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do they come?" (I Cor. 15: 35). To all these questions the apostle gives answer. In the
course of his argument he tells us that "by man came death", and that "all in Adam die";
and further, that death, the last enemy, is to be destroyed. Near the conclusion he says:--
"The dead shall raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible
must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality" (I Cor. 15: 52, 53).
It is evident that the "we" here who are "changed" are the "mortal" who put on
"immortality". It is the term used to express the great change at resurrection. And when
this great change shall have come, both to living and dead, then shall be brought to pass
the saying that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory" (I Cor. 15: 54).
In Luke 20: 35, 36 we have confirmation of this association of deathlessness with
resurrection:--
"They which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from
the dead . . . . . neither can they die any more."
This virtually is immortality. Had this close connection of the word "immortality"
with the resurrection been observed, the idea of the immortality of the "soul" would have
been impossible. Resurrection from the dead is the distinctive revelation of the
Scriptures, and those who hold to its teaching have no need for the false surmises of
philosophy.
The word "immortal", as we have seen, is a negative, the positive being the word
"mortal". This we find in I Cor. 15: 53, 54; II Cor. 4: 11; Rom. 6: 12 and 8: 11.
We have already seen that the references in I Cor. 15: are to literal and future
resurrection. The other passages deal with present anticipation of resurrection, or desire
for it:--
"For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of
Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh" (II Cor. 4: 11).
"For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened; not for that we would be
unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life" (II Cor. 5: 4).
"Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body" (Rom. 6: 11, 12).
"But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that
raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that
dwelleth in you" (Rom. 8: 11).
There can be no doubt as to this evidence: immortality and a resurrection body (no
mere "unclothed" condition will answer) are almost synonymous.
There is only one passage that we have omitted, and that is I Tim. 6: 15 and 16:--
"The blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and 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."