Ojection 80: Man is made in the image of God; God is immortal; therefore man is immortal.
It should go without saying that God has many characteristics that man does not have, including omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, and perfect righteousness. It is only in some limited sense that man is created in the image of God. Although we are created in the image of God, our attributes are not co-extensive and coterminous with all the attributes of divinity. God did not create junior Gods when he created man.
It is useful to examine four Scriptural instances of the word “immortality”:
1. Romans 2:7: “To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, He will give eternal life.” Why should the Christian seek for immortality if he already possesses it? And why would God give him eternal life if he already has it?
2. 2 Timothy 1:10: “the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ . . . has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel . . ." Immortality, far from being inherent in man, is one of the good things made possible to us only through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. Paul wrote, "The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ." Rom. 6:23. Again, why would we need this gift if we already have it? We need it because we do not have it.
3. 1 Corinthians 15:53: “For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” Why would we have to put on immortality at the resurrection if we already have it? Obviously, we do not have immortality until the first resurrection, the resurrection of the redeemed; that is when we will finally put it on.
4. 1 Timothy 6:15-16: “He who is the blessed and only Potentate, 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. Amen.” God alone has immortality. This settles the matter. God is immortal, we are not.