Death


Death

—The most important thing to know about death is: Death is separation.

Man is an eternal spirit being. You are going to live forever, someplace, either separated from God or separated from sin. When your body dies, your spirit separates from the body and continues to live, you do not vanish, and cease to exist!

Death entered the human race because of sin. Death in the Bible is always an alien, an intruder, an enemy, and it always portrays separation. Except for Enoch and Elijah, everyone in the Bible died. Jesus went through death as well, a cruel and unusual death. By his death he destroyed the one who held the power of death; because of his resurrection, death is a conquered enemy. As Christians, we believe that because of Christ we have been rescued from eternal death, and we trust that we will be guided through physical death into the arms of the waiting Father.

Believers who are alive at the coming of the Lord will not die; those who die before that day fall asleep in Jesus. Their death is precious in God’s sight. Though the Bible does not clearly spell out what happens to us between death and resurrection, it is clear that believers will experience a rich closeness with Christ after death, a glorification that will be completed when the resurrection of the body takes place and they receive new bodies like the resurrected body of Jesus. For the unbeliever, however, physical death means ultimate separation from God.

SPIRITUAL DEATH

Sinners who have not confessed their sins and asked for forgiveness are considered dead, even though they may be physically alive; they are dead in sin. Such spiritual death eventually results in eternal death, everlasting punishment from God in the hereafter. This death is called the second death.

The only way to escape spiritual death is spiritual birth (or being born again) through Jesus Christ. When we believe in Jesus, we are raised from death to a new life in him.

  1. Physical death
    1. Described as;
      1. Dying —Gen. 5:5, 8, 11, 24
      2. Returning to the dust —Gen. 3:19; Eccl. 12:7
      3. Lying down in the dust —Job 7:21
      4. Going to one’s fathers —Gen. 15:15
      5. Resting with one’s fathers —Dt. 31:16; 2 Sam. 7:12
      6. Being gathered to one’s people —Gen. 25:8; 49:29
      7. Breathing one’s last —Gen. 35:29; Lk. 23:46
      8. Going down to the grave —Gen. 37:35; 1 Kings 2:6, 9
      9. Falling asleep —Jn. 11:11; Acts 7:60
      10. Being asleep —Ps. 76:5; Dan. 12:2
      11. Being away from the body —2 Cor. 5:8
      12. Departing —Phil. 1:23; 2 Tim. 4:6; 2 Pet. 1:15
    2. All people die —Eccl. 8:8; Heb. 9:27
      1. First examples —Gen. 4:8; 5:5-20, 25-31
      2. Two exceptions:

        Enoch and Elijah —Gen. 5:21-24; 2 Kings 2:11-12

    3. Death came as a result of sin
      1. A result of Adam’s sin —Gen. 2:17; Rom. 5:12; 1 Cor. 15:21-22
      2. The wages of sin for everyone —Rom. 6:23
    4. Death was conquered by Christ
      1. He was raised from the dead —Rom. 6:9
      2. He holds the keys of death —Rev. 1:18
      3. He releases us from fear of death —Heb. 2:15
      4. He will destroy death completely —1 Cor. 15:26, 53-57
    5. What is death for believers?
      1. Falling asleep in Christ —1 Cor. 15:18; 1 Thes. 4:14
      2. Gain —Phil. 1:21
      3. Precious to God —Ps. 116:15; Rev. 14:13
      4. The entrance into peace —Isa. 57:1-2
      5. The entrance into glory —Ps. 73:24
      6. Clothes us with our heavenly dwelling —2 Cor. 5:4
      7. Prepares us to receive a crown —2 Tim. 4:8
    6. What is death for the wicked?
      1. Without salvation —Eze. 3:19; Jn. 8:21
      2. Without hope —Job 8:13; Pr. 11:7
      3. A judgment from God —Num. 16:29-30; Lk. 12:20
      4. The pathway to hell —Lk. 16:22-23; Acts 1:25
      5. Not pleasurable to God —Eze. 18:23, 32
      6. Something for them to fear —Job 27:19-21; Pr. 10:24
  2. Spiritual death
    1. Its origin
      1. Came as a result of sin —Gen. 2:17; Rom. 5:12; 6:23
      2. Is part of the sinful human nature —Rom. 8:6
    2. Who are spiritually dead?
      1. Everyone who does not have Christ —Eph. 2:1, 5; Col. 2:13; 1Jn. 5:12
      2. Those seeking personal pleasure —Eph. 4:17-19; 1 Tim. 5:6
      3. Those not serving God by good works —Heb. 6:1; Heb. 9:14; Rev. 3:1-2
    3. How can one overcome spiritual death?
      1. Through faith in Jesus Christ —Eph. 2:4-5; 5:14; 1Jn. 5:12
      2. By repenting and turning to God —Lk. 15:17-24; Rev. 3:1-3
  3. Eternal death
    1. Ways to describe eternal death
      1. Eternal punishment —Mt. 25:46
      2. Hell —Mt. 5:29-30
      3. The eternal fire —Mt. 25:41
      4. The lake of burning sulfur —Rev. 19:20
      5. The lake of fire —Rev. 20:15
      6. Shut out from God’s presence —2 Thes. 1:9
      7. The darkness outside —Mt. 25:30

      8. The blackest darkness —Jude 13

      9. The second death —Rev. 20:6

      10. The coming wrath —1 Thes. 1:10

    2. What is its origin?

      1. Came as a result of sin —Gen. 2:17; Rom. 5:12; 6:23; James 1:15

      2. Symbolized by removal from Eden —Gen. 3:22-24

    3. Who are subject to eternal death?

      1. The devil and his angels —2 Pet. 2:4; Rev. 20:10

      2. The antichrist —2 Thes. 2:8; Rev. 19:20

      3. Those who worship the beast —Rev. 14:9-11

      4. Those who choose the broad road —Mt. 7:13

      5. Those who live a wicked life —Rom. 1:28-31

      6. Those who do not love the needy —Mt. 25:41-46

      7. Those who do not believe in Jesus —Jn. 3:36

      8. False teachers in the church —2 Pet. 2:1-17

      9. Godless, greedy people in the church —Jude 4, 8-13

    4. Jesus conquered eternal death —1 Cor. 15:20, 54-57; 2 Tim. 1:10

    5. Who will escape eternal death?

      1. Those who believe in Jesus —Jn. 3:16, 18, 36; Jn. 11:25-26

      2. Those who are raised with Christ —Rom. 6:5-11

      3. Those who keep the word of God —Jn. 8:51

      4. Those who choose the narrow road —Mt. 7:14

      5. Those who are kind to the needy —Mt. 25:34-40

      6. Those who do not worship the beast —Rev. 20:4-6

Related Studies:
Sin brings death
The grave (Sheol)
Purpose of the Cross
Resurrection of Jesus: prophesied and fulfilled
The resurrection of the body
Physical death for believers
Characteristics of eternal punishment
New birth through the word and Spirit
Faith in Jesus
Results of our new birth

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Sin brings death

Gen. 2:17; Deut. 24:16; Prov. 10:16; Jer. 17:9; 31:29-30; Ezek. 18:4; Rom. 5:12; 6:23; 8:13; Eph. 2:1; Col. 2:13; James 1:15.

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The grave (Sheol)

Gen. 37:35; 44:29; Num. 16:30-33; Job 7:9; 17:13; Ps. 9:17; 16:10; 88:3-5; Prov. 15:24; Isa. 14:9; 38:18; Hos. 13:14.

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Purpose of the Cross

Isa. 53:5-8; Mt. 20:28; Jn. 3:14-15; 12:31-33; Rom. 3:22-26; 5:6-8; Gal. 3:13-14; Eph. 2:14-16; Col. 2:13-15; Titus 2:14; Heb. 9:23-28;1 Pet. 2:24; 1 Jn. 2:2.

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Resurrection of Jesus: prophesied and fulfilled

Ps. 16:10; Isa. 53:11; 55:3; Mt. 12:40; 16:21; 28:1-11; Lk. 18:31-33; 24:45-46; Jn. 2:21-22; Acts 2:24-32; 13:30-37; 1 Cor. 15:1-20.

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The resurrection of the body

Job 19:26-27; Isa. 26:19; Dan. 12:2; Jn. 5:28-29; Rom. 8:11, 23; 1 Cor. 5:20-22; 15:35-55; 2 Cor. 5:4; Phil. 3:21; 1 Thess. 4:13-17; Rev. 20:12-13.

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Physical death for believers

Ps. 116:15; Lk. 16:22; Jn. 11:25-26; 1 Cor. 15:18-22; 2 Cor. 5:1-8; Phil. 1:21-23; 1 Thess. 4:14-16; 2 Tim. 4:6-8; Rev. 14:13.

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Characteristics of eternal punishment

Isa. 66:24; Dan. 12:2; Mt. 10:28; 25:46; Lk. 12:47-48; 16:23-26; Rom. 2:8-9; 2 Thess. 1:6-9; 2 Pet. 2:9; Rev. 22:14-15.

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New birth through the word and Spirit

Ezek. 37:1-14; Jn. 3:3-6; Rom. 10:13-14; Titus 3:5; James 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:23.

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Faith in Jesus

Jn. 1:12; 3:14-18; 20:30-31; Acts 4:12; 16:30-31; Rom. 3:21-22; Gal. 2:16; 3:26; Phil. 3:8-9; Heb. 10:19-22; 1 Jn. 5:1, 11-12.

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Results of our new birth

Jn. 3:3; Rom. 8:16-17; 2 Cor. 5:17; Titus 3:5-7; 1 Jn. 3:9; 5:4, 18.

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