The Hope of Immortality
—Bible and Science
Popular science claims* that advances in technology will soon make human beings immortal. However, Jesus Christ since long ago has been able to give mankind eternal life without the help of science.
There are three essential events that Jesus will make happen to provide eternal life and immortality. Science can never provide these events, no matter how advanced science becomes.
1 A Transformation
Philippians 3:21
[Jesus Christ] will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself (Philippians 3:21 NKJV).
Paul writes, "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption... we shall all be changed" (1Corinthians 15:30-31 NKJV).
Science cannot make flesh and blood immortal. Even if science could cure all illnesses, there would still be wars and crimes and natural calamities to kill us. That is not immortality. Our bodies have to be transformed by God, not by human or robotic hands.
As Paul says, ¶"For we know that if our earthly house, our tent, is destroyed, we have a building of God, not made by hands, eternal in the heavens" (2Corinthians 5:1). That's immortality; that's eternal life; nothing less will do.
As for the form our transformed bodies will take, we have to wait till we see Jesus. "Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." (1John 3:2 NKJV).
Death has no power to stop this transformation, even if the fleshly body is reduced to dust and ashes "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory.'" (1Corinthians 15:53-54 NKJV).
Now we move from transformation to the second event that is necessary for immortality, the translocation...
2 A Translocation
Philippians 3:20
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:20 NKJV).
When God’s people have been transformed, they will cross over to another realm infinitely superior to this world. They will translocate to the eternal heaven where Jesus lives glorified forever.
As for this present physical realm "the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. Both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up" (2Peter 3:10).
On the day of transformation Jesus will recognise those who have heavenly citizenship and say, "Come you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matthew 25:34).
That's where God’s people belong — in the eternal heaven where Christ is. That's where they are translocating to. It's their big move. They don't belong to this world.
As Peter says, "We, according to his promise, look for a new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells" (2Peter 3:13 NKJV).
But how do God’s people cross into that eternal realm? They have no vehicle for that sort of journey. Science cannot provide one. The answer is that Jesus himself will come to take his people there.
3 A Transportation
1Thessalonians 4:16-17
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.(1Thessalonians 4:16-17 NKJV).
The people of God will be transported by Jesus Christ, caught up by his power and taken out of time and space into their eternal home.
Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself that where I am there you may be also" (John 14:1-3 NKJV).
In Conclusion
Science cannot provide eternal life. It cannot provide three essential requirements:
- Transformation
of the body,
glorifying it for... - Translocation
from the physical realm,
aided by... - Transportation
to the eternal kingdom.
Science can provide far less than that, and therefore far less than immortality.
And let me close with this warning. God provides eternal life through the sacrifice that God’ Son made on the cross. Only those who believe and obey him can be forgiven of sin and granted everlasting life (John 3:16).
Can science provide a place to live forever where there is no evil, no devil, no sorrow, no deceit?
*Note:— For example, on 29 March 2023 New York Post reported that futurist, inventor and Google scientist Ray Kurzweil has long been predicting that humans will achieve immortality by 2030. According to the report, Kurzweil made the claim in his 2005 book, The Singularity Is Near, in which he predicted that technology will allow humans to achieve everlasting life by 2030.