Mortal or Immortal? Which?

POSITIVE CONSIDERATIONS

Thus far our reasoning has been rather of a negative than a positive character; showing that the reasons on which an uncontingent immortality is predicated of man, are not valid. With a few considerations, positive in their nature, we dismiss this part of the subject. MOI 29.2

1. Adam was on probation. Life and death were set before him. “In the day that thou eatest thereof of thou shalt surely die,” said God. The only promise of life he had in case of disobedience came from one whom it is not very flattering to the advocates of a natural immortality to call the first propounder and natural ally of their system. But had Adam been endowed with a natural immortality, it could not have been suspended on his obedience. But it was so suspended, as we learn from the first pages of revelation. It was, therefore, not absolute, but contingent. Immortal he might become by obedience to God; disobeying, he was to die. He did disobey, and was driven from the garden. “And now,” said God, “lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat and live forever;” therefore, the cherubim and flaming sword were placed to exclude forever his approach to the life-giving tree. Quite the reverse of an uncontingent immortality is certainly brought to view here. Adam could bequeath to his posterity no higher nature than he himself possessed. The stream that, commencing in the garden of Eden, has flowed down through the lapse of six thousand years, has certainly never risen higher than the fountain head; and we may be sure we possess no superior endowments in this respect to those of Adam. MOI 29.3

2. The second consideration under this head is, the exhortations we have in the word of God to seek for immortality, if we would obtain it. “Seek the Lord, and ye shall live,” is his declaration to the house of Israel. Amos 5:4, 6. “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23. Gift to whom? To every man, irrespective of character? By no means; but gift through Christ to them only who are his. Again, “To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory, honor, and immortality, [God will render] eternal life.” Romans 2:7. Varying the language of the apostle a little, we may here inquire, What a man hath why doth he yet seek for? The propriety of seeking for that which we already have, is something in regard to which it yet remains that we be enlightened by the advocates of the dominant theology. MOI 30.1

Of man, while living, we are now prepared to take leave. We have examined into his constituent parts, as brought to view in the Bible record of the creation; and though “fearfully and wonderfully made,” we still find him but a unit, and that mortal. We have examined the terms applied to him in this life, which are supposed to contain the mystery, and bear the burden of immortality; but we find they will not support the popular assumption. Nor can we find in the phenomena of his creation or his life, any evidence that he bears within his bosom a quenchless spirit, an undying principle. It now only remains that we trace his condition in and beyond the grave. MOI 31.1