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WORK FOR THE DEAD

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Feb 6, 1907

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 33, No. 6.

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WORK FOR THE DEAD.

By Charles Nelson

"Wilt Thou show wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise Thee? (Selah.) Shall Thy loving-kindness be declared in the grave? or Thy faithfulness in destruction? Shall Thy wonders be known in the dark? and Thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?" Ps. 88: 10-12.
MANY who believe in a probation after death would no doubt answer the above questions in the affirmative. We desire, however, to study them in the light of other passages of scripture. Before doing this let us notice the last question—"Shall Thy wonders be shown in the dark? and Thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?" The grave where all men go when they die is here called the land of forgetfulness. This clearly indicates that man is unconscious in death and has forgotten all he ever knew. This is made plain also by the following:
"For in death there is no remembrance of Thee; in the grave who shall give Thee thanks?" Ps. 6:5.
"Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish." Ps. 146:3, 4.
"So man lieth down, and riseth not; till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep." Job 14:12.
Do they know anything while in this condition?
"For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun. . . . Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave, whither thou goest." Eccl. 9:5-10.
We see from these quotations that man between death and the resurrection is in an unconscious condition and knows nothing. He can not love, hate, nor do anything whatever because his thoughts have perished.
But the question may arise in the minds of some persons, Can not something be done for those, who in this life, have not made their peace with God? Will they not again have an opportunity to hear and believe the Gospel? We will let the Scriptures answer:
"If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth; and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be." Eccl. 11:3.
"For the grave can not praise Thee, death can not celebrate Thee; they that go down to the pit can not hope for Thy truth." Isa. 38:18.
"When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish; and the hope of unjust men perisheth." Prov. 11:7.
"Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." Gal. 6:7, 8.
These scriptures plainly show that man's probation expires at death; the character he has at this time will decide his eternal destiny, and nothing that any one can do will avail anything, as he has no portion in what is done under the sun. All sleep in the dust of the earth (Dan. 12:2) till the resurrection, when they will come forth, "they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." John 5:29.
The time to seek the Lord and prepare for eternity is this life. "Behold, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation." If men procrastinate their repentance until death, it will be forever too late; "for then cometh a dark night in which no labor can be performed." So while we have time and opportunity, let us heed the admonition given in the Word of God: "Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon." Isa. 55:6, 7.
CHAS. NELSON.