Eternal Life vs. Immortality
February 27, 2005
Dear Friends:
Over the past few years we have made mention that we feel there is a distinction between immortality and eternal life in the Scriptures. This has intrigued many readers and requests have been made for an elaboration. We are glad to honor the requests.
Before we engage in a topic on eternal life, it might be helpful to look quickly at the opposite concept — death. There are several types of death described in the Scripture which, if understood, will lay an excellent foundation for an understanding of the difference between eternal life and immortality.
There is a physical death and a spiritual death described in Scriptures. Natural death is the one we are all too familiar with when someone dies. Spiritual death is not a physical quality but HOW GOD LOOKS AT US. An example is Ephesians 2:1 — “and you he made alive, when you were dead through the trespasses and sins.” (RSV) These people are not dead in the clinical sense, they are dead in their sins. These people had not taken on the saving name of Jesus Christ and therefore where not heirs to the Kingdom of God. They will die in their sins because they are now, figuratively speaking, dead people walking. They have a fatal disease for which they are not availing themselves of the cure. Mortality is the disease. Jesus Christ is the cure.
Jesus alludes to this concept when he is approached by the man who wants to follow him. The disciples says “Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.” Jesus replies “Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” In other words, Jesus is saying “Follow me; and let the dead [in trespasses and sins] bury their [physically] dead.”
This concept is carried forward to those in the grave. Of all those that are physically dead, some are “perished” while others are “asleep.” Notice the finality in the following verses of those that are perished. They are not coming out of the grave. They will never know life again. “Evil-doers will perish eternally, the descendants of the wicked be annihilated, but the upright shall have the land for their own, there they shall live for ever.” (Ps. 37:28-29 NJB) “The hope of the wicked perishes with death, hope placed in riches comes to nothing. (Pr. 11:7 NJB) “The living are at least aware that they are going to die, but the dead know nothing whatever. No more wages for them, since their memory is forgotten. Their love, their hate, their jealousy, have perished long since, and they will never have any further part in what goes on under the sun.” (Ecc. 9:5-6 NJB) “Rebels and sinners alike will be destroyed, and those who abandon Yahweh will perish.” (Is. 1:28) The Bible is full of these type of references.
Likewise, there is also reference to those who are, in the eyes of God, just “asleep.” Jesus uses this language concerning his friend Lazarus just before resurrecting him. “These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.” (John 11:11-13) This was not a new concept. Daniel had spoken of this concept many years prior when he said “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.” (Dan. 12:2)
We will pick up here next week, Lord willing.
Have a great week!
