NO PROBATION HEREAFTER.
By J. B. Frisbie
“For then how shall God judge the world?” Rom. 3:6. Let us see if we can find a plain answer to this question. “For when the Gentiles, which have not the [written] law, do by nature the things contained in the law,51these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves; which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another; in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.” Rom. 2:14-16. “We have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin. . . . That every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” Rom. 3:9, 19. Now what shall be the end of those that sin without the written law? “For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law.” Rom. 2:12. “For the day of the Lord is near upon all the heathen; . . . so shall all the heathen drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down, and they shall be as though they had not been.” Obad. 15, 16. If plain Bible facts relative to the Judgment are presented in these texts, then all theories of probation in the age or ages to come must and will be a failure. I have believed that there would be probation in the day of Judgment for all that never had an opportunity to be saved; that they would have time to be instructed, and then to receive or reject the light for themselves; but the Scripture testimony here presented is an unanswerable objection to all age-to-come doctrines that I have seen advanced. If there is to be an age of probation in the future, it can be of no possible use to us at the present time, any more than it would be to preach Noah’s flood, which is in the past. I believe that the third angel’s message is the present truth for the present time. I write this for the benefit of some to whom I have spoken while holding the view above referred to. J. B. FRISBIE.