the cross.
3/ Some believe Jesus’ descent was from the grave to Hades.
This is the idea that Christ went to Hades to proclaim the Gospel.
4/ Some believe Jesus’ descent was from the grave to Paradise.
This is the idea that Christ went to Paradise to take the righteous into Heaven.
But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; He will surely take me to Himself.
Psalm 49:15
5/ Some believe Jesus’ descent was from the grave to a prison for evil spirits.
This is the idea that Christ went to another realm to declare His victory.
Part of this comes from the context of Peter and Jude’s writings. The Nephilim were a product of either:
Fallen spirits somehow having sexual relations with women.
Godly men having sexual relations with wicked women.
Fallen spirits embodying men having sexual relations with women.
CLOSE
“I do not know what Peter means!” Martin Luther