Conditional Immortality

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park, Washington, D. C. · Aug 7, 1916

Conditional Immortality

BIBLE STUDIES

The Nature of Man

1. How is man's nature defined? “Shall mortal man be more just than God?” Job 4:17. Mortal: “Subject to death.”—Webster.

2. What is God's nature? “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Tim. 1:17. Immortal: “Exempt from liability to die.”—Webster.

3. In what condition was man created? “Thou madest him a little lower than the angels.” Ps. 8:5.

4. Of what was man formed in the beginning? “The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground.” Gen. 2:7.

A Living Soul

5. What act made him a living soul? “And [God] breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Same verse, last part.

NOTE.—The living soul was not put into the man; but the breath of life which was put into man, made him—the man, made of the earth—a living soul, or creature. The original for “living soul” in this text is nephesh chayyah. On the use of this expression in Gen. 1:24, translated “living creature,” Dr. Adam Clarke says: “A general term to express all creatures endowed with animal life, in any of its infinitely varied gradations, from the half-reasoning elephant down to the stupid potto, or still lower, to the polyp, which seems equally to share the vegetable and animal life.”

6. Are other creatures besides man called “living souls”? “The second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.” Rev. 16:3. See also Gen. 1:20, margin.

The Breath of Life

7. Do others besides man have the “breath of life”? “All flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: all in whose nostrils was the breath of life.” Gen. 7:21, 22.

8. Is their breath the same as man's? “As the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.” Eccles. 3:19.

NOTE.—That is, here men, as well as beasts, die. This present life, with them, as with the rest of the animal creation, is dependent upon their breath. When this is gone, they, the same as beasts, die. In this respect they have no preeminence over beasts. But men have a future, unending life held out before them, and may if they will, die in hope of eternal life, which is a very great preeminence over the rest of the animal creation.

9. What does Job call that which God breathed into man's nostrils? “All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils.” Job 27:2.

10. When man gives up this spirit, what becomes of it? “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” Eccl. 12:7. NOTE.—That is, the spirit of life by which man lives, and which is only lent him of God, at death goes back to God, the great Author of life. Having come from him, it belongs to God, and man can have it eternally only as a gift from God, through Jesus Christ. Rom. 6:23. When the spirit goes back to God, the dust, from which man was made a “living soul” in the beginning, goes back as it was, to the earth, and the individual no longer exists as a living, conscious, thinking being except as he exists, in the mind, plan, and purpose of God through Christ and the resurrection. In this sense “all live unto him” (Luke 20:38), for all are to be raised from the dead. Acts 24:15; Rom. 4:17.

Eternal Life Through Christ

11. What is the wages of sin? “The wages of sin is death.” Rom. 6:23.

12. Through whom only is there salvation from sin? “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12. NOTE.—If men do not die, why should Christ die to save them from death? And what need of the resurrection and the second advent?

13. Why did God send his only begotten Son to this world? “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.

14. What does Christ declare himself to be? “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” John 14:6.

15. Upon what is the possession of this life conditioned? “Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.” John 6:53.

16. In whom is the life eternal? “This is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” 1 John 5:11.

17. With whom is the Christian's future life hid? “Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” Col. 3:3.

18. Who only have this life? “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” 1 John 5:12.

Brought to Light Through the Gospel

19. Through whom has immortality been brought to light? “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.” 2 Tim. 1:10.

20. To whom is eternal life promised? *“To them who by patient continuance in

well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life.”* Rom. 2:7.

NOTE.—One does not need to seek for a thing which he already possesses.

21. Who only possesses inherent immortality? “Who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; who only hath immortality.” 1 Tim. 6:15, 16.

Immortality Bestowed upon the Children of God at the Resurrection

22. When will this life be bestowed upon the believer? “When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” Col. 3:4. NOTE.—God is the only being who possesses original life or immortality in himself. John 5:26; 10:10, 27, 28; Rom. 6:23; 1 John 5:11. The word “immortal” occurs but once in the English Bible (1 Tim. 1:17), and is there applied to God.

23. When will the faithful be changed to immortality? “Behold, I show you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” 1 Cor. 15:51, 52.

24. What is then to be swallowed up? “So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.” Verse 54. See verse 57.