As Paul nears the end of 1 Timothy, he writes
He alone is immortal and dwells in unapproachable light. No one has ever seen Him, nor can anyone see Him. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen. (1 Tim. 6:16 BEREAN)
Paul’s point in this passage is “not that God is the only immortal being but that he alone inherently possesses immortality.”1 We know there are other created beings who are immortal (angels, demons, etc.), but God gave them immortality. God, by His very nature, is immortal – no one granted it to Him.
By extension, most people assume that humans are also immortal by nature. The immortality of the human soul is a widely held belief, often seen as self-evident. This assumption permeates both secular and religious worldviews. It is a foregone conclusion that the human soul is immortal, and this is rarely, if ever, questioned. Nevertheless, the Bible is clear that God did not create humans with immortal souls.
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