Death, Judgment, and Salvation
W. B. Collyer, D. D. Hebrews 9:27-28 And as it is appointed to men once to die, but after this the judgment:… I. THE SENTENCE OF DEATH. When it is said "once to die," a resurrection from the dead and life after death are implied. Otherwise, had death been the extinction of being, it would have been sufficient to have said simply "to die"; for what could have remained beyond it to render repetition possible? One awful truth is established — that, dying once, we can die no more. Whatsoever state, therefore, we enter, whether of happiness or of misery, is eternal. II. THE SUMMONS TO JUDGMENT. The sin of another renders us liable to death; but associated with the last tribunal everything is personal. I shall be judged by myself, and must answer for myself. "So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God." III. THE REVELATION OF LIFE. "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many." "Offered" — behold here the character of His death. The whole argument of this Epistle is, that the death of Christ was a sacrifice. Connect whatever else with it you please, this is its leading feature — "to bear the sins of many." In what sense to bear their sins? Assuredly as their substitute, to suffer in their stead. "To bear the sins of many." It is clear that they are not few who shall be saved. Bigotry and party find no ground on which to place their foot here. IV. THE RETURN OF THE SAVIOUR. "He shall appear the second time without sin," properly without a sin-offering. He appears not again to make an atonement for sin. For what purpose, then, shall He appear in all this glory the second time? "Unto salvation." To bring with Him the glorified spirits of His people; to raise their bodies from the grave, and to transform them into the likeness of His own, to give a public manifestation of their adoption, to place them upon His throne; and so shall they ever be with the Lord. To whom will this second appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ be fraught with such transcendant blessings? "Unto them that look for Him." In this fine figure of one watching until the day break and the shadows flee away, what lively faith, unyielding patience, established hope, fixed expectation, unslumbering vigilance, inextinguishable zeal, and ardent love, are implied! — all the graces of the Spirit in full exercise — all present ills swallowed up in the anticipation of the approaching crisis. (W. B. Collyer, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: WEB: Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this, judgment,