Born Twice-Die Once ; Born Once-Die Twice
Jesus' Return in Our Lifetime > Death is swallowed up in victory 

Ishak Natan 
Dec 2009, Juli 2021, Feb 2022

It is written: 'And just like humans set to die only once, and then be judged', (Heb 9:27)

Billions of people of all ages under the sun are trying to find out about the subject of death. Religious books and sages have been consulted to satisfy the need of knowing what lies beyond death. Why is such an efforts?

Only the Creator of humanity could gave the revelation and the existence of the first and second death. This writer believes that the strategic information could only be found in the book of the Holy Writ.

The strategic chart on the left could be verified with the Bible.
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. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it; and death and hades delivered up the dead who were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hades 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. Re 20:11-15

This is a frightening news for the world. What is then if there is good news (Joh 3:16) ? Up to this point the principle of trust (faith) should be appropriated.
Rev. 20:6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and Christ, and they will reign as king with him a thousand years.

If we ponder any religion under the sun, there are only two kinds of profesion.
Question: What is the purpose of his incarnation and his first coming?
Answer:  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief (1 Timothy 1:15). How?
Perhaps an analogy might help:
One night on the month of July, 1794, an elderly man walking in the dark trying to identify people who were locked up in the underground prison of Paris. He noticed a young guy in a deep sleep which he had been looking for. Could he? Yes, indeed he is his own son.
Without the knowledge of his father, the boy had been arrested and imprisoned. The heart of the father was terribly sorry knowing the fate that will befall his son; awaiting death penalty with guillotine. Throughout the night the father guards his son as he prayed not to wake him up from sleep.
Early morning three men entered into the cave prison and one of them called out: 'Jean Simon de Loiserolle! “Soon the father jumped up from his place and said: "Here!" When walking to place of execution, they passed a sign that listed name crossed off of the prisoner. 'Jean Simon de Loiserolle age of 37? ", inquired the soldier. "That's my name, 'replied the old man,' but I am 73!" "One writes in error!", grumbled the soldier, 'Seventy-three, not thirty-seven! " as he corrected. And they continued walking to the guillotine.
The son woke up, expecting every moment the call out. Finally one said: 'During the night an old man sitting watching over you, and when the guard called out your name this morning, he replied on your behalf and go to the execution. "But I'm Jean Simon de Loiserolle," cried the boy, but his cry was in vain. With a deep bitterness he realized that his own father had replaced his place, because the father and son have the same name.

As the analogy, so it is written:
2 Corinthians 5:21 For he [God] has made him [Jesus], who knew no sin, to be sin for us; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Dear reader as the verse above, so Jesus Christ has had died in our place. His resurrection from the death enacted the rescue plan of saving mankind from everlasting death; the second death in the lake of fire. Re 19:20; Re 20:10,14-15
Romans 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dies no more; death has no more dominion over him.
John 1:12-13 But as many as received Him His given power to become children of God, to those who believe in His name; the people born, not of blood or of the flesh, nor of material by the desire of a man, but of God.
1Pet1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who because of His mercy has given us rebirth by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to a life full of hope,

Even a Jewish rabbi could not understand it;
John 3:1-9 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that you do, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto you, You must be born again. The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound thereof, but can not tell from where it came, and where it goes: so is everyone that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

Indeed believers will still experience physical death (die once), however their name are written in the book of life.
1 Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also. Joh 14:1-3
Revelation 20:11-15 Then I saw a great white throne and him who sat on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away and no longer find his place. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And books were opened. And opened another book, the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their deeds, based on what is written in the books. Then the sea gave people die in it, and death and Hades gave the dead in it, and they were judged each according to his deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. That is the second death, the lake of fire. And every person who was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

However if Jesus' Return in Our Lifetime > Death is swallowed up in victory

This expectation should be anticipated by people who have believed in Christ Jesus. Why should we?
Because at the time when Jesus returns and we are still alive and not dead, then the mortal body of believers will be changed in an instant . . .
1Cor15:51-54 Truly I tell you a secret: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in the blink of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised in a state that can not perish and we will all be changed. Because of this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. And after that this corruptible put on incorruption and this mortal put on that can not die, it will be fulfilled the word of God which is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory".

The question remains: Is your name written in the book of life?

Maranatha

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