Shayla:

Are believers already truly immortal, or is that yet to happen? 1 Timothy 6:16 says that Jesus Christ is "the only who has immortality ..." How does this verse harmonize with Luke 23:43 about the thief on the cross? If Jesus only has immortality, what about the thief on the cross?

The very early Christian Fathers held to the belief that only those who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will eventually inherit immortality and eternal life. In other words, the ultimate possession of immortality is dependent upon people satisfying God's requirement or condition of trusting in His Son Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior and, thus, that is why the term "conditional immortality" is used. The earliest Christian Fathers believed that, while Christians now have absolute assurance of eternal life, the actual possession of eternal life will not be until Resurrection Day.

Meforshim:

First, though I highly recommend a thorough knowledge of what the ante Nicene Fathers had to say, I would like to remind you that, just like you and I, they were very human and very much men of their times. For example, though I have a great respect for Augustine, I acknowledge that much of his theology was so primitive that it bordered on superstition! Regard these men with respect, but let nothing supersede the authority of the Scriptures in your heart.

Jesus said that He was the Way the Truth and the Life and that no one comes to the Father except through Him. Jesus is the Messiah whose acceptance the Samaritan woman learned brought internal springs of living water. He is thus the source of both Eternal life and immortality. There is a difference.

• Matthew 10:28 HCSB Don't fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; rather, fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

The Master made a distinction between death of the body and a later destruction of both the body and soul. We see this same distinction when Adam and Eve were told that on the day they ate of the fruit they would surely die and yet we see their bodies still living for a while afterwards. “Eternal life” we can have immediately. This is where our spirits are instantly renewed and we have a “new man” inside us. “Immortality”, however, is a different story. We have the promise of immortality, of life after death, but we must wait for the final resurrection and the granting of our new glorified bodies to see that promise fulfilled. We still have to walk through “the valley of the shadow of death”, but we fear no evil. As our brother Job said,

• Job 19:26-27 HCSB Even after my skin has been destroyed, yet I will see God in my flesh. (27) I will see Him myself; my eyes will look at Him, and not as a stranger. My heart longs within me.

As you interpret various passages that deal with regeneration, resurrection, renewal, etc., keep in mind that there are three stages to our ultimate transformation.

1. The spirit is transformed instantaneously.

2. The soul (mind, will and emotions) is transformed progressively as we “bring every thought into captivity to Christ.”

3. The body will have to wait until the resurrection for it glorification.

• Romans 8:19-23 HCSB For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God's sons to be revealed. (20) For the creation was subjected to futility--not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it--in the hope (21) that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of corruption into the glorious freedom of God's children. (22) For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now. (23) And not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits--we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.