Intro: According to estimates of the American Society for Population Research (ASPR), there are 60 million people who die annually. That is about 2 deaths for every tick of the second. I’m 100% sure that each year you hear of someone you know that has died. Death is sure, life is short, sin brought the curse of death, and eternity is forever! Death means “separation.” What happens when a person dies? Now technically, the scriptures speak of at least four kinds of death in relation to man’s spirit, soul and body, namely –
1. SPIRITUAL DEATH (Isa.59:2; Eph. 2:1)
This death is the SEPARATION of man from God because of sin. Briefly explain the fall of Adam (Gen. 2:16-17). One can be alive physically but dead spiritually (Matt. 8:22; I Tim. 5:6). A lost person may have a live body, live soul, but dead spirit! The good news is that a sinner can still escape spiritual death and be spiritually resurrected (Eph. 2:5). Man has a lifetime of opportunity to escape spiritual death.
2. PHYSICAL DEATH (Jas. 2:26; Gen. 35:18)
This death is the SEPARATION of the INWARD man from OUTWARD man (cf. Eph. 3:16; II Cor. 4:16). There is no escape from physical death except at the Rapture! But barring the Rapture in our lifetime, we will all die and there is no escape in spite of the amazing advancements by technology, science and medicine. Our BODY of flesh is the outward man that dies, corrupts and returns to dust (Job 34:15). On the other hand, the SOUL is the inward man that is immortal and incorruptible. The BODY may be dead but the SOUL is alive forever more in heaven (II Cor.5:8) or hell (Luke 16:23). No soul sleep but body sleep instead!
One may be dead physically but that is not the end of everything (Heb. 9:27). The Bible teaches that the SOUL is ever alive and conscious even when the BODY is dead! We get a foretaste of physical death when we sleep and dream!
3. ETERNAL DEATH (Luke 16:19-21; Ezek. 18:4)
This is the SEPARATION of the SOUL from the BODY and SPIRIT to be cast into hell. When the BODY dies, it returns to dust and the SPIRIT returns to God who gave it (Eccl. 12:7). When the body dies, there is no more second chance of salvation for then the SOUL is lost and condemned for ever and ever. It will be separated from God ETERNALLY! Unlike spiritual death, eternal death is irreversible!
4. SECOND or FINAL DEATH (Rev. 20:15; 21:8)
This will take place AFTER the Millennium at the Great White Throne Judgment. Contrary to popular belief, the Last Judgment does not occur at the Second Coming of Christ but only after His literal 1000-year earthly reign (Rev. 20:5-6). (Summarize passage). At the Last Judgment, the dead will be physically resurrected which means that their bodies will again re-unite with their souls to face God – the Judge and give an account. The sea, the grave, death, and hell itself will give up ALL the bodies and souls in them to be judged.
Notice that this second death is the casting of both BODY and SOUL into the Lake of Fire (Matt. 10:28). The Bible teaches TWO hells – one below the earth which is temporary (Matt. 12:40; Acts 2:27, 31) and the other above the earth which is everlasting – the Lake of Fire which was prepared for the devil and His angels (Matt. 25:41). Hell itself will be cast into the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:14) along with those who will perish after the Last Judgment.
The final death results in the casting into the Lake of Fire of all the “rubbish of the universe” – Satan and his unholy angels, death, hell, sin, and sadly, all who died without repenting of their sins and rejected Christ as Lord & Saviour!
Conclusion: The Lake of Fire in its final state will be thick darkness (Jude 13), unquenchable fire, torment, suffering, plus worms (Mark 9:44-48). Friend, life is short, death is sure, sin is a curse but Christ is the hope and cure (John 11:25). Do you have 100% assurance of salvation in Christ?
