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The Influence of the Future Life

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 13, 1906

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 83, No. 37.

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The Influence of the Future Life

THE voice of inspiration declares that “the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal,” and we are urged to set our affections “on things above, not on things on the earth;” but there is a growing tendency to reverse this divine order, and to lose sight of the things of the kingdom of God. Commenting upon the declaration that men in these modern times are very little influenced in their daily lives by any thought of a future world, the Christian Guardian says:—
It can not be denied that the great teaching of a future life has a strangely insignificant influence upon the lives of the majority of people. When we think of all the implications of such a teaching, we are led to marvel that if men and women really do believe it—and believe it they must, in some sense, instinctively and of necessity,—that it does not mean more to them, that it does not bulk larger in the thought and plan and scheme of their lives. And the strangest thing of all is that this indifference, if we may so call it, this lack of influence of a great and sublime truth, is seen not only in the lives of those who care little for spiritual realities, but even to good men, to spiritually minded men, “the world to come” counts for surprisingly little. In fact, if we were asked to name a striking peculiarity of the religious life of our time, we would speak of this one first—that this belief in living again, so universal and deep-rooted in our human nature that it seems impossible for us to get away from it, should count for so little in the daily life and experience of those who are followers of Him who came to bring life and immortality to light in the gospel.
One reason for this indifference concerning the doctrine of a future life may be found in the fact that there is so much unscriptural teaching concerning it. If the nearness of the coming of our Lord should be emphasized more, and if the glorious prospect of the new earth should be presented so that men would have something tangible to lay hold upon, their faith in the realities of the future life might be revived. The only hope of improving the present situation is found in teaching the truth.