WHO AM I? Solving the identity puzzle (1)

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I have just finished reading Martyn Isles’s book Who Am I? Solving the identity puzzle. It is a good book to make Jesus known and reveal more about God. Martyn makes the good point that we all like to think that we are made in God’s image but the reality is that while Adam was created in God’s image, as a result of the Fall, we are no longer in God’s image, we are in Adam’s image.

Now that I have finished the book, from my standpoint there is one major error and one significant omission. The error is that God made humans eternal. Martyn says that when God breathed into Adam He made him eternal, in essence immortal, yet all the Bible says is that he became a living creature.

“breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” Genesis 2:7

Eternal/immortal means not subject to death. The Bible says God alone has immortality.

“Who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no person has seen or can see.” 1 Timothy 6:16

In this passage, we see that immortality is something that is part and parcel of the nature of God. He alone has it. The Scripture teaches that only God has life in Himself.

“For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself.” John 5:26

The New Testament also says that God grants immortality to humans who trust in Him.

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” John 17:3

From the following passage we discover three things about immortality.

“So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory’” 1 Corinthians 15:53-53

1. Immortality is given only to believers, there is no mention of unbelievers receiving it.

2. It is a gift from God that believers will receive in the future at Christ’s coming.

3. Immortality refers not only to the soul or spirit but the body is also included. Believers become immortal when this mortal body puts on an immortal one.

The Biblical error of an immortal soul leads directly to a second error the fate of unbelievers. Despite Jesus making it clear that the wages of sin is death and unbelievers perish much of the church teaches unbelievers suffer conscious torment for eternity.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.“ John 3:16

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.” Matthew 7:13

“Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live, but he who pursues evil will die.” Proverbs 11:19

“Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” James 1:15

Note that sin ultimately brings forth death not life in everlasting conscious torment. Four times in Revelation we learn the fate of unbelievers is a second death.

“The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:7-8

I like to keep my posts relatively short so they can be read in 5 to 10 minutes. Hence, I will cover in my next post, what I believe is a serious omission. Martyn makes no mention of the fact Jesus made it possible for our Heavenly Father to send the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit to be our helper. He is our Counsellor, Teacher, and Comforter. He produces the fruit of the spirit (all nine) in our lives and He provides the gifts of the spirit for ministry (all nine). Without Him, it would be impossible to live a Christian life.

THE FIRE THAT CONSUMES

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The fire that torments forever or The fire that consumes or The Fire that purifies

How often do we hear mention of Hell and its purpose in God’s plans for us, His creation. The creation He loves so much, He sent His son to die in our place that we might be restored as His sons and daughters, and even reign with His son Jesus in a new heaven and earth.

Is what the Bible teaches on the eternal fate of the unrepentant what the traditional church now teaches on the their fate? They teach eternal conscious torment is what they will endure. Does this line up with what Jesus taught? Does it line up with God’s justice, His mercy. let alone God is love? The wages of sin is death and the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus. Eternal life only comes from believing in Jesus blood sacrifice for us. God alone is immortal as revealed by Timothy: “He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honour and everlasting power.” 1 Timothy 6:16

“For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.” (Romans 8:13)

“The one who sows to please the sinful nature from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the spirit, from the spirit will reap eternal life.” (Galatians 6:8)

“The truly righteous man attains life, but He who pursues evil goes to his death.”  (Proverbs 11:19)

Given that life in immortality is a gift to the righteous alone, and that the soul, not being innately immortal, exists only as long as God wills it to exist (as the early church father, Justin Martyr argues), will anyone argue that a loving God would wish the soul of any human being alive throughout endless ages for no other purpose than to inflict upon them perpetual torment?

Listen to the humble American Christian theologian and lawyer, Edwin Fudge, best known for his book The Fire that Consumes. He has been called “one of the foremost scholars on hell” by The Christian Post. He is also subject of the 2012 independent film Hell and Mr Fudge.