Christ and the second death

I have read recently that some assert that Christ died the second death in order to pay for our sins. I also read that this death was not the death in the Lake of Fire but Christ's intent to die the second death. This interpretation has two significant problems that stem from a misinterpretation of the Gospel.
The first significant problem is the interpretation that Christ died in order to pay the penalty for our sins. This interpretation is based upon the legal penalty that we are all under according to the Law of Sinai that condemns all flesh. In this interpretation Christ is paying the penalty for the breaking of God's Law. This interpretation is further founded upon the concept that the Sinai Law predates Moses and is in fact eternal. Christ's payment therefore satisfies the sin that is interpreted as the transgression of God's Law in effect in Eden which requires the interpretation that man knew what sin was before partaking of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. This is explained by stating that man had one commandment in Eden- do not eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This idea truncates the knowledge of the Law into the simple Law of do not eat of the tree. If this interpretation is correct then Christ died to receive our penalty administered by God- it was His Law and His command not to eat. This interpretation is based upon the idea that our relationship with Good in Eden and after is based upon Law and obedience. When we disobeyed we came under God's wrath which was then paid by Christ, who is also God. The issue is that this concept is based upon the pagan idea of appeasing a god who can provide you with a benefit; in this case justification according to Law and eternal life. This concept is in conflict with Scripture as Paul states there is righteousness apart from the Law.

The second significant problem is the idea that when we ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil we gave over our dominion over this world to Satan. Satan now accuses us before God and even uses God's Law to indict us. Christ pays the penalty for Sin and Satan indictment is over-ruled by the Judge, who is also the Father of the Sinner's advocate and sacrifice that pays for the penalty. The issue with this concept is the inconsistency of the legal motif. If the sinner is under Law and rightly accused by Satan then a degree of jurisprudence should be afforded the plaintiff in order to assure the integrity of the court. If a plaintiff were to appear in court in the US with proper evidence then the accused would be found guilty. The Judge or jury decides the sentence and the plaintiff would make payment. In the application of the substitutional concept Christ makes the payment for us. However, this concept is based upon a corrupt Judge. The Judge's Son makes a deal with the Judge to pay for the sentence in a manner that is no payment at all. In this idea Satan makes his claim on the idea of an eternal Law that the Judge and Son make themselves subject to in addition to mankind. The Son offering His life (being God Himself His life is eternal) to the Judge who accepts it as payment which thwarts not only Satan's petition but the entire legitimacy of the court. There is therefore no justice under this concept because the Judge is corrupt, the Son is implicated in bribing the Judge, and the Justice system does not support the penalty of Law that it submits itself to honor. This concept makes a mockery of God, Christ and the concept of Justice.

The first significant problem is an appeasement theology based upon Law. The second significant problem places God under Law that He Himself undermines. The common issue with both theologies is the eternal nature of Law and the plan of Salvation to both vindicate it and circumvent it.

It is when we see the Law as revealing the Sin of the asserted independent human will that Christ death comes into focus. Salvation is not achieved under Law but apart from it.  Christ death represents the surrender of the independent will and our grasping for life by our means. Although it appears that we are to die never to live again we trust not in ourselves but in God who has promised us eternal life. It is no accident or fear of death that Christ quotes Psalm 22. This Psalm is not one of anguish of the second death. Psalm 22 is the expression of man's experience that even though it appears that all hope is lost and that God has forsaken us it further reveals God's faithfulness. Far from being an expression of the foreboding of the second death, it is a glorious proclamation of God's faithfulness to save- it is the Gospel expressed and echoed in the words of Christ on the cross not in fear of separation from God and the second death. Christ in His reciting of the 1st line of Psalm 22 makes an unmistakable expression to those Jews who knew this Psalm- that although facing death placed His hope in the Gospel of life. At the cross Christ was one with the Father and with His final words bearing testimony of the Gospel of life . . . the Gospel of surrender.