Immortality..

Paul taught that believers will be caught out of their present condition which is subject to mortality and into a condition subject to immortality. They will be clothed with immortality. (1 Cor 15:53,54,) What did Paul mean by immortality? Immortality is not being subject to death; deathlessness. However, according to Vines Expository Dictionary immortality (athanasia) is more; it suggests the quality of life enjoyed by the believer when mortality is "swallowed up by life". The immortality Jesus offers is to be joined in him, the source of life and joy. It is to be fully released from the carnal principle that works in us producing death and to be joined in union with Him who is immortal. (2 Cor 5:1-8) Every believer already has that kind of life but the day will come when it will be experienced in its complete fullness. (Jn 8:51, 10:10)

After his resurrection Jesus displayed his immortality to his people. At his return he will release it into those who are his, who will then be able to live and function in a way no longer subject to the physical dimension just as Jesus was able to do in his earthly body. May I ask “Did the Lord have immortality in his earthly body when he lived on earth? Yes, he was free of sin and no curse of death operated in his life so he must have. He is the author of life and light; its very source. In him was the life of the Father so he must have been immortal. (John 1:4, 5:26, Acts 3:15, Col 1:16) In his earthly life he was not subject to the restrictions of his body. He was able to walk on water and could pass right through hostile crowds either by being invincible or invisible. (Luke 4:30, Jn 7:30, 8:59, 10:39) If Jesus had not died surely he could have just walked into heaven; otherwise he would still be alive on earth. The pre-flood Patriarchs lived for hundreds of years and they were sinful, Jesus was sinless. No one took his life from him for he voluntarily submitted to death. (John 10:15-18) At his transfiguration I believe that he could have stepped back into his glory but chose not to but to go to the cross and die for us. And when he died it was not possible for death to hold him. (Acts 2:24) So too believers will function in bodies that are powerful, glorious and spiritual, made like the man from heaven. It will be a worldwide replication of Christ’s life in his people. (1 Cor 15:35-48) At his "parousia" or "Presence" his people will experience a change that will release them from the present physical restrictions of this dimension and give them access to his power. Believers who have died will rise in resurrection and be able to function like angels (Luke 20:35) and believers who are alive will be changed so as to also enter and share in the life of Jesus. They will have newly empowered and changed bodies not subject to carnality or restrictions of this present dimension. They will be like Christ was on earth, not subject to death or disease and like Enoch will be able to walk through the veil into God's presence. We will consider Enoch later.

There are three groups of people on earth when Jesus returns. 1/ there are believers in Jesus who will be changed to become like him and then live and function with him. Through “harpazo” they will possess the power, life and glory of Jesus and enter the Kingdom of God which will grow and increase. 2/ There are the desperately wicked who will be destroyed at his coming. 3/ There is the remainder of mankind who will come under the authority of the Kingdom of God. The “Day of the Lord” is the time of Christ's reign on earth. It commences at his parousia and continues until "New Jerusalem" comes down to earth. This period is designated as a thousand years. We will consider this more fully later.

The emphasis through the Bible is that the Kingdom of God will come to earth and subdue the whole world. God will empower his people and will rule and reign through them. How will this happen if there are no people left on earth? Will they rule over one another? Who has ever heard of a Kingdom without a structure, without rulers and people who come under it? In his church the Lord has established a world wide net that will take control of the nations and gather in a vast harvest. The Lord Jesus will have complete dominion over all nations. It will be the righteous reign of God through the one and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords and those who rule with him. (1 Tim 6:15) When will this happen? – At his coming PRESENCE - “parousia”.