Second Death

<<spiritual death>>

The first death or ‘passing away’ is the physical termination of life as we know it on earth. This will happen to all people unless they are alive at the rapture or end times (1 Cor 15:51). In this life people are able to respond to the message of salvation and so avoid the second death – everlasting damnation or separation from God in the lake of fire for all those who are not followers of Jesus (Rev 20:6,14, 21:8). We have a choice, as did the first humans in the Garden of Eden – they were warned, “If you disobey you will die” (Gen 2:17). Physical death did not occur until Adam had lived 930 years yet spiritual separation from God was immediate (Gen 3:8-11, 5:5). “It is the destiny of man to die once then face the judgment” (Heb 9:27).

Whatever God does is always fair and this includes His dealing with those who die and haven’t heard the gospel. Each person will be judged by the ‘light’ they have available to them, whether it is through the law of Moses or the light of general revelation written in their heart, as well as how they applied this guidance in their lives (Gen 18:25; Mt 16:27;

Through Christ, we can escape this terrible end

Rom 1:20, 2:6-8,12,15, 3:3,4; 2 Cor 5:10; Rev 22:12). Unbelievers stand condemned already while believers have crossed over from death to life (Jn 3:18, 5:24). Jesus taught that mankind’s destiny rests on their attitude towards Himself (Mt 10:32,33, 11:21-24; Mk 8:38). To escape God’s condemnation He provided Jesus as the means of our salvation. This gift is received by faith and evidenced in submitting to His lordship (Act 4:12, 16:30,31; Rom 10:9).