Jesus taught that we must die unto ourselves, and allow the Holy Spirit to take up residence within us. Some people get saved by simply inviting Jesus into their hearts, to be the lord of their life. This serves as a countering force within the born-again Christian to counterbalance the will of the flesh, which is still unsaved in this life and destined for destruction in imitation of our Lord himself.
Attempting to live the Christian life without having this spirit within you is a waste of time at the minimum, and dangerous on the downside. Jesus said that he who sought to find his life would lose it, and he that sought to lose it for his sake would find it. Three times Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be "born again" in John Chapter 3.
So most folks would agree that the New Testament teaches the choice of being born twice, one physical & one spiritual. Furthermore, since the resurrection of Jesus is such a well attested fact of history, it proves that he has the power of life at his disposal. Once he takes up residence within you, you live as long s he does - in your glorified body, soul and spirit.
But, just as there are two births, the Bible teaches there are two deaths.
Jesus warned that we are to fear the second death more than the first one.
Revelation 20:14 tells us, "Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death."
The second death is mentioned again in Revelation 21:8, which says, "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
One commentator wrote, "The second death is the continuance of spiritual death in another and timeless existence."
Another wrote, "Eternity to the godly is a day that has no sunset. Eternity to the wicked is a night that has no sunrise."
Jesus spoke of hell in a very specific way. He warned of the fire of hell (see Matthew 5:22). He warned about our bodies being thrown into hell (see Matthew 5:29). And He spoke of the soul and the body being destroyed in hell (see Matthew 10:28).
The Bible teaches that all Christians, defined as sinners who have been converted by putting their faith in Jesus Christ will avoid condemnation. And, that offer of forgiveness is for everyone.
Your eternal destination is really your choice. Not everyone will be saved in the end - only those who put their faith in Jesus Christ.
The purpose of this thread is to point out that not only has the Watchtower Corporation sought to deny the choice of being born again to their adherents (through the doctrine of the 144k and denial of the new covenant to general members at the Memorial), they also seek to deny the choice of we face concerning the second death.
One of the ways they do this is by altering a scripture in the new Testament to say something it does not say and something that contradicts Jesus. Here it is in the King James and the NWT at Hebrews 9: 27:
it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment - KJV
it is reserved for men to die once for all time, but after this to receive a judgment - NWT
Catch the difference? Sometimes the New Word translators add brackets to inserted words so the reader will know this was added to the original text, presumably for clarification. However they chose not to put brackets around the added words "for all time" even though this phrase in not in the original or later manuscripts.
Why doesn't the Watchtower want people to believe that there is a second death as Jesus taught? For the same reason that they don't want people to accept the New Covenant "for forgiveness of sins" as Jesus taught in Mt. 26:27, 28
Just as the Watchtower teaches that the New Covenant isn't possible for us (sorry all the positions were already filled long ago) , they also teach that the second death isn't possible for us either. However, God is clear that the unsaved will be reunited with their physical bodies and face Jesus in Judgment at the Great White Throne - fully alive; body, soul & spirit - after the Millennium Reign.
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
This what was meant when Peter stated that there would be a resurrection of both the Righteous and the Unrighteous.
To make all this even more twisted, the Watchtower proudly teaches that the Unrighteous will be resurrected to a paradise earth!! (They take another scripture completely out of context to support this - but that is for another discussion)
The bible is clear that the resurrection of the Unrighteous is not for the purpose of petting lions and cobras during the Millennium Reign as the Watchtower fantasizes about. Rather, it is for the stated purpose of God fulfilling his duty as Judge of moral creatures.
the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just - JesusWe humans really like most of the differences that we have with all other animals. We readily accept notions of morality, goodness, art, beauty etc. What we don't like is the fact that with great gifts, comes great responsibility. There is a price that must be paid for the creation of free moral creatures such as ourselves. That price is judgment.
God, in his benevolence so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son so that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.