Featured The Resurrection Repudiates justification by works

Adam was kicked out of Paradise. Mankind cannot enter paradise.

I think that the millennium (and/or beyond--the new heaven and new earth) might see a reverse of this (Rev. 2:7).

"When he ascended on high he led a host of captives" (Eph. 4:8, ESV).

 

I understand your meaning, which is a good thought and one I've already contemplated. The concept is that the damned will have an indestructible body because they too will undergo a resurrection; "the resurrection of damnation" (John 5:29).

It is speculation as to the resurrected bodies of the damned because Scripture is not clear on this issue. But I have no problem accepting what Gill states on this, to which I believe you may be alluding.

"The saints will rise with bodies glorious, powerful, and spiritual; and wicked men, though with bodies immortal, yet vile, and dishonourable: the one will rise to a life of joy and happiness that will last for ever, and which will be properly life; the other, though they will rise and live for ever, yet in misery and woe, and which will be the second, or eternal death; see a like distinction in Daniel 12:2, to which there seems to be some, reference here. And He at whose voice all this shall be, must be equal to God.

 

A "total reverse of this" is a commendable thought, but we are given a description (with the exception of "the tree of life"--Rev 2:7; 22:2; 22:14) of a completely different surrounding, because "the former things are passed away" (Rev 21:4), and of course from the description in Revelation also discloses a significant difference to anything before it.

Ephesians 4:8 (which is Psa 68:18) designs the intention that Christ led Satan and all (the world) who were captive with him into captivity; by overcoming them they remained captive by His leading them to remain in captivity, except for those who He freed from this captivity, which is the believer.

"He led captivity captive; which is expressive of Christ's conquests and triumph over sin, Satan, the world, death, and the grave; and indeed, every spiritual enemy of His and His people, especially the devil, who leads men captive at his will, and is therefore called captivity, and his principalities and powers, whom Christ has spoiled and triumphed over." Gill

Concerning 4:8, "He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth"; I believe Gill also has an excellent comment which is too exhaustive for posting:

(http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/ephesians/gill/ephesians4.htm)

 

I don't understand how Christ could lead captivity captive.

There's another route I can take different from Eph. 4:8 though in proving that Christ led BC saints out of Sheol. First I have to find out if you're dispensational or not.

 

I consider myself a dispensatioanlist, but that can still vary much between peoples definitions and the technical definition.

 

We have to realize that the saints of old were promised a heavenly inheritance:

"we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding" (1Chron. 29:15, KJV).

"they that say such things [that they are strangers and pilgrims on the earth] declare plainly that they seek a [heavenly] country" (Heb. 11:14, KJV). ​

Even Jesus told the Jews (Rom. 15:8) to lay up for themselves heavenly treasures (Mt. 6:20).

It was promised to Abraham that his seed would inherit the land of Canaan (Gen. 12:7; 17:8).

Abraham's seed, we find out, was the promise that many saints of old did not receive (Heb. 11:39). Abraham's seed was Christ (Gal. 3:16).

When Christ died, he gave those saints of old their heavenly inheritance (Heb. 9:15; Hosea 6:2).

After the rapture of the Church, the Jews on earth during the seventieth week of Daniel will inherit that land promise (Rom. 11:25-29; Jer. 3:18), as distinguished from the Church, who will inherit her heavenly promise (1Pet. 1:3-4).

 

In the millennium, all things in heaven and earth will be gathered into one in Christ (Eph. 1:10); the elect in heaven and on earth (Mark 13:27).

 

It is "the devil, who leads men "captive by him at his will" (2 Tim 2:26), and so Christ led the one who captures men (devil) into captivity himself.

 

OK:

28 Marvel not at this: for the hour cometh, in which all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice,
29 and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment. Jn 5

You say: The Resurrection Repudiates justification by works

The Bible says: The Resurrection Affirms justification by works

And you're still hung up on the chronology of it. It's in the 'twinkling of an eye' to God, the whole thing at once-Ro 8:30. IMO, time is no more when all this occurs, and I've not stated any 'theory', I've posted scripture that clearly states the fact that God will render to each one of us according to our works.

Where do you fit this into the sequence of events?:

33 and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 for I was hungry, and ye gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in;
36 naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me.
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels:
42 for I was hungry, and ye did not give me to eat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink;
43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not unto one of these least, ye did it not unto me.
46 And these shall go away into eternal punishment: but the righteous into eternal life. Mt 25

Incredible. One who lives by 'patience in well-doing' is ungodly.

to them that by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and incorruption, eternal life: Ro 2:7

...And the righteous by his stedfastness liveth. Habakkuk 2:4 YLT

…God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to him. Acts 10:34,35

13 for not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified:
14 (for when Gentiles that have not the law do by nature the things of the law, these, not having the law, are the law unto themselves;
15 in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness therewith, and their thoughts one with another accusing or else excusing them); Ro 2

The Samaritan (the Jews referred to them as 'dogs') acted out of compassion, by nature of his heart, to help him who had fallen to the robbers. The priest and the Levite went to the other side of the road and walked on by. 'Not the hearers but the doers are justified'

18...I by my works will show thee my faith.
24Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith. Ja 2

And YOU are blatantly inserting your inventions into the text.

 

Works of one ALREADY saved show faith in/by theuir works, but sinners NOT saved by ANY works!