The Future of Mankind by F. W. Paap

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Apr 20, 1915

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 42, No. 16.

The Future of Mankind

By F. W. Paap

God's Plan Concerning It—Sinners Are Not Immortal—They Must End in Destruction—Immortality Given at the Resurrection

By F. W. Paap

WHAT is God's great plan concerning man? This is a question in which every mortal is more or less interested. I say “mortal”; and if the expression were fully understood, there would be no doubt, no speculation.

A correct answer to the above interrogation would save us from a thousand snares of the enemy. And to the end that we might know and enjoy the fullest and most blessed satisfaction possible to mortals, our great Creator, the Author of the plan of salvation, the Saviour of mankind, has given us the fullest information, in His holy word.

The Divine Lamp of Light

The Bible is a lamp to our feet, and a light to our path. Ps. 119: 105. It is a tried word. It is authoritative, and that is what we need in these times when every wind of doctrine is blowing. To get this great question before the mind of the reader, in a simple form, with the idea of arousing the interest, and stimulating an honest inquiry, the writer would make the following statements, supported by Scripture references:

Man is a mortal being. He is subject to death. Job 4: 17; Eze. 18: 4.

Man was placed on trial, and yielded to temptation. Genesis 3.

As a consequence of sin, “death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” Rom. 5: 12.

Because of the fall, “it is appointed to men once to die.” Heb. 9: 27.

A way of escape has been provided through faith in Jesus Christ, and He is able to save all who “come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.” Heb. 7: 25.

Those who reject Him will finally be cast off. Matt. 7: 21-23. The large majority turn a deaf ear to every entreaty of the Spirit of God. Matt. 7: 13, 14.

The necessary information as to who are cast off will not be available until after the Investigative Judgment, which closes just prior to the second personal, literal coming of Christ. Luke 14: 12-14; Rev. 22: 11, 12; 2 Tim. 4: 1.

The plan of God includes a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. Acts 24: 14, 15; John 5: 28, 29.

This will be a resurrection of the body. 1 Thess. 4: 16-18.

The righteous will be raised to incorruptibility and immortality. 1 Cor. 15: 21-23, 51-55; Rev. 20: 5-9.

The wicked, when raised, will be destroyed. John 5: 28, 29.

They will suffer death by fire. Rev. 21: 8; Mal. 4: 1-3.

Between death and the resurrection, all are perfectly insensible; they know nothing. Eccl. 9: 5.

They are in their graves, in the land of forgetfulness. They go down into silence. Eccl. 9: 10; Ps. 115: 17.

They have no thought, they know nothing regarding anything that is going on. They are asleep. Job 14: 10-15, 21; Ps. 146: 4.

When God made man, He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul, not an immortal soul. Gen. 2: 7.

Man has no more an immortal soul than has any other animal. Gen. 7: 21, 22.

When man dies, this breath, or spirit, goes forth. James 2: 26, margin.

Man has the same spirit of life, breath, as other animals. Eccl. 3: 19, 20.

In the resurrection, when God makes man again, He opens the grave, brings bone to bone, brings flesh upon these bones, covers them with skin, puts breath in them, and they live, and stand up, “an exceeding great army” of the redeemed. Eze. 37: 1-14.

To this true Israel, immortality will be given, and they will die no more. 1 Cor. 15: 51-55.

God only has immortality. He counsels us to seek for it, through the gospel. If we obey Him, we shall know what it means to be the happy possessors of immortality. Rom. 2: 7; 2 Tim. 1: 10.

Tried to Frustrate the Plan

In a thousand ways, the great enemy of our souls has striven to frustrate the plan, and blind the minds of men to its simplicity. He has suggested many changes of God's ways. But there is to be none.

The introduction of that conjunction “if” has thrown many a poor soul off his guard. “If thou be the Son of God.” Matt. 4: 3, 6. “Now if Christ be preached that He rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: and if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ: whom He raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: and if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” 1 Cor. 15: 12-19.

We are glad for the definiteness of God's word. Verses 20-23: “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming.”

“If one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.” Luke 16: 30. Hearken to the reply: “They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. . . . If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” Verses 29-31. There will be no change in the plan. “The word of our God shall stand forever.”

The Dead Have No Light for Us

The dead have no light for the living. All that pretends to come from that source is of the devil, and serves only to defile, to lead away from the word of God. Lev. 19: 31. The great God has spoken. “Precept upon precept; line upon line; . . . here a little, and there a little,” His plan is made clear. He has no pleasure in the death of the sinner. He “gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” All who refuse, will be classed among the wicked, and destroyed.

Our hearts should greatly rejoice to know that there is still an opportunity. The door of mercy is still ajar. The sweet voice of mercy still lingers. “The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Rev. 22: 17.

Has Given Us All

God created man a free moral agent. He gave him the power of choice. God set before man life and death, and said, “Choose ye this day whom ye will serve.” With this bestowal of power to decide, and power to obey, the loving Creator invited all to come to Him. He held out every inducement. Life, with all its attendant blessings, was brought within the reach of man.

Nothing has God withheld from those who put their trust in Him. “He that spared

not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” Rom. 8: 32. “The wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.” Ps. 37: 20. But the righteous shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of our Father. They shall inherit the land and delight themselves in the abundance of peace. Matt. 13: 43; Ps. 37: 11.

There will be two classes. Destruction will overtake the wicked. “Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness,” or, “where the righteous shall dwell.” 2 Peter 3: 13.

Shall we not study the plan, and conform to all its requirements, that we may at last hear the gracious words, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: . . . enter thou into the joy of thy Lord”?