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A STUDY OF THE BIBLICAL DEFINITION OF “LIFE” & “DEATH” FOR MANKIND

Updated - 1/25/10

 

The material contained in this study has been rewritten with the goal of making it easier to understand and is contained in the study: “What is death for mankind?”. This study is available at the following link:

 

 

WHAT IS DEATH FOR MANKIND?

 

 

We often say that “the unsaved are spiritually dead, but physically alive” or similar statements. However, these statements lead us to wrong understanding.

  

Ephesians 2:1 & 5, 1 Peter 4:6 and other passages declare that before salvation man is “dead in sins” or simply “dead”. We read in Ephesians 2:1:

 

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins

 

We read in 1 Peter 4:6:

 

For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

 

The Bible says that before salvation that man is “dead in sins” or simply “dead”. Notice that 1 Peter 4:6 simply calls the unsaved “dead” without any qualification.

 

We think of being “dead” as an unconscious corpse, so in our minds we replace the word “dead” in these verses and other verses with “spiritually dead”. When we see an unconscious corpse we say it is “physically dead”. But, God never uses these terms, “spiritually dead” and “physically dead”, in the Bible.

 

 

Spiritually dead

 

We have adopted the term “spiritually dead” so that when we read Ephesians 2:1 and other verses where God says that the unsaved are “dead”, we substitute “spiritually dead” to deal with the fact that the unsaved are here in this world. But, we will see that this has been a mistake and has led us down the path of wrong understanding.

 

The Bible does not use the term “spiritually dead”, and this term has led us down a wrong understanding of how God uses the family of words “dead” and “alive” in relationship to mankind. This term “spiritually dead” makes us think that the deadness of sin is focused upon our spirit. So, we say that we are “spiritually dead, but physically alive”.  But, we will see that this is not true.

 

 

God declares that the unsaved (as well as the saved) are “dead” in their bodies

 

God indicates that our bodies are dead in 1 Corinthians 15:29 where we read:

 

Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?

 

1 Corinthians 15 is talking about the resurrection of the believer’s body. The body of the true believer will rise on the last day. This verse is referring to the true believer whose body is already called “dead” in this verse.

 

When someone is saved, he is baptized by the Holy Spirit. That is, his sins are washed away. That washing away of sins is on behalf of his soul as well as his body. His body is called “dead” in this verse. When God saves us, we are baptized for (or on behalf of) our body, which is called “dead” in this verse.

 

1 Corinthians 15:29 is stating that the believer’s body is dead. If the believer’s body is dead, then the unbeliever’s body is dead also.

 

 

We receive more confirmation that our bodies are “dead” in Romans 8:10. We read in Romans 8:10:

 

And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

 

Notice in verse 10 it says the “body is dead”.

 

Romans 8:10 is talking about the true believers. However, if the believer’s body is dead, then the unbeliever’s body is also dead.

 

We will examine these verses in more detail later on in this study. This is confusing, but right now, we are just getting started looking at how God uses the words “life” and “death” for mankind.

 

 

However we are beginning to see that God is saying that just as the soul or spirit essence of the unsaved is “dead”, so is his body “dead”. God places no qualifications or limitations on that.

 

Also, the true believer’s body is still dead as indicated by these verses.

 

God does not say that our bodies are “spiritually dead”. He just calls them “dead”.

 

 

By saying that our bodies are “spiritually dead” or “dead to the life in Christ” we weaken the statement that God makes about our bodies and we hide truth from ourselves.

 

 

God simply says the “body is dead”.

 

 

However, the unsaved are still “alive” in this world. We read many verses that talk about the unsaved as being “alive” while they are in this world.

 

 

But - the unsaved are still “alive” in this wworld; even though, according to the Bible, they are “dead”, both in body and soul. We’re going to examine this apparent paradox in this study.

 

 

The fact that the unsaved are already “dead” is emphasized in John 6:53. We read in John 6:53:

 

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

 

God says in this verse that the unsaved have “no life” in them. God did not say they have no “spiritual life”. He said they have no “life” in them. They are already “dead” in both body and soul. The deadness of sin impacts both their body and their soul.

 

We will examine John 6:53 in more detail later on.

 

 

In 1 John 5:11-13 God gives further indication that unsaved man is dead. We read in 1 John 5:11-13:

 

11  And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

 

12  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

 

13  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

 

 

Notice what God says about the unsaved in verse 12. God did not say that the unsaved do not have “spiritual life” or “life in Christ”. God said they do not have “life”. This agrees with John 6:53. God does not say that the unsaved do not have “life in Christ”.

 

This agrees with Psalm 80:18 where the Palmist asks God to “make him alive” and then he will call upon the Lord. The word “quicken” is the old English word of “make alive”.

 

These verses seem to contradict other teachings of the Bible that indicate that the unsaved in this world are “alive” also. So we are going to have to study more verses to see how God uses the words “life” and “death” for mankind. We must harmonize all of these verses together.

 

 

We are beginning to see verses where God is saying that “life” for man does not have do with existence, because the unsaved exist. Rather, we are seeing verses where “life” for man has to do with his relationship with God.

 

 

We have to do some more work on the word “life” for mankind.

 

 

Let’s now continue our study of looking at these and other verses that help us understand the Biblical definition of “life” and “death” for mankind.

 

1. We read in 1 John 5:12:

 

He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

 

In our minds, we normally think that “life = existence”. As a result this verse sounds strange to us.

 

If we change this verse in our minds to read “eternal life” or “spiritual life” or “life in Christ” then this verse would not sound strange to us. However, we cannot do this. God has put the word “life” here.

 

It is true that in the previous verse and the next verse God talks about “eternal life”. If God had wanted to say “eternal life” or “life in Christ” in 1 John 5:12, then God would have put those words in that verses.

 

However, God put “life” two times in this verse. We cannot change it to “eternal life” or “life in Christ”. If God had wanted to say “eternal life” or “life in Christ” in this verse, He would have put it there.

 

1 John 5:11-13 is a little like Mark 13:32-33 regarding the return of Christ. Verse 32 is talking about knowing the experience of the day and hour of God’s wrath, the enduring of the wrath of God.

 

Verse 33 is talking about the timing of the return of Christ. Because verse 33 is talking about time, that encourages us to think that verse 32 is also talking about time. However, that is not the case. Verse 32 is talking about the experience of God’s wrath.

 

In the same way, 1 John 5:11 & 13 mention “eternal life”, but verse 12 mentions “life”. We can be tempted to replace “life” with “eternal life” in verse 12, but we cannot do that.

 

The reason we change “life” into “eternal life” in 1 John 5:12 is because we believe that “life = existence”. But, two times, God has put the word “life” in that verse. We cannot change it.

 

In addition, we’ll see that there are many verses that teach this same truth that just have the word “life” in them.

 

 

This verse helps us get started with the Biblical definition of life for mankind. God is telling us that life for mankind has to do with man’s relationship with God and not with existence.

 

 

This verse is saying that “life” for mankind does not have to do with existence, but rather with his relationship to God.

 

 

A key point here is that God defines “life” for mankind in a way that does not have to do with existence.

 

 

The unsaved exist just like the believers exist. The unsaved don’t have any less existence than do the believers. We will develop proofs for this truth later in this study.

 

Notice in 1 John 5:12 that God is effectively saying that for mankind “God = life”. Therefore it is not surprising that life for man has to do with his relationship with God. This agrees with John 11:25, 14:6 where God says that God is “life”. 

 

God declares here that God is the life that is in man. According to 1 John 5:12 the definition of life for mankind is not existence. Rather life for mankind has to do with his relationship to God, who is “life”.

 

Notice that in 1 John 5:12 God makes the statement twice; both in a positive manner and in a negative manner. God is doubling up to make extra emphasis.

 

 

1 John 5:12 says that “life” for mankind has to do with his relationship with God and not with existence. This is a surprising statement and it raises questions in our minds that we will examine in this study.

 

 

2 John 1:9 ties in into 1 John 5:12. 2 John 1:9 talks about how the believers “have” God and how the unbelievers do not “have” God. We read there:

 

Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

 

This refers to the fact that God indwells the true believers. The unbelievers do not have God. They do not have God, who is life, indwelling them. The true believers have God, who is life, indwelling them. 

 

 

 

2. We read in John 6:53:

 

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

 

 

It is important to note that John 6:53 also defines life for mankind in a way that is completely decoupled from existence. As will be shown the saved and the unsaved equally exist, yet the unsaved do not have life in them according to this verse.

 

This verse agrees that the Bible defines “life” for mankind not as existence. Actually, this verse also confirms that “life = God” (John 11:25, 14:6) and “life” for mankind has to do with his relationship with God, who is “life”.

 

God Himself is the “life in you” according to this verse. This agrees with Romans 8:9 that says that God indwells the true believer. Shortly, we are going to look at what the Bible says about “life” for the unsaved in this world.

 

When we read verses like John 6:53 we often change these verses in our minds to say “ye have no spiritual life in you”. However, if we want to come to truth, we cannot add words or delete words from the Bible.

 

Also, what is “spiritual life”??? If “life = existence”, what is “spiritual existence”? You either exist or you don’t exist. The believers don’t have any more existence than do the unbelievers. Later on we will examine 1 Peter 3:19 and other verses that assure us that the unsaved exist, both in body and soul, just like the believers exist. Yet, we’re learning that the unsaved are dead, both in body and soul.

 

 

 

3. We read in Acts 17:26-29:

 

26  And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

27  That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

28  For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

29  Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.

 

 

This is a very important passage. Without it, we could not tie everything together concerning “life” and “death” for mankind.

 

This verse is talking about all mankind, including the unsaved, and helps us resolve the confusion that we have about the “life” of the unsaved.

 

In case we have any doubt that this passage is talking about all mankind, let’s consider a few points. In verse 26 God is talking about how He has made all nations of one blood. That includes all mankind, saved and unsaved. In verse 27 the encouragement is given that we should seek God because we might find him for He is not far from everyone of us. The context is salvation for the unsaved. The context of verse 27 is that the “us” is all mankind. In verse 28 God ties the fact that we live in God to the fact that we are His offspring. Then, in verse 29 God says that because we are His offspring we should not make idols. It is the unsaved that make idols. Therefore, God’s offspring includes the unsaved and thus the “we” of verse 28 includes the unsaved. So, there is plenty of proof in this passage that the “all” that live in God is all mankind, saved and unsaved.

 

While the unsaved are in this world, God says in verse 28 that they too “live”. The reason is that the unsaved in this world are “in him” (in God) to some degree. Verse 28 plainly says that all mankind, including the unsaved “have their being in God” or literally in the Greek text, the verse reads, “are in God”. God is “life” Himself. The unsaved “live” in the sense that while they are in this world, they are in God, who is “life” Himself.

 

The phrase “have our being” is literally “are”. So, God is saying “in him we live, and move, and are”. This phrase is teaching that for all mankind, we are in God and we move in God. Because the unsaved are also in God and God = life (John 11:25, 14:6), then they also “live” according to the Bible.

 

John 6:53, 1 John 5:12 and other passages say that the unsaved do not have “life”. That refers to the truth that the unsaved do not have God, who is life, indwelling them (Romans 8:9) nor do they have God energizing them (Philippians 2:12-13).

 

However, while the unsaved are in this world, God is not “far” from them (Acts 17:27). God cares for them (Matthew 5:45, Acts 14:17). They can pray to God for salvation and there is the possibility that God will save them. So, while the unsaved are in this world, the Bible says that they also “live” because they are “in God”, who is “life”, Himself.

 

 

This is confusing.

 

Unsaved man is dead both in body and soul, according to the Bible. He is separated from God, both in body and soul. He is not indwelt by God (Romans 8:9). He is not energized by God (Philippians 2:12-13). Both in body and soul, he is separated from God, who is “life” Himself. He is dead, both in body and soul.

 

However, according to Acts 17:27-28, unsaved man is not completely separated from God, as we read that the unsaved are “in him” while they are on earth. Unsaved man “lives” in the sense that while he is in this world, he is in God, who is life Himself, and God is blessing him.

 

However, once unsaved man dies from this world, then he is separated from God a second time. This means that he is completely separated from God, including all of the blessings of God (Matthew 5:45, Acts 14:17, 17:27-28, etc.).

 

This agrees with the definition that life for mankind has to do with his relationship with God, who is life. 

 

 

This explains why unsaved man dies twice, both in body and soul:

 

1. He died, body and soul, in Adam and Eve. He is already dead, both in body and soul. Unsaved man has not ceased to exist, but he is separated from God in both body and soul. He is not energized by God; he is not indwelt by God.

 

The fact that unsaved man is dead, both in body and soul, identifies with his desire to sin that exists in both body and soul. God is not energizing him, so unsaved man goes his own way.

 

But, he is not completely separated from God, as indicated above by Matthew 5:45, Acts 14:17, 17:27-28. He lives in the sense that he is in God to some degree. God cares for him. He is near to God. God Himself is the life in which man dwells. We know from the Bible that God can put His hand upon unsaved man also and guide him to some degree. For example, Balaam was an unsaved man, yet God spoke through him (Numbers 22-24).

 

But, God does not use the language of indwelling nor energizing in reference to the unsaved (Romans 8:9, Philippians 2:12-13).

 

2. Then unsaved man’s body fails and he dies from this world, both in body and soul (Joshua 10). From Joshua 10 we know that the soul of the unsaved also dies a second time. At that point, he is completely and eternally separated from God.

 

 

When man’s body fails and sleeps in the dust is the time that man also dies the second time.

 

Finally man’s body fails. The Bible says that at that point his body sleeps in the dust. Man loses consciousness in his body. His body returns to the dust. But, God will awaken him in his body at the end of the world (Daniel 12:2). We will cover more on that later.

 

When man’s body fails and falls to sleep, man actually dies a second time because he is separated from God a second time.

 

That is why the Bible talks about man’s body falling asleep at the same time that it talks about death for mankind.

 

 

Here are some verses that teach that the bodies of both the saved and the unsaved sleep in the dust, according to the Bible:

 

Daniel 12:2  And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

 

Deuteronomy 31:16  And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.

 

2 Samuel 7:12  And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.

 

1 Corinthians 15:51  Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

 

1 Thessalonians 4:14  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

 

1 Kings 14:20  And the days which Jeroboam reigned were two and twenty years: and he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his stead.

 

1 Kings 16:6  So Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah: and Elah his son reigned in his stead.

 

1 Kings 16:28  So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.

 

1 Kings 22:40  So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.

 

2 Kings 10:35  And Jehu slept with his fathers: and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead.

 

2 Kings 13:9  And Jehoahaz slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria: and Joash his son reigned in his stead.

 

2 Kings 13:13  And Joash slept with his fathers; and Jeroboam sat upon his throne: and Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

 

2 Kings 14:16  And Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead.

 

 

Above, we see a number of verses that talk about the failing of the bodies of both the saved and the unsaved as bodies sleeping in the dust. Daniel 12:2 says that those bodies will awake at the end of the world. We will cover Daniel 12:2 in more detail later in this study.

 

 

Why is the failing of the body or the falling asleep of the body the time when man dies again?

 

 

There are actually two events occurring at the same time when man dies from this world. We think of them as one event, but there are actually two different events that occur at the same time.

 

1. His body fails and he loses consciousness in his body. The Bible says that his body falls asleep. Man’s body sleeps in the dust. His body returns to the dust.

 

2. Man dies a second time. He is separated from God a second time. For the true believer, only his body is separated from God.

 

While man, including unsaved man, is in this world, he is in God and moves in God, as we read about in Acts 17:28. In that sense, even unsaved man “lives” because he is in God and moves in God. God is the life for mankind.

 

However, when his body fails, man no longer “moves in God nor is in God” to use the language of Acts 17:28. A corpse does not “move”. Therefore according to that verse, he no longer “lives”. Thus the Bible says he “dies”. He dies a second time. His body is separated from God a second time.

 

For unsaved man, he dies a second time in both body and soul. We see that with the killing of the “souls” of the unsaved in Joshua 10. He becomes completely separated from God, who is life.

 

For the saved, only his body dies. Only his body is separated from God. The soul of the saved person goes into heaven. He is never separated from God again in his soul essence. His soul cannot die.

 

 

These two events occur at the same time because when the body fails, unsaved man is completely separated from God and all of the blessings that he had from God in this world (Matthew 5:45, Acts 14:17, 17:27-28). We will explore this issue more later in this study.

 

 

 

4. We read in Romans 8:10 and 1 Corinthians 15:29:

 

Romans 8:10:

 

And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

 

1 Corinthians 15:29:

 

Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?

 

These two verses declare that the believer’s body is “dead”. God does not say “dead from the life in Christ” or “spiritually dead”. God simply says “dead”. His body has not ceased to exist. Rather, it is separated from God. It is not energized by God; nor indwelt by God (Romans 7:18, 8:9).

 

 

Notice that God refers to the believer’s body as “dead” 3 times in 1 Corinthians 15:29.

 

 

In 1 Corinthians 15:29 God is talking about those who have been saved. When they were saved (baptized by the Holy Spirit), it was also on behalf of their “dead” body because on the last day they will receive a glorified spiritual body without any sin. God is calling the body of the believer “dead” 3 times in this verse.

 

If the believer’s body is “dead”, then the unbeliever’s body is also “dead”.

 

These verses also define “death” for mankind in a way that has nothing to do with “existence”.

 

By changing these verses in our mind to “dead from the life in Christ” we weaken these verses and maintain in our minds that the body is not really “dead”. We think of a dead body as a corpse on the ground. But, God is defining His own terms. Actually, as we will see later in this study the corpse identifies with a body that sleeps in the dust.

 

Or, we just ignore these verses. But, we cannot come to truth by ignoring verses.

 

 

These and other verses show that for mankind the focus of “death” is not upon the destruction of the body. Man’s body is already “dead”. Rather, God uses “death” for mankind to signify separation between God and man. God uses the word “sleep” to signify the failing of the body.

 

 

Therefore unsaved man is dead, both in body and soul. This shows us that the definition “death = cessation of existence” cannot be true for mankind as it is for animals. God defines His own terms.

 

If the body of the believer is dead, as the Bible declares, then the body of the unsaved is also dead.

 

 

These verses show us that Adam died, both in body and soul, the day he sinned. Also, the unsaved are already dead, both in body and soul.

 

 

Romans 8:10 and 1 Corinthians 15:29 tell us that the body of the believer is still dead. God simply says the “body is dead”. It is separated from God, who is “life”. This means that the body of the unsaved is also dead. If the body of the believer is dead, then the body of the unbeliever is also dead.

 

 

How can we understand what it means that man is “dead”

 

The Bible teaches us that God Himself is “life” (John 11:25, 14:6). As we read in Acts 17:28, all men are in God to some degree and God blesses them (Matthew 5:45, Acts 14:17). God cares for all man. So, unsaved man “lives” in the sense that he is in God to some degree (Acts 17:28).

 

But, before salvation, man is not energized by God (Philippians 2:12-13). He is not indwelt by God (Romans 8:9). He is dead because he is separated from the energizing force of God, who is life. That is why the Bible says that unsaved man is dead, both in body and soul.

 

When we become saved, God indwells our soul, but not our body (Romans 7:18, 8:9). So, our souls have “life” in the sense that they have God, who is life, indwelling them. God is now energizing the believer’s soul (Philippians 2:12-13). Therefore, the believer’s soul has “life” because it has God indwelling it and energizing it.

 

But, the body is still not indwelt by God (Romans 7:18). It is not directly energized by God, who is life. That is why the body of the believer is still “dead”.

 

We will develop these themes more as we go.

 

 

When we become saved, in our soul we have “passed from death unto life” (John 5:24, 1 John 3:14). This means that before salvation our soul is also “dead”. For the unsaved person, his soul has not yet “passed from death unto life”. His soul is still “dead”.

 

Therefore, the unsaved are dead, both in body and soul. They have not ceased to exist in any way. 1 Peter 3:19 and other verses confirm that the unsaved have a spirit-essence as well as a body. We will look at 1 Peter 3:19 and other verses later on in this study.

 

The unsaved have not ceased to exist in either their body or their spirit. Rather, they are separated from God, both in body and soul. [We will see that it’s not yet a complete separation.] Therefore, the day Adam sinned, he died, both in body and soul. This agrees with what we read in Genesis 2:17:

 

But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

 

 

The phrase “surely die” contains the word death or die twice. God is really emphasizing that Adam truly died the day he sinned. We cannot ignore this language.

 

Actually, the definition for mankind concerning death when stated this way: “death = separation from God” will fit all of the verses about death for mankind without any changes. This definition also fits perfectly the definition of life for mankind according to John 6:53, 1 John 5:12 and other verses to be presented.

 

 

God does not use the words “life” and “death” for mankind like He uses them for animals and plants

 

We would never read a verse in the Bible giving an account of an animal, like a lion for example, where God says “the lion is dead”, and yet the lion is walking around. But, we read verses like that about mankind. For example, as we just read in Romans 8:10:

 

And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

 

Regarding the believer, God says plainly “the body is dead”.

 

For the unsaved, they have a soul that is still dead also. His soul has not yet passed from death unto life (John 5:24, 1 John 3:14). So, the unsaved person is dead, both in body and soul. He is dead in his whole personality. Yet, unsaved man is very active in this world, walking about and doing things.

 

We would never read a statement in the Bible that declares that an animal is dead and yet that animal was still walking and doing things.

 

God does not use the words “life” and “death” for mankind like he uses them for plants and animals.

 

 

Therefore, we must obtain the Biblical definition of “life” and “death” for mankind by carefully seeing how God uses those words in the Bible regarding mankind.

 

 

 

Let’s now consider now the corpse of the person who died.

 

What about the corpse of the person who died?

 

We think of death as an unconscious corpse. That is what we can see with our eyes when a person dies.

 

The Bible describes an unconscious corpse as a body sleeping in the dust. The Bible declares that when both the saved and the unsaved die from this world, their bodies “sleep in the dust” (Daniel 12:2).

 

We think that a “body sleeping in the dust” is the same thing as a “dead body”. However, this is not in harmony with the Bible. The Bible says that Adam died, body and soul, the day he sinned. However, his body did not sleep in the dust until he was 930 years old when died the second time.

 

We have seen that Romans 8:10 and 1 Corinthians 15:29 teach that the body of the true believer is still dead.

 

 

When we look at all of the verses involved we can say:

 

- “sleeping in the dust” has to do with the failure of the body. Body returns to the dust.

 

- “death” has to do with separation from God.

 

Unsaved man dies twice because he is separated from God twice. Man’s body sleeps in the dust only the second time he dies. That is, when he is completely separated from God.

 

At the end of the world, both the saved and unsaved will awake to consciousness in their bodies that are sleeping in the dust (Daniel 12:2). The unsaved will still be dead, both in body and soul. That is, they will be separated from God, who is life. But, they will “awake” to consciousness. We will study this word “awake” later on.

 

 

The body sleeps in the dust at the moment of that man dies the second time

 

Simultaneously with the second time that unsaved man dies, both in body and soul, his body sleeps in the dust (1 Kings 14:20, 16:6, 16:28, 22:40, 2 Kings 14:29, Daniel 12:2).

 

This is necessary because while unsaved man is in this world, he is in God and is blessed by God (Acts 17:27-28). But, the failure of the body corresponds with the final and complete separation from God that unsaved man experiences. That is the second time he dies. He is no longer in God nor blessed by God as indicated in Matthew 5:45, Acts 14:17, 17:27-28.

 

Man dies a second time. He is separated from God, both in body and soul, a second time. We will develop this more later on.

 

The difficulty comes in because what we see is a body that sleeps in the dust and we call that “death”. According to the Bible, “death” is the separation between God and man and the sleeping in the dust is the failure of the body.

 

 

Life in Christ

 

It is said that we must replace the word “life” with the phrase “life in Christ” in many verses (Psalm 80:18, Matthew 18:8-9, Mark 9:43 & 45, John 6:53, 1 John 3:14, 5:12, etc.) This is done so that we can still believe that “life = existence”.

 

However, Acts 17:27-28 tell us that all life for mankind is in God. The unsaved “live” in this world in the sense that while they are in this world, they are in God and are blessed by God.

 

The fallacy of the term “life in Christ” is that all life for mankind is “life in God” or “life in Christ”, since Christ is God and God is life (John 11:25, 14:6).

 

We still get back to the point that the believers don’t have any more existence than do the unbelievers. However, the believers, unlike the unbelievers, have God, who is life because God indwells them and energizes them.

 

 

There are three other problems with introducing the term “life in Christ”.

 

A. The term “life in Christ” is not found anywhere in the Bible. By substituting this term we are blocking ourselves from thinking about what God is really saying.

 

B. We cannot come to truth when we add or delete words from verses. We must study them how they are written, pray for understanding and think about what God is saying to us.

 

C. God has written the word “life”. When we substitute “life in Christ” or some other phrase we weaken the meaning of the verse. God is talking about “life”. We weaken it to life in Christ that we have invented in our own minds.

 

For example, God says in 1 John 5:12:

 

He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

 

This verse talks about the believers having “life” and the unbelievers not having “life”. This really refers to the believers having God indwell them.

 

But, we change the verse to read like:

 

He that hath the Son hath life in Christ; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life in Christ.

 

This change completely alters what God has said and empties the verse of it’s meaning.

 

We are modifying verses to conform to our thinking.

 

 

If we add or change words to verses we can make the Bible say almost anything that we want. But we don’t have truth.

 

 

For example we read in Romans 3:22, Galatians 2:16 and Philippians 3:9 that we are saved by the “faith of Christ”. In modern translations they have changed that to “faith in Christ”.

 

Changing that one little word makes a huge difference in the meaning. God wrote “faith of Christ”. We cannot say “faith in Christ”.

 

In the same way God we will find many verses where God wrote “life”. We cannot change it to “life in Christ”, if we want truth.

 

 

Let’s consider another example.

 

In 1 Thessalonians 1:3 and 2 Thessalonians 1:11 God talks about the believers and says “your work of faith”. This is a very important phrase because it shows that faith is a type of work.

 

This truth causes a problem for the theologians who believe that faith is not a work. The theologians want to hold to the belief that faith is not a work. However, the KJV Bible says “your work of faith”.

 

To solve this problem the translators of modern versions have substituted the phase “work produced by your faith” in 1 Thessalonians 1:3 and 2 Thessalonians 1:11.

 

The addition of the one word “produced” makes a big change in the meaning.

 

The result is that these theologians have doctrine that they like, but they do not have the truth.

 

The result of making these changes is that we cannot come to truth. Likewise, if we change “life” to “life in Christ” we alter the meaning of the verse and cannot come to truth.

 

 

 

5. We read more verses that declare that mankind is dead:

 

Ephesians 2:1, 5:

 

1 ¶ And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

 

5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

 

1 Peter 4:6:

 

For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

 

Colossians 2:13:

 

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

 

Romans 7:9:

 

For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

 

Genesis 2:17:

 

But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

 

 

These verses simply say that unsaved man is “dead”.

 

We read these verses and say in our minds that unsaved man is “spiritually dead” or “he has lost his life in Christ”. We put these qualifiers on the word “dead” because we have it locked into our minds that death is a cessation of existence or that it must refer to an unconscious corpse.

 

However, the Bible refers to a corpse as a body that is sleeping in the dust.

 

Also, we are confused about how man can die twice, because in our minds “death = cessation of existence”. But, when we learn that “death” for mankind has to do with separation from God, who is “life”, then we can begin to understand how the Bible teaches that unsaved man dies twice, both in body and soul.

 

These verses simply say that the unsaved are “dead”. These verses agree with Romans 8:10 and 1 Corinthians 15:29 that unsaved mankind is dead, both in body and soul.

 

These verses teach us that the definition of “death” for mankind is not cessation of existence. The unsaved are dead, in their whole personality, both in body and soul, yet they still exist.

 

 

God simply says that that unsaved man is dead, both in body and soul

 

This deadness impacts the whole being of mankind; both in body and soul. We can also know this truth because the infection of sin impacts our spirit essence as well as our body. So, our body is equally dead in sins as our soul.

 

The statement “The unsaved are spiritually dead but physically alive” implies that our bodies are not as “dead” as our souls are. It gives the impression that the impact of the deadness of sins is directed toward our soul or spirit. However, this is not true. Before salvation according to the Bible, we are dead in sins; both in body and soul.

 

Also, the statement “our bodies are spiritually dead” is not Biblical. God says our bodies are “dead” without qualification or limitation. By saying our bodies are “spiritually dead” we weaken the impact of the statement.

 

In our minds we think “They are not really dead. They are only spiritually dead.” That’s why we say “When you’re dead, you’re dead” because we believe “death = cessation of existence” and we don’t listen to the Bible when it says that the unsaved are already “dead”, both in body and soul.

 

 

Unsaved man, even though he is dead, both in body and soul, has not ceased to exist in either his body nor his soul, according to the Bible

 

 

Unsaved man has not ceased to exist in either aspect of his personality; neither in his body nor in his spirit. Regarding the unsaved, God says in 1 Peter 3:18-20:

 

18 ¶ For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

 

19  By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

 

20  Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

 

 

This passage is talking about the Holy Spirit bringing the Gospel through the prophet Noah in his days. The unsaved are referred to as “spirits in prison” in verse 19. The unsaved are “in prison” in the sense that they are in bondage to their sins and subject to the wrath of God.

 

But, notice the unsaved are referred to as “spirits in prison”.

 

The phrase “spirits in prison” does not mean that the unsaved are literally in a prison cell. Rather, it means that they are in bondage to their sins. They are in bondage to their sins, in both body and spirit. In their whole personality, they love sin and serve their sin.

 

In this verse, God emphasizes that the unsaved, in their spirit essence, are in bondage to their sins. This verse, along with other verses, shows that the unsaved have a spirit essence. They have not ceased to exist in their spirit essence in any way.

 

1 Peter 3:19 teaches us that the unsaved do have a spirit-essence. Their spirit, along with their body, is in bondage to sin. But, nevertheless, the unsaved do have a spirit-essence.

 

 

From 1 John 4:1-3 we receive further confirmation that the unsaved still have a spirit. The spirit of the unsaved has not ceased to exist.

 

We read in 1 John 4:1-3:

 

1 ¶ Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

 

2  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

 

3  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

 

These verses are talking about people, both saved people and unsaved people. It is referring to those people as “spirits”. These verses are not talking about good and bad angels. According to the Bible, people are the prophets that are sent into the world. There are true prophets and false prophets. Here, God is talking about the true believers as spirits that confess the Lord in verse 2 and the non-believers as spirits that do not confess the Lord (do not have a like mind with God) in verse 3. These verses show that the unsaved still have a spirit essence. They have not ceased to exist in their spirit essence in anyway.

 

 

Later, we will look at more verses that show that the unsaved have a spirit-essence along with their bodies.

 

 

The Bible teaches that unsaved man is dead, both in body and spirit, yet he still exists, both in body and spirit.

 

 

If “death = cessation of existence” then why does unsaved man still exist?

 

Genesis 2:17 and other verses insist that unsaved man is really dead.

 

Remember, God puts the verb “to die” twice in Genesis 2:17. The verse literally reads “dying you shall die”. The translators put “surely die”.

 

God is doubling up, so He is indicating that Adam really did die the day he sinned. When we factor in other verses, we learn that Adam died in both body and soul. We cannot ignore that.

 

The definition of “dead” for mankind that will fit all verses without any modification is “separation from God”. Unsaved man is separated from God, both in body and soul. It is not yet a complete separation. This definition agrees with the Biblical definition for life; “God = life” and life for mankind has to do with his relationship to God, who is “life”.

 

 

 

6. The day that Adam sinned God killed him and all mankind also

 

According to Romans 7:11, the day that Adam sinned, God killed him or “slew” him, and the whole human race along with Adam.

 

We read in Romans 7:9-11:

 

9  For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

 

10  And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.

 

11  For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.

 

The Apostle Paul is speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and declaring in verse 11 that sin “slew” him. It is actually God that “slew” Paul and the whole human race. To be more specific, when Adam sinned, God that “slew” Adam. We learn from Romans 7:11 that everyone comes into the human race already “slain” or “killed” by God, according to the Biblical language.

 

The Greek word translated “slew” is always either translated “kill” or “slay”. This word is always used to refer to killing.

 

In Romans 7:11 this Greek word is in the past tense, indicating that God had already “killed” the Apostle Paul, along with all of mankind and Adam.

 

In Romans 7:9 we learn that the Apostle Paul, and all mankind, were “alive” in Adam. Verse 9 also tells us that the Apostle truly did die. When Adam sinned, he died, both in body and soul. Then, the whole human race became dead also, both in body and soul.

 

 

We think of an unconscious corpse in connection with the words “slay” or “kill”. However, like the word “dead”, God identifies the word “slay” or “kill” for mankind in terms of his relationship to God, who is “life”.

 

 

Romans 7:11 teaches that God “slew” Adam the day that he sinned, and all mankind comes into this world already “slain”. Yet, Adam still existed, both in body and soul. Also, unsaved man exists, both in body and soul. However, according to the Bible, they have already been “slain”. They have been separated from God, who is “life”.

 

 

According to the Bible, God killed or slew Adam, both in body and soul, the day he sinned. That is, Adam died. He became separated from God, who is life.

 

 

Here are some more verses with this same Greek word translated “slew” in Romans 7:11:

 

Matthew 23:34  Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill <615> and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:

 

Matthew 23:37  O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest <615> the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

 

Luke 13:4  Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew <615> them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?

 

Acts 7:52  Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain <615> them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:

 

Romans 11:3  Lord, they have killed <615> thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

 

 

 

According to the Bible, God “slew” or “killed” Adam the day that he sinned. But, later on, man is killed again. Finally, unsaved man is “killed” twice. He is separated from God twice.

 

 

God is defining the word “kill” or “slay” for mankind.

 

God “slew” Adam the day that he sinned. Adam did not cease to exist. Rather, Adam became separated from God, both in body and soul. Adam became dead, both in body and soul, according the Bible.

 

Later on, man dies a second time or is killed a second time, both in body and soul. This is because while man is in this world, he lives in the sense that he is in God (Acts 17:27-28). But, when man is killed the second time, both in body and soul, he is completely separated from God, who is life.

 

It is at that time, that his body sleeps in the dust. It returns to the dust and there is no consciousness in his body until it awakes at the end of the world (Daniel 12:2).

 

That is why we see this same Greek word translated “kill” or “slay” applied to all mankind and Adam at the time that Adam sinned. Then, we see it applied a second time to people in the above verses.

 

 

Through Romans 7:11, God is again teaching that for mankind being “dead” or being “killed” is not a cessation of existence. Rather, it is to be separated from God, who is life.

 

 

It is argued that when unsaved man dies the second time, both in body and soul, and his body sleeps in the dust, then he has been “executed” or “killed” by God.

 

If we follow the Bible, Adam was “killed” by God, both in body and soul, the day he sinned.

 

 

 

Let’s examine an important law that God established that was fully carried out the day Adam and Eve sinned.

 

God makes an important statement in Genesis 2:17

 

We read in Genesis 2:17:

 

But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

 

We learn from Romans 8:10 and 1 Corinthians 15:29 that the body of the believer is “dead”. This means that the body of the unsaved is also “dead”. In the case of the unsaved, his soul is also dead. His soul has not yet passed from death unto life (John 5:24, 1 John 3:14). The unsaved are dead, both in body and soul. Therefore, we can know that Adam died both in body and soul the day that he sinned.

 

In Genesis 2:17 God doubles up on the statement that Adam died the day that he sinned. The phrase “surely die” has the Hebrew word for “die” or “death” twice. In the Hebrew, Genesis 2:17 literally read “dying thou shalt die”. We know from Genesis 41:32 that when God doubles up, He is placing special emphasis on what He is saying.

 

So, God is insisting that Adam really did die the day he sinned, and we know from the rest of the Bible that he died both in body and soul.

 

 

But, what happened to Adam the day that he sinned and died, both in body and soul?

 

The answer to this questions helps us to understand what God means by “death” for mankind.

 

Adam did not cease to exist in anyway nor did his body become an unconscious corpse.

 

To obtain truth about what God means by “death” for mankind we have to look at what happened the day that Adam sinned.

 

In our minds we think that death is either an unconscious corpse or a cessation of existence, but neither of these happened to Adam the day that he sinned.

 

So, to solve this problem we create language like “spiritually dead”, “physically alive”, “lost his life in Christ”, etc. None of this language comes from the Bible and all of it weakens the direct statements made by the Bible.

 

God simply says that Adam “died” without any limitations or qualifications. The rest of the Bible says that he died, both in body and soul. God does not limit the word “die” for Adam. God doubled up by saying “dying you shall die” in Genesis 2:17

 

 

Adam did not cease to exist in any way the day he sinned.  Rather, Adam became separated from God, both in body and soul.

 

 

The day that Adam sinned and died, he did not cease to exist in any way. Rather, he became separated from God, both in body and soul. He was no longer indwelt by God; nor was he energized by God.

 

God defines His own terms.

 

By doubling up in Genesis 2:17, God is telling us that Adam died the day he sinned. He died both in body and soul. If we want truth, we have to look at what happened to Adam the day he sinned. He did not cease to exist in any way. Rather, he became separated from God, both in body and soul. 

 

 

By holding to “death = cessation of existence” we are effectively not listening to Genesis 2:17.

 

In Genesis 2:17 God doubles up and insists that Adam died, the day he sinned. Other verses teach that he died both in body and soul. We say that “death = cessation of existence” and therefore, by our definition, Adam really didn’t die the day he sinned. We say he died spiritually or he lost his life in Christ because we are inventing language to say that Adam did not really die the day he sinned.

 

To come to truth on this issue, we have to carefully look at what happened to Adam the day that he sinned. We find that he did not cease to exist in any way. Rather, he became separated from God; both in body and soul.

 

 

 

7. According to Ephesians 2:5 and Colossians 2:13 the believers have already been “made alive” with Christ

 

We read:

 

Ephesians 2:5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

 

Colossians 2:13  And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

 

 

In both Ephesians 2:5 and Colossians 2:13 we read that the believers have been “quickened” together with Christ. That is the old English word for “made alive”. When we become saved, we have been “made alive” in our spirit. This does not mean that we have not been brought into existence in our spirit. Rather, the true believer now has God, who is “life” Himself, indwelling him.

 

We already learned from 1 Peter 3:19 that unsaved man has a spirit-essence. When we are saved, God makes us alive in our spirit-essence. God did not make us exist in our spirit-essence. Unsaved man already has a spirit-essence.

 

Rather, God, who is life, came to indwell our spirits upon salvation. Now, the true believer has been “made alive” because he has God, who is life, indwelling him.

 

 

 

Unsaved man dies twice, both in body and soul. The second time his body falls asleep.

 

 

The fact that unsaved man dies twice, both in body and soul, fits perfectly with the Biblical definition that for mankind “death = separation from God”. Unsaved man is separated from God twice.

 

The first time occurred when Adam sinned. Mankind became dead, in both body and soul. Adam, along with the whole human race, did not cease to exist, but rather all of mankind became separated from God, both in body and soul. We were no longer energized by God (Philippians 2:12-13); nor were we indwelt by God (Romans 8:9). This is true for both in body and in soul.

 

The fact that unsaved man is dead, both in body and soul, explains why he desires to sin, both in his body and his soul. God does not indwell nor energize him in either his body or his soul. Unsaved man goes his own way and does his own will which is sinful. 

 

Unsaved man is separated from God, both in body and soul, but it is not a complete separation. As explained above, while unsaved man is in this world, he lives in the sense that he is in God and God cares for him (Matthew 5:45, Acts 14:17, 17:27-28) and he is not far from God. God is life. He can pray to God with the possibility that God will hear him. There is hope of salvation. He is not completely separated from God.

 

Eventually, unsaved man dies from this world which is the second time he dies. When unsaved man dies the second time, it is also both in body and soul. If we have any doubt about the soul dying a second time we can refer to Joshua 10 which is talking about Joshua destroying the “souls” of the people of the land of Canaan. When unsaved man dies from this world, that is his second separation or eternal separation from God. He is separated from God and all of God’s care for him in this world (Matthew 5:45, Acts 14:17, 17:27-28). This is an eternal separation for him.

 

It is at this point that his body falls asleep so that there is no consciousness in his body until it is awakened at the end of the world (Daniel 12:2).

 

 

The fact that unsaved man dies twice confuses us and makes us think in terms of “spiritual death” and “physical death”. Part of the answer comes when we understand that the second time man dies occurs at the same time that his body “sleeps” in the dust. 

 

 

Maybe, we recognize that Adam died twice and that unsaved man dies twice.

 

The first time he died occurred the day that he sinned (Genesis 2:17). The second time he died occurred at the age of 930 years (Genesis 5:5).

 

How man could die twice confuses us.

 

Part of the confusion comes from the fact that we don’t see visible evidence of the fact that unsaved man is already dead, but we do see visible evidence when man dies the second time.

 

That’s because the second time man dies occurs at the same time that his body “falls asleep”. What we are seeing is the fact that the body sleeps.

 

These two facts lead us to say that when Adam died in Genesis 2:17 it was his soul that died and that unsaved man is dead in his soul. We cannot see the soul.

 

Then we say that Adam’s body died in Genesis 5:5 and that unsaved man’s body dies the second time he dies.

 

This way of thinking makes sense to us, but does not agree with Romans 8:10 and 1 Corinthians 15:29 that talk about the fact that man’s body is already dead.

 

It does not agree with 1 Peter 3:19 and other verses that teach that unsaved man still has a spirit as well as a body.

 

It does not agree with Joshua 10 that says that Joshua killed the souls of the unsaved people. The soul points to the spirit-essence of man. Joshua killed the spirits as well as the bodies of those people.

 

It does not agree with how God defines life for mankind in 1 John 5:12, John 6:53 and many other verses.

 

These are some of the problems with this thinking that are explained in these studies.

 

 

The problem is that we have been used to thinking this way for a long time and we are depending too much on what we see with our eyes rather than what the Bible says.

 

 

What makes this difficult is that the second time man dies corresponds with the time that his body “sleeps”. So, we define “death” as a loss of consciousness in the body and the decay of the body and we disregard such verses as Romans 8:10 and 1 Corinthians 15:29 which say that man is already dead both in body and soul. However, the failing of the body is called “sleep” for the body.

 

 

God does not use the word “dead” in connection with mankind to focus upon the destruction of the body. Instead, God uses the word “sleep” to speak of the failing of the body.

 

 

Unsaved man is already dead, both in body and soul, yet his body is still functional.

 

The second time an unsaved person dies from this world does identify with the destruction of the body because the second time man dies from this world is the same time that his body sleeps in the dust.

 

This is necessary because while man is in this world, he is in God. Acts 17:28 declares that even unsaved man “lives” in the sense that he is in God and under God’s blessings. When his body fails and loses consciousness, then man is completely separated from God and His blessing. That is, man dies a second time.

 

It is at the time of the failing of the body that unsaved man is completely separated from God. But, death for mankind signifies separation from God. Unsaved man dies twice, both in body and soul. He is separated from God twice.

 

 

Later on, we will look more at the word “sleep”.

 

When either the believer or the unbeliever dies from this world, the Bible says his body “sleeps”. There is no consciousness in his body until it “awakes” at the end of the world. The “sleep” of the body does identify with the destruction or failing of the body. This happens the second time man dies, both in body and soul. We will examine the sleeping of the body more later.

 

 

God puts more focus upon the “death” of unsaved man. But, what we can see with our eyes is a body sleeping in this dust. These facts make it easy for us to arrive at the wrong definition of “death” for mankind.

 

We read many verses that talk about the death of the unsaved. We read only a few verses that talk about man’s body sleeping in the dust.

 

One reason for the emphasis upon death is probably because it is the greatest tragedy for mankind. Death from this world means that man is eternally separated from God and from all of God’s blessings. It truly horrible. Therefore, we are not surprised that God puts great emphasis upon death.

 

However, what we see with our eyes is a body sleeping in the dust. We cannot directly see the death or separation of man from God.

 

Therefore, it is very easy for us to link in our minds that “death = a body sleeping in the dust”.

 

But, this is not true. According to the Bible “death” and a “body sleeping in the dust” are two separate events that occur at the same time.

 

 

 

8. We read in John 5:24-25:

 

24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

 

25  Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

 

These verses are talking about salvation. When God saves us we experience the “passing from death unto life”. Also, God says that the dead shall hear the voice of God and shall live.

 

In the first part of verse 24 God uses the phrase “everlasting life”. Then at the end God uses the word “life”. This may cause us to think that we can substitute “everlasting life” for “life” at the end of the verse, but we cannot do that. At the end of the verse God has written “passed from death unto life” and we must understand this phrase without changing it.

 

We learn from the rest of the Bible that the soul of man has “passed from death unto life” upon salvation. This will also happen in his body at the time of the Rapture. So, in both body and soul, he will finally “pass from death unto life”, because before salvation he was dead, both in body and soul.

 

What does it mean that the believer has “passed from death unto life”? He is not “passing from non-existence to existence”. When we become saved, we don’t come into existence in anyway. We don’t gain any existence.

 

One might argue that the spirit of the unsaved does not exist and that the phrase “passed from death unto life” means that when God saves someone his spirit has “passed from non-existence unto existence”. But that is not the case. We have seen that unsaved man has a spirit also.

 

 

Let’s review a few verses that show that unsaved man exists in his spirit-essence as well as in his body.

 

God gives us help to see that the unsaved have a spirit-essence in 1 Peter 3:19. We read there:

 

By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

 

This is referring to the unsaved people living during the days of Noah. The Holy Spirit preached the Gospel through Noah to those unsaved people before the flood. Those unsaved people are referred to as “spirits in prison”.

 

Unsaved man is a spirit in prison. He is also a body in prison. Unsaved man is in bondage to sin in both his body and spirit.

 

God here is teaching that the unsaved have a spirit-essence just like they have a body. The unsaved exist, both in body and spirit. The unsaved are “spirits in prison”. Therefore, they must have a “spirit”.

 

 

1 Peter 3:19 teaches us that just as unsaved man has a body, he also has a spirit.

 

 

We read in Psalms 78:8:

 

And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.

 

This is talking about the sad state of the unsaved Israelites. God said their spirit was not stedfast with God. They were in rebellion against God. Notice God indicates that they had a spirit. The unsaved Israelites had spirits. Their spirits were not “stedfast” or did not “believe” in God.

 

But, nevertheless, they had spirits.

 

This is another proof that unsaved people have existence in both their body and their spirit.

 

 

God talks about His wrath upon the unsaved in Isaiah 65:14. We read there:

 

Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.

 

Isaiah 65:14 teaches that the unsaved will experience “vexation of spirit” at Judgment Day. This also shows that the unsaved have a spirit-essence. They will be vexed in their spirit-essence at Judgment Day.

 

 

 

We read two verses in Daniel 2 that talk about the “spirit” of Nebuchadnezzar being troubled:

 

Daniel 2:1  And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.

 

Daniel 2:3  And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.

 

The fact that his spirit was troubled proves that Nebuchadnezzar had a spirit.

 

We know that Nebuchadnezzar was unsaved in Daniel 2 because in the next chapter, Daniel 3, he makes this great idol for the people to worship. We can know that Nebuchadnezzar was not saved.

 

Therefore, Daniel 2:1 & 3 give further confirmation that the unsaved have a spirit.

 

 

 

These are some of the verses that teach that unsaved man has a spirit-essence along with his body. The spirit of unsaved man has not ceased to exist. Just like saved man, unsaved man has a body as well as a spirit.

 

 

With the knowledge that unsaved man has a spirit as well as a body, let’s go back to John 5:24 and look at the phrase “passed from death unto life”

 

We read in John 5:24:

 

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

 

 

God says that when we become saved, we have “passed from death unto life”.

 

Unsaved man has both a spirit and a body. He exists in both body and spirit. When he is saved he truly has “passed from death unto life”. He has not “passed from non-existence to existence”. Before salvation, unsaved man already exists both in body and spirit.

 

We cannot ignore this statement, “passed from death unto life”. Upon salvation the believer’s soul really does “passed from death unto life”.

 

We have not “passed from being subject to death unto life”. We have not passed from non-existence into existence upon salvation.

 

This is not a theoretical or hypothetical statement. It is a statement of actual fact.

 

When we become saved, in our soul, we pass from death unto life. John 11:25 & 14:6 teach us that God is life. Upon salvation, we pass from separation from God to indwelling by God in our soul. God indwells the true believer in his soul upon salvation, but not in his body (Romans 7:18, 8:9).

 

This passage fits perfectly with the Biblical definitions of life and death for mankind. In his soul, the believer now has life, which is God indwelling (John 6:53, 1 John 5:12).

 

The believer does not have any more existence than the unbeliever. Rather, the believer now has passed from death unto life because he has God indwelling him. He has God (2 John 9).

 

John 5:25 talks about the dead hearing the voice of God. Someone that has ceased to exist cannot hear anything. Also, 2 Kings 4:31 teaches that an unconscious corpse cannot hear either. We will examine 2 Kings 4:31 later in this study.

 

However, those that are separated from God can hear the voice of God because they still exist. God can give them understanding of spiritual truth of the Bible.

 

The dead shall live. That is, God, who is “life”, will come to indwell them. Then they will have “life”. This happens when we become saved. The definition of life for mankind as to do with his relationship to God (John 6:53, 1 John 5:12, Acts 17:27-28). God, who is life, has come into man’s soul, so now he has “life”. God is the “life” that now indwells him. God is “the life” that man now has in his soul.

 

 

John 5:24-25 provides help in understanding John 5:28.

 

In John 5:28 we read about the “resurrection of life” for the believer’s body. We think that means the “resurrection of conscious existence”. However, God talks about the soul of the believer in the previous verses, verses 24-25. God says that upon salvation, the soul has “passed from death unto life”. The word, “life”, does not refer to existence. Before salvation the unsaved exist just like believers exist, despite the fact that the unsaved are dead, both in body and soul. This phrase “passed from death unto life” in verse 24 means that now God, who is “life”, has come into the person’s soul. The believer has passed from separation from God to being indwelt by God, in his soul. He has not passed unto any existence.

 

In the same way, the “resurrection of life” in John 5:28 does not mean a “resurrection of conscious existence” in the believer’s body. Rather, it means that God, who is “life”, has now come into the believer’s body at the resurrection of the last day. This statement is supported by John 6:53, 1 John 5:12 and other verses. On the last day, the believer’s body experiences the “resurrection of Christ”. The believer receives a body that Christ is now indwelling. He does not receive a body like he had in this world which is “dead”, separated from God.

 

Remember, while the believer lives in this world his body is still dead (Romans 8:10, 1 Corinthians 15:29). His body is still separated from God. But, at the resurrection of the last day, God will indwell his body also. Until then, God only indwells the believer’s soul. (Romans 7:18, 8:9). This is why the believer’s body is still dead. But at the resurrection of the last day, his body will have “life = God” also. That is why the believer experiences the “resurrection of life”.

 

 

 

9. We read in 1 John 3:14:

 

We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

 

This verse gives a similar message as John 5:24. So God is giving us multiple witnesses in the Bible to this truth regarding the “passing from death unto life”. In his soul, the true believer has passed unto life. He has not passed into existence. The unsaved exist in both body and soul. However, the true believer has passed unto God in the sense that God now indwells his soul and energizes him (Romans 7:18, 8:9, Philippians 2:12-13). He now has “life”, which is God Himself, in his soul.

 

In 1 John 3:14 God adds more information. Notice that God says that the unsaved “abideth in death”. This is true for both his body and his soul. He did not say that the unsaved abideth in being subject to death.

 

The unsaved abide in death. You cannot abide in non-existence. However, you can abide in separation from God. That is the state of the unsaved. Both in body and soul, they abide in death. They abide in separation from God. They exist, but they abide in separation from God, both in body and soul.

 

This language “abideth in death” also shows that the Bible teaches that unsaved man is not just somehow “subject to death” and not really dead. Rather, the Bible teaches that unsaved man is really dead and abides (or exists) in the state of being dead. This verse helps us to recognize that the Bible teaches that unsaved man is really “dead” and we just can’t ignore Genesis 2:17, Romans 8:10, 1 Corinthians 15:29, Ephesians 2:1, 5, 1 Peter 4:6, etc. We must recognize that unsaved man is really dead, both in body and soul.

 

This verse also agrees with the teaching that for mankind death is not cessation of existence. You cannot abide in cessation of existence. Those two terms are opposites, “abide” and “cease to exist”.

 

As we are seeing these verses fit perfectly when we understand that the Bible defines, “God = life” and for mankind, life has to do with his relationship to God and death for mankind is separation from God.

 

We have to modify many verses in our minds to fit them to the definitions “life = existence” and “death = cessation of existence”.

 

 

 

10. We read in 1 John 5:20 and 1:1-2:

 

1 John 5:20:

 

And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

 

1 John 1:1-2:

 

1 ¶ That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;

 

2  (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)

 

 

These verses teach us that the Lord Jesus is eternal life. He is called “eternal life”. So, when John 3:16 and other verses say that the believers “have” eternal life. God is literally saying that the believers “have” the Lord Jesus, who is “eternal life”, indwelling them. That is one way those verses can be read.

 

The Lord Jesus is also called “life” in 1 John 1:1-2. This agrees with John 11:25 & 14:6. These verses focus upon the fact that God Himself is “life”.

 

This agrees with 1 John 5:12, John 6:53 and other verses that teach that for mankind “life” does not have to do with existence, but rather with his relationship to God. 

 

These verses teach us that the Lord Jesus has two more names. He is called “life” and “eternal life”. These new names help us to understand Daniel 12:2 better. The bodies of both the saved and the unsaved will “awake”. That word “awake” is always applied to someone with conscious existence; either man or God. It is never used in some generic way nor is it ever used to speak of inanimate objects like bones.

 

God specifically gives us 2 Kings 4:31 with the same Hebrew word translated “awake” in Daniel 12:2 to define this Hebrew word translated “awake”.

 

We read in these two verses:

 

2 Kings 4:31  And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked <06974>.

 

Daniel 12:2  And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake <06974>, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

 

 

Daniel 12:2 promises that the bodies of the saved and of the unsaved will “awake”. 2 Kings 4:31 provides definition for this Hebrew word translated “awake”. In 2 Kings 4:31 God defines that an unconscious corpse is not “awake”. Therefore, we can know that at the last day, when the bodies of the saved and the unsaved “awake”, they will not “awake” as unconscious corpses. God has defined that an unconscious corpse is not “awake”. Therefore, the bodies of the saved and the unsaved must “awake” to consciousness.

 

 

Also, 2 Kings 4:31 is a key verse because it defines that an unconscious corpse is not awake (same Hebrew word that is used in Daniel 12:2).

 

 

We will look at this word “awake” in more detail later in this and other studies.

 

 

But - what about the phrase “awake to everlasting life”? Does that mean that the unsaved don’t return to conscious existence because they awake, but not to “everlasting life”?

 

No.

 

The Bible tells us that the Lord Jesus is called “eternal life” or “everlasting life”. That is what the believers have. They have the Lord Jesus, called “eternal life”, indwelling them in their soul (John 6:53, 1 John 3:15, 5:12). But, while they lived in this world, their bodies were still “dead”, separated from God (Romans 7:18, 8:10, 1 Corinthians 15:29). However, the believers will awake in their bodies to the Lord Jesus, who is called “eternal life” or “everlasting life” now indwelling their bodies. The unsaved will awake to consciousness, but they will not have the Lord Jesus, called “eternal life”, indwelling them.

 

Before the Rapture, the Lord Jesus is not indwelling the body of the true believer. He is only indwelling his soul (Romans 7:18, 8:9). But, at the Rapture, the believers’ bodies will awake to “everlasting life”. That is, they will awake to the Lord Jesus indwelling their bodies now.

 

 

 

11. We read in John 17:1-3:

 

1 ¶ These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:

 

2  As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

 

3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

 

These verses confirm that the definition of eternal life is not merely existing forever. John 17:1-3 add that the definition of having eternal life includes knowing God in a saving way. This agrees with the Biblical definition that “life (or eternal life) = God” and for mankind “life (or eternal life) = God in man or man in God”. We come to know God in a saving way when He has come to indwell us.

 

To say it another way; these verses are saying that “eternal life” for mankind has to do with his relationship to God and not with existence. That is the same truth that 1 John 5:12 and other verses say about the word “life”.

 

 

 

12. We read in 1 John 3:15:

 

Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

 

Here God says that the unsaved do not have “eternal life abiding in him”. If we think that “eternal life = existing forever”, the above verse is not worded correctly. By this phrase, God is personifying “eternal life”. With the help of 1 John 1:2 and 5:20, we learn that “eternal life” is another name for the Lord Jesus. Now, this statement fits perfectly. The unsaved do not have “eternal life”, that is the Lord Jesus, abiding in them. This statement confirms that “eternal life” is another name for the Lord Jesus. To have “eternal life” is not referring to existing forever, but rather, it is referring to having the Lord Jesus indwelling.

 

This verse also indicates that the true believer has “eternal life (The Lord Jesus) abiding in him”. This statement agrees with the definition of life or eternal life for mankind has to do with his relationship to God.

 

The phrase “eternal life” emphasizes the promise of God that the He will never leave nor forsake the true believer. The true believer will eternally be under the blessing of God and be with God, who is life Himself.

 

Below are some verses with this same word “abiding”, number <3306>. They show that for the true believer, the Lord Jesus (eternal life) abides in him.

 

John 6:56  He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth <3306> in me, and I in him.

 

John 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide <3306> with you for ever;

 

John 14:17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth <3306> with you, and shall be in you.

 

1 John 4:12  No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth <3306> in us, and his love is perfected in us.

 

1 John 4:13  Hereby know we that we dwell <3306> in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

 

1 John 4:15  Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth <3306> in him, and he in God.

 

1 John 4:16  And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth <3306> in love dwelleth <3306> in God, and God in him.

 

 

So, 1 John 3:15 confirms that the true believer has the Lord Jesus, also called “eternal life”, dwelling in him. But, the unbeliever does not have the Lord Jesus, “eternal life”, abiding in him.

 

 

 

13. We read in Romans 8:10:

 

And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

 

Romans 8:10 tells us that the body of the saved is dead. If the body of the saved is dead, then the body of the unsaved is also dead. Therefore, this verse supports the important Biblical truth that unsaved man is dead, both in body and soul and thereby showing that for mankind death is not a cessation of existence.

 

This verse also supports the important truth that for mankind, “life” has to do with his relationship with God, who is “life”.

 

This verse is written in an unusual way. In fact, the NIV translators were confused enough that they changed the verse to make more sense to themselves, but in doing so, they have hidden a very important truth taught in this verse. The King James translators correctly followed the Greek text.

 

We would expect this verse to say “… the body is dead … but the spirit is alive”, describing the believer’s spirit as being “alive”. But, God does not say that. God says that the “spirit is life”, using the noun “life”. This can only be God’s Spirit, which is called “life” in this verse and in John 11:25, 14:6. This verse reaffirms the important truth; “God = life”.

 

God is describing the believer’s personality in this verse. His body is dead. It is separated from God. Next you would expect God to declare the state of believer’s spirit because God just told us the state of the believer’s body. Rather than doing that, God tells us that God’s Spirit is life. The believer’s body is dead, but God’s Spirit is “the life” that now indwells the believer’s spirit. The believer’s spirit has life because it has God indwelling, who is life.

 

God is teaching the definition that for mankind “life” has to do with his relationship with God and not with existence. Romans 7:18 & 8:9 indicate that God’s spirit, called “life” here and in other verses (John 11:25, 14:6), indwells the true believer’s spirit. That is why the believer’s spirit has “passed from death unto life” (John 5:24, 1 John 3:14). God, who is “life”, has come to indwell the believer’s spirit.

 

The body remains dead. It has not ceased to exist. Rather it is still separated from God until the Rapture (Romans 7:18, 8:9).

 

This verse emphasizes that it is God’s spirit that is the “life”. The believer’s spirit has “life” because it has God who is “life”.

 

 

 

14. We read in Romans 8:11:

 

But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

 

Romans 8:11 is a follow up to Romans 8:10. It further agrees with the definition for mankind: “death = separation from God”. It does not agree that for mankind; death is a cessation of existence.

 

God says that He will “quicken” (or make alive) the believers’ mortal bodies. This goes along with verse 10 that says that the believers’ bodies are dead. The believers’ bodies have not ceased to exist nor have the believers being addressed died from the world. However, their bodies are dead. They are separated from God. They are not indwelt by God, nor energized by God. God will not make their new bodies alive until the Rapture when He indwells them.

 

The believers will receive a glorified spiritual body on the last day. However, that is not what makes their bodies have the “life” described in Romans 8:10-11. Adam and Eve had bodies of flesh, but their bodies had the “life” described in Romans 8:11 until they sinned. When they sinned, they died, both in body and soul. They became separated from God.

 

The “life” promised for the believer’s body in this verse is that God will give the believer a body that God Himself indwells.

 

 

 

15. We read in a number of verses where God is called “the life”:

 

Joohn 14:6:

 

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

 

John 11:25-26:

 

25  Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

 

26  And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

 

1 John 1:2:

 

(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)

 

Joohn 1:4:

 

In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

 

In John 1:4, The Lord Jesus is the “life” that was the light of men. As John 1:4 describes, “life” is not only in the Lord Jesus, but the Lord Jesus is “life” itself.

 

When we read these verses maybe we think of God as the giver of life. This is a true statement. However, these verses are saying that God is life.

 

In these verses God is called “life” without any qualifications or limitations. The term “life” becomes another name for God. Just like “truth” and “way” are names for Christ, another name for Christ is “life”. This fits exactly what we read in 1 John 5:12 and John 6:53.

 

In these verses God identifies the word “life” with God and not with existence.

 

Let’s consider John 14:6. The unsaved don’t have the “way” nor do they have the “truth” because they are estranged from God. The believers have the “way” and they have “truth” because they have God and God is energizing them. God identifies “life” for mankind in the same way He identifies the “way” and the “truth” for mankind, specifically with man’s relationship with God.

 

We have already seen a number of verses in which God does not identify “life” for man as existence, but rather with man’s relationship to God, who is “life”.

 

Another way to say it is: The believers have the “way”, the “truth” and the “life” because the God of the Bible is their God. The unsaved don’t have these 3 things because they are estranged from God. Yet, the unbelievers exist just like the believers exist.

 

 

 

If “life” for mankind has to do with his relationship to God, then what is the significance of “life” for man?

 

A key part of the answer is the blessings that come from God.

 

For example, we read in Psalm 16:11:

 

>Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

 

God starts out Psalm 16:11 by talking about the “path of life”. The “path of life” is really the path of God. Next in this verse God lists the blessings that God gives the true believers. There is “fulness of joy” and there are “pleasures for evermore”.

 

In this verse and others, God is linking “life” for mankind with being in the highest blessings of God. That is because “life” for mankind does not have to do with existence, but rather “life” for mankind has to do with his relationship to God and all of the blessings that God gives.

 

In this world, even the unsaved “live” in the sense that they are in God and God provides many blessings for them (Matthew 5:45, Acts 14:17, 17:28).

 

For mankind, “life” is not existence, but rather life for mankind is God Himself and all of the wonderful blessings of God.

 

 

 

We have already seen verses where God declares that life for mankind has to do with his relationship to God, who is life. These verses help us to understand John 5:28-29. We read in those verses:

 

28  Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

 

29  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

 

The believers experience the “resurrection of life”. That particular word “resurrection” is always used to indicate conscious existence. It is never used indicate a generic “rising up”, like the rising up of dust or bones. A related verb is used to indicate a general rising up. But, for this word in John 5:29, God has been very careful to limit it’s usage to indicate a conscious existence.

 

With the help of the above verses that define “life” as another name for God, we can understand the phrase “resurrection of life”. It actually is the “resurrection of Christ”. The believers receive a return to consciousness in their bodies (the definition of the word “resurrection”) that includes their bodies having “life”, who is God, indwelling them.

 

 

 

16. We read several verses with the phrase “enter into life”:

 

Maatthew 18:8:

 

Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.

 

Maatthew 18:9:

 

And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

 

Maatthew 19:17:

 

And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

 

Mark 9:43:

 

And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

 

Maark 9:45

 

And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

 

 

This word “enter” is used for entering into a place or room. It is also used a number of times talking about how we “enter” into the kingdom of God when God saves us (Matthew 5:20, 7:13, 21, 18:3, Mark 10:15, 25, John 3:5, Revelation 21:27, 22:14).

 

These verses don’t fit for the definition “life = existence”. The unsaved already exist just like the believers exist. The unsaved have existence in both their body and in their spirit. We looked at 1 Peter 3:19 and other verses that show that the unsaved exist, both in body and spirit.

 

How could they “enter into existence” or enter into any more existence?

 

Also, when we study the Bible closely, we learn that the unsaved are dead both in body and soul. So, they need to “enter into life” both in body and soul. The unsaved have not yet entered into life, in either body or soul, but they do exist, both in body and soul. 

 

However, when we see that the Bible defines that God Himself is “life” (John 11:25, 14:6, etc) and that for mankind “life” has to do with his relationship to God (John 6:53, 1 John 5:12, etc.), then the above verses fit perfectly.

 

When we become saved we “enter into life”. That is, we “enter into God”. We don’t enter into existence, but we enter into God Himself. God comes to indwell us. God energizes us. The Lord Jesus, who is eternal life Himself, comes to indwell us.

 

The believers enter into the Kingdom of God. They also enter into God Himself, who is “the life”.

 

These verses again are showing us that for mankind “life” does not have to do with existence, but rather with man’s relationship to God, who is “life”.

 

 

 

17. We read in Matthew 7:13-14:

 

13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

 

14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

 

Here God is talking about the two different paths upon which man is going. The strait gate and narrow way leads unto life. Verse 14 tells us that, sadly, most people do not find the path that leads unto life.

 

In this verse, “life” cannot be existence. The unsaved already exist. They don’t need to find a way that leads unto existence. They already exist. However, the unsaved do need to find a way that leads unto God, who is life.

 

Also, God did not say “eternal life”. We cannot come to truth by adding words to verses. In order to understand the Biblical definition of life and death for mankind, we are going to have to understand these verses without adding words.

 

The strait gate of salvation does not lead unto existence. The unsaved already exist. Rather, it leads unto God, who is life. It leads unto God and all of the blessings of God.

 

When we have become saved, we have already entered the strait gate and the narrow way unto life. We have not entered into existence. Rather, we have entered into God, who is life.

 

We can understand this verse when we realize that life for mankind has to do with his relationship to God. Few people go through the gate and are on the way that leads unto life, which is God indwelling. Being indwelt by God comes with salvation.

 

 

 

18. We read in Ezekiel 37:1-14:

 

1 ¶ The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,

 

2  And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.

 

3  And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.

 

4  Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.

 

5  Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:

 

6  And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

 

7  So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.

 

8  And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.

 

9  Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.

 

10  So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

 

11  Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.

 

12  Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.

 

13  And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,

 

14  And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.

 

 

This passage mentions the words “live” or “life” in verses 3, 5, 6, 9, 10 and 14. Therefore this passage is very relevant to study of “life” for mankind.

 

The first question is: Does this passage establish the principle that literal dry bones can hear the word of God?

 

1. The first response to this question is that just because a passage has a spiritual Gospel truth, that does not necessarily mean that it also teaches a literal physical truth.

 

It is generally agreed that this passage teaches about the salvation of the elect. However, does it also establish a literal physical principle?

 

We cannot automatically conclude that every parabolic passage with a spiritual, Gospel truth also teaches a literal physical truth. For example in John 6:53 we read:

 

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

 

John 6:53 is using parabolic language to teach spiritual, Gospel principles of salvation. However, we cannot also say that this passage also has a literal physical application. God is not teaching us that man is to literally drink the blood of Jesus or eat his flesh. John 6:53 can only be understood in a spiritual, Gospel way. It cannot be applied in a literal, physical way.

 

If we want to believe that John 6:53 can have a literal, physical application, then we have to believe that people could actual drink the blood of Jesus and eat His flesh.

 

Therefore, a parabolic passage that teaches Gospel truth does not necessarily establish a literal, physical principle.

 

 

2. Yet, could it be that Ezekiel 37:1-14 still teaches a physical, literal principle?

 

Next, we have to keep in mind that we cannot isolate one verse in Ezekiel 37:1-14 from the whole passage. If this passage establishes principles regarding literal, physical dry bones, then we must consider everything that this passage says about these bones.

 

For example, verse 4 says that these dry bones will hear the word of the LORD. But, verse 11 gives more information about these dry bones that can hear. God says in verse 11:

 

Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.

 

Verse 11 gives more information about these dry bones that can hear. Verse 11 indicates that these dry bones can also speak. These bones say “Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.” That is, these bones talk.

 

These bones can also experience affliction. Notice that these bones are talking about their miserable condition. These bones experience affliction and emotion.

 

 

We cannot isolate verse 4 from it’s context. If we want to say that Ezekiel 37:1-11 is teaching that literal dry bones can hear, then it is also teaching that they can talk and experience affliction.

 

 

In that case, those that want to hold to the teaching that the resurrection of the unsaved will be as dry bones, then those unsaved people, as dry bones, will be hearing God and they will be talking and will experience affliction in hell.

 

 

So, we’re back to the point that the unsaved, whether they are raised in a body or as dry bones, will be able to hear and talk and experience the afflictions of hell. That is, they will awake to consciousness.

 

 

A second point is that if this passage is establishing a principle regarding literal, physical dry bones, then this passage must have had a fulfillment at some point in the past or will have a fulfillment at some time in the future. If this passage is really establishing a literal, physical principle, then it is describing either a past or future historical event.

 

 

So, the question is: Has this already occurred or will it occur in the future? That a literal pile of dry bones are changed into an group of people?

 

 

This has never happened, nor will it ever happen.

 

 

Therefore, we can know that Ezekiel 37:1-14 is a parabolic passage that teaches Gospel truth, but like John 6:53, it does not have any literal or physical application.

 

 

So, we can be quite certain that when John 5:28 talks about people, both the saved and the unsaved, hearing the voice of God and coming forth, that these people will consciously hear the voice of God. We don’t find any reference to mankind “hearing” where the person did not consciously receive the sound.

 

Also, 2 Kings 4:31 teaches us that unconscious corpse cannot hear. If an unconscious corpse cannot hear, then a pile of bones cannot hear. We read in 2 Kings 4:31:

 

And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked.

 

We learn from 2 Kings 4:31 that an unconscious corpse cannot hear. Therefore we can know that dry bones cannot hear.

 

 

Remember, John 5:28-29 talks about people hearing the voice of God and people coming forth. It does not say that the remains of people will hear and that the remains of people will come forth. It talks about people coming forth.

 

Throughout the Bible as God uses the word “hear” in connection with mankind it means that man consciously “hears”. We don’t find examples in the Bible contrary to that. Ezekiel 37:1-11 agrees with this truth also.

 

Maybe someone can find a verse that talks about an inanimate object, like a rock, that “hears”. However, John 5:28-29 is talking about mankind. Ezekiel 37:1-11 agrees with all of the other verses that teach that for mankind hearing is a conscious process.  2 Kings 4:31 says that an unconscious corpse does not hear.

 

So, we can know that when John 5:28-29 talks about mankind hearing, it is a conscious process.

 

God avoids the use of the word “life” in connection with the unsaved in eternity because the Biblical definition of life for mankind has to do with his relationship with God, who is “life”. Sadly, in eternity future, the unsaved are completely separated from God. However, they still exist.

 

 

 

19. We read an important statement in Colossians 3:4:

 

When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

 

God put clues here and there in the Bible that God, rather than existence, is “life” for mankind. Here we read another name for the Lord Jesus, “our life”. God Himself is the “life” that dwells in the true believer so that the believer has God, who is “life”, indwelling him.

 

The Lord Jesus Christ is “life”. When we become saved, Christ becomes “our life”. The unsaved exist as do the believers, but they do not have “our life”, which is the Lord Jesus, indwelling them.

 

The Lord Jesus is not “our life” for the unsaved. 

 

It is not that the believers exist and the unbelievers don’t exist. Rather, the believers have God indwelling, who is “our life”.

 

In Colossians 3:4 God is emphasizing that “life” for mankind has to do with his relationship to God, and not whether man exists.

 

 

We read a verse in the Old Testament that is similar to Colossians 3:4. We read in Deuteronomy 30:19-20:

 

19  I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

 

20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

 

Ancient Israel was frequently used as a picture of the true believers even though most of them never became saved. In verse 20 God is talking about them as if they were true believers. The true believers love God, obey his voice (The Bible) and have cleaved to Him. For them, He is their life. Verse 20 is like Colossians 3:4 which says that Christ is “life” for the true believers. Christ is already the life of the true believers. Christ is not the life of the unsaved in the same way. However, the unsaved exist just as much as the true believers exist.

 

This agrees with other verses that say that the true believers have God indwelling them, and God is the life. God is the life of the true believers.

 

Deuteronomy 30:20 agrees with the other verses that teach that “God = life” and for mankind, the Bible does not define life as existence, but rather “life = God in man or man in God”.

 

 

 

20. We read in Galatians 2:19-20:

 

19  For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.

 

20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

 

In verse 20 we read the significant statement “I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me”. This statement is providing further support to an important truth. This phrase emphasizes that in the believer, the important “life” is Christ living in him. The true believer has Christ living in him. Therefore, He has “life = Christ”. The definition of “life” for mankind is not existence, but rather God, who is “the life”, indwelling the true believer.

 

We read in the Bible about how the believer “lives”. By the phrase “I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me”, God gives definition for “life” for the believer. It is Christ, who is called “life”, that “lives” in the believer. Therefore the believer has “life” because he has Christ, who is “life”, indwelling him. This again confirms that “life” for mankind is not existence, but instead it is God in man or man in God.

 

Galatians 2:19-20 agrees well with Romans 8:10 that says “the Spirit is life”. God’s Spirit is the life that is in man, according to Romans 8:10. This point is emphasized in Galatians 2:19-20. It is Christ that lives in the true believer.

 

These and other verses point to the Biblical truth that life for mankind has to do with his relationship with God.

 

Also, the Bible indicates that the unsaved do “live” while they are here on earth. Acts 17:28 explains that while they are here on earth, the unsaved “live” in the sense that they are in God and move in God. While they are on earth, they are not completely separated from God. God provides for them. They “live” in the sense that they are in God to some degree.

 

 

 

21. We read in Revelation 11:7-11:

 

7  And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.

8  And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

9  And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.

10  And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

11  And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.

 

 

This passage talks about the 2 witnesses. They represent the true believers throughout the New Testament era that brought the Gospel.

 

They are killed in verse 7. God emphasizes that they are dead in verse 8 through the reference to their “dead bodies”.

 

Then, in verse 11 we read that the “Spirit of life”, which is God Himself, enters into them and they stand upon their feet. They have “life” again. 

 

A careful study of the 3 ½ days of Revelation 11:9 will show that it represents the 2,300 days of Daniel 8:14. This is the first part of the Great Tribulation in which almost no one was saved. It went from May 21, 1988 to September 7, 1994. This was the time when the Holy Spirit was not working in the true believers to save large numbers of people through the hearing of the Gospel.

 

At Pentecost on May 21, 33AD, the Holy Spirit was poured out so that the true believers were filled by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit enabled them to carry out God’s command to go into all the world with the Gospel. God was working in them to bring the Gospel to the whole world.

 

God uses the language of being “filled” with the Holy Spirit to indicate that during the New Testament era (except for the 2,300 days), God, in the person of the Holy Spirit, would especially be working in the true believers to enable them to bring the Gospel to the whole world.

 

Here are some example verses with this language of being “filled with the Holy Ghost”:

 

Acts 2:4  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

 

Acts 4:8  Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

 

Acts 4:31  And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

 

Acts 13:9  Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,

 

 

Acts 2:4 describes Pentecost in 33AD when the true believers were first filled with the Holy Spirit. The other verses repeat the point that the true believers in the New Testament era were filled with the Holy Spirit which enabled them to bring the Gospel. The above 4 verses are set in the context of bringing the Gospel.

 

The true believers continued to be filled with the Holy Spirit until the beginning of the Great Tribulation on May 21, 1988, in which the Holy Spirit was withdrawn for 2,300 days until September 7, 1994. That was the first part of the Great Tribulation.

 

During that first part of the Great Tribulation, the Holy Spirit was not “filling” the true believers like He was starting in Pentecost in 33AD. That is, God was not working in the true believers to bless their efforts to bring the Gospel to the whole world.

 

Then, after the 2,300 days, the Holy Spirit was poured out a second time, and the true believers were again “filled” with the Holy Spirit to bring the Gospel in the second Jubilee.

 

This explanation is important because it will help us understand why God refers to the 2 witnesses as “dead” in Revelation 11:7-8 and then indicates that they are made alive by the entering in of the “Spirit of life” in verse 11.

 

 

John 16:1-2 has been offered as an explanation of what God is teaching by the killing and making alive of the two witnesses. We read there:

 

1 ¶ These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.

2  They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

 

People say that “to be silenced” is equivalent to being “killed”. It is said that the true believers were silenced or could not speak for the first part of the Great Tribulation.

 

However, that explanation is not very accurate. At the beginning of the second Jubilee on September 7, 1994, the true believers did not suddenly have more opportunity to bring the Gospel.

 

Rather, the change on September 7, 1994, the beginning of the second Jubilee, was that God poured out the Holy Spirit the second time and now the believers were “filled” again with the Holy Spirit. God was blessing their efforts to bring the Gospel again.

 

The real difference is that God was again “filling” the true believers in the person of the Holy Spirit to enable them to bring the Gospel in the second Jubilee.

 

This agrees with the language of Revelation 11:11. The Holy Spirit is the “Spirit of God”. In this verse, He is called the “Spirit of life” because God Himself is “life” (John 14:6). In Revelation 11:11, God is using the word “life” as another name for God. God takes on many names and one of them is “life”.

 

In this passage, God again teaches that “life” for mankind has to do with his relationship with God because God is “life”. God is also teaching that “death” for mankind has to do with being separated from God.

 

In verse 8, the two witnesses are dead. This is during that 2,300 day first part of the Great Tribulation.

 

The true believers have not ceased to exist.

 

Rather, God has withdrawn the Holy Spirit from the true believers in the sense that the Holy Spirit is not “filling” them to empower them to bring the Gospel. They were separated from God in that sense. They were “dead” in that sense because “death” for mankind is separation from God. This is indicated in verse 8.

 

During this 2,300 days, God was not “filling” them in the person of the Holy Spirit, which means that God was not energizing them to bring the Gospel to the world. That is why God says that they are “dead” in Revelation 11:8. God, who is “life”, has withdrawn from them in the sense that the Holy Spirit is not “filling” them to enable them to bring the Gospel to the world. The 2 witnesses are “dead”, or separated from God, in that sense.

 

The 2 witnesses have not ceased to exist. Rather, they are separated from God in that one sense. They are separated from God only in the sense that the Holy Spirit, who is God Himself, is not “filling” them to enable them to bring the Gospel to the world. Again, God is using the word “dead” to mean separation from God, who is “life”.

 

In verse 11 we read that the “Spirit of life” entered into them and they stood on their feet. Now, they are no longer “dead”. They have “life”. That is, they have God “filling” them. They have “life” because they have God who now “fills” them again to bring the Gospel during the second Jubilee.

 

In verse 11, the true believers did not receive any more existence after the 3 ½ days. Rather, they received God, who is “life”, in the sense that the Holy Spirit again “filled” them to enable them to bring the Gospel during the second Jubilee.

 

In Revelation 11:8-11 we see the transition from death to life is caused by God, who is called the “Spirit of life”, entering into the true believers. God identifies the transition from “death to life” with God entering into man. 

 

God is the “life” that “fills” the true believers to enable them to bring the Gospel to the whole world.

 

 

Revelation 11:7-11 agrees with other passages that teach that God Himself is “life” and that “life” for mankind has to do with his relationship with God and “death” for mankind is separation from God.

 

 

 

22. We read a number of verse in which the Psalmist asks God to make him “alive”. In our KJV Bible we read the word “quicken”. However, in the original Hebrew or Greek text of the Bible, this is the word that means “to make alive”.

 

Below are a list of verses in which the Psalmist is asking God to “make him alive” using the Old English word “quicken”.

 

Psalm 80:18:

 

So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name.

 

Psalms 119:25:

 

DALETH. My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.

 

Pssalms 119:37: 

 

Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.

 

Pssalms 119:40: 

 

Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness.

 

Psalms 119:50:

 

This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.

 

Pssalms 119:88:

 

Quicken me after thy lovingkindness; so shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth.

 

Pssalms 119:93:

 

I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me.

 

Pssalms 119:107:

 

I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O LORD, according unto thy word.

 

Psalm 119:144:

 

The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall live.

 

Pssalms 119:149:

 

Hear my voice according unto thy lovingkindness: O LORD, quicken me according to thy judgment.

 

Pssalms 119:154:

 

Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word.

 

Pssalms 119:156:

 

Great are thy tender mercies, O LORD: quicken me according to thy judgments.

 

Pssalms 119:159:

 

Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to thy lovingkindness.

 

Pssalms 143:11:

 

Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name's sake: for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble.

 

 

The Bible uses different language in describing “life” for mankind. The Bible says that we have “life” when we become saved because we have God, who is “life”, indwelling us (John 6:53, 1 John 5:12). This is really parallel to the above verses that ask God to “make us alive” or “quicken us”. These verses are a petition that God would give us “life”, which is God Himself coming to indwell us.

 

The above verses are not asking God to make us “exist”. The unsaved are dead, both in body and soul, yet they still exist. The unsaved have existence in both their body and their spirit-essence. 1 Peter 3:19 and other verses show that the unsaved also have a spirit. The believers don’t have any more existence than the unsaved. Yet, the believers have “life = God” indwelling. That is equivalent to being “made alive”.

 

In these verses, the Psalmist is asking God to make him alive. The Bible indicates that before salvation we are dead, both in body and soul. Therefore, we need “life” in both body and soul. We are made alive in the soul at the time of salvation, and in the body at the time of the Rapture.

 

These verses won’t fit for the definition of “life = existence”. They are not pleas to God to “Make us exist”. The unsaved already have existence in both their body and their spirit.

 

However, these verses agree with the definitions “God is life” and “life” for mankind has to do with his relationship with God. The Psalmist is asking for life, he is asking for salvation. He is asking for “life”, which is God Himself, to indwell him and energize him. That request is for both his body and his soul.

 

We don’t want to disregard these verses. There are 14 verses here alone. God is making a point here.

 

The request “make me alive” is really a request for God, who is life, to come into the person, so that he now has “life” which is God Himself indwelling.

 

 

 

23. We read in John 10:10

 

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

 

Jesus says that he came so that “they might have life”. He is saying that when He saves someone, He gives that person “life”. Then that person has “life”.

 

Did the Lord Jesus come that we might have “existence”?

 

No. The unsaved already “exist”, both in body and spirit. When someone becomes saved, they don’t have any more “existence” than the unsaved have.

 

However, when we become saved we do receive God indwelling us. This verse goes along with John 6:53 and 1 John 5:12. In John 10:10 also, God is showing us that “life” for mankind does not have to do with existence, but rather “life” has to do with man’s relationship to God. Christ came that we might have “life”. Unsaved man already has “existence”. But, he does not yet have God, who is life, indwelling him. God is life (John 11:25, 14:6).

 

 

When God saves someone, then he has God, who is life, indwelling him.

 

 

If this verse had said “that they might have eternal life” then there would be no problem with holding to the traditional definition that “life = existence”.

 

But, God said that they might have “life”. Before salvation, we’re not lacking “existence”, but we are lacking God, who is life, indwelling us and energizing us.

 

 

The next part of the verse is interesting. God says that “they might have it more abundantly”.

 

This phrase can be read different ways.

 

When we become saved we receive life, which is God Himself, indwelling us. Now we have life, which is God, “more abundantly”. God indwells us and energizes us. According to Acts 17:27-28, the unsaved do “live” in the sense that they are in God. They can pray humbly to God with the hope that God will hear them and God provides blessings. But, when we become saved, God, who is the “life” promised in John 10:10, comes into us “more abundantly”. God indwells us and God energizes us.

 

You cannot have existence “more abundantly”. Someone either exists or he doesn’t exist. Every usage of this word “more abundantly” refers to more of an item. It is not used to refer to a longer duration of time for having the item. So, one cannot have existence “more abundantly”.

 

For example this same Greek word is found in these verses:

 

Mark 6:51  And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure <4053>, and wondered.

 

Mark 14:31  But he spake the more vehemently <4053>, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all.

 

Ephesians 3:20  Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly <4053> above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

 

1 Thessalonians 3:10  Night and day praying exceedingly <4053> that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?

 

1 Thessalonians 5:13  And to esteem them very highly <4053> in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

 

 

In each of these verses, this Greek word means more of the item and not the item for a longer duration.

 

When we become saved, we’re not just in God like all of mankind is in God (Acts 17:27-28). We now have God, who is life, indwelling us and blessing us “more abundantly”.

 

So, John 10:10 helps to confirm that “life” for mankind has to do with his relationship with God. Unsaved man “lives” to some degree in that he is in God, but when salvation comes, he has “God = life” far “more abundantly”.

 

 

 

24. We read in John 6:33

 

For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

 

This passage is talking about Christ coming as the savior, as the “bread of God”. This passage is not talking about Christ creating this world or a baby in his mother’s womb.

 

Here the Lord Jesus says He has come to give “life unto the world”. He is talking about when people become saved. Jesus is talking about “bread” and He is referring to Himself as the “bread of life”. This verse is talking about salvation.

 

This verse is effectively saying that before salvation we don’t have life, because Christ has not yet given life to us.

 

Christ comes from heaven and gives “life” to someone when He saves him. The Lord Jesus does not give “existence”. The unsaved already have existence, both in the spirit and body. Rather, Christ gives God, who is life, when He saves us. God comes to indwell us when God saves us.

 

This agrees with Mark 9:43 and other verses that say that when we become saved we “enter into life”.

 

 

These are not theoretical statements that we can just pass over.

 

 

When we become saved, God gives us “life” in our soul. We “enter into life” and we “pass from death unto life”. These things actually happen. We don’t gain any more existence. Rather, we gain God, who is life, indwelling our soul.

 

In John 11:25, 14:6 and other verses, the Bible declares that God is life. When God saves us, He gives us God Himself, indwelling. God is the life that the believers receive.

 

This verse supports the truth that for mankind “life” is not existence, but rather “life” for mankind has to do with his relationship with God.

 

If these verses had said that Christ gives “eternal life” then we could conclude that “life = existence”. However, they say “life” and we cannot make that substitution and come to truth.

 

 

 

25. We read in John 5:40:

 

And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

 

The Lord Jesus is talking about the sad condition of the spiritual leaders in National Israel. They would not come to Him. They would not humble themselves before the Word of God that they might have life. When Christ says “life” here, He is referring to salvation.

 

Finally, God has to save us. We do come to God through the Bible and prayer, hoping that he might save us, hoping that we might have life.

 

This verse indicates that before salvation, we don’t have “life”. The word “life” cannot refer to “existence”. The unsaved already have “existence”, both in body and spirit. The believers don’t have any more “existence” than the unbelievers. Rather, “life” here refers to God Himself indwelling the true believer. God is the “exceeding great reward” that the believers have when God saves them (Genesis 15:1).

 

 

 

266. We read in two verses:

 

Joohn 20:31:

 

But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

 

1 John 5:16 

 

If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.

 

There are a number of verses like these.

 

In these verses the request is made for “life”. It is really a request for salvation. This request finally must be granted for both the body and the soul, since both are dead. The request is not for “existence”. Unsaved man already exists just like saved man exists. The request is to have God, who is life, indwelling.  

 

We receive “life” when we become saved. We don’t receive existence in any part of our nature. Rather, we receive God, who is life. God comes to indwell us when He saved us.

 

These verses are talking about salvation as receiving life. The unsaved already exist, so these verses don’t fit for the definition; “life = existence”. We would not say “might have existence through his name”. That is not what salvation is.

 

Rather, the hope is that we “might have God through his name”. When we become saved, God, who is “life”, comes to indwell us.

 

 

277. We read in John 3:36:

 

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

 

John 3:36 says that the unsaved “shall not see life”. God put the word “life” there, and not “everlasting life”.

 

How do we understand this verse? The unsaved see living people all around them. Tomorrow they “shall see life”  in people all around them.

 

However, if we recognize that the Bible defines “life” as another name for God, then this verse is effectively saying that the unsaved “shall not see God”.

 

This matches Matthew 5:8 that says that the true believers “shall see God”. From John 1:51 we know that to “see” can mean to “know”. The believers shall “know God” but the unsaved will not “know God” in a saving way.

 

The point is that God often refers to Himself as “life”. The believers “see life” in that they see or know God in a saving way. As long as someone remains unsaved, he shall not God, who is “life”, neither tomorrow, the next day nor in eternity. He exists, but he does not see God. That is, he does not “know God” in a saving way.

 

 

 

28. We read in John 6:63:

 

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

 

We read here that it is the spirit that quickeneth or makes alive. Therefore, the spirit referred to here is God Himself. Only God makes alive. That happens to us in our soul essence when we become saved. When God saves us, He does not bring our soul into existence. Rather, God enters our soul and now indwells it and energizes it.

 

Then the Lord talks about the words that He speaks. Those words are the whole Bible which identify with God Himself. Notice, Christ says that those words are spirit. That is, those words, the Bible, are God Himself. The spirit was defined as God Himself in the beginning of the verse. Also, those words are “life”. The Bible, or God Himself is “spirit” and “life”. This verse also agrees that “life” is another name for God. So, in this world the believers have life, which is God Himself, indwelling them.

 

This verse supports the definition that “life” for mankind has to do with his relationship with God.

 

 

 

29. We read in Romans 7:18:

 

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

 

This verse is an important support to the truth that life for mankind has to do with his relationship with God.

 

We learn from John 5:24 and 1 John 3:14 that the believer has “passed from death unto life”. We know that this has occurred only in his soul existence. That is, God has come to indwell his soul. Now, in his soul he has “life”, which is God Himself indwelling. This matches Romans 8:9 that says that God indwells the true believer.

 

However, the believer’s body is still dead (Romans 8:10, 1 Corinthians 15:29). Does the Bible says anything about God indwelling the believer’s body here on earth?

 

 

Romans 7:18 tells us that the Bible emphasizes that God indwells the believer’s soul, but not his body.

 

 

In Romans 7:18 God says that no “good thing” indwells a believer’s body. In the Greek text, this word is simply the word “good”. God is the “good thing” or simply the “good” that does not indwell the body according to Romans 7:18.

 

The Greek word here is actually the word “good” which points directly to God. So, this verse is saying that God, “the good thing”, does not indwell the believer’s body. That goes along with the truth that the believer’s body is still dead. It is still separated from God.

 

Therefore, Romans 7:18 helps to confirm that life for mankind has to do with his relationship with God.

 

The believer’s soul has “life”, because God indwells it, but his body is still dead. His body is still separated from God. God does not indwell his body.

 

 

 

30. We read in 1 Timothy 5:6:

 

But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.

 

This is a very important verse because it describes the nature of unsaved man in this world.

 

The word “dead” is actually in the perfect tense which puts more force in the meaning. It should be translated “But she that liveth in pleasure has died while she liveth.”

 

The Bible teaches us that the unsaved are “dead”. Actually, they are dead both in body and soul. God does not put any qualifications on this word “dead”. God does not say they are “dead from the life in Christ”. God simply says the unsaved have died, both in body and soul.

 

This verse also helps us to see that for mankind death is not a cessation of existence nor is life existence. Otherwise, this verse would be saying “But she that liveth in pleasure has ceased to exist, existing”. In considering this verse we must remember that the Bible teaches that the unsaved have died both in body and soul. So, the “ceased to exist” would have to apply to both body and soul. However, man cannot have already ceased to exist in body and soul, yet still exist.

 

This verse says that the unsaved are dead. They are dead both in body and soul. If death is a cessation of existence, then they have ceased to exist. They could not be in this world as the verse declares.

 

 

Actually, this verse helps a lot to understand the state of unsaved man.

 

 

Unsaved man has died, both in body and soul. Yet, while he is in this world, he is living. This sounds contradictory only because we do not have the right Biblical understanding of life and death for mankind.

 

1. Unsaved man has died, both in body and soul. He is separated from God, both in body and soul. He is not energized by God (Philippians 2:12-13). He is not indwelt by God in either part of his personality (Romans 8:9). He is dead, both in body and soul.

 

2. But, unsaved man is not completely separated from God who is “life”. Matthew 5:45 & Acts 14:17 give examples of God’s care for the unsaved. Acts 17:27-28 says that while he is in this world, unsaved man “lives” in the sense the he is in God and he moves in God, who is life Himself.

 

So, we can see how unsaved man has died in his full personality and yet lives.

 

When we understand that God Himself is “life” and that life for mankind has to do with his relationship with God, and that death is separation from God, then 1 Timothy 5:6 fits in perfectly. The unsaved person is dead, both in body and soul. Both in body and soul, he is separated from God. He is not energized by God; nor indwelt by God. However, it is not a complete separation. While he is in this world he still “lives” in the sense that he is in God according to Acts 17:27-28. He is not far from God. He moves and has his being in God and God provides for him. That explains how the unsaved person “is dead while she liveth”.

 

But, once he dies from this world, he is separated again from God and has become eternally separated from God.

 

 

 

31. Ephesians 2:1-5 helps to define what it means that unsaved man is “dead”

 

We read in Ephesians 2:1-5:

 

1 ¶ And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

3  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

4 ¶ But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

 

 

What is particularly interesting about this passage is that God says twice that the unsaved are “dead”.

 

This is important because when God doubles up He is placing extra emphasis in what He is teaching (Genesis 41:32).

 

In Ephesians 2:1-5 God is actually giving a definition of what is means that unsaved man is “dead”.

 

God starts out in verse 1 by declaring that the true believers were “dead”. Then God describes nature of unsaved man because he is “dead” or separated from God. Finally, God wraps up the discussion by saying again that the true believers were “dead”.

 

By using the word “dead” twice and bracketing the description of the unsaved by the word “dead” at both the beginning and the end of the description, God is describing what it means that unsaved man is “dead”.

 

Ephesians 2:1-5 describes what it means that the unsaved are “dead”. God is not saying that the unsaved don’t exist. Rather, God is describing the nature of man who is separated from God, who is “life”.

 

Unsaved man goes his own way according to his own sinful desires.

 

In verse 2 God indicates that the devil “worketh” in the unsaved to encourage them in sinful directions. The Greek word translated “worketh” in Ephesians 2:2 is the same Greek word translated “worketh” in Philippians 2:13. It is a word that means to “energize”.

 

According to the Bible, unsaved man is “dead”, both in body and soul. He has not ceased to exist. Rather, he is separated from God, who is life. He is not energized by God nor is he indwelt by God.

 

 

What is the result of this separation from God?

 

God describes the result of the fact that unsaved man is “dead” or separated from God in Ephesians 2:1-3.

 

Man follows his own will and is very sinful. Instead of being energized by God, he is energized by the devil.

 

 

Ephesians 2:1-5 gives a good description of the nature of unsaved man. This passage describes what it means that unsaved man is “dead”. Unsaved man is separated from God and from His energizing. As a result, unsaved man is very sinful, goes his own way and is energized by the devil.

 

 

 

Now that we have the Biblical definition of “life” for mankind we can see an important connection between Acts 17:25 and verses like 1 John 5:16.

 

We read in those two passages:

 

Acts 17:24-28:

24  God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

25  Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

26  And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

27  That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

28  For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

 

1 John 5:16:

If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.

 

 

There is an important commonality between these two passages. In Acts 17:25 God says that He gives “life” to all mankind. Then, in 1 John 5:16, and other verses, God says He gives “life” to us when He saves us.

 

How do we relates these two passages?

 

 

When we understand that God Himself is “life” and that life for mankind has to do with his relationship to God, then these passages fit together perfectly.

 

 

The context of Acts 17:24-28 is all mankind. In Acts 17:25, God says that He gives “life” to all mankind.

 

When we read a verse like Acts 17:25 we can immediately think this verse is saying that God gives “existence” to all mankind. However, when we study the Bible more closely, we find that “life” for mankind has to do with his relationship to God. This teaching is supported by the passage Acts 17:24-28.

 

 

How does God give Himself to all mankind?

 

 

God gives the answer in verse 28. We read there:

 

For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

 

 

God has given Himself to all mankind in that we are “in God”. We are in God and in all of His blessings. We have already examined Matthew 5:45 and Acts 14:17 in which God teaches the many blessings that all mankind receive because they are “in God”. God gives many blessings to mankind.

 

Acts 17:28 says that all mankind is “in God” and “moves in God”. Because God Himself is “life”, in that sense, unsaved man as well as saved man “lives” because he is in God, who is “life” Himself.

 

 

When we examine Acts 17:25-28 carefully, we see that it fits perfectly with the Biblical definition of “life” for mankind.

 

So, Acts 17:25-28 teaches that God gives all mankind “life”, who is God Himself, in that they are in God and move in God and as a result receive blessings from God.

 

 

1 John 5:16, and other passages, teach that when God saves us, He gives us “life” also. Again, God is the “life” that He gives us.

 

However, when we become saved, we are given “life”, who is God Himself, in a much greater way.

 

Now, God comes to indwell us and to energize us and God gives us many eternal blessings and promises.

 

So, when we become saved, we are again given God, who is “life”, but now we are given God in a much greater way. Also, we are given God for evermore.

 

 

God has given God, who is “life”, to all mankind, in that all mankind is in God, moves in God and is blessed by God. However, when we become saved, God gives us “life”, who is God Himself, in a much greater way. We are energized by God and indwelt by God and receive eternal promises and blessings from God, who is “life”.

 

 

 

322. We read in Revelation 20:11-12:

 

11 ¶ And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

 

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

 

Revelation 20:11 shows us that this scene in Revelation 20:11-12 is happening after this present world has passed away, after October 21, 2011. Verse 11 says “the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.” It is written in the past tense. In this vision there is no place for the first earth and heaven. They are gone. Therefore, in this vision John is seeing God on the throne after this present world has passed away.

 

This passage is written in a similar manner to Revelation 21:1-2. We read there:

 

1 ¶ And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

 

2  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

 

 

Here, John is seeing a new heaven and a new earth. John is seeing these when “the first heaven and the first earth were passed away”.

 

 

Examining Revelation 21:1-2 helps us to understand that Revelation 20:11-12 is teaching that the unsaved stand before God after this present world has passed away.

 

 

In Revelation 21:1, he saw the new heaven and new earth. It says that the first heaven and earth were passed away. Then in verse 2 he sees the holy city, new Jerusalem (the body of believers), coming down from God. This occurred after the first heaven after the first earth were passed away (verse 1).

 

We know from 2 Peter 3:10-13 that God will destroy the first heaven and earth and then create a new heaven and earth. That agrees with Revelation 21:1. Revelation 21:1 declares that he sees a new heaven and new earth and that the former heaven and earth were passed away. Then in verse 2, he sees the body of true believers, the holy city, coming down from God. The event of verse 2 is happening after the event of verse 1.

 

 

We have parallel language to Revelation 21:1-2 in Revelation 20:11-12.

 

 

In Revelation 20:11, John sees God sitting upon the great white throne and the earth and heaven fled away. Then God emphasizes that they are gone by saying “there was found no place for them”. This verse is parallel to Revelation 21:1. It shows us that God is sitting on the great white throne after the first heaven and earth have passed away.

 

Then in Revelation 20:12 he sees the dead (the unsaved) stand before God. From Revelation 20:11 and 21:1, we can know that this occurs after the earth and heaven fled away and there was no place found for them, as indicated in Revelation 20:11.

 

Especially with the help of Revelation 21:1-2, we can see that the dead, which are the unsaved, stand before God in Revelation 20:12 after this world has passed away.

 

 

This is important because it means that the unsaved are cast into the lake of fire after October 21, 2011, and, therefore the “day and night” of Revelation 20:10 does not refer to our solar system. Rather, it refers to a “continuous” action that goes on forever. God uses the phrase “day and night” in a similar way in Isaiah 34:10 and Revelation 7:15.

 

 

 

Does the term “day and night” in a verse limit duration of the event described to this world’s existence?

 

 

God teaches us more about how He uses the phrase “day and night” in Isaiah 34:10 and Revelation 7:15.

 

Consider 3 verses with the phrase “day and night”

 

Isaiah 34:10  It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever.

 

Revelation 7:15  Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

 

Revelation 20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

 

Many people assume that the term “day and night” describes an event that will end when this world comes to an end. Is that really true?

 

We must remember that God uses figures from this world to describe spiritual truth. For example, Jesus says that the “night” comes when no man can work (John 9:4). He is using the word “night” to point to a spiritual truth, not a physical statement about how dark it is.

 

God also talks about the new moons and the sabbaths in the new heaven and new earth (Isaiah 66:22-23). The new moons and the sabbaths require the passage of “day and night” cycles. Isaiah 66:22-23 is an example where God is using references to the time keepers of this world to speak about things that will occur in eternity future.

 

 

Let’s consider the 3 verses above that use the term “day and night”

 

Isaiah 34:10 describes the fires of God’s wrath that shall not be quenched “day and night”. In the original Hebrew it says “day and night”. Actually, from Jeremiah 17:4, Mark 9:43, 44, 45, 46 & 48 and other verses, we learn that the fires of God’s wrath shall never be quenched. They shall burn forever.

 

So, the fires of God’s wrath described in Isaiah 34:10 shall not be quenched night nor day and that goes on forever. They shall not be quenched forever.

 

So, in Isaiah 34:10 the term “day and night” does not limit duration to this world’s existence. The fires of God’s wrath shall not be quenched forever.

 

Let’s compare Isaiah 34:10 with Revelation 14:11. We read in Revelation 14:11:

 

And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

 

Revelation 14:11 says that the unsaved “have no rest day nor night”. From this statement one might assume that the unsaved will have rest once this world comes to an end. However, this language is parallel to Isaiah 34:10 that says that the fires of God’s wrath “shall not be quenched night nor day”.

 

From Isaiah 34:10 we might assume that the fires of God’s wrath will be quenched at the end of this world. However, the above explanation shows that this is not true. Other verses teach that the fires of God’s wrath shall not be quenched forever.

 

So, the phrase “shall not be quenched night nor day” in Isaiah 34:10 is not a proof text that the fires of God’s wrath shall be quenched at the end of the world. In the same way, we cannot conclude from the phrase “have no rest day nor night” in Revelation 14:11 that the unsaved will finally have rest when this world comes to an end.

 

In fact, we can put Isaiah 34:10 and Revelation 14:11 together. The fires of God’s wrath shall not be quenched “day and night” and that goes on forever. The unsaved have no rest “day and night”. Because of Isaiah 34:10, we know that the phrase “day and night” in Revelation 14:11 gives no proof that rest comes when this world ends.

 

 

Revelation 7:15 also shows that the term “day and night” does not limit the event described to this world’s existence.

 

 

Revelation 7:15 describes the believers in heaven serving Christ. The setting of Revelation 7:9-17 is heaven with the 24 elders and the 4 beasts (living creatures). A careful examination of these verses shows that there is nothing in them that confines them to this world’s existence nor with the duration of this world.

 

The temple in verse 15 is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. The believers will be before the throne of God serving Him day and night in His temple (the Lord Jesus) forever. The believers will never cease to serve God in His temple (The Lord Jesus) forever. The language in Revelation 7:17 of God wiping away tears is parallel to Revelation 21:4 that describes the new heaven and new earth. It means that there will be no future sadness.

 

Revelation 7:15 uses the term “day and night” to describe something that goes on forever.

 

In Isaiah 34:10 and Revelation 7:15 God is using the term “day and night” to describe something that is going on continuously without end. Therefore, the term “day and night” does not necessarily limit the duration to this world’s existence.

 

 

Here are some more example verses which use the term “day and night” with the sense of a continuous action:

 

Joshua 1:8  This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

 

1 Kings 8:29  That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place.

 

1 Kings 8:59  And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD, be nigh unto the LORD our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require:

 

Nehemiah 1:6  Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father’s house have sinned.

 

Psalms 1:2  But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

 

Psalms 32:4  For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.

 

Psalms 42:3  My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?

 

 

Both Isaiah 34:10 and Revelation 7:15 we have the term “day and night” to describe something that goes on forever. With the help of other verses that use the term “day and night” we can understand that this term can signify a continuous action. Isaiah 34:10 and Revelation 7:15 are talking about things that go on “continuously” and we know from other passages that they will go on forever.

 

Therefore, when we read Revelation 20:10, the term “day and night” is not a proof text that the event described stops at the end of this world. We have two examples of the term “day and night” describing something that goes on forever. In the same way, the “day and night” of Revelation 20:10 is not limited to this world’s existence.

 

The assertion that the torment of Revelation 20:10 comes to an end at the end of this universe is really ignoring the last part of this verse, “… for ever and ever”. God put that into the verse, so we cannot ignore it. The answer given is that this is saying that the unsaved can never come back to a right relationship with God does not have any Biblical support. Revelation 20:10 is talking about tormenting which is a conscious affliction. It is not simply talking about the condition of being under the wrath of God.

 

 

God uses other terms from this universe to describe things that go on forever.

 

We read in Genesis 1:14:

 

And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

 

We read this verse and assume that God is limiting terms like “day and night”, “days”, “years”, etc. to describe the passage of time in this world. Most of the time this is true, but not always.

 

This verse does not indicate that every time we see the terms, “day and night”, “days”, “years”, that the event described ends at the end of this world’s existence.

 

 

For example, we read in Zechariah 14:16:

 

And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.

 

This verse is using parabolic language to describe the new heaven and new earth for the believers.

 

Zechariah 14:16 describes something that goes on in eternity future using the term “from year to year”.

 

God talks about “years” along with the “day and night” in reference to this world’s time keepers in Genesis 1:14. However, Zechariah 14:16 is talking about eternity future. This verse shows that God is not limited to using terms like “day and night”, “days”, “years”, etc. to only to refer to this world’s time keepers.

 

 

The same Hebrew wording in the phrase “year to year” is used in Deuteronomy 15:20 and 1 Samuel 7:16 to describe events that occurred from year to year in this world:

 

Deuteronomy 15:20  Thou shalt eat it before the LORD thy God year by year in the place which the LORD shall choose, thou and thy household.

 

1 Samuel 7:16  And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.

 

 

 

We read in Isaiah 66:23:

 

And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.

 

Isaiah 66:23 is talking about eternity future in the new heaven and new earth. In this verse God is again using time figures from this world to speak about eternity future. Each of these references has a symbolic meaning, but not a literal meaning like they do in this world.

 

Here God refers to the passing from one new moon to another. That is a passage of 29 or 30 days in this world. God also refers to the passing from one sabbath to another. That is a passage of 7 days in this world. Back in Genesis 1:14 God talked about “days” in connection with the time keepers of this world. However, that does not mean that God is limited in His use of the term “days” to only speaking of this world. Isaiah 66:23 shows that God can use figures from the passage of time in this world to describe things that will go on in eternity. This shows that God can use terms like “day and night” to speak of events in eternity also.

 

 

We read in Psalm 21:4:

 

He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever.

 

Here God talks about a length of days, for ever and ever. The promise to the believers is “life”, which is God Himself and all of His blessings for ever and ever. God uses the term “days” (plural) going on for ever and ever. Again, God is taking a figure that is used to refer to this world and applying it into eternity future to speak of something that will go on forever. A day is composed of one “day and night” cycle.

 

This does not mean that there will be literal days or “day and night” cycles in eternity future. Rather, God is using terms taken from this world and applying them in a symbolic way to eternity future. Therefore, when we read about “day and night”, it does not mean that the duration in view is necessarily limited to this world. Rather, God is using a figure, like he uses “days”, “from year to year”, “from one new moon to another” or “from one sabbath to another” to represent something in eternity. The term “day and night” can be used to give the sense of “continuously”.

 

 

We read an interesting verse in Psalm 121:6:

 

The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

 

This verse is a promise of God’s protection for the true believers.

 

If we think about this verse, it has nothing to do with the sun and moon of this universe nor does it have anything to do with the “day and night” of this universe.

 

The reason for that is because the Gospel makes no promise for protection in this world. If a country has a drought or famine, the true believers in that country will suffer along with the unbelievers. If there is no rain and the sun is beating down in a land, then all the people of that land suffer. That includes both the true believers and the unbelievers. As the physical sun smites the unsaved of that nation, it also smites the true believers of that nation.

 

This verse only refers to spiritual protection. In this verse, the four words, “sun”, “moon”, “day” and “night” cannot be understood in a physical way. We have to look at them from a Gospel perspective. The “sun” refers to the Lord Jesus. The “moon” refers to the law of God, the Bible. If we are saved, the Lord Jesus, as the judge, and the law of God, will not come against us. They will not smite us.

 

Also, this verse is not saying that we have protection from Christ during the day and the law of God during the night. No, rather, the phrase “day and night” indicates that continuously we are protected from the wrath of God. We are not merely protected during a literal day and night. The true believer’s protection by God is continuous and it goes on forever. The believer’s protection is a continuous protection for ever and ever.

 

On the other hand, the unsaved will suffer continuously the wrath of God according to Revelation 14:10 & 20:10.

 

 

The above verses show that God uses terms taken from the time keepers of this world, like “day and night”, “year to year”, “days”, “from one sabbath to another”, to speak about things that will occur in eternity future. The presence of these terms is not a proof that the events described are limited to the duration of this world.

 

 

 

The dead stand before God in Revelation 20:12

 

Going back to Revelation 20:12, we see the “dead” standing before God. They are dead both in body and soul. They are separated from God both in body and soul, like they were while they were on the earth. 1 Peter 4:6 says that the unsaved in this world are “dead”. Romans 8:10 and 1 Corinthians 15:29 assure us that the unsaved in this world are dead, both in body and soul. The unsaved are separated from God; both in body and soul; yet they still exist, both in body and soul.

 

Revelation 20:12 depicts a vision of after the world has passed away. The unsaved still exist like they existed on the earth.

 

But, there is a big difference between the unsaved standing before God in Revelation 20:12 at the end of the world and the unsaved in this world. While the unsaved are in this world, God says they “live” in the sense that they are in God (Acts 17:27-28). They are separated from God, but while they are on earth, it is not a complete separation. God is not “far” from them. God cares for them, etc. They “live” to some degree in the sense that they are in God, who is “life” Himself.

 

However, when the unsaved die from this world they are separated again from God. They are completely and eternally separated from God. They do not have “life”, which is God Himself, in any sense.

 

 

The word “life” is never applied to the unsaved in eternity not because they don’t exist, but because they are completely separated from God, who is “life”.

 

 

In Revelation 20:12 we have these same “dead” unsaved people. They receive the resurrection on the last day, but not the resurrection of life, which is a resurrection to a body with God, who is life, indwelling. The unsaved experience the resurrection to a body that is still dead in sins, like they have in this world.

 

They will awake to consciousness in their body, like the believers. They will hear the voice of God and will come forth, like the believers.

 

While they are in this world, the unsaved are dead, in body and soul. In Revelation 20:11 when they shall stand before God they will still be dead, body and soul. That is, they will remain separated from God, both in body and soul. But, then they will be completely separated from God in every sense; completely separated from any blessing of God.

 

There is a contrast between John 5:28 and Revelation 20:12. The believers receive the resurrection to a body with God indwelling. God is “life”. The believers receive the resurrection of “life = Christ, indwelling“. The unsaved receive a resurrection to conscious existence also, but they are still dead in sins, both in body and soul.

 

 

 

33. If “death = cessation of existence” then this should be seen in the definition of the “second death”. However, when God describes the “second death” He does not describe a cessation of existence, but rather conscious affliction.

 

We read in Revelation 20:10, 14 & 15:

 

10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

 

14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

 

15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

 

In verse 14 God defines being cast into the lake of fire as the “second death”. Verse 10 describes the lake of fire as an on-going torment, day and night. Revelation 14:10 also describes the lake of fire as being a condition of torment. As indicated, the lake of fire cannot be a physical fire. Those cast into a physical fire go unconscious in a few seconds or minutes. They are not tormented day and night.

 

The definition of the second death given in Revelation 20:10, 14 & 15 includes torment which is a conscious affliction.

 

Many people believe that the definition of death is cessation of existence. However, that definition of death does not agree with the Biblical definition of the second death. A cessation of existence does not require any conscious affliction. But, the Bible defines the second death as a conscious affliction.

 

Also, the definition of the “second death” given in Revelation 20:10, 14 & 15 does not make any reference to cessation of existence. 

 

The definition of death as cessation of existence does not fit with being tormented. Rather, Deuteronomy 28:15-68 describes a death of eternal separation from God that is a continuous conscious affliction.

 

 

Two key points about the lake of fire from these verses:

 

 

A. The lake of fire is not the physical fire of 2 Peter 3:10.

 

The fire of 2 Peter 3:10 is enough to melt the elements. You cannot be tormented day and night in a physical fire. Those cast into a physical fire become unconscious in a few seconds or minutes. They do not suffer day and night as Revelation 14:10-11 & 20:11 indicate that the unsaved will suffer.

 

 

B. Those cast into the lake of fire must be conscious because the definition of the lake of fire is to be “tormented day and night … “ (Revelation 20:10) or “tormented with fire and brimstone …” (Revelation 14:10).

 

The corpse or bones of a person cannot be “tormented” because this word always refers to conscious suffering. Therefore, whoever is cast into the lake of fire must have conscious existence because Revelation 14:10 and 20:10 declare that those in the lake of fire will be tormented. Remember, God says that the unsaved will be cast into the lake of fire, not just their remains.

 

The lake of fire is not a literal fire, as pointed out above. Rather, according to Revelation 14:10 & 20:10, the lake of fire signifies to be tormented day and night, a suffering that comes from God, who is a consuming fire.

 

Therefore those thrown into the lake of fire must be conscious. The bones or other remains of people cannot meet the definition of the lake of fire in Revelation 14:10 & 20:10.

 

Revelation 20:15 says that whosoever was not written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. This includes all of the unsaved throughout time. To fulfill Revelation 20:10, 14-15, they must be resurrected to conscious existence to experience the lake of fire.

 

 

 

34. We read in Acts 17:27-28:

 

27  That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

 

28  For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

 

We looked at verse 28 earlier, but a closer look at these two verses will give more insight into how unsaved man relates to God while he is in this world.

 

Unsaved man is dead both in body and soul. That is, he is separated from God in both body and soul. However, while he is on this earth he still is in God to some degree. In that sense, he lives. Verse 28 says that in God he lives. Unsaved man also moves in God and has his being in God (or literally, he is in God), while he is on this earth. This ties into Matthew 5:45 which says that God brings the sun and rain upon the unsaved. It ties into Acts 14:17 which says that God supplies man’s needs on this earth.

 

God is “not far” from the unsaved. This is an important statement. Unsaved man is dead. He is separated from God. However, God is “not far” from him. God provides for him and cares for him, even though God does not indwell him nor energize him.

 

In this world unsaved man can pray to God for salvation and hope that God will hear and save him. There is that possibility in this world. The Biblical evidence is that King Ahab never became saved. However, we read that he humbled himself and prayed to God and God did bring some relief to him (1 Kings 21:20-29). This shows that in this world God can even respond to some degree to the prayer of a non-elect person. That is a part of the fact that unsaved man is not yet completely separated from God.

 

However, once he dies from this world, then he is completely separated from God and His blessings. All of God’s goodness that he has provided for man has been taken from him. Unsaved man dies a second time. That is, he is separated from God completely and eternally.

 

We can see how God can talk about unsaved being “dead” body and soul without any qualification or limitation on the word “dead” and then say that he dies. Unsaved man dies twice. He is separated from God twice. This fits perfectly the definition for mankind of “death = separation from God”.

 

 

 

35. We read some verses where God gives us help in understanding how He uses the word “dead” for mankind.

 

James 2:26:

 

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

 

Romans 6:2:

 

God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

 

Romans 6:11:

 

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

Coolossians 2:20:

 

Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,

 

In these verses God helps us to see that God defines death for mankind  as separation. When we think about “death = cessation of existence” verses like Romans 6:2, 11, and Colossians 2:20 don’t make any sense. However, when we see that for mankind “death = separation”, then we can understand these verses.

 

In James 2:26 God defines a dead body as a body separated from the spirit. God also says that a dead faith is a faith separated from works. In both examples, the definition “dead = separation” will fit the context.

 

In Romans 6:2 & 11 God says the believer is dead to sin. The believer has not ceased to exist in any way.  Rather, when we study what God is saying in Romans 6, we find that the believer is “separated” from sin in his soul. Because of his body, the separation from sin is not yet complete. But, now that God indwells the believer’s soul and is working in his soul, sin is not initiated in the believer’s soul. The believer’s soul is separated (or dead) from sin. Therefore, the believer should not give into the desires of his body to sin.

 

In verse 11 notice the contrast God makes. The believer is dead to sin. That is, he is separated from sin. The believer is alive to God. He now has God, who is called “life”, indwelling him. In that sense, he is “alive to God”. The believer has not come into existence. Rather, He has God, who is “life”, indwelling him.

 

This verse is really saying “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be separated indeed from sin, but having God indwelling through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

 

It is through the Lord Jesus that we are able to be saved and to have God indwelling us.

 

Colossians 2:20 uses the word “dead” to mean “separation”. If we make this substitution, the teaching of the verse is clear: “Wherefore if ye be separated with Christ from the rudiments of the world …”. When we are saved, we are with Christ and are to be “separated” from the things or rudiments of this world. Our hopes and desires are not to be focused upon this world. Rather, they are to be focused upon the Kingdom of God. 

 

In the above verses, God is using the word “dead” to mean “separation”. These other verses that use the word “dead” to mean “separation” help us to understand the definition for mankind that death is separation.

 

 

 

36. We read two important verses in Luke 15 concerning the prodigal son:

 

24  For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

 

32  It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

 

Twice God emphasizes that the prodigal son was dead and is alive again.

 

Because this passage is a parable, it is not as good a proof text as the above passages. However it is still a noteworthy passage, particularly because God doubles up on what He says.  Also, God does use this same language to describe man. Unsaved man is “dead” and upon salvation he passes from death unto life. This is the exact language that God uses in this passage.

 

We notice in the above two verses that God says the son was dead and is alive again. God also says the son was “lost”. This word “lost” is the past tense for a common New Testament verb translated “perish” or “destroyed”. It is used in John 3:16 to say that the unsaved will “perish”. It is used in Matthew 10:28 to say that God will “destroy” the body and soul of the unsaved in hell. Luke 15 uses this same Greek word to indicate that this son was already “perished” or “destroyed”. It was translated as “lost” but normally this Greek word is translated “perish” or “destroy”.

 

These two verses, and other verses, help us to understand that the Greek word “perish” (as found in John 3:16), or “destroy” (as found in Matthew 10:28) does not necessarily mean annihilation. The prodigal son was already “perished” or “destroyed”. That is, he was “lost” or separated from God and His blessings.  This agrees with other verses that teach that unsaved man is already “dead” or “perished” both in body and soul. He is separated from God; not indwelt by God nor energized by God.

 

Regarding the word “life”, notice the parallel language. The prodigal went away from his father and then returned. God explains two times that he was dead and is now alive. This agrees with other verses that teach that for mankind death is separation, specifically from God, and life for mankind has to do with his relationship to God.

 

Also, God says that the prodigal son was “lost” or “perished” or “destroyed”. He was separated from God and His blessings. Now, he is found. Now He is back with God.

 

So, God is giving parallel language in these two verses that agrees with other verses that teach that death for mankind is separation from God and not cessation of existence. These verses also affirm that life for mankind has to do with his relationship with God and not existence.  Unsaved man is already “lost” or “perished (separated from God)” or “destroyed”, according to the Bible.

 

 

 

God describes two things that happened to Adam because of his sin

 

We read two verses describing two things that happened to Adam because of his sin. They are actually different events:

 

Genesis 2:17  But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

 

Genesis 3:19  In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

 

We have a tendency to say that both of these verses are describing the same event, but if we read these verses carefully, we will see that this is not the case. These two verses are describing two different events.

 

Genesis 2:17 declares that in the day that Adam sinned he died. We think “spiritually died”, but God simply says “surely die”. The phrase “surely die” is repeating the word “die” or “death” twice. By this, God is placing special emphasis on this truth. We substitute “spiritually die”, but God just says “surely die”.

 

We also know from Romans 8:10 and 1 Corinthians 15:29 that Adam died, both in body and soul. This happened on the day that Adam sinned. Adam did not cease to exist in any way, but Adam became separated from God, both in body and soul. After Adam sinned, he was not indwelt by God in either body or soul, and he was not energized by God in either part of his personality.

 

Separation from God results in man living very sinfully. This sinful nature is seen in both the body and soul of unsaved man.

 

However, Genesis 3:19 says that later on (actually, it was hundreds of years later) Adam’s body would return to the dust. Adam would die a second time (Genesis 5:5). That is the time that his body fell asleep. The returning to dust of Adam’s body and the loss of consciousness in the body is indicated by the Biblical declaration that when man dies, his body sleeps (Daniel 12:2, etc.).

 

 

The Bible uses the word “sleep” to refer to the fact that there is no consciousness in the body and that the body returns to the dust. Man’s body falls asleep at the same time that he dies the second time. The Bible uses the word “death” for mankind to speak of separation, specifically separation between God and man.

 

 

If Adam died unsaved, then he died a second time in both body and soul. That is, he was separated from God, both in body and soul, a second time. That second time is a complete and eternal separation.

 

The unsaved are separated from God, both in body and soul, in the same manner Adam became separated from God, both in body and soul, in the day that he sinned.

 

The unsaved are not energized by God, nor indwelt by God in either body or soul. But, while the unsaved are in this world, they “live” in the sense that they are in God (who is life) and God is not far from them (Acts 17:27-28). God cares for them, blesses them and provides for them (Matthew 5:45, Acts 14:17). However, when they die from this world, they die a second time. They are separated from God a second time. They are completely separated from God and from any blessings from God.

 

The fact that Genesis 3:19 declares that Adam was dust, does not mean that Adam was not saved and ceased to exist upon death from this world. God says the believers are dust in Psalm 103:13-15. We read there:

 

13  Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.

 

14  For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

 

15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.

 

Verse 13 is talking about the believers. In verse 14 the “for” is in the Hebrew text, tying verse 14 as an explanation for verse 13. Also, the context of verse 14 ties back to verse 13. Verse 14 explains some of the reason why God pities the true believers. He knows their limited “frame” and he knows that they are “dust”. That is, they have a body made of the “dust” of the earth with all of it’s weaknesses. But, this does not mean that the believers do not also have a spirit essence.

 

Verse 15 potentially begins a new idea. However, verse 14 is linked to verse 13.

 

Also Abraham, a true believer, refers to himself as “dust” in Genesis 18:27.

 

In the same way, Genesis 3:19 is making reference to the fact that Adam had a body made of the dust of the earth, but that does not mean that he does not have a spirit essence also.

 

So, Genesis 2:17 and Genesis 3:19 describe the two times that mankind dies; the two times that he is separated from God. Genesis 2:17 and 3:19 support the definition for mankind: “death = separation from God”. They do not support the definition that “death = cessation of existence”.

 

 

 

What about the “breath of life”?

 

We read about man receiving the “breath of life” in Genesis 2:7. Animals also have the “breath of life”.

 

When man dies from this world he gives up the “breath of life”. Does this teach us that “death = cessation of existence” for the unsaved?

 

The “breath of life” uniquely has to do with the body of man. When man dies from this world, his body also “sleeps” according to the Biblical language. Sleeping for the body identifies with the failing or destruction of the body. That is when man gives up the “breath of life”. This is what we think “death” is for mankind, because this is what we can see.

 

However, if we let the Bible guide us in defining the “death” for mankind, we learn that unsaved man dies, both in body and soul, twice. God says that Adam died both in body and soul the day that Adam sinned (Genesis 2:17, Ephesians 2:1, 1 Peter 4:6, Romans 8:10, 1 Corinthians 15:29). God does not limit that word “die”. God clearly says that Adam “died”, both in body and soul, when Adam sinned. That is because death for mankind is separation from God. Adam, and all mankind, became separated from God, both in body and soul.

 

Then, when man’s body fails, it falls asleep and man dies a second time.

 

 

Man dies twice. This second time man dies happens at the same time that the body sleeps.

 

 

That is because when the body sleeps, it is again separated from all of the care of God it received in this world (Matthew 5:45, Acts 14:17, 17:27-28). With the “sleeping” or failing of the body comes the loss of the “breath of life”. The Bible calls this “falling asleep”. The body sleeps in the dust of the earth.

 

Acts 17:27-28 tells us that unsaved mankind “lives” in the sense that he is in God while he is in this world. God is “life”. So, according to Acts 17:27-28, while he is in this world, unsaved man “lives” in the sense that he is in God and God cares for him (Matthew 5:45, Acts 14:17, 17:27-28). Part of that care is that God gives him the “breath of life” for his body. It is really “breath from God”.

 

Man’s body needs that breath to function and once man’s body fails, he loses that breath of life. Unsaved man dies from this world. He dies a second time. He actually is separated from God a second time. Once he dies from this world he is completely separated from God and all of the blessings of God recounted in Matthew 5:45, Acts 14:17 and Acts 17:27-28. This includes the “breath of life” or “breath from God” since God is life. Unsaved man is now eternally separated from God with no possibility of reconciliation.

 

So, there is nothing particularly special about the “breath of life”. It identifies with the functioning of the body. As long as unsaved man is in this world, he lives in the sense that he is in God and God cares for him. That includes God’s care for his body. God is the “life” in which unsaved man lives or dwells. Part of God’s care for him is that God gives him the “breath of life” or “breath from God” for his body.

 

 

God uses the term “sleep” to refer to the failing of the body and the lack of consciousness in the body. This occurs the second time that unsaved man dies, both in body and soul. That is when unsaved man is completely separated from God and His blessings.

 

 

The second time man dies coincides with the destruction of the body. We can see the destruction of the body, so we think of death for mankind as the destruction of the body. However, we’re ignoring the verses that declare that unsaved man is already dead, both in body and soul.

 

 

For mankind, the Bible defines “death” as separation from God. We think of death as destruction of the body because the second time man dies coincides with his body “sleeping”. The “sleeping” of the body is the destruction of the body and unconsciousness in the body.

 

 

The second time man dies is also referred to as “sleep” for the body. This figure is used for both the saved and the unsaved (1 Kings 2:10, 11:21, 16:28, 2 Kings 10:35, 14:29, 15:22, 16:20, Acts 7:60, 1 Corinthians 15:20, 1 Thessalonians 4:14).

 

This is because that upon death from this world, there is no consciousness in the body, for both the saved and the unsaved. For both groups, their bodies are “sleeping” in the dust. [For the believer, his soul is conscious in heaven. For the unbeliever, we have no reason to doubt that his soul is also asleep until the resurrection of the last day.]

 

 

God uses the term “sleep” to signify the failing of the body.

 

We think of “death” as the failing of the body. However, God declares that unsaved man is already dead, both in body and soul. Then, unsaved man dies a second time. Death for mankind is separation from God. Unsaved man is separated from God twice.

 

To help us understand what happens to mankind, God uses the term “sleep” to describe the failing of the body. The term “sleep” is used to refer to the failing of the body and the loss of consciousness in the body. These happen the same time that unsaved man dies a second time from this world.

 

The bodies of both the saved and unsaved return to dust. They sleep in the dust according to Daniel 12:2.

 

But, this “sleep” or state of unconsciousness in the body, for both the saved and the unsaved is temporary. Daniel 12:2 declares that the bodies of both the saved and unsaved will “awake” at the end. That is, there will be a return to consciousness in their bodies at the resurrection of the last day.

 

 

Why does the second time that man dies, both in body and soul, correspond with when his body sleeps in the dust?

 

 

While unsaved man is in this world, he is dead, both in body and soul, according to the Bible (Romans 8:10, 1 Corinthians 15:29, 1 Peter 4:6). That is, he is separated from God and His blessings in the sense that God does not indwell him like God indwells the true believer (Romans 8:9). Also, God does not energize the unsaved like He energizes the true believer (Philippians 2:12-13).

 

However, while he is in this world, unsaved man is not completely separated from God and His blessings. According to Acts 17:27-28, unsaved man lives in the sense that he is in God and he moves in God. Matthew 5:45 and Acts 14:17 indicate that God provides many blessings to unsaved man while he is in this world.

 

But, finally unsaved man’s body fails and he sleeps in the dust. That is, his body returns to the dust and there is no consciousness in his body.

 

When his body sleeps in the dust corresponds with the second time that man dies, both in body and soul, because when the body fails that unsaved man is separated from God a second time. He is no longer in God nor moves in God according to Acts 17:27-28. He is no longer under the blessings of God’s provision in this world (Matthew 5:45, Acts 14:17). He is separated from all that God gave him as recounted in Matthew 5:45, Acts 14:17, 17:27-28.

 

When his body fails and sleeps in the dust, unsaved man is separated from God a second time. So, in that sense, he dies a second time, both in body and soul, when his body fails.

 

The problem is that we see that unconscious corpse and identify that as death. But, the unconscious corpse is the sleeping in the dust. Death is the separation from God that occurs when that body fails.

 

 

Unsaved man will “awake” in his body that “sleeps” in the dust, but he will still be “dead”

 

Daniel 12:2, along with John 5:28-29, teach that unsaved man will “awake” in his body that is sleeping in the dust meaning he will return consciousness in his body. However, he will still be “dead”, both in body and soul, because he will still be separated from God, both in body and soul.

 

The difference for the unsaved between this present time and the resurrection of the last day is that at the resurrection of the last day, he will be completely separated from God, who is life.

 

 

 

An illustration

 

A good illustration of how the Bible uses the word “dead” for mankind is based upon Philippines 2:12-13 and uses the analogy of a city with it’s energy source removed. We call that city without it’s energy source “dead”. This matches how God talks about the unsaved. Unsaved man is dead, both in body and soul. He is without God as his energy source, both in body and soul.

 

When he becomes saved, he has “passed from death unto life” in his soul. God now indwells his soul, but not his body (Romans 7:18, 8:9), so God is there to energize his soul. His body will receive life, which is God Himself, indwelling, at the Rapture.

 

What makes it complicated is that while unsaved man is this world, he is not completely cut off or separated from God yet. Matthew 5:45, Acts 14:17, 17:27-28 and other verses show that God still provides and cares for man. In this world, man lives in the sense that he is in God to some degree. But, when he dies from this world unsaved, he has actually died twice, both in body and soul. At that point, he is completely and eternally separated from God.

 

 

If “life” for mankind has to do with his relationship with God and not with existence, then what is the significance of “life” for man?

 

The significance of “life” for mankind is the blessing of being in God. We see this in the following verses. These verses do not prove that life for mankind is not existence. Rather, they show that when God speaks of life for mankind, God focuses upon the eternal blessings that the believers receive by being in God and not eternal existence.

 

Psalms 16:11  Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

 

Psalms 23:6  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

 

Psalms 27:4  One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

 

Psalms 34:12  What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?

 

Psalms 133:3  As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

 

 

 

 

SUMMARY

 

All of the above verses fit with the definitions that God Himself is “life” and that for mankind, “life” has to do with his relationship with God, and death is separation from God. The above verses do not fit for the man-made definitions of death is a cessation of existence and life is existence.

 

 

Let’s get back to the central question of the life of the unsaved in eternity future.

 

 

The reason the Bible does not speak of life in eternity future for the unsaved is not because they do not exist, but because they are completely and eternally separated from God who is “life”.

 

 

In this world the unsaved did not have “life” in the sense that they did not have Christ indwelling them (John 6:53, 1 John 5:12). However, they “lived” in the sense that they were in God. God was not far from them and provided many blessings for them (Matthew 5:45, Acts 14:17, 17:27-28). In this world they were separated from God, but not completely, so God could talk about the “life” of the unsaved. This is confusing language, but it is the language of the Bible.

 

Upon the resurrection of the last day, they will hear His voice and come forth, meaning they will awake and they will be conscious. However, they will be completely separated from God, who is “life” Himself.

 

God avoids the word “life” to speak of the eternity of the unsaved to emphasize that they are completely separated from God, who is “life”.

 

Now that we can see that the Bible declares that God is “life” and that “life” for man has to do with his relationship to God, we can understand what God means by the resurrection of life and the awaking to everlasting life.

 

The “resurrection of life” in John 5:28 that the true believers receive, is a return to consciousness in a body with Christ, who is “life”, indwelling the body. It’s the “resurrection of Christ”. The resurrection with Christ now in the body.

 

The “awake to everlasting life” in Daniel 12:2 is a return to consciousness in a body with Christ, who is “eternal life”, indwelling the body.

 

The Bible teaches that “life” for mankind has to do with his relationship with God. The reason that we do not read about “life” for the unsaved in eternity future is not because they don’t exist. Rather, it is because they will be completely and eternally separated from God. While they are in this world they are not completely separated from God. But, in eternity future, they will be completely and eternally separated from God.

 

 

 

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