KING ETERNAL - PART 4

WEDNESDAY 21 JUNE 2023

Today we shall gain access to solemn emphasis on the deep truth concerning God's attribute known as immortality.

Reference: 1 Timothy 1:17 New International Version (NIV) "Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen."

The word, "Immortal" means deathlessness plus incorruptibility. God is immortal. He will never die, decay or perish, let alone being subject to corruption, and this is a sempiternal truth. Immortality is the mysterious sense of Divinity. It is the very essence of being born again and living the Christian life, and it is an eternal truth we shall live to experience throughout eternity. So it is our genetic inheritance in Christ; the very standard of our prestigious status in the heavenly realms.

For instance, Jesus said in John 8:51, "Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death" (NIV). And also He said in John 11:26 (NIV): "And whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?" Why so? It's because God gave Jesus Christ, His only Son, to the world so that whoever believes in Him will not face everlasting destruction but remain indestructible in Christ throughout eternity.

The Lord Jesus laid down His own life for us and still picked it up not just because God raised Him up from the death but also, due to His immortality. Remember He was Emmanuel - God with us. As an immortal, nothing could hold Him in the grave; so it was impossible for Him to be held in death's power. In essence, Christ is the source of perpetual existence. When you become born again, you join a higher-order association of immortal beings, with God as the supreme Deity. Zero wonder the Bible says, "For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God" (1 Peter 1:23 NLT), meaning that the living Word is the imperishable seed of immortality.

The Scripture says, "Whoever has laboured diligently and patiently to do what is right—seeking glory, honor, and immortality—God will grant him endless joy in life eternal - Romans 2:7 (THE VOICE). What does that mean? As we continue to live the life of Christ on earth, by doing what is right, we are headed towards timeless glory, honour, and immortality which accompany the Lord's return. To that effect, Paul noted in 1 Corinthians 15:52-57 (The Voice):

"It will all happen so fast, in a blink, a mere flutter of the eye. The last trumpet will call, and the dead will be raised from their graves with a body that does not, cannot decay. All of us will be changed! We'll step out of our mortal clothes and slide into immortal bodies, replacing everything that is subject to death with eternal life. And, when we are all redressed with bodies that do not, cannot decay, when we put immortality over our mortal frames, then it will be as Scripture says: Life everlasting has victoriously swallowed death."

When the Lord Jesus Christ shows up, the perishable part of us must put on the imperishable; our mortal part must put on immortality. The mortal part of us is our body on earth which is capable of dying. We shall put on immortality which denotes complete freedom from death, decay and corruption. Then the Scripture will be fulfilled that says, "Death is swallowed up in victory" (that is, vanquished forever).

Now watch this: Indeed, the eternal blessedness of immortality cannot be undermined. For instance, immortality has no behavioural change because it is a "ready-made" divine nature (ready-to-wear clothing upon Christ's return). It will condition us to operate fully on the frequency of accurate knowledge based on heavenly activities and realities when we get to heaven (without needing any direction, sign post or advice). Got it? Nobody will advise you on how to live like the Godhead because the knowledge will be certain within you. Automatically, you will function in superior knowledge like other immortal beings in heaven.

To instantiate this verity, when one of the elders around the throne room worshipping God, asked John, "Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?" John responded saying, "Sir, you know." Then the elder enlightened him saying, 'These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb...'" (see Revelation 7:13-17 NKJV).

Just the same way they know in full, as we wear immortality over this present mortal frame, we shall know in full. To that effect, Paul says, "Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless" (1 Corinthians 13:9-10 NIV). Stay tuned for more on immortality in part 5. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - John 6:50; 1 Timothy 6:15-16; 1 Corinthians 15:22; 2 Timothy 1:10.

Exuberant Declaration: I live for God's glory, honour, and pleasure, and I have a life that cannot be destroyed because I belong to Christ. I'm divinely-inspired by the awe-inspiring effects of divinity, heavily in operation in my life. With a noble and sincere heart, I pause in the middle of my joyful exuberance, beneath the trembling shadow of the Most high God, to exalt and offer Him the sacrifice of praise and honour, which is due to His holy Name. All glory to God!