In my last post I asked a few questions:
1) Where is immortality explicitly mentioned in the Bible?
2) Who gives it?
3) What are the implications if all souls are immortal?
4) What if immortality was conditional on faith in Jesus?
Today I will be addressing questions 1 and 2.
The immortality of the soul is a topic of discussion both in philosophy as well as in theology. What does the bible say about immortality? In the Bible there are two fates. The fate of the righteous and the fate of the wicked. Let's look at the fate of the righteous and verses that explicitly speak of immortality.
The righteous will receive immortality and eternal life in the New Heaven and the New Earth. The wicked perishing is contrasted with the righteous receiving eternal life, but it is ONLY the righteous who receive it. The wicked will be destroyed. Simply stated, immortality is conditional upon faith in Jesus Christ.
Here is a list of Scripture verses that expound on this.
Romans 2:6-8 He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.
1 Corinthians 15:50, 53-54 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable….For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
In these two passages from Romans 2:6-8 and 1 Corinthians 15:50, 53-54 we see that immortality is something we seek and put on. It is not innately ours from birth. 1 Timothy 6:15-16 says that only God is immortal…
1 Timothy 6:15-16 which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
Immortality is a gift from God and only He can give it. It is actually the hope of the gospel.
2 Timothy 1:10 and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,
The pursuit of immortality has been a lifelong desire and pursuit in many cultures. The fear of death and mortality, coupled with the desire to be remembered, drives people to seek immortality. The Bible tells us how one will be given immortality (and that is through Christ). Immortality is not innately ours from birth, but rather a gift from God.
Next blog post I will look at questions 3 and 4:
3) What are the implications if all souls are immortal?
4) What if immortality was conditional on faith in Jesus?