IN the thoughts of man there are a great many questions
which arise concerning himself. Some of these are highly
important. So important indeed are they that the Word of
God itself has recorded them. Nor is that all. This Word has
not only recorded the questions, but it has also recorded the
answers to the questions. And when the Word of God asks
a question and answers it, then in the answer we have the
absolute truth on that question, and there is an end of all
dispute. There is left no room for controversy; for "thus
saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am
the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which
leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go." Isaiah
48:17. Therefore, whatever the Lord teaches is profitable
teaching. Whether we believe it, or whether we like it or
not, makes no difference so far as the teaching is
concerned. The teaching is profitable, and everything that
conflicts with it is unprofitable. The way the Lord leads is
the way that we should go, and to follow any other leading
is to go in the way that we should not.
IS MAN MORTAL OR IMMORTAL?
In the eighth Psalm and the fourth verse is this question, "What is man, that Thou art mindful of him?" Of course there are more ways than one in which this question can be refered to man, but the thing about man upon which we wish now to bring it to bear is that of immortality. "What is man?" is he mortal or immortal? We have not far to go for an answer. "Shall mortal man be more just than God?" Job 4:17. "O Lord, Thou art our God: let not mortal man prevail against Thee." 2 Chronicles 14:11, margin. Thus we find in answer to the question, that the Word of God calls man mortal, and everything that the Bible says directly about immortality is consistent with this answer. Says this Word in 1 Timothy: "Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." Chap. 1:17. Here it is shown that immortality is an attribute of God, equally with eternity, wisdom, honor, glory, etc. None of these belong to man as he is.
Again, speaking of the appearing of Jesus Christ, the
Word says: "In His times He shall show, who is the blessed
and only Potentate, the King of kings, the Lord of lords; who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see." 1 Timothy 6:15, 16.
Christ has brought this immortality to light. The purpose
and grace of God, says the Word, "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 Timothy 1:10. What the gospel
is, is shown in a few words by 1 Corinthians 15:1-4: "I
declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, …
for I delivered unto you first of all that which I also
received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again
the third day according to the Scriptures." Thus, then, in the
death, burial, and resurrection of Christ is summed up the
gospel; and "through the gospel" it is said Christ "brought
life and immortality to light." Certainly it was not by dying
nor being buried that either life or immortality was brought
to light, for both these things were familiar to all men; but
to rise again from the dead, and bring with Him a multitude
of the dead, who also appeared unto many (Matthew 27:52, 53), that was to bring to light something that had never been seen before; that was to bring life and immortality to light indeed. Therefore it is through the resurrection that Christ has brought immortality to light.
Again, the Scripture says that God will render eternal
life "to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek
for glory and honor and immortality." Romans 2:6, 7. Now
as immortality is to be sought for, and as God is the only
one who has it, and as Christ is the only one who has
brought it to light, it follows that immortality must be
sought of God, through Christ. Even so says the Scripture: "The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." This is the record, that God has 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." Romans 6:23; 1 John 5:11, 12.