The Mystery of Immortality

Call to Prayer

Title: The Mystery of Immortality

By: Daniel Peter

Date: 30.04.2024

To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. .

(Romans 2:7 NKJV)

“The Mystery of Immortality” is just a suitable title for a subject that shouldn’t be a mystery. Living forever has been God’s idea since creation. Yes, Adam fell from this privilege because of sin, but God has demonstrated that it is still possible for us to live forever without experiencing death in the flesh by the preservation of the lives of some (Enoch and Elijah). With God all things are possible we’ve been told, and that possibility includes living without dying. All things are ours only if we believe, but what else can help our unbelief than understanding?

I am not unconscious of the fact that this path (the subject) is one many teachers are scared to treat, simply because people who did so before are no more. But won’t we be considered unfaithful if we hoard the Truth we’ve been entrusted with? As you answer my question, let me proceed to declare the Truth, but please, read carefully so you can understand my thoughts. Now, God’s statement in Genesis 1:26 is revelatory of the fact that God created mankind to be exactly like Him but living on the earth. The statement “in our Image and likeness” goes beyond looking like God in appearance, but also having His character and attributes (sharing His essence). Though in God all was complete for man, in the natural, man had to grow into what God had perfected in the Spirit. For example, the ability to live forever wasn’t placed in man, but in a tree (Gen. 2:8-9). Man was to exercise his will by eating from that tree, and by so doing live forever like God. Sadly, man did otherwise and ate from the tree he was forbidden to eat from. Through that, death, who was an alien, came into humanity.

God redeemed this action of man through our Lord Jesus Christ, who obeyed God even unto death (Phil. 2:8). And just as death came into humanity by the sin of one, eternal life has been given to mankind by the obedience of one, Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:19). And this we can access simply by believing in Him (John 3:16). It is common knowledge among Christians that we have eternal life, but it is not so common that eternity starts now. That is, death in the flesh is not necessary. Apostle John speaking in 1 John 5:13, says “I write so that you will know that you have eternal life now (ERV)”. Take note of the emphasis “Now”. 

Again, let’s carefully consider Jesus’ statement to Martha. He said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this? (John 11:25,26 NIV)”. In this statement, Jesus was revealing two possibilities: Eternal life after death in the flesh (verse 25), and eternal life without experiencing death in the flesh (verse 26). And the qualification to live without experiencing death from His speech was “living by believing in Him”, that is, living by faith. And we know faith comes by hearing (let’s take note of this). Furthermore, the two possibilities that exist for those that believe was also demonstrated by the interaction between Jesus Christ and Peter when Peter asked Him about John. Firstly, Jesus had described the way Peter will die (John 21:18,19, 2 Peter 1:14), and in answering Peter about John, Jesus Christ said “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me. (John 21:22)”. Jesus said, “if I want” indicates that such can happen (living without experiencing death in the flesh) at His will.

From the above, living without experiencing death in the flesh is possible for Christians, but it is only attainable by the will of God (That is if He wants it). If it is His will for you to live without dying, He will tell you (you will hear it), only then can you have the faith to believe for it. And as our scriptural verse of today indicated, this possibility is only reserved for those that continue in doing good (whose lives please the Lord).

Prayer Point:

Let’s thank God for His word today. Let’s also ask Him to help us to remove the limits we have of Him, and He should help us to build our faith so we can receive His best for us.

Repost from: 24.09.2021