"God the Father raised Jesus from the DEAD"

[Dennis Vogel]

A month or two ago I sent you an e-mail about Ray's last paper "23 Minutes in hell". It was about a passage in his writing that did not sound correct [to me of course  ] in regards to Jesus being in Hades/sheol after death - which Ray said: '... God the Father did not bring Jesus back from sheol, or hades, or hell, or heaven, or paradise, but rather "God the Father raised Jesus from the DEAD" (Gal. 1:1).

I believe, as [you have] taught, that Jesus was in Hades/sheol after death - the above statement he made seems contrary this.

[Ray replies]

Dear Readers:

As I have stated so many many times, "We must pay close attention to the WORDS!"  Here is my statement from my "Hell" paper:  Jesus contradicts these lying frauds: "I am He that lives and was DEAD" (Rev. 1:18). On the third day, God the Father did not bring Jesus back from sheol, or hades, or hell, or heaven, or paradise, but rather "God the Father raised Jesus from the DEAD" (Gal. 1:1). They teach such unscriptural heresy because if Jesus was DEAD when He died, then we too are DEAD when we die. And being dead, we don't "go" anywhere--not to heaven, not to paradise, and not to hell.

What is the ONLY HOPE for life after we die?"

I even gave a Scripture to prove my statement:  "God the Father raised Jesus from... [from what?  from where?  From hades? No.  From hell?  No.  From paradise, etc?  No.  Well from where then did God raise Jesus?  Let's continue reading...] ...from THE DEAD"  (Gal. 1:1).  There's the Scriptural answer, so why is there a question? 

Why is it thought that I contradicted myself or contradicted the Scriptures?  God the Father raised "Jesus" from the DEAD.

What was it that the women saw when they came to the sepulchre?  Answer:   "And the women also, which came with Him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how HIS BODY was laid" (Luke 23:55).

It was the "body" of Jesus that was laid in the Sepulchre:  Mark 15:43;   Luke 23:52;  John 19:38;  John 19:40;  John 20:12.

But doesn't one Scripture state that God would not leave "Jesus" in hades/hell?  No, there isn't.  Here is what that verse actually says:  "Because thou wilt not leave my SOUL in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption" (Acts 2:27).  "Hades/Hell" is not a geographical location, but rather a state of being, a realm, a condition. 

The "soul"--the sentient human being; the personality and character;  and all that the word "soul" conveys, was in "sheol/hades" while Jesus' body was in the sepulchre--the grave.  And God did not allow the body of Jesus to corrupt or decay.  Not all the information on a given subject is found at the same spot in Scripture.  Jesus' body was put in a tomb where it would have decayed away, had God permitted it (Mark 15:46).   His soul went to hades (Acts 2:27).  And His "spirit" returned to God (Luke 23:46).

If the Scriptures were to state that "God raised Jesus FROM HADES, sheol, hell, heaven, purgatory, paradise, etc., then I would have stated such.  But the Scriptures teach that God raised Jesus from the DEAD.  God put His Holy Spirit of LIFE back into the body of Jesus, and that's how Jesus was resurrected from the dead.  God did not go to a place called "hades" and retrieve His Son from such a "place."  No, God put His spirit back into the body of Jesus and Jesus BECAME (once again) "a living SOUL" (Gen. 2:7). 

Hope that helps clarify your question.

God be with you,

Ray

[Akira329]

Hey Dennis,
Why is this not in the email section?

Antaiwan

[Dennis Vogel]

Because it was sent to me via a PM and Ray addressed it to his readers.

[Akira329]

Oh ok, just wondering.
Thanks Dennis

Antaiwan