The statement that it is appointed for people to die once, as found in Hebrews 9:27, carries a broad meaning. The Greek verb rendered as die, apothnesko, appears in various contexts, including biological death, as seen in Matthew 8:32 with the drowning of a herd of pigs. However, apothnesko is also used by the apostle Paul in Romans 6:1-11 to describe the symbolic death experienced through baptism. From God's perspective, the death referenced in Hebrews 9:27 can signify the death a child of God undergoes in baptism. While some Christians may not face biological death, as noted in I Corinthians 15:51, all true Christians experience death through baptism, fulfilling God's decree that all die at least once. Thus, a Christian alive at the time of Christ's return in power and great glory has already died in this symbolic sense, and their continuation of eternal life at the resurrection of the just does not contradict the twofold meaning of Hebrews 9:27.

It is appointed for men to die once. This teaches that God has appointed that people die one time. The statement indicates no exceptions. Therefore the decree includes all people. It does not teach that individuals die only one time. It does not deny that individuals can die more than once. It says all individuals can die more than once but will die at least once. In stating that people die once it affirms the God-ordained inevitability of a death. That is all the statement actually says. A death one death comes to everyone. The verse is general not specific. The question arises what death the writer means. From the statement or its context the writer does not specifically qualify limit or define the meaning of the verb die. Logically therefore one exposes oneself to error if one assumes that he refers only to physical death. The verb die in Hebrews 9:27 may refer to biological death may not refer to it or may refer to more than one type of death. It is possible that the verb die as used in Hebrews 9:27 has a broader meaning than it does in I Corinthians 15:51. It is possible from a logical and doctrinal viewpoint that the writer of the book of Hebrews uses it more expansively more comprehensively than Paul does in I Corinthians 15:51. The short answer is yes. The meaning of die in Hebrews 9:27 accommodates another type of death.