Warm hellos once again friends, brethren, fellow laborers, spiritual family, and scattered children of God from here on the Gulf Coast of lower Alabama. My wife and I pray and hope this finds you doing well, and that again your week has been blessed.

Over the years, I’ve been asked about the statement found in Hebrews 9:27 “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.”

There are several things to observe in this statement.

• Humans were not designed to live forever as flesh and blood beings.
• Death is the normal and natural outcome to the effects of aging and other factors that accompany being a limited fleshly being.

So, in the discussion the question usually comes up, is this referring to the death that is mentioned in Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death . . .”? No. The death that sin brings is the second death. That penalty is paid by losing one’s eternal life and thus suffering eternal death!

Thankfully there is another option for satisfying the penalty for sin.

The Word of God (who was eternal) became a flesh and blood human being and lived a perfect life. He willingly shed His blood and gave up His past eternal life and His human life and was dead for three days and nights. “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” (Ephesians 1:7)

The apostle John wrote: “. . .To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood.” (Revelation 1:5) Jesus commented about the symbolism of the wine during the final Passover with His disciples: “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Matthew 26:28)

Returning to Hebrews 9:27 and the judgment that follows the first death, verse 28 refers to “those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.”

So, what’s the difference between judgment and sentencing?

Judgment is part of an ongoing process that culminates with a decision. God is in the process of judging those He has called today (1 Peter 4:17). Drawing a parallel with human courts, judgment involves the gathering of evidence, weighing or evaluating that evidence, and then the passing of a final sentence. For those called to repentance and being prepared to inherit the kingdom, if they endure and remain faithful to the end of their lives the judgment process will be concluded with a decision that they will be part of those brought back to life in the first resurrection at Christ’s return.

Anyone, (living or dead), whose mind God did not open to spiritual understanding, hasn’t begun the judgment process that ends with a decision (sentence) of eternal life or of death. (by the way, not eternal torment in an ever-burning fire)

The writer of the book of Hebrews emphasizes that the sacrifice of Christ was made only once, unlike animal sacrifices. Those who have trusted in Him and His sacrifice, and have made a commitment to live by His instructions and are now dead (asleep in the grave) await His return.

They’ll be judged according to their past life and the actions, as faithful and acceptable and will be given eternal life. The Greek word in Hebrews 9:27 and other places translated “judgment” is krisis. The Online Bible Greek Lexicon presents several meanings or applications including “opinion or decision given concerning anything esp. concerning justice and injustice, right or wrong.” So, the rest of the dead will be judged also, but they will be brought to life again as physical human beings to live without the influence of Satan, and with their minds open to the truth. Their judgment process will continue.

Christ referred to the people of Sodom, Tyre, Sidon, and Ninevah, along with the Queen of Sheba, coming back to life in a resurrection at the same time as those people who heard Christ speak these words and rejected them in the first century.

This was really a teaching about a second resurrection. Jesus spoke of people from different ages coming face-to-face in “the day of judgment” (Matthew 11:20-24, 12:41-42; Luke 10:12-15). The apostle Paul reveals that the god of this age [Satan] has blinded the minds of those who do not believe. (2 Corinthian 4:4) The called and chosen ones have had this blindness lifted and removed.

Of those to be brought to life in the second resurrection, Jesus said it would be “more tolerable” for some than for others (Matthew 10:15).

If God resurrects these people only to sentence them to death, Christ’s comments wouldn’t make any sense. If all were to die and be destroyed, judgment would not be “more tolerable” for one than for another.

Clearly, their judgment is incomplete, and hence, God brings them back to physical life.

Thankfully we serve and worship a loving and merciful God “who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4)…all will have that opportunity.

So Hebrews 9:27 is clear “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.”

Arms up friends! Our sincere prayers and thoughts are with you daily. Thanks in advance for your heartfelt prayers for us.