GREAT BIBLE WORDS
“IMMORTALITY”
I Corinthians 15:51-57
Introduction:
The word immortality is the opposite of mortality which means death. So immortality means deathlessness or endless existence. When we speak of the immortality of the soul we mean that the soul of man will continue to exist thoughout the endless ages of eternity.
The doctrine of the immortality of the soul is taught in both the Old and New Testaments.
I. THE IMMORTALITY IS BRIEFLY TAUGHT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
A. Job spoke of seeing the Lord in his flesh after his body is destroyed, Job 19:26, “And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:”
B. Ezekiel told of the continued existence of the Egyptians leader, Ezekiel 32:21, “The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell with them that help him: they are gone down, they lie uncircumcised, slain by the sword.”
C. Daniel spoke of the resurrection of man, Daniel 12:2, “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”
II. THE IMMORTALITY IS TAUGHT THROUGHOUT THE NEW TESTAMENT
A. While the expression “immortality of the soul” does not appear in the Scriptures, eternal or everlasting life is asserted over and over, John 5:24, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
B. The description found in Revelation 21 makes it clear that those who go to heaven will continue their blessed existence forever.
1. God will dwell among men in the new earth, Revelation 21:3, “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.”
2. The reason for death is removed in the new earth, Revelation 21:4, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
C. The Seventh Day Adventist say that the wicked dead are annihilated, however, Jesus said in Mark 9:47-48, “And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: 48- Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”
1. Jesus said that some would go into eternal punishment while others would receive eternal life, Matthew 25:46, “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”
2. In Luke 16 Jesus told of the rich man who died and went to Hell, Luke 16:23-24, “And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24- And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.”
C. Now we deal with another aspect of immortality: Death.
1. Death means separation.
a. The death of a Christian means separation from the body, 2 Corinthians 5:8, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”
b. For the sinner death means separation from God, Matthew 25:41, “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:”
2. Paul tells us that Christ has abolished death and brought life and immortality, 2 Timothy 1:10, “But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:”
a. Jesus is the source of life, John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
b. Jesus is the source of immortality, 1 Timothy 6:16, “Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.”
CONCLUSION