“And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment…” (Hebrews 9:27)
All men die once.
Such is the result of the curse which was brought about by man’s sin in the Garden of Eden (cf. Genesis 3).
Most men die twice.
Physical death is the separation of our soul and spirit from our earthly bodies (James 2:26). There is a death, though, that is spiritual in nature; a separation of our soul and spirit from God. This death is caused by sin.
“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:1-2)
Those who live long enough so as to be able to determine right from wrong (Deut. 1:39), sadly, due to the influence of our adversary, will eventually choose wrong (1 John 3:4) and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23).
These are the walking dead.
“But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives.” (1 Timothy 5:6)
The third death is key.
“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.” (Revelation 21:8)
Those who remain in their sins will ultimately be eternally cast from the presence of God. But, there is a way of escape…
The Son of God died on Calvary so that, through His sacrifice and resurrection (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 3:21), we could escape the condemnation of sin and be re-born unto a living hope of eternal life!
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1)
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…” (1 Peter 1:3)
Here’s the interesting part: To attain this, we have to die!
Die how? Die to sin. Jesus didn’t offer Himself merely so that you and I could be forgiven of our past sins; He died so that we could go forward as a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) that, through His power (cf. Ephesians 6:10), conquers sin and works the righteousness of God! This is the idea of repentance and baptism (Acts 2:38). As Christ died, was buried, and rose again, we are called to kill the old man of sin, bury him (cf. Colossians 2:12), and then, having been cleansed by His blood (Revelation 7:14), rise again unto a new life in Christ.
“Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:3-4)
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)
What are you dead to?
Are you dead to God or are you dead to sin? We are all “the walking dead” in one way or another, but the sense in which you’re dead will determine whether you live eternally with God or suffer eternally in hell. Which path will you choose?