What is death?  From the world’s perspective, when a person dies they cease to exist; death is the end of the person.  But physical death is not the end.  John 5:28  “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth— those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.” Death can perhaps better be described as a separation.  In the case of physical death, it is the separation of the spirit from the body.  The Bible tells us that the spirit of an individual continues to exist and will face judgment and an eternal destination.

The Bible describes multiple deaths.  In addition to physical death, there is the death that the individual choses when he dies to sin. Romans 6:4 “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”  This death is a separation from sin and the old sinful life and when the person is born again spiritually.

There is the second death of the wicked.  Revelation 21:8 “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”  2 Thessalonians 1:9 “These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.”  The second death is an eternal separation from God.

And then there is the death experienced by the sinner who is physically alive but separated from God.  Ephesians 2:1-5 “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.  But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).”  Colossians 2:13 “And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses.”

So where should we stand on death?  We were all at one time sinners and dead in trespasses and sins.  As true believers, we have been buried with him by baptism into death to rise to walk a new life.  When we have experienced the blessing dues to our fellowship with God, why would we want to be separated from Him?  As long as we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with Him and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7). Unless Jesus comes back soon, we will all experience physical death.  But if we have overcome, we don’t have to worry about the second death.  Revelation 2:11 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”