Aphthartos is used of God, the incorruptible crown, the resurrection body, the

inheritance and the Word of God (Rom. 1: 23; I Cor. ix.25; 15: 52; I Pet. 1: 4, 23) and

of the King eternal, immortal of I Tim. 1: 17. The remaining references use the word in

a figurative sense, `sincerity' and `corruptible' (Eph. 6: 24; Titus 2: 7 and I Pet. 3: 4).

If the Lord Jesus Christ definitely became a man of flesh and blood in order that He

might die, the necessary conclusion from this revealed fact must be that before the

Incarnation, the idea of death and of resurrection is meaningless and never used. We are,

therefore, forced to see in I Tim. 1: and 6: two references to Him, Who in chapter 3: is

revealed as `God manifest in the flesh'. As spoken of in I Tim. 1: 17 He is named as `the

only God' (R.V.), in I Tim. 6: 15 as `the only potentate' and in I Tim. 6: 16 as the one

who `only hath immortality'. In His own times, and related to the future `appearing', the

Saviour will reveal Who it is that bears the title `only Potentate' and `the only God', but

before `that day' and during this life we are purposely permitted to see such things only

as `through a glass darkly'. In like manner, we read that God is `invisible'. But again

this is relative to man. Before man was created, before the Heavens and the Earth had a

beginning God was; but as there did not exist any beings who depended upon light and

sight to perceive, the idea of God's invisibility did not arise. "No man (oudeis no one,

wider in scope than, no man) hath seen God at any time", and so He is spoken of as being

`invisible'. This, like immortality, is a relative term. The God Who is immortal, is the

One who for our sakes became man, suffered death and then rose again to die no more.

The God Who is invisible is likewise the same glorious Person. If Christ is the One who

is to `appear' (I Tim. 6: 14) and He surely will: if Christ is the One Who is King of

Kings and Lord of Lords (I Tim. 6: 15) and He surely is; then it is Christ Who dwells in

light which no man can approach unto, these words referring to that sphere which

pertains to the Godhead exclusively, Whom no man hath seen, nor can see. Only as

`God manifest in the flesh' could He be `seen' (I Tim. 3: 16) or `handled' (I John 1: 1, 2).

It is gloriously possible for the redeemed to behold or see the glory of the Saviour which

has been given Him in connection with His Mediatorial work (John 17: 24) but it is

another matter when we think of the glory that He had before the Incarnation and before

the work of Redemption (John 17: 5), in which there is no Scriptural warrant to suggest

that any can share. The glory which He had given to Him, He has given to us in order

that we all may be one (John 17: 22) but the glory that was His before the world was is

given to no-one. The baffling statements put forward in creed and argument mostly arise

out of taking for granted that the Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Ghost is essential,

whereas the Scripture teaches that the Trinity of Persons is economical or

dispensational*. We mention these features here without comment. They will come up

for examination in later studies.