Bible Question: Back to the question of why Jesus went to Heaven if He took our sins upon himself...I understand the reason for His death and that He took away our sins, but...I still don't understand why He was allowed back in Heaven...was He ever in Hell...if so, how long was he there. I'm not trying to be difficult or debate the issue. I honestly just don't understand. Can anyone give me more clarity on the subject? Thanks! DD |
Bible Answer: Greetings DD! There is no need to apologize for an honest question! :-) There are two issues involved in answering your question. The first concerns Hell and the second concerns a proper understanding of the nature of Christ's death on the cross. 1) Hell: This has been quite a debate over the last week or so on this forum. With all due respect to those who hold a different perspective, allow me to state that Scripture nowhere says that Jesus went to Hell. Part of the problem is one of semantics. Hell, as it is commonly conceived of, is currently empty of any human beings. The final punishment of Hell does not occur until after the Great White Throne of Judgement. Currently, those who die apart from Christ are sent to Sheol/Hades, a temporary holding place where they are reserved for the future judgement. To research this more, type '66034' into the search box at the top right hand side of this page. 2) The death of Christ: One of the most common misconceptions about the death of Jesus is that He somehow physically took sin into His body. However, Scripture affirms that He was the sacrifice for sin. He was not guilty of sin. Sin is not a physical thing which can be carried in His body. He simply (as if His sacrifice could ever be modified by this adverb) took our place and died for us. Therefore, there is nothing about His death which would bar Him from Heaven. He was without sin. I hope this helps! Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |