It is hard to imagine life without the threat of death, but that is how God created heaven and earth: without death. Death is a necessary result of sin. The Bible talks about spiritual death, physical death, and the second death. In this blog we will try to enlighten you a bit on these three types of death and how they apply to you. The key to understanding death is to understand that it is not termination but separation.
Spiritual Death
We will start with the early part of Genesis:
Genesis 2:17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
God told Adam “in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” We know that Adam did not physically die that day, in fact Adam lived to the age of 930 years. So, it had to be a spiritual death. We also know this by what happened the next time Adam encountered God; Adam was ashamed he was naked, and Adam separated himself from God; later Adam and Eve were expelled (separated) from the Garden of Eden. This is the spiritual death: separation from God. God is Holy, man is a sinner, therefore, there is separation. God and sin do not mix.
Consider the death of Jesus: on the cross, He experienced separation from God the Father. Because Jesus bore our sins on the cross, He was necessarily separated from God the Father. Again, sin and holiness don’t mix. Jesus actually experienced spiritual death; separation from God the Father. It is important to point out that Jesus did not sin, but He suffered the consequences of our sins.
Revelation 1:5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, . . . To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood
Anyone who has sin is spiritually dead, they are separated from God. How can they get back into fellowship with God once they are spiritually dead? The above scripture (Revelation 1:5) shows us that the key is Jesus. He is the only way we can be freed from our sins. He is the “firstborn of the dead” and we have the opportunity to follow Him. We also need to be born from the dead, or “born again.”
Physical Death
Considering physical death, please read:
Genesis 5:5 Thus all the days that Adam lived were 930 years, and he died.
Adam died physically at the age of 930 years. His physical death was a separation too: The separation of his spirit and his body. In the beginning God created man from dust. Physical death is also a result of sin. Please read:
Genesis 2:7 then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.
After Adam sinned, God said:
Genesis 3:19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
Jesus also died a physical death, because of our sin: His Spirit was separated from His body.
Luke 23:46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.
The Second Death
The second death is like the other two; it is a separation. However the second death is eternal separation from God. Please read:
Revelation 20:14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
The second death is frightening, but, by faith, we need to accept that God is just and merciful and His desire is to be with us forever. Jesus has the Book of Life and He writes the names of those who accept God and God’s grace. Jesus is the resurrection and the life and whoever believes in Him will live. All the instructions are in the Bible. If you aren’t sure if your name is the Lamb’s Book of Life, go to Him directly and work it out.
