Bible Questions and Answers

What does "who alone has immortality" mean In 1 Timothy 6:14-16? is it speaking about God or the Lord Jesus Christ?

1 Timothy 6:13-16 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, 14 that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ's appearing, 15 which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power.

v.15 ‘which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords'This must be referring to God (from v.13) – ‘He will manifest’ - the day of Christ’s return is determined by God.

Mark 13:32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

Acts 1:7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

At the time of God’s appointing, he will send Jesus back to the earth.

Acts 3:20 And He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you.

v. 16 ‘who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power.' This must be referring to God (from v.13). God is the only one who is immortal by nature. Jesus was not immortal by nature – he was mortal and died. He needed God to raise him from the dead.

Revelation 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell (hades – the grave) and of death.

Acts 4:10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

God is light and therefore dwells in light. No man can see God and live, therefore no one has seen him. Jesus was seen by many, both before and after his resurrection. After his resurrection God gave Jesus immortality. He is the firsdtfruits because the same reward is promised to the faithful at his return.

1 Corinthians 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Jesus is not a God. Jesus is a man, howbeit now glorified with the divine nature.

1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

In the millennium, Jesus will reign over the mortal population of the earth. His own people the Jews will recognise him as their Messiah. God, by virtue of his nature, cannot do this because no mortal can see him and live.

Jesus is not God. He is the Son of God, born of a woman, a descendant of Adam, Abraham, and David. Before his birth he existed only in the plan and purpose of God.

I hope you find this helpful.

God bless,
Glenn