Soul Retrievals in the Bible

[Deadworm]

The Bible often implies the possibility of a second chance for the evil dead who lack a relationship with Christ. I will begin with 4 biblical examples of soul retrievals from Hades and then expand on these in future threads with several other relevant texts.

(1) "He (Christ) went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, who in former times did not obey...(1 Peter 3:18-20)."

Here "prison" is Peter's metaphor for Hades, the abode of the wicked dead at the time of Noah. Peter is setting up His image of the Great Flood as a symbol of baptism. Jesus' proclamation assumes that the trapped dead have a chance to respond to His proclamation and thus be "retrieved" from Hades to Paradise. The anticipated positive response to Christ's preaching implies the possibility of soul retrievals from Hades and the inevitability of positive responses is made explicit in 4:6, which does not explicitly restrict this retrieval work to Jesus:

"The Gospel was proclaimed even to the dead, so that, though they had been judged in the flesh, as everyone is judged, they might live in the spirit as God does (4:6)."
"
(3) "...so that God may be everything to everyone. Otherwise, what will those people do who receive baptism in behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf (1 Corinthians 15:29)."

Here Paul declares God's ultimate goal of being "everything to everyone." Then he argues that if this was not God's ultimate goal and destiny, there would be no point to the Christian practice of proxy baptism for the unrighteous dead. By implication, this ritual, combined with prayers for soul retrievals from Hades, is a small part of the process by which God ultimately saves the unrighteous dead.

(4) The Jewish background of proxy baptism for the unsaved dead is 2 Maccabees 12:38-45 in the Catholic OT, a text that describes how the Jewish freedom fighter, Judas Maccabaeus, reacts to dead Jewish soldiers who have been found with tokens of idolatry. Judas pays for atoning sacrifices to be made for these sinners in the Jerusalem Temple. These sacrifices are reinforced by prayers for their retrieval from Hades.

"For if he were not expecting that those who had fallen would rise again,it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. Therefore, he made atonement for the dead, so that they might be lielievered from their sin (12:44-46).

 

[Albion]

The Bible often implies the possibility of a second chance for the evil dead who lack a relationship with Christ. I will begin with 4 biblical examples of soul retrievals from Hades and then expand on these in future threads with several other relevant texts.

(1) "He (Christ) went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, who in former times did not obey...(1 Peter 3:18-20)."

This is considered to refer to Abraham's Bosom or Paradise, not a place of torment, etc.

"The Gospel was proclaimed even to the dead, so that, though they had been judged in the flesh, as everyone is judged, they might live in the spirit as God does (4:6)."

Those people who have yet to hear the Gospel and, therefore, haven't accepted Christ are often referred to as dead in their sins--spiritually dead that is--not physically deceased.

(3) "...so that God may be everything to everyone. Otherwise, what will those people do who receive baptism in behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf (1 Corinthians 15:29)."

That's perhaps the best known example of the above point.

(4) The Jewish background of proxy baptism for the unsaved dead is 2 Maccabees 12:38-45

That's not even a Bible book.

 

[RaymondG]

That's not even a Bible book.

Maccabees is part of the original KJV bible. Nowadays, you can buy all separate...OT, NT, APOC. It is no longer common to find them all together.

 

[Albion]

Maccabees is part of the original KJV bible. Nowadays, you can buy all separate...OT, NT, APOC. It is no longer common to find them all together.

No, the KJV merely published the Apocrypha WITH the Bible.

That's because the church took the position that these books were to be read for instruction in life and manners although they were not to be considered inspired writings.