Read and pray: "Blessed and holy is the one who has part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no authority; on the contrary, they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years." (Rev 20:6)
THE DAMAGE OF THE SECOND DEATH
There are other similar passages in the Bible that also address these matters. Revelation 2:11 tells us that those who overcome will not suffer the damage of the second death, and Revelation 20:6 says that a group of people will not die again and the second death will have no authority over them.
The second death is the lake of fire mentioned at the end of Revelation 20. This means that the defeated will suffer the damage of the second death. Even if they do not experience the second death, they will suffer its damage. Once a person is saved, they will not undergo the second death.
However, this does not guarantee that they will not suffer the damage of the second death. We know that the time of the lake of fire and brimstone will coincide with the beginning of the new heaven and new earth. At that time, Satan, the world, and death will all be thrown into the lake of fire (Rev 20:10, 14).
Also at that time, anyone whose name is not recorded in the book of life will be thrown into the lake of fire. That will be the time when the unbelievers are officially placed in the lake of fire. However, during the Millennium, defeated Christians will suffer the damage of the second death.
Obviously, this treatment will not be the same as that of the unbelievers, because it will not be eternal. If a Christian is united with the world and loves the world and the things of the world, the Lord will allow them to participate in corruption, to suffer a little of what the unbelievers will suffer.
This is the meaning of suffering the damage of the second death in Revelation 2, and this word is spoken to Christians. The word "damage" in the original language means to hurt someone and cause them harm. The second death will cause suffering for some.
From the great white throne will come the actual second death, which is eternal suffering in the lake of fire and brimstone. In the Millennium, however, there will only be the damage of the second death. If some Christians have not dealt with their sins, they will still suffer the damage and pain of the second death.
THE END IS TO BE BURNED
Let us now read two passages from the book of Hebrews. Hebrews 6:4-6 says: "For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to restore them again to repentance."
These verses describe a person with many qualifications. It is impossible for them to be unsaved. They have seen the light, seen God revealed, the Only Begotten of the Father; they have known the love of God and tasted the heavenly gift, the one gift, Jesus Christ.
In the Bible, "gifts," as a plural noun, refers to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and "gift," as a singular noun, refers to the one gift, the only begotten Son of God, as in John 3:16. This gift is different from the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
This person not only has God and the Lord Jesus, but has also become a participant in the Holy Spirit. They know God, have tasted the Lord Jesus, and have the Holy Spirit living within them. Furthermore, they have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the coming age.
The powers of the coming age are the powers of the millennial kingdom. The gifts and powers of the Holy Spirit are particularly abundant in the millennial kingdom. The millennial kingdom will be full of works of power, miracles, wonders, and similar things.
To say someone has tasted the powers of the coming age means they have experienced the things of the millennial kingdom. Therefore, this person is definitely saved. If such a person abandons the word of Christ they received when they believed, and slips and falls, there is no repentance for them.
They cannot start over to believe in the Lord Jesus, because they already have a long history with the Lord. They have received much rain, but having fallen, they no longer produce good things for God, but instead have produced thorns and briars.
Such a person is like "the land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and produces useful plants for those for whom it is also cultivated, receiving blessing from God; but if it produces thorns and briars, it is rejected and near to a curse; and its end is to be burned" (vs. 7-8).
Notice three things about this person and their end. First, they are "rejected." The word "rejected" here is the same as in 1 Corinthians 9:27, where Paul said he feared that although he had preached the gospel to others, he himself might be disqualified and no longer used by God in this age and in the kingdom.
Being rejected, being disqualified, means God will reject such a person and will no longer use them in the kingdom. Second, this person is "near to a curse." The verse does not say they will receive a curse, but the punishment they will receive is similar to a curse.
They will not perish eternally, but will suffer the damage of the second death and endure the Gehenna of fire in the kingdom. Third, "their end is to be burned." What does this mean? For example, a few weeks ago I wanted to burn some land in Jen-ru. Could I burn the land forever? Could I burn the land for at least five years?
The burning here refers to something temporary. Here it speaks of burning, while Matthew 5 says some will be subject to the Gehenna of fire. If you put these two passages together, they will combine. If a Christian receives all these wonderful things but produces no good fruit for God, only thorns and briars, they will be burned. However, this burning will be only for a brief time.
Even a primary school student knows that if you set fire to a plot of land, the fire will stop once all the vegetation is burned. The burning in the kingdom will last a maximum of one thousand years. How long the burning will last actually depends on you. If you have produced many thorns and briars, there will be more burning. If you have produced few thorns and briars, there will be less burning.
🌿 Enjoy more:
Hymn - Fullness of the Spirit - "Like Fire"
No comments:
Post a Comment