Over the last couple of years, I have steadily heard the various pseudo teachings on immortality that didn’t sit well with me. It was not like I knew a lot but somehow what I had been taught in church and my experience in reality just didn’t allow me to accept this doctrine of living on forever without dying. With my studies on the resurrection, reading N T Wright’s book, The Resurrection of the Son of God and the controversies in the Sri Lankan church related to non-biblical teachings got me interested in penning this blog. So here goes, part 1 of a 3 part concise survey on immortality.
The concept of immortality has captured the minds of humanity over the centuries. From the ancient Egyptians, to the Romans, to the Greeks, to the Indians[1]; to the Jews, Christians, and Muslims, various permutations of this idea of “living on” have been perpetual in culture and religion[2]. In the 21st century, the idea has not changed rather the way to immortality has evolved from religion to technology-based solutions such as cryogenics, digitized consciousness, anti-aging [3].
So, what is immortality? According to Webster’s dictionary, it is for a person to live on without dying[4] like the Elves and Vampires from the various movies and novels that don’t experience death.
But the common expression of immortality in Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Eastern thought, is the idea of living on after one’s physical death[5]. Walter Martin in his book “the kingdom of cults” calls immortality as a “future state”[6], not one to be experienced in this lifetime. But this is not the only view of immortality that is out there. There are two further views. Firstly, some belong to an atheistic and naturalistic worldview that rejects life beyond death, because for them everything is physical and there is no immaterial[7]. Secondly, there are, what I call “pseudo” Christian groups that affirm living forever on Earth without experiencing death[8].
The typical teaching of these pseudo-Christian groups build their doctrine on the following beliefs:
1. Jesus Christ died on the cross
2. Jesus Christ was resurrected
3. Jesus Christ is alive today.
4. The final enemy, that is death, has been defeated through the cross of Christ and His resurrection[9].
5. Therefore, those accept Christ and His work on the cross, then can achieve immortality; live without dying[10].
These “pseudo” Christian groups justify their version of the belief of immortality by referencing the following bible verses:
1. Romans 8:11
2. 1 Corinthians 15:53-54
3. 2 Corinthians 4:11
4. Romans 2:7
In all these verses the key theme that is extracted and applied albeit out of context is: firstly, the work of the Spirit in our lives will quicken our mortal bodies (Rom 8:11) and this is to happen in this lifetime. Secondly, there is a transformation after the death and resurrection of Christ that happens to the believer resulting in immortality (1 Cor 15:53-54, 2 Cor 4:11)[11]. Thirdly, that we are to seek immortality (Rom 2:7).
In Part 2, I will present the biblical understanding of immortality.
Foot Notes:
[1] Encyclopaedia Britannica, Immortality
[2] J P Moreland and William Lane Craig. Philosophical Foundations of a Christian Worldview, (Illinois: Intervarsity Press, 2003), 285
[3] James S Horton and Nicholas K Priest, “Silicon Valley’s quest for immortality – and its worrying sacrifices,” The Conversation (11 December 2018): http://theconversation.com/silicon-valleys-quest-for-immortality-and-its-worrying-sacrifices-101405
[4] Merriam Webster Dictionary, Immortality
[5] Encyclopaedia Britannica, Immortality
[6] Walter Martin. The Kingdom of Cults: The Definitive Work on the Subject. (Minnesota: Bethany House, 2019), 142
[7] Kenneth Richard Samples. A World of Difference: Putting the Christian Truth Claims to the Worldview Test. (Michigan: Baker Books. 2007), 203
[8] TTM Editor, “Immortality and Some of its Proponents,” The True Messenger (23 April 2016): http://www.thetruemessenger.org/immortality-and-some-of-its-proponents/
[9] TTM Editor, “Immortality and Some of its Proponents,” The True Messenger (23 April 2016): http://www.thetruemessenger.org/immortality-and-some-of-its-proponents/
[10] Deborah, “Kobus Van Rensburg – The Immortal Conquered by Death,” Discerning the World (21 December 2013) https://www.discerningtheworld.com/2013/12/21/kobus-van-rensburg-immortal-dead/
[11] Deborah, “Kobus Van Rensburg – The Immortal Conquered by Death,” Discerning the World (21 December 2013) https://www.discerningtheworld.com/2013/12/21/kobus-van-rensburg-immortal-dead/
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