Incorruption vs. Immortality: A Clear Distinction
Study The Word
Romans 8:11 KJV
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
There is a vital distinction that many Christians including ministers kind of miss often confusing “incorruption” with “immortality,”. But, the Word of God has made a very a clear distinction between the two. Immortality is when this body completely transcends death, never able to die again and that the Bible says is reserved for the second appearing of Jesus Christ, when we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye! 1 John 3:2 says “…but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is”.
Notice the order, it doesn’t say that “we shall be like Him and then He shall appear”. The sequence of events are clearly defined in scripture not only here but in several other verses from different writers on the same subject.
Concerning immortality and incorruption, the Apostle Paul communicated the distinction to Timothy, where he said to him that Jesus Christ is the “only one that has immortality – athanasia dwelling the light that no man can approach unto”( 1 Timothy 6:16). That was in his first letter to the young minister. And then in his second letter to him in 2 Timothy 1:12 he said that this Jesus Christ “brought life and (wrongly translated) ‘immortality’ instead of ‘incorruption – aphtharsia’ to light through the gospel”. This means the gospel gives men life – zoe and incorruption – aphtharsia. But the translators in the KJV translated it wrongly and put “immortality” there instead of “incorruption”. This caused a lot of confusion but its clear to see that the Apostle Paul was not confused.
ἀφθαρσία aphtharsia incorruption – incorrupt, incorruptibility, unending existence, deathlessness
Now, the Bible clearly reveals to us that we the children of God who are alive and remain have right now through the Gospel of Jesus Christ incorruption – aphtharsia, and not immortality – athanasia.
What is aphtharsia? The best description of incorruption – aphtharsia is found in Romans 8:11 where Apostle Paul powerfully describes aphtharsia for us: “If the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also shall quicken – “give life to” your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you.” What does this mean? It means your physical body is still mortal, but it is being quickened – made alive by the life source of the indwelling Spirit of God that now lives in your body! This is the state that the Apostle Paul revealed to us by the Spirit as incorruption – aphtharsia, where the divine, eternal life of God is actively working and pulsating within your mortal frame, making it resistant to the effects of sin, sickness, and decay and death producing incorruptibility! This is our glimpse into immortality, but our bodies are not immortal yet. It’s a foretaste of the immortality of the body that is to come, which we experience now through the indwelling Spirit and the incorruptible seed of God’s Word that is now giving your mortal body life, Glory to God!
Our opening verse reveals the supernatural mechanism by which incorruption functions in our lives. It’s not theoretical or theological; it’s a dynamic vital experience made into reality by the Holy Spirit! It says “If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, then that same Spirit will quicken – give life to, make alive, infuse with divine vitality – your mortal bodies!” Hallelujah, what a glorious truth.
ἀθανασία athanasia – undying, everlasting, immortality, deathlessness
So, your body is not yet immortal, but because of the indwelling Spirit of God, it is constantly being supernaturally energized and sustained by the Spirit of God producing in us deathlessness. This is the last of the Seven Miracles of Righteousness – deathlessness. But why deathlessness? Because death can no longer operate in the life of a child of God, which is why the Bible calls when a child of God “dies” it doesn’t say that they have “died”, but it says that they are “asleep”. Anyway, God willing I will get into the details of Seven Miracles Of Righteousness – Deathlessness again very soon. Deathlessness is the result of incorruption – aphtharsia, why sickness, disease and infirmity cannot take root, why decay is powerless, and why your body can overcome every natural processes of corruption by the power of the indwelling Spirit Of God.
It’s the Spirit at work, mingling God’s eternal life with your physical being – this, is incorruption! This is not a teaching, I live this life, I’ve lived this life for decades now, I have proved this word, that is why you’ll never find any records of me sick from any hospital under the sun for the past 2 decades. I don’t know what it is like to be a patient, the only time I go to the hospital is when I’m going to heal the sick! This is my reality. Believe the Word of God, believe and understand this truth, child of God, and leverage it! Aphtharsia is at work in you, awaken unto it. It’s not a future promise; it’s a present day reality activated by the indwelling Spirit and your knowledge and daily confession of this truth!
Pray The Word
Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of your Holy Spirit who guided us into this truth of incorruption. I thank You Father, that Your Spirit dwelling in me quickens – vitally gives life to my physical body, infusing it with Your divine life and making it incorruptible. I live by the power of Your indwelling Spirit today in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
Speak The Word
I declare that my body is quickened and vitalized by the Spirit of God who dwells in me! I walk in the realm of incorruption everyday, knowing that divine life is actively preserving and empowering my physical being, resisting decay and sickness in the name of Jesus Christ!