Second death

This is one of the dreadful words we can find while reading the Revelation. We generally understand the second death as it that people will be cast into the everlasting lake of fire and be tormented day and night forever and ever after they are dead in the flesh.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

That is not true. We must pass through this second death, and then we will have the everlasting life. The second death means death of the death. In detail, when the death is dead, we will be set free from the death and will have the eternal life.

[Revelation 20:14-15] 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Death and hell will be cast into the lake of fire to be devoured therein, which is called second death, the lake of fire. When will us, Jesus believers, overcome death and the gates of hell? We will do it when our old man is crucified with Jesus. At that time, death will not reign over us any longer, and we will belong to not hell but the kingdom of God.

[Revelation 2:11] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

We will then become them who overcome. They who overcome represent those who are knit together with Jesus, whose old men are crucified, and who are finally born again. We who overcome will not be hurt by the second death because we have already passed through the second death, the process of taking our own cross.

[Revelation 21:8] But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

All of them who are mentioned in the above passage represent sinners, in a word.

The sinners must crucify their old men with Jesus. This crucifixion means the second death and the lake of fire to us. Accordingly, when they who are dead in the spiritual sense are crucified with Him, it is the second death. We will then be resurrected with a new life with Him.

We must meet Him immediately in our lives to be led by Him, and must have our old man crucified to pass through the second death. We will then become those who overcome, those who are born again, and those who have the everlasting life, the life of Jesus.

Blessed are they who attain to the second death while they are alive!

 


by Chung DuckYoung, pastor