The Mystery of the Second Death



Jude is an epistle to Christians and a warning to Christians that there are apostate Christians who are out and about that are teaching false doctrines. One of those false doctrines is that the Christian has no need to fear the second death because the second death will only effect the unsaved. Nothing could be further from the truth, As can be seen from the 12th verse of Jude {above}.

If the book of Acts can be called the acts of the Apostles, the Epistle of Jude could very well be called the acts of the Apostates. Why? Because that is the very subject matter of the epistle.

The 12th verse includes these words: " whose fruit withereth, without fruit,". Please take the time to think about that just for a moment. If this epistle is about the works of the unsaved, why would Jude even mention their fruit? The unsaved are not expected to bear spiritual fruit, they are dead in respect to spiritual matters! The unsaved do not believe in Jesus, the Christ. So how could they be expected to bear spiritual fruit?

Only the saved are expected to bear spiritual fruit and in this verse the fruits of the flesh, of the false teachers, withers and therefore they are without fruit at the time of the rapture and therefore will be subject to the second death {"twice dead"}. They are not worthy to stand in Judgment before Christ at the time of the rapture being entirely spiritually naked but deceived into thinking that they are rich in spiritual fruit and in need of nothing spiritually speaking. [Revelation 3:15-17]

Notice another thing in verse 12 "[they are] without water, ". Little children do you know what 'water' symbolizes in this context? It symbolizes that these false teachers are without the guidance from the Holy Spirit in the Holy Scriptures. They cannot discern the Word of the Truth of God.

Therefore, they are "carried about of winds" and "without fear". But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain,....{Cain was a believer but he departed from the way that was acceptable unto our God!!!}

Christian look at what Christ Himself says to us all:

[Revelation 2:11] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches....

Let's look at another mention of the second death.

[Revelation 20:6] Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Please ask yourself these questions: How can the second death be said to have no power over someone without a person first having temporarily been subjected to the power of the second death? Only then could it be determined that the second death had no power over them!

Was Adam not put under a deep sleep {a type of the second death} when God created Eve from his Rib?

Notice the sequence of event from the type. Adam is placed into deep sleep - then separation of the body of Eve from the body of Adam.

Now notice the sequence of events in the anti-type. The second death - then the separation of the bride of Christ from the body of the last Adam, Christ {the general assembly of the Church}.

Did Ruth {in the beautiful type that she is as the bride of Christ} not lie down and sleep {a type of the second death} at the feet of Boaz {a type of Christ, our kinsman redeemer} before she became his bride? Was this not during the winnowing of the barley {a type of the overcomer} being separated {winnowed} from the chaff {a type of the non-overcomer}? [Ruth 3:2]

Did John the Revelator not fall down as dead {a type of the second death} before Christ our great Judge in that wonderful moment when he turns to see who it is that is speaking to him in Chapter one of the book of Revelation? This is the same Apostle that referred to himself as "that disciple whom Jesus loved" and John, "that disciple whom Jesus loved", fell down as if dead!!!

What did Christ do and say? "And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:" The overcomer in that day will also be comforted and they will hear the words of Christ " fear not" for they too will be worthy to stand and be rewarded with the inheritance of ruling and reigning with Christ for 1000 years.

Was Christ the first man to have ever been brought back from the dead? No? Then how can the Holy Scripture claim Christ is the firstborn from the dead if it is not because Christ is the first born from the second death?

Every Christian will experience the second death and Christ as our supreme example led the way!!! Was Christ incarnated into a body like ours or like Adam's before Adam sinned? Christ's first incarnation was not cursed by the corruption of Adam therefore His body was not subject to corruption as ours is. Did Christ not, at the last moment of His first incarnation, force Himself to die. Is it not written: "And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost."

Christ had to force himself to die! Did Christ's body see corruption?

When Christ's body was resurrected was it the same body that had been forced by Devine decree to die upon the cross? Indeed not! It was a body of flesh and bone but that body was not animated by blood! How do we know that? For it is written: "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us."

Was Christ's blood not placed upon the heavenly mercy seat for the sins of the world? Then what force animated the body of Christ after His resurrection if it was not the Holy Spirit of God? Is it not written: "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have."

Now let us ask the question: Then what is the second death?

We can get a good idea of what the second death is from the next verse we want to look at.

[Revelation 20:14] And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

The Scripture is explicit. The lake of fire is the one symbol, yet none the less absolutely real, that depicts absolute separation from the blessed fellowship of God. Then there is another fact seen concerning the second death if this is the case. The second death can also have a temporary hold upon the soul such as in one thousand years: "But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished." [Revelation 20:5]

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. [Revelation 21:8]

Again ask yourself this question: Can the life of many Christians not be described as is stated in this verse?

The second death will have an everlasting hold upon the souls of the un-saved. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. [Revelation 20:15] Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: [Matthew 25:41] But, for the unfaithful Christian it is only for the period of a 1000 year day. Even so, what a dreadful thought!

The first thing that we can discern from these verses is the fact that the Second Death, at least for the unsaved, has everlasting verities. Why? Because, the unsaved have no fellowship with God.

But that does not mean that the Second death does not have ramifications for the saved as well. Oh no, every believer will be called into the Air {the Kingdom of Heaven}, at the rapture, and every Christian will shortly thereafter die the Second Death.

Some believers {overcomers} will be worthy to stand [Luke 20:35 and Luke 21:36] and [Philippians 3] {be out-resurrected from the Second Death} to stand before Jesus at the Judgment Seat of Christ, but most believers {non-overcomers} will be hurt of the Second Death, for their nakedness will make them unworthy to stand up and they will not live again until the 1000 year reign of Christ is finished. [Revelation 20:5]

The greater majority of modern day 'Laodicean' Theologians will tell you that the Epistle of Jude is to the Church, but about the un-saved and that is most unfortunate. Why? Because, there are many souls who will be held by the Second Death because of that error.

Many Christians believe {in error} they can lead their lives in any old way they want to live and because they are saved they have their ticket into the Kingdom of the heavenlies. They are taught that they are saved, and that when they die, they will float around on clouds, play harps and sing heavenly hymns forever to the God that they were so unfaithful to, after they were saved.

Does it sound plausible that Christ is going to pat an unfaithful Christian on the back at the Judgment Seat of Christ saying: Well done thou unwise and unfaithful servant, because thou hast been unwise and unfaithful I will give you the reward of ruling and reigning with me in my kingdom. Does that sound like Christ Jesus who is the same yesterday, today and forever?

Does that sound like the God that did not let the first generation of Israel that came out of Egypt go into the promised land because of unbelief? Did He not say "they will not go in"? Did they go in?

What about Moses? Did Moses not strike the rock twice in unbelief thus marring the type? Did he go in the promised land?

Was Adam and Eve allowed to stay in the garden of Eden after their unbelief disqualified them from ruling over the domain that God had created them for?

Was Esau allowed to receive his inheritance as a first born son after he had given it away for a bowl of red stew?

No! Christ would rather say: I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.

Why? Because they are types of tares and chaff, and again; because they have arrived at the bridal reception without an acceptable wedding garment, and again; because they have not made their garments clean and white!

Is it not written: "And others save with fear, pulling [them] out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh."

Let's examine [Revelation 3:1-6] for just a moment

3:1: And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

The great Judge is not saying that these believers are dead in the sense that they have not been saved. The Lord is telling these believers that their works of the flesh are worthless and therefore they are soulically dead {twice dead} and thus are in a state of second death.

3:2: Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

"for I have not found thy works perfect before God." These works are considered to be worthless because they are works of the flesh and not works of the Spirit of God. Only the works of the Spirit of God through us, during our lifetimes upon this earth, will be counted as worthy to the great judge in that day.

Those works are the works that are woven into an acceptable wedding garment clean and white. This is what enables the overcomer to stand before Christ to receive the reward of the inheritance of all that Christ will inherit from our Father.

3:3: Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

What did the Apostle Paul say about "watching"? Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

One can only love our Lord's appearing if one is watching. Did our Lord not say: "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."

In order to stand before Christ one must be able {worthy} to escape the second death.

3:4: Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

"for they are worthy." Why are they worthy? they "have not defiled their garments". "they shall walk with me in white" Why? because the second death will not hurt them and they will be worthy to be resurrected out from among the dead { to stand} at the Judgment Seat of Christ to be rewarded their inheritance with Christ.

3:5: He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

"He that overcometh": What makes one an overcomer? they " have not defiled their garments".

"the same shall be clothed in white raiment;" why? " for they are worthy."

"I will not blot out his name out of the book of life". This book is not The Lamb's Book Of Life. How do we know this? Because, the names of Christians are not blotted out of The Lamb's Book Of Life.

Christians cannot lose their salvation. Therefore, their names are not blotted out of the Lamb's Book of Life.

If a persons name is not written in the Lamb's Book of Life it is because they never believed on the Lord Jesus Christ in the first place. The names of unbelievers are not, have never, and never will be written in this book.

Do you suppose our God would say: oops! I made a mistake. The name of that person should not have been written in this book because they never have believed! Does our God not know the beginning from the end? The names of those who are written in the Lamb's book of Life have been written there since the foundation of the world. If God could make this kind of mistake He would not be God.

This book is The Book of Soul Life and the name of a Christian can most assuredly be blotted out of this book if they have been found unworthy to stand up from the second death and be judged at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

Who is our Lord speaking to? [3:6] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

To believers!

Dear Christian, have you prepared your wedding garment? Has it been made unworthy, spotted by the flesh? Or will you appear in that heavenly realm naked before the face of Him from whom the heavens and the Earth will flee 1000 years later.

Will you be a part of that throng of non-overcomers to whom Christ will speak the words: "depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity."

Did you notice that the word 'workers' is plural? Christ is speaking to more than one believer at this time because this is just before the whole bundle of tares, which have been separated from the wheat, are gathered up to be burned {reserved unto judgment under the blackness of darkness of the second death}, for that great day, 1000 years later, before the Great White Throne {saved as if by fire}.

The non-overcomer can not be judged at the Judgment Seat of Christ because they have been found unworthy to stand. They are twice dead! They have fallen and can not be raised again until the thousand years are finished. Again, is it not written: "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."

Now let us return to The Epistle of Jude.

Again, Jude is not about the un-saved but is rather about the saved!!! You might then ask: Why is it that we have been taught that Jude is talking about the unsaved? Well, because, the Laodicean Church leaders, in these last days, don't want to depart from their traditional ideas and admit that the saved can act as sinful and ungodly as those described in the Epistle of Jude and therefore, they refuse to teach the truth.

If they admitted this they would then have to admit that they will be held accountable for their unfaithfulness.

The saved can live their lives just as un-Godly as any un-saved man can, and many do. Just because one has been saved does not mean they have reached sinless perfection by any means. In fact, that will never happen to a Christian in this lifetime! Why? For it is written: "The heart {soul} is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it. I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings."

You see, the soul body is not saved at the same time that the spirit body is born again of God like many modern day teachers and preachers would have you believe.

The Holy Spirit does indwell the born again spirit of the saved person and that spirit body is sealed unto the day of redemption, but nowhere in the Holy Scriptures will you find that the scriptures teach that the soul is saved at the same time that the spirit is born again of God!

Indeed the Word teaches the very opposite.

[Hebrews 10:39] But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

Did you notice the future tense of this verse? Did you notice that the verse says "souls" not 'spirits'. Let's look at another verse.

[James 1:21] Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

Again the verse has a future tense to it? "Is able." Now let us take a look at a third verse.

[1 Peter 1:9] Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

"The end of your faith". Again future tense and again speaking of the soul body and not the spirit body.

You see we have been saved {spirit body} but we are also presently being saved with a purpose of attaining unto soul salvation at a future time. That future time is at the out resurrection from the second dead.

The Apostle Paul puts these things in order this way: "That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, {the soul} which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, {the born again spirit} which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Why? Because the Holy Spirit dwells in the newly created spirit body of the saved.

Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man {the soul} with his deeds;

You see, the old man is still with us after we have been saved. Our old dark soul has not gone anywhere. It has not been changed and the only thing that will change our old dark soul is the Holy Spirit of God working in and through our lifetimes in order to effect a change upon our souls that will be acceptable and worthy to a just and a holy God at that day of the rapture, the second death and the Judgment Seat of Christ.

Let's look at these three very specific verses once more for more light on this subject of soul salvation..

But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. [Hebrews 10:39]

The word soul in the original Greek is the word 'Psuche' pronounced psoo-khay' . Strong's describes the soul body in this way:

the seat of the feelings, desires, affections, aversions (our heart) The soul as an essence which differs from the body is not dissolved by death (distinguished from other parts of the body)

The word spirit in the original Greek is the word 'Pneuma' pronounced pnyoo'-mah. Strong's describes the spirit body in this way: The context being that God's Spirit dwells in us, hence we are born again of the Spirit of God.

sometimes referred to in a way which emphasizes God's personality and character (the Holy Spirit)
sometimes referred to in a way which emphasizes His work and power (the Spirit of Truth)
never referred to as a depersonalized force

Thus, as we can see, the soul and spirit are two very different words with very different definitions and therefore the two are very different bodies.

Let's look at our next verse:

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. [James 1:21]

The soul is deceitful and desperately wicked and will fight night and day against the promptings and leadings of the Holy Spirit for ruler-ship over our bodies of flesh and this will continue until the day that we die. Only the reading and memorizing, filling one's soul/mind up with the {engrafted} Word of God and the confession of daily sins, and the trials of experience that God sends us on a daily basis, will change the soul in such a way as to make it worthy to be saved at the time of the second death and out-resurrection from the dead.

Christians "lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness"!!!

Many Christians are taught to blame to much on the devil or demons, but if the truth were known, it is not really the devil or demons that make us do wicked and un-Godly things at all most of the time. But rather, it is really our own dark souls that cause us to act wickedly and un-Godly. The Bible is full of saved people that have been shown to have the capacity to do very wicked things, indeed, after they were saved.

Modern day Church leaders would rather say that those described in the Book of Jude are not saved because of their actions, but what they don't admit, is that, if this is the case, then they are adding the works of those individuals to the work of Christ on the cross.

For example, let us imagine that last Sunday John Doe professed that he believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, but now, this Sunday, John Doe did not come to Church because he was locked up for public drunkenness. Was John Doe saved or not, based on his actions? Well, only the Holy Spirit can know that for sure, but let's just carry this thought on out to it's natural conclusion.

If John Doe's actions are what we use to determine whether John Doe got saved, then if John Doe had not gotten drunk and had rather donated his only car to the local Church as a love offering, then according to the Laodicean Church of today, there would be no doubt about John Doe being saved. Why? Because, John Doe's, so called, good works is evidence that he got saved. Now, if that is true, then we have just added John Doe's good works to the works of Christ on the cross to prove that John Doe was saved. Not to mention that there are a great many people throughout history that have done many great works of benevolence and yet they have not believed on the Lord Jesus the Christ as their personal Saviour!

Do you see the error? We can't add works of any kind to the works of Christ on the cross for it is written:

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

Therefore, we can't add John Doe's actions, after he was saved, to the equation when we try to judge whether John Doe really got saved last Sunday or not! You see, it is not up to us to judge whether John Doe got saved anyway. We are called to pray for and to teach the Word of Truth to John Doe, not judge him. Christ Jesus is the only one who has the right to judge, remember?

"I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings."

Let us look at the last verse concerning the saving of the soul for some further light on this subject.

Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. [1 Peter 1:9]

Have you noticed something unique about these verses aside from the fact that they are not talking about the spirit body and therefore are not referring to being born again of the Spirit of God? All of these verses refer to the salvation of the soul in the future tense!

Have we not been born again of the Spirit of God {past tense}? I pray to God that the reader has!

But look again at the tense in these three verses: [Hebrews 10:39] "but of them that believe to the saving of the soul."

Future tense.

[James 1:21] "which is able to save your souls.

Future tense.

[1 Peter 1:9] "the end of your faith"

The tense is unmistakable. Soul salvation { the worthiness to stand and receive the reward of the inheritance of ruling and reigning with Christ} comes at the end of our faith and is therefore a hope and out there before us in the future somewhere!!!

Where is that end of our faith? It can only be at the time that we all die or at the time of the rapture! Why? Because we no longer will have to live by faith but rather we shall see Him {Christ} for we shall be caught up to Him in the air {the kingdom of the heavenlies and shall see him!!! Is it not written: For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for ? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Do you see the future tense again here in this verse? We with patience wait for it.

We no longer have to hope for soul salvation at that time for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for it?

But now I hear someone saying: Why do we have to hope for soul salvation. Did Christ not die on the cross for our soul salvation? And the answer would be that Christ died on the cross so that we could receive everlasting {spirit salvation} so that we could then be placed, as a child of God, in a position whereby we might attain unto that prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, {the out-resurrection from among the dead} which is soul salvation.

Christ died on the cross to give us a free gift. It is a position in the family of God. It is the foundation. Is it not written: "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."?

The Apostle Paul, at one time in his ministry, had this to say about his own hope to attain unto soul salvation.

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. [Philippians 3:10-14]

Was Paul not saved? Why then did he reason that he must attain unto the above mentioned resurrection of the dead {a resurrection that many preach is the rapture of the Church}, but it is not? Why does he reason that he must apprehend something? Why is it that he reasons that he must press toward something that is before him; a mark, as if he were in a race running for the finish line?

Certainly Paul had been saved. He already had spirit salvation! What he did not already have at this time in his life was soul salvation.

Is this not works? Is it not written by James, the half brother of Jesus, the Christ: "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?" and again "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works." and again, "But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?" and again, "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." and again, "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."

Could Paul not be confident that he had apprehended that thing which he hoped for because he was not assured at that time that he would be worthy to attain unto the out-resurrection from the dead? The prize ,{not a gift} is the out-resurrection and thus it is the attainment of soul salvation?

And yet later on in his life he writes to Timothy these words: For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Again the question must be asked: Was Paul not saved? Then why did he have to fight a good fight at all if the soul is saved at the same time that the spirit is born again of God? Why did he reason as though he needed to finish his course or to keep the faith?

Was it not because he strove for the prize of soul salvation? "A crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: {future tense} and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."

What day? The day of the second death or the day of the out resurrection from among the dead. For did Paul not say: "If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." a better translation would have been {the out-resurrection from among the dead}. Why?

Because the word "out" was left out of the KJV translation of this verse. Why?

Because the translators thought that this verse was referring to the rapture of the Church. They were interpreting instead of translating.

Paul is a saved person and all saved people will attain unto the rapture of the Church. That is a part of the gift of God and spirit salvation.

Is being born again of the Spirit of God by our works? No! And yet, here Paul describes works for a crown.

Does the Apostle John in the third chapter and verse sixteen of his gospel say anything about a crown? No! Why? Because he is not talking about soul salvation but rather he is talking about spirit salvation.

Does the Apostle Paul in [Ephesians 2:8] say anything about a reward? No! Why? Because he is not talking about soul salvation but is rather talking about spirit salvation.

Soul salvation is not in the past as is spirit salvation. Soul salvation is in the future!

The soul is not saved at the same time that the spirit is saved!

You see? This is the only place in the New Testament that a resurrection is described this way and not only that, but our English translators have left out a part of this verse. In the original Greek there is an EK in front of the word 'resurrection' and therefore, when we read the verse in it's entirety, the verse would be: If by any means I might attain unto the (out) resurrection of the dead. or better yet, {the out resurrection from among the second dead!}

Our modern day false teachers want you to believe that this resurrection is the rapture of the Church just as the translators/interpreters did. But this begs the question: Why does Paul, a saved man, feel as though he must to attain unto or otherwise do something in order to have a part in this resurrection? He did not say as much to the Church at Thessalonica! Are not all believers taken into the air at that time?

Did he not say to the Thessalonians: For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Did Paul say anything about having to attain unto the resurrection just described? Was not the only thing he used to qualify these believers for this resurrection the fact that "we believe that Jesus died and rose again," thus indicating that all who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ {the saved} will have part in this resurrection?

Then the out-resurrection from among the second dead of Philippians 3 and the raising of all believers of 1 Thessalonians cannot be the same resurrection!

Philippians 3 is not referring to the rapture but is rather referring to the resurrection of the overcomers from the second death just before they are judged at the Judgment Seat of Christ, which comes after the rapture of the Church!

The Epistle of Jude is to the Church, as is all of the epistles in the New Testament, but it is also about the saved, unfaithful, apostate, teachers, preachers, and Christians in general that have appeared in these last days just before the saved, {faithful and un-faithful}, are raptured and the tribulation period begins. It is these unfaithful that have the most to lose when it comes time for the Second Death.

We absolutely must understand the three part manifestations of Man, but in order for us to do that we must understand the second death. God, in the beginning, created Man in God's image which is also three-fold.

In God's Word we find that God created man in His image on the sixth [24 hour] day.

[Genesis 1:26] And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion ......

Notice that God 'plural' {''Elohiym'} [pronounced (el-o-heem' )] said: let "us" make man in "our" image after "our" likeness...... then in [verse 27] God acted.

[Genesis 1:27] So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

God created one male human being and one female human being in His likeness, but God, in the above posted verses, doesn't tell us in what particular likeness of God that He chose to create them.

Jesus Christ [the very manifestation of God in the flesh] later describes the three-fold manifestations of God for us.

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: [Matthew 28:19]

So, we see, from the Son of God's own command to His disciples, that God is a tripartite or three-fold being. God is one being, but, manifests or reveals differing aspects of Himself in three different ways. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit. All three of these manifestations are co-equal, and co-eternal in their omniscience or divine nature. God the Father resides in eternity [outside of time/space]. He resides in the third Heaven.

Christ, God manifested in the flesh, is the creator of all creation and yet apart from the created [and "time" is part of creation]. Thus, God the Son is above and outside all of creation and yet can and will, once more, manifest Himself within His creation. This will be in a time just out ahead of us when Christ will re-enter time/space and that period of time is called, in the Scriptures, the Lord's Day; an age of 1000 years.

God, the Holy Spirit, has the same attributes as Christ but has never been manifested in the flesh of a divinely begotten human being in the way Christ was. Instead, the Holy Spirit resides in the spirit body of each and every born again child of God since the day of Pentecost. And yet, the Holy Spirit has existed from everlasting to everlasting and manifests Himself wherever it pleases the Godhead to make Him manifest.

Since God is a three-fold [tripartite] being, He determined, from the beginning, to create man as a three-fold [tripartite] being as well. Paul tells us that our God wants to preserve our entire three part being as one whole blameless body.

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. [1 Thessalonians 5:23]


Man was created with a physical body [the flesh, bone and joints, muscle tissue, which dissolves or goes back to the dust at the time of physical death]. If a person is saved, the spirit body, at the time of physical death, returns to God for it has been sealed by the Holy Spirit unto the day of redemption {the rapture}. The saved persons soul body will go to paradise to await the rapture of the Church, but the unsaved persons soul goes immediately to hell to await the Great White Throne Judgment and everlasting second death.

In the beginning God had provided the tree of life for Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden so they could enjoy life as immortals; for they had been created to have dominion over the earth.

They were created to take Satan's place as the rulers over this earth. {See our study on Satan and his kingdom} for a more in-depth study of when Lucifer was given the domain of the Earth and it's heavens.

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion ......[Genesis 1:26]

Their spirit, soul, and physical bodies would have never died if they had partaken of the Tree of Life before Eve partook of the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But, because she {and therefore, they}, disobeyed God and partook of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they {as a type or example to us} were forced outside of Eden and away from the Tree of Life and therefore, forced outside of the kingdom of God on Earth {Eden}.

And this is the same thing that will happen to all believers who fail to show themselves approved and worthy to stand up at the Judgment Seat of Christ. They will be forced out of the Kingdom of the heavenlies in second death.

And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubim's, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. [Genesis 3:22-24]

So we see that Man was originally created in the image of God who is a tripartite or three part being.

Today, if a person has been born again of the Spirit of God, they have been created, again, in the image of God, a new creature in Christ Jesus. They now have a physical body, a soul body and a spirit body and that body is animated by blood which an important distinction in our study.

Now someone will say, but if it is only when the Christian is saved that their spirit body is born again, where is the scripture that tells us that we were naturally born with only a soul body and a physical body? And the answer would be:

And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his {Adam's} image; and called his name Seth: [Genesis 5:3]

So you see, from the time that Adam and Eve's spirit bodies died they were only made up of a soul body and a physical body just like any other animal. And since Seth was begat in Adam's likeness and after Adam's image, we may ascertain that Seth only had a soul body and a physical body when he was begotten of Adam and Eve.

Seth was not created in the image of God, a three part being and neither has any other son of Adam and Eve, since then for all {except Christ Jesus} have been born in the fallen image of Adam.

It is the spirit body, of a saved man, that gives him the three fold likeness of our God and therefore, when a person is born again of the Spirit of God they now have the privilege of fellowship with God. An un-saved person, unless they believe on the Lord Jesus Christ at some point in their lives, has no hope of ever having fellowship with God; not ever! The born again spirit body restores the Christian to the three-fold image of God!

Now that we understand that God is tripartite and therefore, that Man is tripartite, we can go on to a better understanding of the Second Death.

One must be born again of the Spirit of God. This is the foundation and the free gift. It is not gained by the works of men and no work of men can take this free gift away and that includes you.

That said however, we also recognize that soul salvation must be attained. Works enter into the picture here. For is it not written: "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?" And again "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works."

But these are not just any old works of the flesh! No, these are works of the Holy Spirit of God working in and through the flesh of the believer.

The Apostle Paul admonishes us in [Galatians 5]: This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Then in verses 19-21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

The most common modern day teachings would teach us that these verses are referring to the unsaved with the emphasis on the unsaved to believe and be saved. But the context does not allow that, for works do not enter into the idea of being saved. It is not by our works that we are saved and it is not our works that keep us saved.

The entire context here is the kingdom of heaven and an inheritance - not a free gift. The out-resurrection from among the second dead must be attained {worked for!

Now ask yourself this question: Can the saved do such things as described in verses 19-21 above? Well, does Paul not go on to say "they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

Now ask yourself this question: can the unsaved expect to inherit the kingdom of God? No? Then we must admit that Paul is not talking to or about the unsaved but rather is talking to and about the saved and admonishing them that if they do such things, they cannot expect to be worthy to stand and inherit the reward of ruling and reigning with Christ in His kingdom for 1000 years and then beyond that time in the eternal ages yet future.

Christians are expected to allow the good works of the Spirit of God to be worked through them {after they are saved} in order to inherit the kingdom of God.

Let's look again at [Galatians 5] and let's begin at [verse 22]. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law......If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Little children, walking is working.

Now let us take a look at what Peter has to say in the first chapter of his second epistle. "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Then in verses ten and eleven he adds, for context, these words concerning works and attaining the kingdom of our Lord.

"Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."

Is it not obvious by now that attaining the worthiness of being able to stand up {be out-resurrected} so that we may attain the reward of the inheritance of ruling and reigning with Christ is soul salvation? And since that is the case, that the only way to avoid the second death is to seek to attain unto that great prize!

What a great motivator!!! Does it make since then that the Christian must mortify the soulish appetites that want to use the flesh to fulfill the lust of the old dark soul? Did Paul not say: I die daily!!!

Herein then lies the greatest secret in order to overcome and to avoid being held by the second death! We must die that Christ might live through us. Is it not written: "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"

As one can see, the words life and soul are used interchangeably in the above verses. That is because the words 'life' and 'soul' are the same word in the original Greek texts. The Greek word is 'Psuche', pronounced psoo-khay' , pronounced "soo-kay" since the "p" is silent. This is the Greek word for soul.

The eighth chapter of the Gospel of Mark gives us some further clarity on this same idea.

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.

Mark adds the further distinction of doing something. Mark adds works to this idea. Christ says: "for my sake and the gospel's". Did Christ, even at the age of about twelve years old, not say to His parents: "How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?"

The first chapter of James gives us even more clarity: "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls".

Be swift to hear and slow to speak: Which one of us can say that they have practiced these works of the Spirit enough?

Be slow to wrath: meaning to be slow to anger. Ouch! But will we practice this precept?

Lay apart all works of the flesh. In other words do not allow the old dark soul to rule over the flesh.

"Receive with meekness the engrafted word,". What is the engrafted word? Is it not the Word of the Holy Scriptures? How much do we read and fill ourselves up with the Word of God? If we fill up with the Word of God are we not filling ourselves up with the Spirit of God?

This is what is meant by the phrase: "washing of" or "by the Word of God"? Does it not make sense that if we work at washing the filthy old soul with the Word of God that it might be transformed over time by the Spirit of God into the garment that is clean and spotless? Is it not written: "And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling [them] out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh."

Are these verses referring to the unsaved? Not hardly, for Jude goes on to point out to whom he is referring in the next verses. "Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you, [the saved] faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, [be] glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen."

How could this verse have any meaning for the unsaved? They are already fallen! They have never been raised up to a position from which they might fear to fall from! Only the Christian may experience this kind of holy fear and reverence of our Saviour {our three times holy God}!

So then James brings us back to works: "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."

The word 'do' means to practice. And, we could go on and on with examples of the practical works of the Spirit in our daily lives but we just don't have the time or the room to expound on them all in this small study concerning the mystery of the second death.

We have heard all of our lives that we are not saved by works and that is true as far as being born again of the Spirit is concerned.

However, it is our hope that this study has brought to light a grave error which our modern day teachers have neglected to warn us about and that is works of the Spirit to the effect of the saving of our souls at a future time and thus delivering us from the hurt of the second death just after we are raptured.

Our Lord and Saviour did not so neglect this very important subject, for did He not warn: "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death." [Revelation 2:11]

It is my great hope that this study will help someone overcome the soulish works of the flesh, the wiles of the world and the lies of Satan. And in so doing, attain unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

As always, if you have any questions you may e-mail me at ennisisland@charter.net

Your brother in Christ,

Sam Ennis

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