SEEK FOR IMMORTALITY by Ellet Joseph Waggoner

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, Cal. · Jul 7, 1890

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 16, No. 26.

SEEK FOR IMMORTALITY.

By Ellet Joseph Waggoner

"To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, [God will render] eternal life." Rom. 2:7.

FROM this verse we conclude that the sum of glory and honor and immortality is contained in eternal life, which is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom. 6:23. It also furnishes the most complete refutation of the idea made so popular by Plato and Addison, that men are by nature endowed with immortality, because there is so universal a longing for it. The apostle asks in one place, "What a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?" and with far greater force might it be asked, What a man hath, why doth he yet long for? and with still greater force, What a man hath, why is he exhorted to seek for?

Let us note the occurrence of the word "immortality" in the Bible. It will not take long, for it occurs only five times, yet they take us by regular steps through the whole subject. First, we read in 1 Tim. 6:15, 16 that the "blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords," is the one "who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen nor can see." He has "life in himself," and can bestow it on whomsoever he will.

The contrast between God and man is clearly brought out in Rom. 1:23, where we are told that the heathen "changed the glory of the uncorruptible [or immortal] God into an image made like to corruptible [or mortal] man." God is immortal; man is mortal, and he is therefore exhorted to seek for immortality, that he may dwell with God.

But where shall we seek for immortality? Shall we look to writings of the ancient heathen? Of what use would that be? "The world by wisdom knew not God," and how then could they know anything of immortality, which belongs to God alone? The word of God alone can direct us in our search, and it declares that the purpose and grace of God in Christ "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. The gospel, then, is the place where we are to seek for immortality. There alone is it revealed; there alone can it be found.

Having found where immortality is revealed, how are we to make it ours? The Scriptures are very definite on this point. Thus we read: "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." John 3:36. The beloved disciple declares of Christ, that "in him was life." He was "full of grace [favor] and truth;" and the psalmist tells us that in the favor of God there is life (Ps. 30:5); therefore he who has Christ has the favor of God, and life from him.

That life comes from God, and that no man can have it except by the grace of Christ, is shown very clearly. Said Jesus: "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10. From this, with the statement in Acts 17:28, "for in him we live, and move, and have our being," we learn that we depend upon Christ, not alone for immortal life, but for this present existence. When Adam fell he brought the race of mankind under the sentence of eternal death, and it was only through the grace of God in Christ that a second probation was granted. So while the saints will throughout eternity offer praises

to Christ for bestowing immortality upon them, all men owe thanks to him for giving them this little span of life, in which to seek for immortality.

Jesus reproved the Jews for inconsistency, in that, while they searched the Scriptures, because in them eternal life was to be found, and those Scriptures testified of him as the way of life, yet they would not come to him that they might have life. John 5:39, 40. Now if life could have been obtained in any other way than through Christ, the Jews might have retorted, "We don't need to come to you that we may have life, for we have it without you." This is what they, in effect, did; and it is what thousands are actually saying to-day. It is the language of Spiritualism. Believing that men are by nature endowed with immortality, Spiritualists scornfully reject Christ as the way of life. The inevitable tendency of the doctrine of the natural immortality of man, is to lead men to lightly esteem Christ.

Read one more testimony. "He that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." 1 John 5:10-12. It is a terrible thing to deny that life can be obtained only in Christ, for to do so is to charge God with lying, since that is the record that he has given. Let God be true, even though every man be proved a liar.

Note that while eternal life belongs to everyone who has Christ, no one is yet in full possession of it. God has given to us eternal life, but this life is in his Son. Not only is it to be found in him, but for a little space it remains in him, for safe keeping. Paul says to Christians: "Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." Col. 3:3, 4. Eternal life is ours now, if we have Christ, just as surely as it ever will be; but Christ keeps it in his own charge. When will it be ours by actual possession? This brings us to the summing up, which we read as follows:—

"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. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 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." 1 Cor. 15:51-54.

Now let us review briefly. All men are by nature mortal, corruptible; God only has immortality. If we would have immortality, we must seek for it. It is to be found only in the gospel of Jesus Christ. He who does not seek Christ, will know nothing of immortality. Outside of Christ there is no life. For a little season we have, by the mercy of God, existence granted to us, that we may seek life. As long as God's mercy is extended to men, good and bad alike may live; but when Christ shall say to those who reject him, "Depart from me," they will be cut off from the Source of life, and will suffer eternal death. But to those who have accepted Christ, the gift of immortality will be bestowed at his appearing.

How is it possible that men who profess to love our Lord Jesus Christ, can dishonor him by ignoring him as the giver of life?

E. J. W.