Holy Saturday-Why Jesus Descended To Hell

Holy Saturday —we anticipate the resurrection and Easter’s triumph over the darkness and evil, sin and death. It is, therefore, a day of quiet and prayerful reflection on the true gravity of the crucifixion and Jesus’ redemptive sacrifice. So why do we read in the Apostles Creed that Jesus descended into hell?

Apostles Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth. In Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.

What The Bible Says

In 1 Corinthians 15:12-17, we read.

“But if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then neither has Christ been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then empty [too] is our preaching; empty, too, your faith. Then we are also false witnesses to God because we testified against God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if, in fact, the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins.”

And In Marks Gospel Chapter 16 verse 6

“He said to them, “Do not be amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Behold, the place where they laid him.

Why Jesus Went To Hell

It is important to understand that he did not go to hell to deliver the damned or destroy hell but free the just who had gone before him. He did not go to suffer. He went to bring the good news of salvation. Hell (Hades in Greek or Sheol in Hebrew) is the place of the deceased, not solely the place of the condemned, but the place also where the prophets and saints of the Old Testament awaited their just reward. Under the hypostatic union, he descended as the God-Man, so his descent is vicarious and victorious. In experiencing death as the God-Man, he defeats it. Thus it is not a part of his humiliation, which culminated in the crucifixion. It is the beginning of his exaltation, which culminated in his ascension.

As the Catechism puts it, “The descent into hell brings the Gospel message of salvation to complete fulfillment. This is the last phase of Jesus’ messianic mission, a phase which is condensed in time but vast in its real significance: the spread of Christ’s redemptive work to all men of all times and all places” (no. 634).

Legendary Coach Lou Holtz What Makes A Happy Life

Most recognized for his tenure at the University of Notre Dame one of the things Holtz prizes most is the education he received, fittingly enough from the Sisters of Notre Dame, while in grade school in East Liverpool, Ohio. He also appreciates the more than half century he has spent with his wife. And, most important of all, he appreciates being Catholic.

Is Jesus Taking Over The NFL ?

It seems like just yesterday that Tim Tebow was laughed out of the NFL for his willingness to share his faith with teammates and the public. Critics didn’t like Tebow kneeling during games giving thanks to Jesus. Many felt Tim should keep that to himself.

A few short years later another player Colin Kaepernick started kneeling for a different reason. Kaepernick said: “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.”

Today it seems more and more players are unafraid to speak out about their Christian faith. New England Patriots player Matthew Slater, the son of NFL great Jackie Slater gave extended remarks about his faith in Jesus Christ during a post-game interview after Super Bowl LII

With an even bigger spotlight, Eagles head coach Doug Pederson said this in front of a National audience just after his team won the Super Bowl

Doug may not only be leading his players to Football success but it seems his whole team is turning to Christ

Christian players on NFL's top team talk about the faith that binds them on and off the field | Blaze Media

The Philadelphia Eagles remain the NFL's top team after a 31-3 home-field trouncing of the Chicago Bears on Sunday, extending their league-best record to 10-1. Image source: YouTube screenshot This season's success has been a surprise. The Eagles were supposed to improve from last year's 7-9 record...

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Thanksgiving Is An Action

In Matthew, we are told the story of one man’s faith. After healing the leper Jesus instructs him; “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” (The gift of Moses refers to the Lamb of God)

In Luke we see Jesus healing ten lepers:

Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

-Luke 17:11-19

Lepers were the isolated outcasts of their day. They had an ugly deadly disease that ate away at their bodies.

Note that the lepers cried out to the Lord from afar. They were not intimate with him. Nevertheless, Jesus heard their petition and asked them to take a step of faith.

They were all made clean.

I certainly believe that all ten felt the emotion of gratitude. You cannot have something like leprosy lifted without feeling great exaltation But the only one continued inaction. The only one returned to offer thanks. And the response of the Giver was, “Were not TEN cleansed? Where are the other nine?”

Thanksgiving is not a mere feeling. Real Thanksgiving is an action.

Are Catholics Christians?

Many people exploring Christianity often wonder what is the difference between all the different Churches and sometimes ask, Are Catholics Christians? Excuse us, but the Catholic Church is the only true Christian Church. It wasn’t just generic Christians being eaten by lions in Rome; it was Catholics. Period. Catholic means universal it is not a denomination it is the Church founded by Christ himself. Since universal power belongs to the risen Jesus (Mt 28:18), he gives the eleven a mission that is universal. They are to make disciples of all nations.

Go, therefore,- and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. — Matthew 28:19

Many people claim that the Catholic Church might have been the first Church but that it erred at some time. Following scripture though we see that that would be impossible. Reading the next line in Matthew we see by the passage in Matthew that Christ also promised his Church would exist till the end.

And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age. —Matthew 28:20

The apostles did of course what Christ instructed them to and all died as martyrs to spread the Gospel. It would have been unfathomable to have hundreds of different Churches. In fact, part of the mission of the apostles was to correct the Churches that were not teaching properly.

“So the churches were being strengthened in the faith, and were increasing in number daily.” —Acts 16:5

All Catholics are Christians, but not all Christians are Catholics, thanks largely to excommunicated priest Martin Luther. Luther claimed to reform the Church but in reality, he started a revolution that has resulted in a new Christian denomination starting each day.

Now, what occasions this little correction? A recent event in which the headline reporting said: “Ecumenical Event Unites Christians and Catholics.” Please.

Christian vs. Catholic

The Catholic Church corrupts scripture, has false prophets, and isn't Christian.

www.churchmilitant.com

Atheist Richard Dawkins Finally Admits Jesus Existed….

After writing in his best selling book— “The God Delusion“— in which he wrote that Jesus most likely did NOT exist, Richard Dawkins had to admit he did exist when he was questioned by fellow Oxford Professor John Lennox.