THURSDAY October 22, 2026

The Gospel Is Preached to the Dead?

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 Peter 4:6

The Gospel is a thread woven throughout Scripture. It was a foreordained plan before the earth was ever created: He [Jesus] indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you... (1 Peter 1:20). A prophecy was given by God to the serpent; He spoke of the Messiah’s victory over Satan: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (Genesis 3:15).

Did you know there are over 300 prophecies concerning the first coming of Jesus Christ? As far back as Noah, righteousness was preached (2 Peter 2:5). We are made righteous through faith in Christ. In the book of Romans, it is written: For in it [the Gospel] the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17). In the book of Habakkuk 2:4, we are told: ...but the just shall live by his faith. Again, Abraham lived by faith: For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness” (Romans 4:3).

Those who have died before us have all had the witness of the Scriptures. The Gospel was preached to them. Family members who died long ago heard the Gospel at some time in their lives. Every one of us will be without excuse when we stand before God to be judged. Judgment happens when we are spirit, not while in our mortal flesh. Our eternal spirit can experience the second death––a terrible place of torment––although the righteous will not die twice, only once, and then they are in the presence of God (Revelation 20:14-15; 2 Corinthians 5:1-8).

When you stand before God, what will be your answer to this question, “Did you believe the Gospel and accept Jesus Christ or reject Him?”

Where will we spend eternity––with God in that place of endless joy the Bible calls heaven, or apart from Him in that place of endless despair the Bible calls hell?
~Billy Graham~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!