Mortality

The human state of being subject to death and decay. God did not create human beings to be like this; mortality is the consequence of sin and is countered by the gospel promise of eternal life in Jesus Christ.

Mortality originated in the fall

Genesis 2:16–17

And the LORD God commanded him, “You may eat freely from every tree of the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day that you eat of it, you will surely die.”

It is the decree of God

Psalm 90:3, Psalm 90:5 See also Genesis 3:19, Genesis 6:3

You return man to dust, saying, “Return, O sons of mortals.”

You sweep them away in their sleep; they are like the new grass of the morning—

It is universal

Ecclesiastes 3:20 See also 1 Corinthians 15:22

All go to one place; all come from dust, and all return to dust.

It is inevitable

2 Samuel 14:14; Job 30:23; Ecclesiastes 3:2; Romans 6:23

It is a judgment from God

Romans 5:12 See also Romans 5:15–19

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned.

It leads to judgment

Hebrews 9:27 See also 2 Corinthians 5:10

Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment,

Mortality extends to the creation

Romans 8:20–21

Human beings likened to the animals

Ecclesiastes 3:19

Human beings likened to the grass

Psalm 90:5–6, Psalm 103:15–16; Isaiah 40:6–7; 1 Peter 1:24; James 1:10

The natural reaction to mortality

A sense of oppression

Job 10:8–9

Carefree abandon

1 Corinthians 15:32 See also Isaiah 22:13

If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for human motives, what did I gain? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

The godly reaction to mortality

So teach us to number our days, that we may present a heart of wisdom.

Saving faith

Isaiah 55:6 See also Psalm 39:4–8; 2 Corinthians 6:2

Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.

The struggle with sin

Romans 6:12, Romans 7:14–25

Death is not the end

The spirit returns to God

Ecclesiastes 12:7 See also Philippians 1:23

before the dust returns to the ground from which it came and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

The body will be raised

Daniel 12:2; 1 Corinthians 15:53–54 See also Isaiah 25:8; Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 15:42–44; 2 Corinthians 5:4

And many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, but others to shame and everlasting contempt.

For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come to pass: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

Eternal life through Jesus Christ

John 11:25–26 See also Matthew 25:46; 2 Timothy 1:9–10; 1 John 5:11–12; Revelation 22:3–5

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies. And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Eternal punishment for the wicked

Matthew 25:46; Revelation 14:11, Revelation 20:10, Revelation 20:15