Forty
Questions on Immortality
by H. L. Hastings
1. Who
is immortal?
“The King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God.” 1 Tim. 1:17.
2. Are
not all men possessed of immortality?
“The blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords; who only hath immortality.” 1 Tim. 6:15, 16.
3. Are
not all men created immortal?
He “only hath immortality.” 1 Tim. 6:16.
4. Is
there any way by which men may obtain immortality?
“To us are given exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye might
be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the
world through lust.” 2 Pet. 1: 4.
5. Is
this immortality revealed by Plato, or Socrates, or by “familiar” rapping
“spirits,” or In nature, or is it through Jesus Christ
and his Gospel?
“By the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and
hath brought life and immortality to light, through the Gospel.” 2 Tin. 1:10.
6. Who
has power to bestow immortality upon man?
“The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Rom. 6:32.
7. Will
God give this gift to all persons, whatever their works may be?
God “will render to every man according to his deeds.” Rom. 2:6.
8. What
will be the portion of those who are contentious and obey not the truth?
“Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that
doeth evil.” Rom. 2: 8, 9.
9. To
whom will God impart immortality?
“To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and
immortality.” Rom. 2:7.
10. What shall be their Reward?
“Eternal life.” Rom. 2: 7.
11.
Upon what conditions may we obtain this blessing?
“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life.” 1 Tim. 6: 12.
“The life which is life indeed.” 1 Tim. 6:9, R.V.
12. When do men obtain immortality? Is it at death or at the resurrection?
“The dead shall be raised incorruptible.” 1 Cor. 15:52; Luke 14:14.
13. How
shall those who are not dead become incorruptible?
“We shall be changed.” 1 Cor. 15:52.
14. When will this change take place?
“At the last trump.” 1 Cor. 15:52.
15. How
suddenly will the change occur?
“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall
sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and
we shall be changed.” 1 Cor. 15:52.
16. Will this change be a change of the internal or the external and physical
or corruptible man?
“This corruptible must put on incorruption.” 1 Cor.15:53.
17.
What then becomes immortal?
“This mortal must put on immortality.”
18.
What Scripture will be fulfilled 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.” 1 Cor. 15:57; Isa. 25:8; Hos. 13:14, Rev. 21:4.
19. Who
shall be raised from the dead?
“All that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and
shall come forth.” John 5:28, 29.
20.
Will the unburied arise?
“The sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell (the grave)
delivered up the dead which were in them.” Rev. 20:13.
21.
Will different classes of characters arise in the
resurrection?
“There shall he a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.” Acts
24: 15; 1 Cor. 15: 22; Rom.5: 18; Luke 13:25-28.
22. For what purpose will the good be raised?
“They that have done good unto the resurrection of life.” John 5:29; 2 Cor.
5:4.
23. To
what will others be raised?
“They that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” John 5 :29; 2 Thes. 1:6-9.
24.
Will a man’s destiny at last be in accordance with his previous life?
“Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Gal. 6:7.
25.
What shall be the portion of the ungodly?
“He that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption.” Gal. 6:8;
Phil. 3:19.
26.
What is the reward of the saint?
“He that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting.” Gal.
6:8; Mark 10:30.
27. Where is now the Christian’s life?
“Your life is hid with Christ in God.” Col. 3:3.
28. How
then should we live?
“Let us not he weary in well doing; for in due season
we shall reap if we faint not. Gal. 6:9; John
6:27; Tit. 1:2.
29.
What will be the fate of those who by sowing to the flesh reap corruption?
“These, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, . . . shall
utterly perish in their own corruption.” 2 Pet. 2:12; Acts 3:23; Mal. 4: 1-3.
30. Is
it possible for man to be utterly destroyed?
“Fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (Gehenna).” Matt.
10:28.
31.
What is the wages of sin?
“The wages of sin is death.” Rom. 6:23; Jas. 1:15;
Deut. 30:19.
32. Is
this death merely a bodily death?
“The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” Ezek. 18:4.6
33. If
the wicked turn away from his wickedness and do right, what then?
“He shall save his soul alive.” Ezek. 18:27, 32; Jas.5:20.
34.
“When a righteous man turned away from his righteousness, and committed
iniquities and dieth in them,” what shall be his
fate?
“For his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.” Ezek. 18:26; Acts 13:40,
41,46; Heb. 10:27.
35. As he first dies in his iniquity, and then dies for his iniquity, what must
this last death be called?
“The second death.” Rev. 2:11; 20:6.
36. What is the result attained by the man who converted a sinner from the
error of his ways?
“He shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a
multitude of sins.” Jas. 5:20.
37.
What then has God placed before us to incite us to action?
“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before
you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may
live.” Deut. 30:19; Psa. 21:4; 37:20, 27; 1 John 2:17.
38. How
does God manifest His love for men?
“God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16;
10:10,28; 6:58; 1 John 5:11, 12.
39.
What is our Savior’s complaint concerning mankind?
“Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they are
they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.”
John 5:39,40.
40.
What is the command of God to all?
“Cast away from you all your transgressions whereby you have transgressed; and
make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth,
saith the Lord God; wherefore turn yourselves and live ye.” Ezek. 18:31,32,
John 20:31, 1 John 5:11,12, Rev. 2:7, 10.