Love And Death

Qui non diligit, manet in morte. Mortem animae dicit. Anima enim quae peccaverit, ipsa morietur. Vita quippe carnis anima, vita animae Deus est. Mors corporis amittere spiritum, mors est animae amittere Deum. Unde constat, quod in anima mortui omnes in hanc lucem nascimur, trahentes ex Adam originale peccatum, sed Christi gratia fidelibus regenerando agitur, ita in anima vivere possint. Verum baptismatis et fidei mysterium illis solummodo prodest, illos de morte attrahit ad vitam qui sincera mente diligunt fratres. Atque ideo notandum quod non ait: Qui non diligit venturus est in mortem, quasi de poena perpetua loqueretur, quae restat peccatoribus in futurum, sed qui non diligit, inquit, manet in morte. In illa utique morte, de qua etiam in hac vita, si fratres perfecte amaret, exsurgere posset. Hinc etenim dicitur in Apocalypsi Beatus et sanctus qui habet partem in resurrectione prima; in his secunda mors non habet potestatem. Sanctus Beda, In Primam Epistolam Sancti Joannis Source: Migne PL 93 102d

He who does not love, remains in death. 1 He speaks of the death of the soul. For the soul which sins, dies. Certainly the life of the flesh is the soul, and the life of the soul is God. The death of the body gives up the soul, the death of the soul gives up God. Whence it follows, that all are dead in the soul who are born into this light, taking from Adam original sin, but by the work of the grace of Christ they are regenerated to faithfulness that they might live in the soul. The true mystery of baptism and faith profits those alone who are drawn from death to life by sincere love of their brothers. And thus it should be noted that he did not say, 'He who does not love is going to death,' as if speaking of the eternal punishment which awaits sinners in the future, but he says that he who does not love remains in death. In that death, then, from which in this life, if he loves his brothers perfectly, he is able to rise. Whence it is said in the Apocalypse: 'Blessed and holy is he who has a part in the first resurrection, against these the second death has no power.' 2 Saint Bede, from the Commentary On The First Letter of Saint John 1 1 Jn 3.14 2 Apoc 20.6