SUCH was a favorite expression of a young Scotchman who had left his native country to seek his fortune in one of our colonies.
If any danger presented itself, or death, sickness, or accident were spoken of or alluded to, he would say in a light kind of way, Well! we can only die once, anyhow!”
I used to think when I heard his remark, “Is that so? Will that expression bear the light of Scripture? “and I have been compelled to admit that it will not; for we are distinctly told in Rev. 20:1414And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (Revelation 20:14): REV 20:1414And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (Revelation 20:14) "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death." And in chapter 2:11 of the same book we read, “He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.”
So it is quite evident, from the word of God, that there is, besides the death of the body, an eternal state of separation from all that can be truly called life, a state of which the scriptural description is " the second death," " the lake of fire.”
Before making any further remark, let me quote the whole passage in Rev. 20 REV 20 "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. 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. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it: and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them; and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire" (vv. 1-15).
By this passage of Scripture we see that those who have died in their sins are raised in the resurrection, of judgment; are judged out of the things written in the books according to their works; are not found written in the book of life; and are cast into the lake of fire. But in chapter 2:11 (already quoted) we learn that there are some who overcome, and who are not hurt of "the second death.”
Reader, which class are you among? Are you going to die twice? Or have you overcome by the blood of the Lamb? Eternal life is offered you through Jesus. “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 6:22God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? (Romans 6:2)). ROM 6:22God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? (Romans 6:2)
Will you have it? The knowledge of the Father and the Son has all the attendant blessings of forgiveness, justification and glory.
Won't you stop to take it.
Perhaps you say, I am not thirsty, I am not troubled with any anxiety about the matter at all.
But are you willing? If so, there is a word for you in chap. 22:17: “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”
As someone has said, The invitation to partake of the water of life comes before the mention of the second death. Compare chap. 21:6 and 8. So that we walk right past the offer of life to go on the way to death.
Oh! dear reader, let not this be your doom, for surely it would only add to the horror of it, to think that you were offered a way of escape. Yes, “the GIFT of God is eternal life." You have only to put out the hand of faith and take it.
Take Him for your Saviour who is “the Life," and who died that you might have it, and is now risen, and seated at God's right hand, blessed proof that God has accepted the work He did on the cross.
“There is life in a look to the Crucified One, There is life at this moment for thee; Then look, sinner, look unto Him, and be saved, And know thyself spotless as He.”
E. H. G.