All men must experience the 1st death, but not all men will experience the 2nd death.
The passages, leading up to the passage under study, speaks of the offering that Christ gave once, as a sacrifice for all. Likewise, the passage immediately following continues this same thought. We must give much attention to this context as we determine the meaning of verse 27.
"And as it is appointed unto men once to die" – This death cannot be circumvented. All men will experience this death. Therefore, this can only be referring to the 1st death, the same death which was appointed to all men by the transgression of Adam. On the other hand, the 2nd death (a.k.a. our physical death) which has no power over those who partake of the 1st resurrection, is not appointed to all men. This truth is proven when we consider that Enoch was translated, that he should not see death. Likewise, Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven, never to experience the second death. And finally, we must also consider that millions of God’s children will be called up in like manner on the last day, never to see a physical death.
"but after this the judgment" – The use of "but" means that an opposite is about to be introduced. Whether an opposite opinion, view, or event, it does not matter. It is used to inject an opposition or contrast to the previous statement. So I must ask, what judgment would contrast the 1st death better than the righteousness of one, which came upon all men unto justification of life? The word judgment means separation. This is very interesting. It is referring to the judgement of Matthew 25:32, which began with the coming of Jesus and was fully accomplished in 70 A.D.
It appears that this passage conveys the same idea as Romans 5:18.
Related passages:
Romans 5:18
Matthew 25:32
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Buried with Christ into death, so that we might be raised to life. (Romans 6) |
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| Regeneration Born of Water Eating His flesh Live Forever Solely By Grace |
I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; AND he that believeth on me shall never thirst. (John 6:35) |
Conversion Born of Spirit Drinking His blood Hath Eternal Life By Faith & Works |
| Except a man be born of water AND of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (John 3:5) |
I agree. Once to die declares that all of the adamic race will die, not be "secretly" raptured.
ReplyDeleteJudgment takes place immediately after death. Our Lord stands in our place as the substitute for the
demands of a just God.
Apparently you did misunderstood, and I am sorry for not having been more clear. This death, the 1st death, is the result of Adams transgression. Our physical death is referred to as the second death in Revelation 20:6.
ReplyDeleteAll men will not experience the second death. Two men have already escaped the second death, Enoch and Elijah which were taken in much the way that we will be taken on the last day.