Second Death

[Mike Reynolds]

In 1 Corinthians 15:44, Paul contrasts what is “natural” (psychikos), derived from psyche (soul), with what is “spiritual” (pneumatikos), with the natural giving way to the spiritual. The question is how far that distinction goes. If “natural” and “spiritual” refer to genuinely different modes of life, is that distinction purely transformational, or could it, in principle, involve the loss of one mode while another persists? That becomes relevant to the language of the “second death.” If it is truly death, something real must be lost. If it is not total nonexistence, then it cannot be the destruction of the whole person. I propose that what dies is the soul, while the spirit persists. I anticipate this is not fully orthodox, so I would be interested in how that is understood.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

In 1 Corinthians 15:44, Paul contrasts what is “natural” (psychikos), derived from psyche (soul), with what is “spiritual” (pneumatikos), with the natural giving way to the spiritual. The question is how far that distinction goes. If “natural” and “spiritual” refer to genuinely different modes of life, is that distinction purely transformational, or could it, in principle, involve the loss of one mode while another persists? That becomes relevant to the language of the “second death.” If it is truly death, something real must be lost. If it is not total nonexistence, then it cannot be the destruction of the whole person. I propose that what dies is the soul, while the spirit persists. I anticipate this is not fully orthodox, so I would be interested in how that is understood.

The second death is simply that you have been judged and you do not continue on to the Kingdom of God but suffer condemnation resulting in separation from God due to sin.

John 5:28–29:
"Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation."

 

[timothyu]

As God upped the game by making salvation an individual project rather than dealing with the nations, it is logical that in order for His creations to move forward that the door be opened from the first death. Resurrection entered the picture in order to lead to personal judgement where the grain would be separated from the tares and the tares eliminated, the second death. Consider that the Kingdom is based on certain merits, none of which involve the self-centered actions of mankind or elohim. It is obvious that there will be no place in the Kingdom for those not adhering to the two commandments that are the foundation of said Kingdom. Adherence where there is no room for 'self'. What we expect from God we must first give to each other.