Bible Dictionaries

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

Immortality

IMMORTAL, IMMORTALITY

Strictly and properly speaking, this can only be applied to JEHOVAH in his threefold character of person; for of Him, it is justly said, "who only hath immortality." (1 Timothy 6:16) But in Him, and by Him, and from Him, the church is said to have rendered to it "glory and honour and immortality, eternal life." (Romans 2:7) But then, the striking and essential difference is here; JEHOVAH hath immortality in himself. It is His very Being—The church hath it by gift, and enjoys it only from her union with Christ. Of what nature or kind that immortality is, which distinguisheth the state or existence of the miserable in hell, Scripture hath not said. It is said, indeed, "their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." (Mark 9:44; Mar 9:46; Mar 9:48) How ought true believers in Jesus to rejoice in the consciousness of their interest in him, to join the hymn of the apostle; "Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever, Amen." (1 Timothy 1:17)