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Q – Hi Caryl, One of your readers asked you to recommend a Bible for her to read because she was a new Christian & didn't know what version was a good one. You recommended, "The New Defenders Study Bible." I figured if Caryl recommends it, it must be a good one, so I went & purchased one. However I want you to know that on page 2121 under the heading, CREATION & RESURRECTION, the 2nd last line from the bottom there is what I believe are two errors. It reads, "after suffering hell itself--spiritual death...Please comment. I know you are doctrinally correct in your teachings; I know you won't agree that Jesus suffered in hell or died spiritually. I just want to know if you agree this statement is false & misleading. (WORD FAITH) Thank You for your answer. I love your ministry. God bless you.
A - Thanks for checking into The New Defender's Study Bible and giving me an opportunity to respond to your inquiry. What I think you're confused by is the partial use of a quote which does appear to be a doctrinal error when presented out of context. This illustrates how important it is for us to be discerning in the Word, ready in season and out so that it may convince, rebuke, exhort and teach. (2 Tim.4:2) Paul stressed his care to declare the fullness of the gospel, "the whole counsel of God" specifically for this reason, because those calling themselves fellow Christians, coming out from amongst the church, through Scripture twisting would be as savage wolves not sparing the flock with their false teachings. (Acts 20:27-30)
You've presented a good example of how important it is to keep any teaching in its fullness so the meaning can't fall short. The entirety of what Dr. Henry Morris writes is this: "He (Jesus) shouted in victory "It is finished!" (John. 19:30) after suffering hell itself - spiritual death - on the cross, dying alone under all the weight of the sins of every man." In the fullness of Dr. Morris's statement there is no error with the traditional understanding of this doctrine as put forth here. However when abbreviated it does appear to be misrepresentative and similar to a wrong teaching, as one example, that I grew up under in Roman Catholicism. You mention another taught in the Word Faith Movement. Both these teach a heresy that while Jesus was in Hell He accomplished the satisfaction God desired for the penalty for sin, below I'll discuss the Biblical teaching.
The importance of the three words you omitted is the core foundation of our Biblical Christian Faith, "on the cross". In three amazing hours we learn from Scripture that Jesus on the cross carried the penalty of sin on our behalf and was separated from God for our sakes. Matthew tells us, "At the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Mat. 15:34) John elaborates, adding, "after... Jesus, knowing that all things were accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled...said,...."It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit." (Jn. 19:28-30)
I don't pretend to understand the depth, height, width or breadth of what satisfaction it took God to pay for the penalty of mans sin. The Bible teaches, the wages of sin is death, and we understand that to be a spiritual death, a spiritual separation from the presence of God for all eternity. While I can't grasp it, I know by faith that Jesus experienced the spiritual death I should have experienced, the separation that was mine was experienced by Jesus on the cross on my behalf.
Dr. Morris describes the ordeal as a "weight" and while we have no idea what that involved on the cross, we do learn from Luke's account (who was a doctor) that the physical weight of the agony that Jesus experienced on the Mount of Olives during His last night was an incredibly weighty experience. Apparently, "Being in agony....His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground" (Luke 22:44)
When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, we learn from that act of disobedience that physical death was introduced into God's perfect creation. But another death entered also which we can't begin to perceive, a spiritual death which Jesus "tasted" on behalf of everyone. The Bible teaches that sin brings the sinner into judgment and that decision ends in hell forever, a confinement to the lake of fire. I can't imagine what that involves but God knows, and I know that after Jesus satisfied that debt on the cross experiencing the hell sin deserved, that God graciously resurrected Him so that all believers in Him, their souls and spirits, may be reunited with their Creator.
Incredibly, we learn Jesus resurrected with a new heavenly body which we too will eventually inherit (1 Cor. 15: 45-53). And, that on the cross Jesus defeated the inevitability of death which was due to take each of us to Hades (55) and that the sting of physical death was swallowed up in that victory (54). Jesus did what man couldn't do, no matter how perfect a man may claim to be, only Jesus as the Godman could pay the price for everyone, which he did in three miraculous hours while on the cross.
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. (1 Cor. 15:58)
That gospel the Apostle Paul summarized most briefly this way: "... that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3–4).
For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross" (Colossians 1:14–20).
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