What Is Man?
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If
the wrath of God “abides”
on us, of what are we deprived?
“Whoever believes
in the Son has eternal life, but
whoever rejects the Son will not
see life, for God’s wrath
remains on him.” John 3:36.
Through
whom can we be saved from wrath and
given immortality?
“Since we have
been justified by his blood, how much
more shall we be saved from
God’s wrath through him!”
Romans 5:9. “But it has now been
revealed through the appearing of our
Savior, Christ Jesus, who has
destroyed death and has brought life
and immortality to light through the
gospel.”
2 Timothy 1:10.
Who
only possesses inherent immorality?
“Which God will
bring about in his own time –
God, the blessed and only Ruler, the
King of kings and Lord of lords, who
alone is immortal and lives in
unapproachable light, whom no one has
seen or can see. To him be honor and
might forever. Amen.”
1 Timothy 6:15,16.
Note – This word
for immortality as applied to God is
not aphtharsia, “incorruptibility,”
which is used twice, in 2 Timothy
1:10 and Romans 2:7, but athanasia,
“deathlessness,” which
is also used in 1 Corinthians 15:53,
54. God is the only being who possess
original life or immorality in
Himself. All others must receive it
from God. (See John 5:26; 6:27;
10:10, 27, 28; Romans 6:23; 1 John
5:11.)
To
whom is eternal life promised?
“To those who by
persistence in doing good seek
glory, honor and immortality,
he will give eternal life.”
Romans 2:7.
Note – One does
not need to seek for a thing that he
already possesses. The fact that we
are to seek for immortality is proof
in itself that we do not now possess
it.
Again, it would mar
the felicity of one’s employment
in heaven could he look upon earth
and see his friends and relatives
suffering from persecution, want,
cold, or hunger, or sorrowing for the
dead. God’s way is best –
that all sentient life, animation,
activity, thought, and consciousness
should cease at death, and that all
should wait till the resurrection for
their eternal reward. (See Hebrews
11:39, 40.)
When
will the faithful be changed to
immortality?
“Listen, I tell
you a mystery: We will not all sleep,
but we will all be changed – in
a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at
the last trumpet. For the trumpet
will sound, the dead will be raised
imperishable, and we will be
changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:51,
52.
What
is then to be swallowed up?
“When the
perishable has been clothed with the
imperishable, and the mortal with
immortality, then the saying that is
written will come true: “Death
has been swallowed up in
victory.” Verse 54. (See
also verse 57.)
Note – Isaiah
25:8 says, “he will swallow up
death in victory; and the Lord God
will wipe away tears from off all
faces; and the rebuke of his people
will be taken away from all the
earth: For the Lord has spoke
it.” When Christ comes in the
clouds of heaven, the amazing
transformation from mortal to
immortal takes place, both of the
righteous dead and the righteous
living. Then regenerated man is
completely saved beyond all
possibilities of death and will be no
longer troubled with this great
enemy.
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