The Lord shall count, when he
writeth up the people, that this man was born there." (Psalm 87:5,6)
Then shall the people rejoice that it has pleased the heavenly Father
to select out from amongst poor, imperfect men the 144,000, and to make
them perfect through Christ Jesus. He will cause the peoples of earth to
honor them, as he has promised: "I will make thy name to be remembered
in all generations; therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and
ever".--Psalm 45:17.
[511]The Apostle says also that these are seeking _immortality_. That
word here means incorruptibility; a condition not subject to death. The
Messianic class, head and body, will not be subject to decay, sickness,
or death. Even a perfect human being requires nourishment to sustain his
organism; but the exalted church, the Messiah, the Christ, will need
nothing in the way of food to replenish any powers, because their powers
will not be exhausted. These will have life in themselves in such an
abundant measure that they can give it out, and will give it out, and
still need no replenishing. Of himself Jesus declared: "As the Father
hath life in himself, so hath he given the Son to have life in himself".
--John 5:26; 4:14.
[512]This same promise is made to those who participate in his
sacrificial death. (John 6:53,54) These have the promise that they shall
be partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4), and thus shall have
power to give life unto others.
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