# The second death.



## raderag (Aug 8, 2005)

The second death


> Rev 20:11Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.



What is the orthodox view on Hell? 
Is the soul tormented forever only, or is the body included?

Is it defined somewhere before the Protestant confessions?



> CHAPTER XXXII.
> Of the State of Man After Death,
> I. The bodies of men, after death, return to dust, and see corruption; but their souls (which neither die nor sleep), having an immortal subsistence, immediately return to God who gave them. The souls of the righteous, being then made perfect in holiness, are received into the highest heavens, where they behold the face of God in light and glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies; *and the souls of the wicked are cast into hell, where they remain in torments and utter darkness, reserved to the judgment of the great day.* Besides these two places for souls separated from their bodies, the Scripture acknowledgeth none.
> II. At the last day, such as are found alive shall not die, but be changed: and all the dead shall be raised up with the self-same bodies, and none other, although with different qualities, which shall be united again to their souls forever.
> ...



[Edited on 8-8-2005 by raderag]


----------



## Anton Bruckner (Aug 11, 2005)

to resurrect simply means to come back to life in the least with a body. The fact that the graves and the sea give up the dead signifies that both body and soul are rejoined on the day of judgment. Now after a person is judged and if found wanting, they are cast into the lake of fire, it necessitates that both body and soul are casted in.


----------



## raderag (Aug 11, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Slippery_
> to resurrect simply means to come back to life in the least with a body. The fact that the graves and the sea give up the dead signifies that both body and soul are rejoined on the day of judgment. Now after a person is judged and if found wanting, they are cast into the lake of fire, it necessitates that both body and soul are casted in.



I can agree with that, but is the body now indestructable? Will the body perish?


----------



## Anton Bruckner (Aug 11, 2005)

depends on what you mean by indestructable.

The body is destructable, but for purposes of judgment the whole person is kept together so that maximum punishment in accordance with their sins can be inflicted.

I don't think the fire consumes the body into oblivion, and only the soul remains. The whole person eternally perishes. The fallen angels likewise suffer the same faith, in that they in their very ontological status also eternally perish.


----------



## raderag (Aug 11, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Slippery_
> depends on what you mean by indestructable.
> 
> The body is destructable, but for purposes of judgment the whole person is kept together so that maximum punishment in accordance with their sins can be inflicted.
> ...



Ok, that makes sense. Is this the only orthodox belief? Is this in any pre-Protestant creeds? What about Protestant confessions?


----------



## Anton Bruckner (Aug 11, 2005)

Its the only orthodox belief that I know about. If there are others I am not aware of them.

In the City of God, Augustine responded to the question by unbelievers that how could God make a fire that can punish the fleshly nature of the damned and the incoporeal nature of the fallen angels. Augustine's succint response, "God can".

[Edited on 8-11-2005 by Slippery]


----------



## BrianBowman (Aug 11, 2005)

This is all very sobering and rightfully so. Should we not all seek God to be more effective witnesses for Christ through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit? I pray for this often but find myself so weak and ineffectual. Of course knowing the doctrines of Sovereign Grace provide comfort but also motivation because I know that Salvation is all God's work, He simply wants to borrow our humanity to proclaim His precious Gospel message.


----------

