Could the Rich Man (“Dives”) Repent and be Raised to a Resurrection of Life?

[Alfred Persson]

“I have long searched with anxious solicitude for a text in the Bible which should even seem to favor the idea of a future probation. I cannot find it.”-Moses Stuart quoted by Foster, F. H. (1889). The Eschatology of the New England Divines. Bibliotheca Sacra, 46(181), 118.

The Confirmation Bias of Moses Stuart is strong, he simply could not see the scriptures where repentance in Hell is either presumed, implied or explicitly stated:

1Sam. 2:6-10; 2Sam. 22:5-7; Ps. 16:10-11; 30:3; 49:15; 56:14; 68:18-20; 71:19-24; 86:13; 88:1-18; 107:10-15; 116:3-9; 118:17-18; 139:8; Isa. 4:4; 26:19-21; Lam. 3:25; Hos. 13:14; Jon. 2:2-6; Mic. 7:7-9; Zec. 9:11; John 5:28-29; 1 Pt. 3:18-22; 4:6; 1 Cor. 5:5; Eph. 4:8-10; Heb. 9:27-28; Rev. 20:11-15

And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. (Jon. 2:2 KJV)

I called on Your name, O LORD, From the lowest pit (0953 בּוֹר bowr). (Lam. 3:55 NKJ)

1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit (0953 בּוֹר bowr), out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. (Ps. 40:1-3 KJV)

As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit (0953 בּוֹר bowr) wherein is no water. (Zec. 9:11 KJV)

For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. (1 Pet. 4:6 NKJ)

27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,
28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. (Heb. 9:27-28 NKJ)

13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.
14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. (Rev. 20:13-15 NKJ)

28 “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice
29 “and come forth– those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. (Jn. 5:28-29 NKJ)

Clearly its time to revisit the parable of the Rich Man in Hades. Are there any indications “Dives” could hear the voice of the Son of God while in the grave, and choose to do good then on Judgment Day, when Hades and Death are emptied out, rise to the resurrection of life.

24 “Then he cried and said,`Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’
25 “But Abraham said,`Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.
26 `And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want (2309 θέλω thelo) to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’ (Lk. 16:22-26 NKJ)

The redeemed would not earnestly desire (2309 θέλω thelo cp. Lk. 8:20) to aid impenitent enemies of God to whom such grace would be useless:

Let grace be shown to the wicked, Yet he will not learn righteousness; In the land of uprightness he will deal unjustly, And will not behold the majesty of the LORD. (Isa. 26:10 NKJ)

Therefore, Dives was not an impenitent enemy of God and that is reflected by the total absence of any Cursing against God and Abraham.

Although Dives could not cross the chasm while in Hades, the chasm will vanish when Hades is emptied out, and all who rise are judged.

ONLY those not found written in the book of life will be lost eternally.

That the dead can repent and eagerly wait for their resurrection at the Second Coming of Christ is explicitly stated:

For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. (1 Pet. 4:6 NKJ)

27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,
28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. (Heb. 9:27-28 NKJ)

Is The Rich Man and Lazarus Story About Hell Prophecy Parable or both? | End Time News

34 All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, 35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: "I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world." (Matt. 13:34-35

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Preaching to the Dead (Postmortem Evangelism) | End Time News

Postmortem Evangelism: Billions died without Christ. Has death separated them from the love of God? "No", says Paul the apostle: For I am persuaded that neither death nor life... shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 8:38-39 NKJ) The Gospel...

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[Who Me]

That the dead can repent and eagerly wait for their resurrection at the Second Coming of Christ is explicitly stated:

It is only your bias that enables you to say this.
The context of your versesshow that those responding, waiting for etc are all that are already Christs.

 

[Alfred Persson]

It is only your bias that enables you to say this.
The context of your versesshow that those responding, waiting for etc are all that are already Christs.

Incorrect, Christians aren't judged when they die, they already passed from death into life:

24 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment (2920 κρίσις krisis), but has passed from death into life. (Jn. 5:24 NKJ)

Therefore, this is about non-Christians who were judged after they died:

27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment (2920 κρίσις krisis),
28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. (Heb. 9:27-28 NKJ)

After dying they were judged "according to men in the flesh," and all who repent then "live according to God in the Spirit"

5 They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead (3498 νεκρός nekros).
6 For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead ((3498 νεκρός nekros), that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. (1 Pet. 4:5-6 NKJ)

Peter isn't talking about the "spiritually dead" because 1 Pet. 4:5 refers to God's judgment of "the living and the dead", notice its the same Greek word for "dead" (3498 νεκρός nekros) therefore same meaning.

Only massively strong confirmation bias cannot see "postmortem evangelism" in the Bible, both OT and NT.

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,
19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison,
20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.
21 There is also an antitype which now saves us-- baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him. (1 Pet. 3:18-4:1 NKJ)

 

[Alfred Persson]

Its amazing to behold, how Christians will struggle with their incorrect ideas about Hell, and invent unscriptural means whereby people can be saved apart from Christ etc., when the Bible shows us the perfect method God uses to maximize people saved. No one is saved apart from Christ, they will either hear the gospel and be able to respond in this life, or the next. But no one ends up lost unless that is what they chose.

AND the absurd notion aborted babies remain babies, rather than immediately become adult sentient beings able to choose Christ or not, is odd.

 

[Dorothy Mae]

The state of those already dead before Christ died is very different than now.

 

[Alfred Persson]

The state of those already dead before Christ died is very different than now.

I don't believe that. Before the Crucifixion, while the Old Covenant was in full force, Lazarus (a Jew) was carried by angels to Abraham. Scripture revealed the righteous dead are "gathered to their people":

And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; (Lk. 16:22 KJV)

Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people. (Gen. 25:8 KJV)

The "spirits in prison were a "special case", they could not believe (544 ἀπειθέω apeitheo) God would forgive their "frankenstein" hybrid "angel-human" nature and accept them into His kingdom, so they ended up in a separate "prison" in hell.

Therefore, Christ made a special trip preaching salvation. They "answered with a good conscience", otherwise they would not be an "antitype" to how we are saved. These were the captives Christ "led in his train" when He descended and then ascended:


18 because also Christ once for sin did suffer -- righteous for unrighteous -- that he might lead us to God, having been put to death indeed, in the flesh, and having been made alive in the spirit,
19 in which also to the spirits in prison having gone he did preach,
20 who sometime disbelieved (544 ἀπειθέω apeitheo), when once the long-suffering of God did wait, in days of Noah -- an ark being preparing -- in which few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water;
21 also to which an antitype doth now save us -- baptism, (not a putting away of the filth of flesh, but the question of a good conscience in regard to God,) through the rising again of Jesus Christ,
22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone on to heaven -- messengers, and authorities, and powers, having been subjected to him. (1 Pet. 3:18-22 YLT)

8 Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men."
9 (Now this, "He ascended "-- what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?
10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)
(Eph. 4:8-10 NKJ)

But they were not "human", they were the offspring of sinning angels and the Nephilim (fallen ones) but who morally were righteous:

NET Genesis 6:1 When humankind began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them,
2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of humankind were beautiful. Thus they took wives for themselves from any they chose.
3 So the LORD said, "My spirit will not remain in humankind indefinitely, since they are mortal. They will remain for 120 more years."
4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days (and also after this) when the sons of God were having sexual relations with the daughters of humankind, who gave birth to their children. They were the mighty heroes of old, the famous men.
5 But the LORD saw that the wickedness of humankind had become great on the earth. Every inclination of the thoughts of their minds was only evil all the time.
6 The LORD regretted that he had made humankind on the earth, and he was highly offended.
7 So the LORD said, "I will wipe humankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth– everything from humankind to animals, including creatures that move on the ground and birds of the air, for I regret that I have made them." (Gen. 6:1-7 NET)

That really angered God, that man would conspire with His enemies to cause His angelic sons to sin. Three Times (signifying intensity) this context discusses how "highly offended" God was at this, and how He would repay and undo their betrayal.

 

[Dorothy Mae]

I don't believe that. Before the Crucifixion, while the Old Covenant was in full force, Lazarus (a Jew) was carried by angels to Abraham. Scripture revealed the righteous dead are "gathered to their people":

And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; (Lk. 16:22 KJV)

Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people. (Gen. 25:8 KJV)

The "spirits in prison were a "special case", they could not believe (544 ἀπειθέω apeitheo) God would forgive their "frankenstein" hybrid "angel-human" nature and accept them into His kingdom, so they ended up in a separate "prison" in hell.

Therefore, Christ made a special trip preaching salvation. They "answered with a good conscience", otherwise they would not be an "antitype" to how we are saved. These were the captives Christ "led in his train" when He descended and then ascended:


18 because also Christ once for sin did suffer -- righteous for unrighteous -- that he might lead us to God, having been put to death indeed, in the flesh, and having been made alive in the spirit,
19 in which also to the spirits in prison having gone he did preach,
20 who sometime disbelieved (544 ἀπειθέω apeitheo), when once the long-suffering of God did wait, in days of Noah -- an ark being preparing -- in which few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water;
21 also to which an antitype doth now save us -- baptism, (not a putting away of the filth of flesh, but the question of a good conscience in regard to God,) through the rising again of Jesus Christ,
22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone on to heaven -- messengers, and authorities, and powers, having been subjected to him. (1 Pet. 3:18-22 YLT)

8 Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men."
9 (Now this, "He ascended "-- what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?
10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)
(Eph. 4:8-10 NKJ)

But they were not "human", they were the offspring of sinning angels and the Nephilim (fallen ones) but who morally were righteous:

NET Genesis 6:1 When humankind began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them,
2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of humankind were beautiful. Thus they took wives for themselves from any they chose.
3 So the LORD said, "My spirit will not remain in humankind indefinitely, since they are mortal. They will remain for 120 more years."
4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days (and also after this) when the sons of God were having sexual relations with the daughters of humankind, who gave birth to their children. They were the mighty heroes of old, the famous men.
5 But the LORD saw that the wickedness of humankind had become great on the earth. Every inclination of the thoughts of their minds was only evil all the time.
6 The LORD regretted that he had made humankind on the earth, and he was highly offended.
7 So the LORD said, "I will wipe humankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth– everything from humankind to animals, including creatures that move on the ground and birds of the air, for I regret that I have made them." (Gen. 6:1-7 NET)

That really angered God, that man would conspire with His enemies to cause His angelic sons to sin. Three Times (signifying intensity) this context discusses how "highly offended" God was at this, and how He would repay and undo their betrayal.

I don’t really understand where you don’t agree. All of those verses were before the crucifixion. That’s what I said too.

 

[Alfred Persson]

I don’t really understand where you don’t agree. All of those verses were before the crucifixion. That’s what I said too.

Then I misunderstood. Many believe the location of the righteous dead changed in the New Covenant. I do not; except for the special case of the hybrid "elohim-human" children, aka "the men of renown" who weren't evil, but simply could not believe God would forgive their hybrid nature. Its an abomination, a corruption of the Image of God in man with that of angels.