Introduction
“The Two Deaths of Mankind” is a topic that many do not fully understand. As we read the Scriptures, we see that God pronounced a death sentence in Eden, but we also observe that all human beings die, regardless of that sentence. The Apostle Paul states that sin brings death, while the Book of Revelation mentions a second death. How do these ideas connect? What does the death that God declared really mean? Does everyone experience both deaths? Throughout this study, I will explore these questions and reveal the biblical understanding behind the existence of these two deaths.
The Instruction Given in the Garden of Eden
In the Garden of Eden, after the creation of Adam and Eve, the Lord God gave the following instructions to both of them:
Genesis 2:16-17 – “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 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.”
God had created countless trees that bore various fruits, and He gave them all to the couple to eat. However, there was one tree called the “Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil” from which they were not to eat. The Lord had warned them of the consequence of disobeying and eating its fruit: “you will surely die” (Genesis 2:17). Unfortunately, the enemy deceived them both, and they disobeyed God by eating the forbidden fruit. As a result, they were expelled from the Garden of Eden, and death came to all humanity. So, what are the two deaths that human beings experience?
Genesis 3:19 – “In the sweat of your face you will eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you will return.“
Genesis 3:22-24 – “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. And he drove the man forth; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.“
Misunderstanding
There is considerable confusion surrounding the death pronounced by God in the Garden of Eden and the death that all human beings experience. However, biblically speaking, these two deaths are distinct from one another.
First, let’s consider the Tree of Life, which was designed to allow human beings to live eternally. God did not create humans as immortal beings by nature. Their eternal life was conditional and dependent on their ongoing access to the Tree of Life. If Adam and Eve had remained faithful to God and not eaten from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, they would have continued to live forever, as they would still have had access to the fruit of the Tree of Life. However, had they stopped eating from the Tree of Life, they would have certainly died. This demonstrates that eternal life was not intrinsic to them but was sustained by partaking in the Tree of Life. Consequently, the death that God pronounced for eating the forbidden fruit was not the same as the natural death that would result from no longer eating from the Tree of Life.
The Apostle Paul highlights another important aspect of death: “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). All who sin are destined to receive “death” as their wage, the just penalty for sin. Since “all have sinned” (Romans 3:23), everyone must experience this second death, which is the penalty for transgression.
Thus, we can identify two distinct deaths:
- The first death is a natural death, which occurs as a result of not eating from the Tree of Life. This death is not a penalty for sin, but rather a consequence of no longer having access to the means of eternal life.
- The second death is the wage of sin, which is a consequence of violating God’s commandment and transgressing His law. This is a spiritual death, which is the ultimate penalty for sin.
These two deaths are different in nature: the first is a natural consequence of no longer partaking in the Tree of Life, while the second is the just penalty for sin and disobedience to God’s commands.
The Second Death
Revelation 20:6 – “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: over 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.“
In the Book of Revelation, we find mention of a second death. Regarding this, the Scriptures state that the group of saved people who will be resurrected at the time of Jesus’ second coming will not experience it. Only those whose names are not written in the Book of Life will face it:
Revelation 20:14 – “And death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone was not found written in the Book of Life, he was cast into the lake of fire.”
In other words, those who will experience the second death are all those who are not saved, and this will happen after the thousand-year period and the descent of the New Jerusalem to this planet. All the lost will be resurrected to receive the “wages of sin” they committed while they were alive, and as we saw earlier, the “wages of sin is death.” The second death will be nothing more than the payment for the sin that we all committed, a payment that was sentenced by God in the Garden of Eden: “you will surely die” (Genesis 2:17). It will not happen naturally, as is the case with the first death, since its end is described as the “lake of fire.” These are the two deaths of human beings!
Pay for the Death of the Son of God
And what about the living saints who were resurrected and those who will be alive when Jesus returns? Didn’t they commit sins that are worthy of receiving payment? Of course they did! However, their condemnation was already paid with the death of the Son of God on the cross of Calvary! In the Plan of Salvation, Christ took on human form and lived on this earth under the same conditions in which we live. He was subject to the obedience of God’s Law, just as Adam and Eve were, and just as we are. In His life, He lived victoriously and committed no sin. However, the authorities unjustly condemned Him to death, treating Him as an evildoer.
His earthly life ended on the cross, and up until that moment, He had committed no sin. He lived a life in complete obedience to the will of His Father, but in the end, He lost His life. The full righteousness that Christ lived on this earth, He credits to the “account” of all those who seek Him as their personal Savior. Our condemnation was paid by Christ! That is why we read that such people are blessed, for they will not experience the second death! The death that Jesus died on the cross in place of those who are saved was precisely the second death, that is, the death of condemnation!
Conclusion
Therefore, we can conclude that there are two deaths for human beings. The first is the natural death, which occurs when we no longer consume the fruit of the Tree of Life. Everyone faces this death, whether they are saved or not. The second death is the payment for the transgression of God’s law, that is, the consequence of the sin we have committed. We should all receive this second death, but the Son of God gave His life to ransom us. Those who accept Him as Savior will not need to go through it, because Christ has already paid the price for us! Only the wicked and unjust will have to go through this second death.
May we surrender our lives to Christ and accept Him as the Savior of our lives! He will grant saving grace to all who seek Him with faith and repentance!
May God bless us!
