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In previous articles, it has been confirmed that the Platonic doctrine of an inherently immortal soul is not taught in the Bible. "The soul that sins, it shall die." According to the Bible, there is one who alone is immortal and cannot die.
"For I lift up my hand to heaven and swear, As I live forever," Deuteronomy 32:40. God speaking in first person singular. One person who lives forever. In ordinary grammar, a first person personal pronoun means one person, right?
"....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." 1 Timothy 6:15-16. Singular personal pronouns (he and him) and singular relative pronouns (who and whom) mean one person. According to the Bible, God the Father alone possesses innate immortality meaning he cannot die.
"And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20. The Son of God gave himself (he died). Some say he only died in his human nature, but his divine nature is immortal. There is not one passage in all of Scripture that would indicate anything like that. The Son of God died proving that he was mortal.
"And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." Ephesians 5:2. Jesus Christ died as a sacrifice to God.
"....God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all,...(I am telling the truth, I am not lying),..." 1 Timothy 2:3-7 ESV. One God (the Father) and one mediator (Jesus Christ, the Son of God) who gave himself (he died) as a ransom for all. According to the Bible, the mediator is not God, or a God-man, or God in the flesh, he is a man.
"....Christ,.... offered himself.... to God,...." Hebrews 9:14. This is a common theme throughout the New Testament. Jesus, the Son of God, himself, died proving he was mortal.
Jesus speaking in Revelation 1:18: "I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades."
"We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God." Romans 6:9-10.
"God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it." Acts 2:24.
"But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory." 1 Corinthians 15:20-23,52-54
I heard it again last weekend multiple times in one sermon. And, I have heard it recently from at least five local pastors, that Jesus is "God in the flesh." That phrase is not in the Bible. And, there is nothing in the Bible about two natures where Jesus only died in his human nature, but his divine nature is immortal. This fallacy came hundreds of years later and, in many ways, contradicts the plain teaching of Scripture. A contradiction is not a mystery, it is a contradiction.
According to the Bible, only one person, God the Father possesses immortality innately. Hence, it is not possible for God to die. Jesus died. God gave immortality to Jesus when he raised him from the dead and exalted him to his right hand. He will never die again. And, since Christ is the firstfruits of those who sleep in the dust, the same will happen to believers (those who belong to Christ) when he returns. That is a Christian's hope of everlasting life.
"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;" Romans 2:6-7
"But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself." Philippians 3:20-21
"....and so we will always be with the Lord." 1 Thessalonians 4:17
Mark Rohde can be reached at marklrohde@icloud.com.