"Wherefore He saith, 'When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.' (Now He that ascended, what is it but that He also descended first unto the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also That ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things.) And He gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints..." (Ephesians 4:7-12).
Christ is clearly the Victor, but who are the captives? and who held them captive? The enemy is none other than Satan and his demonic-hosts, the "wicked spirits in high (or heavenly) places" (Ephesians 6:12). Among these are the "principalities and powers" whom He "spoiled... and made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in" His cross (Colossians 2:15). Christ became the Victor, not the Victim!
And we were the captives whose captivity has already been described "wherein in time past we walked...according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience" (Ephesians 2:2-3). And the power that wrought in Christ raising Him from the dead and seating Him at God's right hand "far above all principality and power" is the same power that worked to set us free!
God being rich in mercy and His great love energized us together, raised us up together and seated us together with Christ! From this exalted place Christ from His fulness gives unto the church, which is His body, such gifts as are needed to fill all of them with all gifts. Such is the giving of our glorified Lord!
To accomplish all this He left His place of glory and descended first to our sphere, "the lower parts of the earth." Notions of descending into the infernal regions for any purpose is without scriptural basis. Christ had no recorded ministry between His burial and resurrection. His humiliation was humbling Himself and being obedient unto death because of which God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name above every name which shall command the respect of every tongue and bended knee. Neither is there any thought of release or a message to "spirits in prison," whose plight was recalled here as a warning to those who did not take Peter's message seriously. (I Peter 3:18-20.) We must guard against any distraction which might take our focus from our ascended glorified Lord!
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How God Saves
Men
Believing
Christ DIED, that’s HISTORY.
Believing
Christ DIED for YOU SINS and Rose again that’s SALVATION.
Read
Romans 1:16, Romans 10:9-10 and 1. Corinthians 15:1-4
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Posted By Cecil and Connie Spivey
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