Immortality

Some would quote

I urge you in the sight of God Who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, which

• He will manifest in His own time,
• He who is the blessed and
• only Potentate (Sovereign),
• the King of kings and Lord of lords,
• Who alone has immortality,
• dwelling in unapproachable light,
• Whom no man has seen or can see,
• to Whom be honor and everlasting power.

-- 1 Timothy 6:13-16 (NKJV)

Often people confuse the subjects of Paul's letter by saying Jesus is God and that Jesus is Sovereign, King of kings, Lord of lords, immortal and almighty, but Paul refers to two persons: "God Who... and before Christ Jesus who...". The question is who is the "He" to "Whom" the attributes apply?

If these attributes apply to Jesus then all of them should apply:

Therefore, this scripture cannot be used to proof that Jesus is God Almighty.

If you believe Jesus cannot die, then you would have a problem with:

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, hin which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you — unless you believed in vain.

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received:

1. that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,
2. that he was buried,
3. that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and
4. that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

-- 1 Corinthians 15:1-8

Jesus descended to preached to "spirits in prison"

In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? -- Ephesians 4:9 (ESV)

This is referring to Jesus’ death and burial.

There is much theological discussion about what it means that Jesus descended into the earth, but much of the confusion is due to orthodox theology. Some orthodox theologians think that “he descended” refers to Christ leaving heaven and coming to earth as a human in the incarnation.

Other orthodox Christians believe that Ephesians 4:9 is referring to Christ as a spirit being going down to Tartarus between his death and resurrection and preaching to the spirits in prison. Some of those Christians believe the “spirits” that he “preached” to are the spirits of dead Old Testament believers and that Jesus then led them to heaven, which is not correct. The belief that Jesus went to Tartarus between his death and resurrection comes from the orthodox teaching that dead people are alive in a “spirit” form, which is not correct. Placing the timing of Jesus’ descent into Tartarus between his death and resurrection can be seen in the Apostles’ Creed which inserts this exact same phrase, “descended into the lower parts” in between Christ’s death and resurrection. It reads,

(Jesus) was crucified, died, and buried, descended into the lower parts, on the third day rose from the dead.

That wording clearly implies that Jesus went to Tartarus to preach while his body was dead, because “descended” takes place after “died.” So the Apostle’s Creed insinuates that Jesus’ descending into the earth was not Jesus’ death and burial, but occurred after his body died. If one believes the orthodox teaching that a person’s spirit continues to live on without a body after the person dies then it would perhaps be possible that Jesus’ spirit continued to live and he went to preach to the spirits in prison between his death on the cross and the resurrection. However, Scripture teaches that when a person dies they are dead in every way, and are not alive in any form. Furthermore, the context of Ephesians 4:9 never indicates when Christ “descended into the lower parts of the earth,” but leaves believers to discover the timing of that event from other places in Scripture. Given the fact that Scripture makes it clear that a dead person is dead in every way, and from the scope of Scripture, saying that Jesus “descended into the lower part of the earth” was a way to describe his death and burial, not a separate event after his death. Ephesians 4:9 indicates that Jesus dying for our sins and being buried was part of what qualified him to ascend into heaven as King of kings and Lord of lords. The biblical evidence shows that the spirits that Jesus spoke to were demons who had caused the problems on earth around the time of Noah’s Flood (that interpretation is correct and is supported by the context). Jesus went to the demon spirits in Tartarus after he was raised from the dead.

1 Peter 3:19 says that Jesus went and preached to the spirits in prison in his new body after he was “made alive.” He did not go to Tartarus in some disembodied state between his death and resurrection. The text reads,

he was put to death in the flesh but made alive by the spirit, in which state he also went and proclaimed his victory to the spirits in prison -- 1 Peter 3:18-19

The evidence from the scope of Scripture shows that this verse is about the death and burial of Christ. Jesus, the Son of God, was a human being and he died on the cross and was dead and buried for three days and nights. Then God raised him from the dead and after being on earth for 40 days he ascended into heaven. So Jesus died on the cross, was buried (thus he descended into the earth), was raised from the dead, and then after forty days ascended into heaven.

-- Revised English Version Commentary

Jesus' resurrection

Some argue that Jesus raised himself from the dead based on:

Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?”

But he was speaking about the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

-- John 2:19-22 (ESV)

and

For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father. -- John 10:17-18 (ESV)

In both cases Jesus said that he would sacrifice his own life and come to life again. He never claimed to be immortal. In other words: "he can die".

Only God is immortal:

Are you not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. -- Habakkuk 1:12 (ESV)

To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. -- 1 Timothy 1:17 (ESV)

... Who alone has immortality. -- 1 Timothy 6:16 (ESV)

God is eternal (Psalm 90:2; Isaiah 40:27; Romans 16:26) and cannot die.

If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. -- Romans 10:9

There are no scripture to be found that state that Jesus resurrected himself. If Jesus could resurrect himself, then it would mean that he was not completely dead.

God the Father, resurrected Jesus.

This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. -- Acts 2:32 (KJV)

and

God raised him from the dead. -- Acts 13:30 (ESV)

and

The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent, because He has fixed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom He has appointed; and of this He has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” -- Acts 17:30-31 (ESV)

and

We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. -- 1 Corinthians 15:15 (ESV)