I believe today that the first death sentence was abolished when Jesus died on the cross and that day when we commit sin against god we die the second death which is the lake of fire. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.(1Jn 3:14). If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.(1Jn. 4:16). And today we believe that our mission in life is to have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.(Jude 1:22,23) 

DEATH is a cessation or absence of life. The Bible deals with two kinds of life. "There is a NATURAL man (Life) and there is a SPIRITUAL man (Life) (1Cor 15:44)". The bible teaches that Spiritual Death is brought on by sin (Jm. 1:!5; cf. Rom 6:21,23). (As was the First Death sentence, so is the Second Death sentence). Since this chapter is about SPIRITUAL DEATH, I will mention Natural Death only briefly.

Nowhere in the bible can you find that the Natural Man was never meant to die. It was said in the very beginning, that Natural Man was taken from the ground (dust) and "unto the dust shalt thy return" (Gen 2:7; 3:19). In other words, FLESH was to go back from which it came, and the BREATH of LIFE was to go back to the one that gave it . "Then shall the DUST return to the Earth AS IT WAS , and the SPIRIT (Breath of Life) SHALL RETURN to God who gave it" ( Ecc. 12:7). When God "taketh away their breath, they (natural man) die, and return to their dust" (Psa. 104:29). The Natural Man was meant to die, but the Soul will never die (Mk. 9:44,46,48). "....It is sown (buried) in corruption (natural body: dust), it is raised (resurrected) in incorruption (Spiritual Body: Spirit) (1cor. 15:42,44).

God did not create the Soul from DUST. He placed the Soul (Breath of Life) WITHIN man, which was made of DUST. Speaking categorically, the flesh and blood man lies between DUST OF THE EARTH and the SOUL OF MAN. Soul is the Life within man. LIFE came from God (Spirit), not the DUST of the earth (Natural). God created the NATURAL first, and then the Spirit (1 Cor 15:46). The Breath of Life (Soul) was breathed INTO the flesh (dust).Thus you have a NATURAL BODY, the Dust of the Earth, and a SPIRITUAL BODY, the Breath of God. God does not become ONE with the NATURAL BODY, but with the SPIRITUAL BODY (Jn. 17:21-23). In other words, God does not DWELL in the DUST of man, but in the SOUL of man.. Flesh (Darkness) can not comprehend Spirit (Light), but the Soul can. After God had created the Natural Man (and Woman) , he said, "....Be fruitfull, and multiply, and RE- plenish the earth "(Gen 1:28). Lets take a close look at the word "REPLENISH". "Re-"is a prefix meaning: AGAIN (by the way of repetition or restoration). The words "plenish" and "plenty" are the same Latan word. (replenish-Replenus, FULL; plenty-plenus, full; see dictionary.) If NATURAL man was not meant to die, then there would not be a necessity to RE-place man.

The Spiritual man(inward man) is Spiritual, the Breath of Life. Spiritual things do NOT pass away, but all natural things do. "if he (God) set his Heart upon man, if he gather unto Himself His SPIRIT and His BREATH; ALL flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto DUST" (Job 34:14,15; cf. Matt. 5:35). The Spiritual Man is the ESSENCE of God, thus eternal. In this you can see, that if the SPIRIT OF LIFE is eternal, then so is the SPIRIT OF DEATH. The final state of them that are SPIRITUALLY ALIVE is eternal in God. The final state of them that are SPIRITUALLY DEAD (Second Death) are eternally separated from God. Christ triumphed over death, in that he arose from the dead and is able to raise Mankind from this State of Death to Life Everlasting. Adam was "BORN" of God, and just as Jesus, he lived within the Spirit, and the Spirit lived within him. Jesus was ONE with the Spirit, as was Adam. To understand this SIMILARITY, is to understand the STATE, or his STATION in Life, FROM WHICH HE FELL. By disobeying God, he "fell" from the Grace of God, and was sentenced to DEATH (spiritually)( Gen. 2:17; 3:3). This was the FIRST death sentence pronounced upon Mankind, "for the wages of sin was DEATH" (Rom. 6:23), and this Death Sentence was passed upon ALL men. The people of the Old Testament did not have to sin to die, for they were already DEAD through Adam (Rom. 5:12; cf. Jm. 1:15). Christ brought eternal life, abolishing DEATH (First Death), and for us to die now, we must first commit sin (Rom 7:9,11). In this you can see the PRINCIPLE of the FIRST DEATH SENTENCE brought on by Adam when he sinned against God, and the SECOND DEATH SENTENCE brought on by us when we sin against God. We are no longer under the Old Law, which is God's First Covenant with man, nor under the First Death Sentence (Rom 7:6). But we are under the New Law , God's New Covenant with man, which is LIFE (not death) IN CHRIST JESUS. We have passed from DEATH unto LIFE(Jn. 5:24). Under the NEW Covenant (Spiritual Law (Rom. 6:14; 7:6)), we "DIE" by sinning against God, the same way that Adam "DIED" when He sinned against God. He was expelled from the

Spiritual Life in God (Garden of Eden) and condemned (sentenced) to a Carnal Life of suffering and toil. He was "CAST" from the Spiritual Life in God (spiritual minded), to the Natural Life of "Flesh and Blood", which is ENMITY with God (carnal minded), or from "LIFE" to "DEATH" (Rom 8:5,6,7), just as we, that commit iniquity, are "CAST" from the "Spiritual Realm" (Kingdom of God (Matt. 13:41; cf. Matt. 8:12)). ( incorruptable is Life (spiritual), Corruptable is Death (natural) ). We are cast from the "GARDEN OF EDEN" (Spiritual Life) to the "LAKE OF FIRE", which is the "SECOND DEATH" (Rev. 20:14). Through Adam, was the beginning of the REIGN of the First Death Sentence. Through Jesus Christ , was the END of that Reign. It is written, that DEATH reigned from Adam to Moses (Rom 5:14). The reason for this, is because, from Adam to Moses, the Law had NOT BEEN GIVEN. But from Moses to Christ, the Law HAD BEEN GIVEN. The "fact" is, that Death reigned from Adam to the TIME that it was ABOLISHED on the Cross. So, we will say, that DEATH reigned from Adam to Moses, BUT WITHOUT THE LAW. And where there is no Law, sin is not imputed (Rom 5:13), for without the Law, sin was dead (Rom 7:8). Sin was not imputed, because, it would serve no purpose to do so, for Mankind was already sentenced to death. So whether he sinned or not, it made no difference, DEATH even reigned over them that had not sinned (Rom 5:14), for there was no way to ATONE for their sins. In other words, when a man is "SPIRITUALLY DEAD" to God, it does not matter if he sins or not, for he is still "DEAD", for there was no sacrifice (The Lamb Of God) for the ORIGINAL sin.

This is the CHRONOLOGY OF DEATH until Moses. It was through Moses that God delivered the COVENANT to the Israelites. The Law, which was the Law of God, became to be known as the "Law of Moses". Although the "FORMAL SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM" was not instituted until the time of Moses, there is reference to sacrifices in previous periods of Biblical history (cf. Gen. 4:3-5).You will notice that there were different sacrifices for different sins. Also study the sacrificial system UNDER the Law (Lev. chapters 1-9; cf. Lev. 4:20,31; 5:6; 6:7;9:7; 16:6, 10, 16, 17, 18, 29, 30, 33, 34; 17:11; 19:22; Heb 9:22). Here you can see that man had to make atonement for HIS sins periodically. But there was one coming that would make the ULTIMATE sacrifice, once and for all time. But until then, DEATH would still Reign. In other words, if a man committed a sin against his neighbor, he could give atonement for THAT sin, although he was still under the ORIGINAL (first) DEATH SENTENCE. Here you can see that DEATH still reigns, but UNDER THE LAW. The LAW is saying, that a "DEAD" man (spiritually dead) may give atonement for his sin, although he is still a "DEAD" man. Note that there is a difference between "ATONEMENT" and "FORGIVENESS". Atonement is on the part of the man that has done wrong. Forgiveness is on the part of the man that wrong has been done to. Since this Covenant was not perfect, God was to send his only begotten son to establish a NEW Covenant that was perfect (Heb 8:6-13). You will notice that from Moses to Jesus Christ, DEATH still reigns, but under the Law. God had made a temporary reprieve for Mankind. The people in the Old Testament, which was under the sentence of DEATH, could give a temporary atonement , but only until he commits sin, and then he must give atonement again. This sacrificial system was not perfect, in that the atonement was only a RECONCILIATION for sins in THEIR life. It was NOT a forgiveness of the Original sin, brought on by Adam, in which they were still under bondage. DEATH would have dominion (rule)until the Abolishment, by Jesus Christ, on the Cross.

AND THEN CAME A MAN CALLED JESUS; and this is where the revelation of Jesus Christ began. He was sent to be the REDEEMER (Gal. 4:5; cf. Tit 2:14 ) and SAVIOR of the world(Jn. 4:42; 1 Jn. 4:14; cf. 1 Tim. 4:10; 2 Tim. 1:10; 2 Pet1:1). He was to Redeem us from the Law (Rom. 10:4; Gal. 3:23-25; Eph. 2:15) and from Death(2 Tim. 1:10; cf. 1 Cor. 15:26; Heb 2:14), which indeed he did. But until then, Jesus Christ was to live his EARTHLY LIFE under the old covenant, because the New Covenant had not been manifest (Heb. 9:8;16,17). So until the death of Jesus Christ, DEATH would still REIGN..

And now we are at the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As most know, this is where the "Change" in the Law began. The END of the Death sentence, and the beginning of life. When Jesus died, a number of things began to take place. The SOUL was delivered from the "FIRST" death sentence (Eph. 2:1,3;5:14). This brought to pass these sayings that was written, "DEATH was swallowed up in victory" (1 Cor 15:54); DEATH was ABOLISHED; (2 Tim 1:10; cf. 1 Cor 15:26; Rev 20:14); the devil and the WORKS of the devil DESTROYED (Heb 2:14; 1 Jn. 3:8); The END of the world (as they knew it) (1 Cor 10:11; Heb 9:26; compare Matt. 13:49; cf. 2 Cor 6:17 ; Eze. 20:37, 38; with "World without end" Eph. 3:21; "In the ages to come" Eph 2:7); and ALL men (living and dead) set free from the Bondage of Death (2 Cor. 5:14). Satan had the Power of Death until Jesus TOOK this Power from him. The Living and the Dead were RESURRECTED to LIFE (in God), and from this "Point in Time", whosoever sinned against God, were cast from the "KINGDOM" (Matt. 13:41), for "LIFE" would reign until iniquity was found and brought the "SENTENCE OF DEATH" again unto the individual, which is the "SECOND DEATH". The "FIRST DEATH SENTENCE"was spiritual (concerning the inward man), as is the "SECOND DEATH SENTENCE", in that the Inward Man was condemned to DEATH, not the Natural Man.

God "hath delivered us from the POWER of DARKNESS (the works of the Devil), and hath TRANSLATED us INTO THE KINGDOM of his Dear Son" (Col. 1:13). All men were translated into the Kingdom. This is why there was INIQUITY within the Kingdom. But when Iniquity occurs, it is "CAST OUT". (the same as when Adam was cast out.) Here we have the TRANSFORMATION from Eternal Death, to Eternal Life (Rom 12:2). Jesus HAS abolished death, but yet, you will find that "in the day that YOU eat of the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil, YOU shall surely DIE(Just as Adam did)". And when we eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, becoming aware of what is evil and choose evil we also will die, this is the SECOND time that the DEATH SENTENCE has been pronounced upon man, thus the SECOND DEATH, WHICH IS THE "LAKE OF FIRE". In the Bible, the PRINCIPLE is laid-out like this (Rom 7:9-11);

LIFE; Christ gave all men Life. From this "point" Christ lighteth "EVERY MAN" that is BORN into this world (gives Life to) (cf. Jn. 1:9;8:12;1 Jn. 2:8; Act 2:17; Rom 6:23; 5:18). If ALL men were "ALIVE", then "NONE" were DEAD. ALL men received the promise OF LIFE, then AND now.

DEATH; From the "point" that Christ died on the cross, SIN is the only thing that can take this LIFE from you. Paul said, "And the commandment (New Covenant Law) which was ordained to LIFE, I found to be unto DEATH. For SIN, taking occasion by the Commandment, deceived me, and by it SLEW me" (Rom 8:2,11). In this you can see, that being "dead" in sin, brings with it, "resurrected damnation", or LIVING DEATH. This JUDGEMENT brings the SENTENCE of DEATH upon you.

LIFE;The only way to "LIFE" is through Jesus Christ. You must die in him, to be resurrected in him (Born Again).Once you have been resurrected from this DEATH, then this DEATH has no more power over you. If Jesus died to set the "DEAD" free, then they were free indeed(cf. Jn. 8:36; Rom. 8:2; Gal. 5:1). In this you can see that ALL MEN were set free, and when they sinned against God, they DIED for the SECOND time. LIFE and IMMORTALITY can only be achieved IN Jesus Christ. This LIFE is the SPIRIT that resurrects you from the "DEAD" (Cf.Rom. 8:2,11). The SAME SPIRIT that raised Jesus from the "DEAD", is the SAME SPIRIT that will raise us from the "DEAD". So understand the CHRONOLOGY OF DEATH, for from this, YOU can be set FREE. "For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus, hath made me FREE from the LAW of sin and DEATH" (Rom 8:2).