Truth Seeker - preaching to the dead

1 Peter 4:6 – the gospel preached also to them that are dead

(KJV)

For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. (KJV)

Scriptures such as the one in 1 Peter 4:6 is clearly one of the means by which God veils the minds of unbelievers. Nothing short of an exact knowledge of the condition of the dead may assist the devout person in understanding this scripture correctly.

2 Corinthians 3:16, Howbeit, whensoever he turneth unto the Lord, he taketh off the veil (Rotherham)

Thus all readers must know that condition. If you do not understand this explicitly please read the page: Condition of the dead [ One

Assuming that this step has been taken, let us examine the scriptures to find out what 1 Peter 4:6 means.

Ephesians 2:1,4,5, And you did he make alive, when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins . . .4but God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ. (ASV)

The dead whom Peter and Paul refer to are now revealed. They are people not physically dead, but spiritually dead. In the eyes of God these people are not alive since their sin remains and "the soul that sinneth, it shall die" – as such, they are dead in their trespasses and sins. For this reason, the good news is continually being declared to these by spiritually alive Christians. The purpose is for these 'dead ones' to put faith in God and his son, Jesus. Faith in Christ and his ransom is what ransoms a sinner.

Through faith these dead ones gain life, salvation. They accept the sacrifice of Jesus, they repent of their former sinful life and deeds, they dedicate themselves to eternal service of God and of his Christ, and symbolize this with immersion, baptism, in water as a public declaration of their newfound faith. After their baptism, they continually purify themselves of all sinful behavior and get sanctified by the truth.

Santification

This sanctification occurs as a means of the following: (Darby)

John 17:17, Sanctify them by the truth: thy word is truth.

Acts 26:18, to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me. (the me here is Christ)

Romans 15:16, for me to be minister of Christ Jesus to the nations, carrying on as a sacrificial service the message of glad tidings of God, in order that the offering up of the nations might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 5:26-27, in order that he might sanctify it, purifying it by the washing of water by the word, 27that *he* might present the assembly to himself glorious, having no spot, or wrinkle, or any of such things; but that it might be holy and blameless.

1 Thessalonians 4:3, For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication;

Hebrews 10:10, by which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Hebrews 10:29, of how much sorer punishment shall he be counted worthy who the Son of God did trample on, and the blood of the covenant did count a common thing, in which he was sanctified, and to the Spirit of the grace did despite?

Works of Faith

Here a lot of Christians have lulled themselves to sleep by wrongful application of Ephesians 2:8, 9. They forget verse ten that emphatically states that Christians were created ' unto good works.' To see what Paul really taught, see the page: Is Paul's message about faith or is it also about works?

(KJV)

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast.

10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Not only do such ones err in that, they also err in applying what works refer to in verse nine. Paul's words in Galatians clearly identify what Paul referred to in Eph. 2:9. Since verse ten so adequately emphasized that Christians are created unto good works. This is clarified by James:

Gal 2:16, Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

James 2:24-26, Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Christians thus are brought to the proper understanding that works of Law cannot save because they depended upon total compliance with the full law. Anyone obeying it perfectly was granted life on merit, not by faith! Faith had no place under the Law Covenant. Under the new Law of Faith that Christians are under, the works by the Law Covenant are anathema and lead to death while the works of faith lead to life.

Galatians 3:12, And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. (KJV)

(Darby)
Eze 18:4, "Behold, all the souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die."

Romans 5:12, "For this cause , even as by one man sin entered into the world, and by sin death; and thus death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.

Those who do not have works of faith cannot attain salvation. This does not indicate that salvation is obtained by means of merit; it means that a Christian proves he has faith by means of works. Because of being a sinner, it is imperative that the Christian has faith in Christ's perfect sacrifice so as to obtain salvation through his works of faith. in faith.

Through faith in this sacrifice, Christians get forgiveness for their sins. However, a Christian must lead as pure a life as is possible. Still, God disciplines him for his prior and present sins so as to make the Christian worthy of salvation.