which speak so plainly concerning the wages of sin?  If we take Hebrews 9:27,

we can affirm that it is appointed unto men Once to die, but this would be an

untrue statement if the second death were the inevitable goal of every

unbeliever.  Let us first record the passages where the second death is

'He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death' (Rev. 2:11).

'Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on

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' (Rev. 20.6).

'And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.  This is the

second death.  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life

was cast into the lake of fire' (Rev. 20:14,15).

'The fearful, and unbelieving ... and all liars, shall have their part

in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second

death' (Rev. 21:8).

The first occurrence is addressed to the overcomer, and is in contrast

with the martyrdom that is described in verse 10.  They are exhorted to

remain faithful unto death, and are promised a crown of life.  Is it possible

that a believer who progressed so far along the path of loyal and faithful

service, could ever have been in danger of suffering the second death, if by

the second death we mean the common fate of the ultimately unsaved?  If we

pass to the next reference, the context is similar, there we have martyrs,

and instead of being awarded the Crown of life, they receive the equivalent,

they sit on Thrones, and on these the second death has no power.  If the

second death be the penalty for those who at the long last prove to be

unsaved what purpose does such a promise serve?  Surely none who can be

described as they are in Revelation 20:4, come within a million miles of the

second death as it is usually interpreted!  Passing for a moment the third

reference, let us note Revelation 21:8, and compare it with verse 27 of the

same chapter:

'And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth,

neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which

are written in the Lamb's book of life'.

And again, compare it with Revelation 22:15:

'For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers,

and idolators, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie'.

There is nothing to choose between those described in Revelation 21:8

and those described in Revelation 21:27 or 22:15.  Both sets are associated

with the Book of Life, yet the fate of one company is the second death, the

lake of fire, while the fate of an exactly similar company is exclusion from

the Holy City.  Once again we cannot be facing the common end of all men that

are unsaved.

Let us turn to the references to the Book of Life before going further:

'He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I

will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess

his name before My Father, and before His angels' (Rev. 3:5).