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The Age-to-Come Doctrine

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 11, 1915

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 92, No. 13.

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The Age-to-Come Doctrine

By J. O. CORLISS

—No. 1

J. O. CORLISS
CONSIDERABLE agitation is being occasioned just now over the theories of one “Pastor” Russell, who, with his associates, is teaching, through moving pictures and by other alluring methods, that the world is about entering a sinless age, with Christ as guide and ruler of the nations. The positions assumed are being made to appear plausible by arbitrary definitions of Scripture terms in some cases, in other exigencies by uniting scriptures having no logical connection, and at other junctures, distorting some of the plainest and simplest declarations of Inspiration.
These are truly serious charges to bring against any who claim to be God’s ministers. But all these indictments can be sustained, and the attempt will be made to do so in a brief review of the theories under consideration. So indirect and circuitous, however, are many of the teachings referred to that it will be necessary to consider each leading idea by itself, in order to get a correct view of the whole.
To begin with, every particular thought enunciated is made to revolve about and point toward the theory of a rapidly approaching millennial day, which will “shine for the benefit of all the world.” The light of this day, it is said, “will dispel the noxious vapors of evil, and bring life, health, peace, and joy.”—“Studies in the Scriptures,” page 21. The idea to be conveyed by this statement is that the blessings mentioned are to be granted to men while inhabiting the world in its present form. To sustain this unwarranted position, only a part of 1 Cor. 4:5 is quoted, just enough to make it appear plausible that such a state of affairs will come about without any physical change in the material world.
This result, it is affirmed, is not to be realized by any work done by the church, since were this the divine plan, the well-known lack of the church in converting the world would prove God’s system to be “a miserable failure.” See page 14. This is virtually to maintain that God’s positive design is to have the world converted and that this can be done only through the personal presence of Christ among men, and that the prime object of his second coming is to effect that very work. How blind not to see that this is totally to ignore the influence of Christ’s representative in the earth—the blessed Holy Spirit—in the work of converting souls! Yet on pages 34 and 35 one finds the assurance that at the coming of the Master, “all will ultimately be perfect and harmonious on earth as in the heavens.”
Were such statements as this last one accompanied by Scripture explanations which set forth the divine process of earthly purification that must precede the expected results, then no just criticism could be offered to them; for the studious Bible reader well knows that righteousness is yet to fill the earth as the waters cover the sea. He is also well instructed that before such final state is realized this old earth must be purified by fire, and that from its ashes a “new earth” will be made to spring into being. 2 Peter 3:7, 10, 12, 13.
This last-stated point is so clearly taught in the Word through the apostle Peter that one with only ordinary ability can scarcely fail to perceive its conclusiveness. Anticipating, however, the natural impression this scripture would have upon the average reader, our age-to-come friends hedge against this by affirming that as the earth is destined to abide forever, the heavens and the earth here cited do not have reference to literal substances, but to certain conditions symbolized by these expressions. See page 69.
But while one may safely admit that the word earth as sometimes used in symbolic prophecy means the people in the earth, as in Jer. 6:19; 22:29, where the earth is called to hear the word of the Lord, yet even in such texts he must also concede that the people thus called to hear, represent, indeed stand for, the place wherein they dwell, and are measurably responsible for earth’s physically blighted condition. This, then, at once removes the contention that the physical earth is not included in the divine call, even when used in symbolical utterances.
But there is no more evidence that the words “the heavens and the earth,” as used by Peter, are symbolical, and refer alone to human society, as stated by the author under review, than are the same words when used in Gen. 1:1, where it is said that God created them. Moreover, not only does the New Testament record of creation call the response to God’s creative fiat “things” (John 1:3), but the Genesis record speaks of these as substance, rather than condition. So literal, indeed, is all the creation record, that therein it is affirmed that even man was made of the “dust of the ground.” Speaking of this also, the apostle says that the “first man is of the earth,” and is therefore “earthy.” 1 Cor. 15:47.
But the contention is that when Peter speaks of the Flood as having carried away the earth that then was, he did not mean that the literal earth passed away. The apostle says that the antediluvian earth “perished,” and that is absolutely true. Since that inundation, mountains more than four miles in height have reared their heads to attest the destruction of the earth form previously existing, and the appearance of an altogether different shape of outline as well. Then, too, the formation of these mountains testifies to their appearance being an event of a much later period than the creation, so that one may readily understand that the created form of the earth really did pass, and one of another shape, or figure, took its place. See Ps. 90:2.
Again: there is no more evidence in Peter’s discourse for making the term “the heaven and the earth” figurative than exists for calling the expressions “day of the Lord” and “thief in the night,” elfish phrases, to be given any interpretation which may suit the fancy in bolstering up some human theory. The fact is that God’s Word was given through men, for men to understand, and must therefore have been couched in terms of simple speech, common to the use of mankind. Wherever absolute symbolism has been employed by the prophets, it has been so done purposely, to prevent designing men from malicious meddling with the fulfillment of the foreknowledge of Jehovah.
But had all Scripture been left in loose language to be humanly interpreted to suit some roving fancy, the Bible would have been an uncertain factor as guide to the fallen race. It seems unfortunate that the theory under consideration must depend upon Scripture perversions to maintain its standing, but one thing is certain: that with the plain reading of Peter’s view of the future, the age-to-come doctrine must fall to the ground:for on that scripture, perverted as to its meaning, that doctrine is based. More, however, may be said on these things hereafter.
Glendale, Cal.