Welcome aboard. Some post for a first-timer!
Concerning immortality of man. Covenant theology has always maintained
that Adam was not created immortal, but that he had to undergo a trial
(covenant of works) which if he passed would usher him into the
eschatological state of glory (see Gerhardus Vos, Biblical Theology). If
he failed, he would die. He failed and died, but redemption provides
another avenue for attaining the eschatological glory--that's what
believers will receive when Christ returns and we receive the full benefits
of his salvation. Where the immortality of the soul fits here is a bit
confusing--the WCF (IV,2) says "After God had made all other creatures, he
created man, male and female, with reasonable and immortal souls..." There
is an immortal component to man's being, but I don't think that this is
what is being referred to in the Genesis account.
TG
_____________________________________________________________
Terry M. Gray, Ph.D. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Calvin College 3201 Burton SE Grand Rapids, MI 40546
Office: (616) 957-7187 FAX: (616) 957-6501
Email: grayt@calvin.edu http://www.calvin.edu/~grayt
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