Professor Donald Nash pointed out that the word “death” means separation, and he noted four different types of death mentioned in Scripture.

The first type is physical death, which is the separation of the soul from the body. Ecclesiastes 12:7 says, “and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.” Unless we are alive when Jesus returns, we all have an appointment with physical death.

The second is spiritual death, the separation of a soul from God in this life. Ephesians 2:1 declares, “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins”. Before a person accepts Christ, he or she is spiritually dead.

The third type of death is eternal death, which is the final separation of a soul from God in hell. Revelation 20:14 reveals, “Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.” This is the final destiny of those who perish apart from God.

Finally, there is death to sin. This is when a person is separated from their sin when they are baptized into Christ. Romans 6:3-6 teaches, “Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.”

Those who have experienced the fourth type of death don’t have to worry about the other three.