POST 4 - What is Death?

by William W. Orr, A.B., M.A., Th.B., D.D.. Pastor and Teacher.

     If we were to express the Biblical teaching on death in one word, it would be separation.  The Scriptures never treat death as annihilation or cessation of existence.  Three deaths are mention in the Bible:

     The first is physical death.  What we commonly call death is but the separation of the soul from the body.  At the incident of death, the body still remains with the component parts of blood, bones, muscles, and nerves.  But something has gone, for these is no animation.  A separation has taken place.  In reality, the person himself has departed and only the body in which he lived for a time is left.  With this death we are all familiar (John 11:11-14).

     But there is likewise spiritual death, which is far more significant.  This is the separation of a human being from God.  Back in the beginning of the race, our first parents walked in perfect harmony and blessed fellowship with a holy God.  No discord existed, for there was no sin to interfere.  However, after sin occurred, the entire picture changed.    Fellowship was broken.  Communion came to an end.  Spiritual death had occurred, bringing grievous disruption between God and  His creatures.  This separation still exists between God and the world, which is spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1).

     In the fullness of time, Christ came into the world to heal this gaping wound and to bring this estrangement to an end.  By His death on Calvary's cross, He made possible the way of new communion and fellowship with God.  This separation need no longer exist if man will accept Christ as his Savior, be cleansed from his sin, and receive new and everlasting life.

     The third death is eternal death (Rev. 20:13,14).  The Bible equates this with eternal punishment in the lake of fire, the place generally call hell.   Essentially this, too, involves a severance.  It is is separation from God God on an eternal basis, a never-ending exclusion from light, love, life, friends and happiness.  This fate was never planned for man, but rather for the devil and his angels (Matt. 25:41).  If man bypasses Calvary, however, he will find his eternal destiny in hell.

     When the Lord Jesus returns to this earth as King of kings and Lord of lords (I Cor. 15:54-57;  Rev. 20:14),  He will destroy physical death.  Sadly enough, spiritual is merged into eternal death.  But even so this does not mean annihilation of the unsaved but their everlasting, never-ending isolation from God.

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