There have always been some in society who have not believed that man lives beyond this life. They are called materialists because they believe that the only real things that exist are things that can be seen and touched. The Sadducees, a Jewish sect, were materialists.

"For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees confess both." (Acts 23:8.) The Sadducees questioned Jesus about the resurrection. Jesus concluded by saying, "God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." (Matt. 22:23-33.) That statement is significant because of what he said just before that. He said, "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." (23:32.) God made this statement to Moses at the burning bush. (Exodus 3:6.) At that time, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were already dead. In fact, Joseph, Abraham’s great grandson, had already died as well. This can only mean that in some sense the three great patriarchs of Israel were yet alive.

We have descendants of the doctrine and philosophy of the Sadducees still with us today. However, they have always been in the minority. Throughout history, the majority of humanity has always believed in man’s immortality. Being in the majority does not make the concept true. But there is a universal belief among widely divergent cultures that man will live beyond death. Why do we believe in immortality? And what does it mean?

Death: Obstacle or Opportunity?

Some might think that death shatters forever any hope of immortality. It certainly looks that way to man physically. One author wrote, "When one wishes to overcome someone else, one must enter his territory. Whoever wants to conquer death must die." ("Immortality of the Soul or Resurrec-tion of the Dead?" Oscar Cullman, in Introduction, 4.)

Paul said that the present body is sown mortal and corruptible. It is this obvious truth that seems to stand in the way of man’s immortality. The life cycle of all living things seems to apply to man as well. How can man claim immortality over all other living things on earth? How can we believe in immortality in the face of death and decay?

Man does not believe in immortality because he has some visible evidence. Everything about life and death seem to argue against it. Man believes in immortality by faith and not by sight. Death is both the strongest argument against man’s hopes as well as his greatest opportunity to obtain immortality. Paul wrote, "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption." (1 Cor. 15:50.) Immortality of the body comes after death in the resurrection of the dead. Therefore, death itself is no argument against immortality. Death becomes man’s opportunity to move toward immortality. It cannot be possessed in this life.

Man does not believe in immortality because this faith is an easy thing. This belief must come about against all that we see in this life. Nothing is immortal here. The belief in immortality is not always comforting. The Russian philosopher, Nicolas Berdyaev, wrote:

"It is a mistake to imagine that the so-called faith in immortality is always comforting and that those who have it are in a privileged and enviable position. Faith in immortality is a comfort and makes life less hard, but it is also a source of terror and of an overwhelming responsibility. Those who are convinced that there is no immortality know nothing of this responsi-bility. It would be more correct to say that the unbelievers rather than the believers make life easy for themselves. Unbelief in immortality is suspicious just because it is so easy and comforting; the unbelievers comfort themselves with the thought that in eternity there will be no judgment of meaning over their meaningless lives. The extreme, unendurable terror is not the terror of death, but of judgment and hell. It does not exist for the unbelievers, only the believers know it." (The Destiny of Man, "Death and Immortality," Nicholas Berdyaev, 264.)

Immortality of the soul. Often, religious people will speak primarily of "the immortality of the soul" as if there is only one invisible part of man that is immortal. We even sing about a place where the soul never dies. Oscar Cullman wrote that this "widely-accepted idea is one of the greatest misunderstandings of Christianity." (Cullman, Introduction, 1.) Listen to Paul:

"So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body; there is a spiritual body." (1 Cor. 15:42-44.)

"For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory." (15:53-54.)

There are only a few passages in the New Testament that speak about immortality. None of them refers to the spirit of man! They all refer to the body after the resurrection of the body and to the Spirit of God as being immortal.

Man is presently a mortal being. (Job 4:17, 1 Cor. 15:50.) The whole man will be changed and prepared for life in a different world. The question is not whether there is something invisible in man that survives death. The answer is yes. (Matt. 10:28.) The question is whether immortality should be applied primarily to the present spirit of man. We should rather say that immortality belongs to life beyond the grave and the resurrection in the new body.

The few passages that speak of immortality in the New Testament refer to the Lord as immortal (1 Tim. 1:17) and to the resurrection of our bodies to an immortal state. It does not use the word, immortal, to refer to the spirit of man. It is true that the spirit of man returns to God upon death. "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." (Eccl. 12:7.) Jesus said that the thief on the cross would be with him that day (of his death) in paradise. (Luke 23:43.) Other significant statements are these:

"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. But rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matt. 10:28.)

Jesus said to Martha: "I am the resurrection and the life. He that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" (John 11:25-26.)

Since Lazarus’ death is the immediate subject at hand, we should interpret the references to death to be physical, not spiritual. Jesus was saying to Martha, Lazarus will not have to wait until the resurrection at the last day because I am (present tense) the resurrection and the life. We know that Jesus meant this because he raised Lazarus from the dead immediately. The second phrase is a bit more difficult---"he that lives and believes in me shall never die." Should this be interpreted physically or spiritually? If physically, then it means that the spirit of man lives on even when the body dies. (Eccl. 12:7, Matt. 10:28.) If spiritually, then it means that one who lives and believes in Jesus will never suffer spiritual death or separation from God. (John, Guy N. Woods, 237.) Both of these statements are true.

Paul wrote that the spirit without the body is not a desirable state. He called it "being found naked." We long for an immortal body.

"For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven. If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened, not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." (2 Cor. 5:1-10.)

Notice that death is mentioned in verse one and the judgment in verse ten. What we do in the body is important and the judgment will be based upon those deeds. Having a body is always important in Scripture.

Greek philosophy vs. Christianity. It is well known that Greek philosophers like Plato and Aristotle wrote about the immortality of the soul. They also described the body as a vile, temporary garment that will soon be removed. To the Greeks, matter was evil and only the spirit was good. Thus, they described the death of the body as a good thing.

Here is where a bold line between Greek philosophy and Christianity can be seen. Christianity does not discount the need and importance of the body. Secondly, death is described in the Bible as an enemy. (1 Cor. 15:24-26.) Paul wrote about "the sting of death." (15:56.) The Greeks thought about it as a friend because it releases the soul from the burden of the body.

Plato wrote an impressive description of the death of Socrates in Phaedo. He exalted the wonder and beauty of the soul in contrast to the body. He wrote about the immortality of the soul in contrast to the mortality of the body. He wrote about how Socrates goes to his death in complete peace and composure. The death of Socrates, according to Plato, is a beautiful death. Death is seen as the soul’s great friend. Likewise William Cullen Bryan in Thanatopis wrote about approaching one’s death as "one who wraps the drapery of his couch about him and lies down to pleasant dreams."

In bold contrast to that is the death of Jesus Christ. Jesus prayed three times for the Father to take his cup of suffering from him. He prayed so earnestly about it that sweat as great drops of blood fell from his brow. His hours before his death on the cross were spent in the Garden of Gethsemane, a place where grapes were pressed to make wine. This is a fitting symbol for the great trial before Jesus and the anxiety that he felt before his death. Jesus cried, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" There is nothing here of the Greek’s notion of death being a friend. It is the last enemy that Jesus destroyed by his resurrection from the dead. The Hebrew writer said, "Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the Devil, and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." (Heb. 2:14-15.)

It is true that after Jesus conquered death, man can approach death in greater confidence and assurance than those who lived before Jesus. But even now we should regard death as an enemy and we should not regard the matter as evil. The body will be raised. Our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit. We will have immortal bodies after the resurrection of the dead. The Greek philosophers were incorrect about the nature of the spirit of man and the body. We need the Christian view.

Immortality and eternal life. Often these two are confused because there is a close connection between them. However, the difference between immortality and eternal life can be seen after the Fall of man in the Garden of Eden. God placed cherubim and a flaming sword to guard the way of the tree of life lest man reach forth his hand and eat the fruit of the tree and "live forever." (Gen. 3:22-24.) Man was made in a mortal, corruptible body. If he ate the tree of life, he could have lived forever in that fallen mortal state. God did not want that for man. Living forever is different from immortality. Immortality is the condition or state of man in his body.

A second example that illustrates the difference between continuation of life and immortality is the resurrection of the wicked. They will be raised when Jesus returns, along with the saints. "All that are in their graves will hear his voice and come forth." (John 5:28-29.) Continued existence of the soul is one thing; eternal life and immortality are quite another. The wicked will receive eternal death in their judgment; everlasting punishment. (Matt. 25:46.)

Paul wrote that those who, "by patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory and honor and immortality, (God will give to that person) eternal life." (Rom. 2:7.) Note that eternal life is given to the one who patiently seeks for honor and immortality. To distinguish between the two, we could say that immortality is the new state of man after he is changed at the Second Coming of Jesus or raised from the dead. The living will be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. The dead will be raised incorruptible. (1 Cor. 15:51-52.) Having immortality, man has eternal life. Just as death follows because man is mortal and corruptible, so eternal life follows because man will be immortal and incorruptible.

God is Immortal. Immortality belongs to the nature of God. Paul wrote,

". . . until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which in his times he shall show who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who only hath immortality, dwelling in light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen, nor can see, to whom be honor and power everlasting." (1 Tim. 6:14-16.)

"Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever." (1 Tim. 1:17.)

When man possesses immortality after the resurrection, he will be made more like God. Paul wrote that the Lord "shall change our vile body and fashion it like unto his glorious body." (Phil. 3:21.)

A longing in man’s heart. There is something to be said for the multitudes who have believed in immortality throughout the ages. It is true that the majority opinion should not always be followed. But there is something impressive about the collective longing of man from the beginning until now. The wise man wrote,

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." (Eccl. 3:11.)

There is a universal restlessness in the hearts of men. Material things cannot quench the thirst. This life alone does not fulfill the needs of the human heart made in the image of God. Someone has correctly said that this loneliness and longing is the basis for all religions. What else can explain the multitudes of religious faiths? While we look upon the division and chaos that exists with disdain, there is one positive thing that can be said; that is, the pursuit of the immortal and eternal comes from a deep longing in the hearts of men that this world cannot satisfy.

A desire for higher meaning to life. The fact that men long for immortality does not prove that such exists. But our contemplation of life goes further. This pursuit of immortality is based upon the higher meaning that immortality offers. This life alone is incomplete. Without immortality, life would have little meaning or purpose. Christianity offers man the highest meaning and purpose to life because its vision includes this life and the world to come. The one who seeks for honor and immortality will be given eternal life. (Rom. 2:7.)

After a person has lived for awhile, then the material things alone loose the high value and meaning that we first imagined. Man starts looking beyond for a higher goal and purpose.

"While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2 Cor. 4:18.)

Because of what is written. Our primary reason for believing in immortality is not some impulse within us or a desire for a higher meaning in life, but because of the Gospel of Christ. We believe in immortality because of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Note what John the apostle wrote:

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of Life. (For the life was manifested and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us.) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that you also may fellowship with us and truly out fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. These things write we unto you that your joy may be full." (1 John 1:1-4.)

Jesus’ life demonstrates the truthfulness of immortality. Jesus existed with the Father before his incarnation. This is the state of immortality. Jesus was raised from the dead to die no more. This is immortality. Paul referred to the Lord as eternal, immortal and invisible. (1 Tim. 1:17.)

The biblical doctrine of immortality should be clearer now. Immortality is not just the survival or continuation of the soul at death. It is not just a spirit existence. It is not an ephemeral, vapor-like existence of a shadowy representation of ourselves. Immortality embraces renewal of spirit, mind and soul. It includes the redemption of our bodies as well.

"For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body." (Rom. 8:23-24.)

Any doctrine that bypasses the need for the resurrection of the body is not the biblical doctrine of immortality. Paul placed central importance on the redemption of the body. (Romans 8, 2 Cor. 5, 1 Cor. 15.)

Immortality includes the perfection of the spirit of man after the resurrection. The Catholic doctrine of purgatory brings to focus the need for perfection of the whole man in body, soul and spirit. The Wesleys taught that the spirit of man was perfected in this life by the second work of grace by the Holy Spirit perfecting the spirit of man so that he sins no more. Are our spirits perfected in this life (sanctification by the Spirit), or after death in a place of purging (Catholic view), or through the process of conversion and resurrection unto immortality? The latter of these is the biblical doctrine of perfection of man’s spirit and body.

"But you are come unto mount Zion and unto the city of the living God. . . . and to the spirits of just men made perfect." (Heb. 12:22-23.)

Conversion changes the heart; it is the rebirth of the spirit. (John 3:3-5.) But the whole man reaches immortality in the resurrection of the dead. The Gospel brings to light the doctrine of immortality.

"But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." (2 Tim. 1:10.)

Though death is as difficult as it is, it cannot separate us from the love of God. Even when that death is caused by persecution of the faith of the Gospel. We may feel, like Jesus, that the Father has forsaken us. Paul wrote that such is not true.

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake are we killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 8:35-39.)