Death

Webster’s dictionary defines death as “a permanent cessation of all vital functions: the end of life.” Though it is often associated with extinction, death in the Bible never means the end of existence. Instead, it means separation from or the inability to function in a particular realm. Seven deaths are described in the Word:
  1. Spiritual death is separation from God. As a result of the Fall, all human beings are born spiritually dead, captives of “the domain of darkness” (Gen 2:17; Col 1:13; Rom 6:23).
  2. Positional death is separation from sin and the sin nature. Every believer is made spiritually alive and placed in Christ at salvation. We now have the ability to choose every moment whether we will serve our old sin nature, which will not be taken away until we die physically, or our new nature (Rom 6:1–4; Rom 6:10–11; Gal 2:20; Col 2:12; Col 2:20; Col 3:3).
  3. Temporal death is carnality—separation from fellowship with God. Every time we, as Christians, give in to temptation to sin, we enter temporal death (Jam 1:15; Rom 8:2; Rom 8:6; Rom 8:13; 1Ti 5:6).
  4. Operational death is separation of our profession of faith from the practice of that faith (Jam 2:26; Eph 5:14; 1Jo 1:5–6).
  5. Sexual death is the inability to function sexually (Rom 4:19–20; Heb 11:11–12).
  6. Physical death is the separation of soul and body, the inability to function in the physical realm (Heb 9:27; Gen 5:5).
  7. The Second Death is the judgment (Great White Throne) of unbelievers, eternal separation from God (Rev 19:1–21, Rev 20:1–15).
     


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