Ques. 30. Did the Lord actually go down to the place of the imprisoned, ante-diluvian race, to preach to them (or announce) the accomplishment of salvation? J. H. J.
Ans. Read 1 Peter 3:19-2219By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 20Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 21The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: 22Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. (1 Peter 3:19‑22). It was the same Spirit, that quickened Christ from among the dead, that in Noah preached to the antediluvians, and it is because they did not hearken to the preaching by Noah that they are ever since in prison.
The Lord Jesus, when He died on the cross, went to His Father to whom He commended His spirit. He was absent from His body, present with His Father. The ascension of Christ is when body and spirit, united in resurrection, ascended up to the Father, a glorified Man.
Ques. 31
Will all the saints who die get a place with Christ in heaven?
Ans. All the saints who have died are counted in the first resurrection, and will reign with Christ.
Those who will be put to death in the tribulation period will also be raised. Rev. 20:44And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4), "They lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." Rev. 14:1313And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them. (Revelation 14:13) is a promise to encourage them to be faithful unto death. This is the first resurrection, it includes all the saints who have died. "Death is swallowed up in victory" then, after that no more saints will die.
Rev. 7, is a picture of blessing on the earth, there is no resurrection in that chapter.
Ques. 32
Ans. Walking in darkness is distance from and ignorance of God. It is the position and character of the unconverted.
Walking in the light, is our position as brought to God, who is light. We have been in His presence where our sins and our self-will have been exposed and dealt with. And since that is our position in the light, we who have been there, have like feelings, we have fellowship with one another as once guilty, but now cleansed. So it adds, "And the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all (or every) sin.”
It is not speaking here of the time of its application to us, but of its efficacy as the only thing that can cleanse away sins, we are cleansed by it.
To walk in the light as God is in it; to have fellowship one with another; and to be cleansed from all sin by the blood; are three parts of Christian position, and not behavior.
None of us walk according to the light fully, but it is our responsibility to do so.