- And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: Heb. 9:27
Paul is now introducing a parenthetical thought (an additional piece of information or clarification inserted into a sentence providing extra detail, personality, or context) for vs27-28 that ties directly to the thought that he introduced in v26. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die”. The mention of Christ’s dying once (v26) apparently brought Paul's mind to the thought of men dying once. Because of Adam's sin, death passed upon all men (Romans 5:12). It is appointed unto men to die only once prior to the judgment period. “After this the judgment” means that after our physical death, on the day of the resurrection unto life or unto damnation, we are all to face judgment. The first death is not the end, but simply a pause in our journey.

In applying this to our lives today, death is an inevitable part of human existence, and judgment follows. Once we die, our opportunity to choose Christ is over. Knowing that judgment is certain, we should live purposefully, aligning our lives with God's will and seeking to bear fruit for his Kingdom. It is worthy to note, that while judgment is a sobering reality, we have hope in Christ, who intercedes for us and offers eternal life. How does the certainty of death and judgment influence our daily decisions and priorities?