The Golden Future

Part 3 Whither Man?

There is an old story in English history which tells of a conversion of Edwin, king of Northumbria, by Bishop Paulinus in the year A.D.627. The old pagan, surrounded by his thanes (Local lords of the manor) gave respectful attention to the Christian missionary, and at the conclusion of his words looked around the circle and asked each one present to say what he thought of this new teaching. Spake one old warrior: "The present life of man upon earth, O King, seems to me in comparison with that time which is unknown to us like the swift flight of a sparrow through the mead‑hall where you sit at supper in winter, with your Ealdormen and thanes, while the fire blazes in the midst and the hall is warmed, but the wintry storms of rain or snow are raging abroad. The sparrow, flying in at one door and immediately out at another, whilst he is within, is safe from the wintry tempest, but after a short space of fair weather, he immediately vanishes out of your sight, passing from winter to winter again. So this life of man appears for a little while, but of what is to follow or what went before we know nothing at all. If, therefore, this new doctrine tells us something more certain, it seems justly to deserve to be followed." (Bede)

This story expresses the attitude of humankind through the ages. Shakespeare’s "bourne" from which "no traveller returns" is for many people a land shrouded in mystery, and the purpose of life and the intention of God in creation an insoluble enigma.

Why is this? Largely because of inaccurate beliefs respecting the teaching of Christ and the message of the Bible. A vaguely defined Heaven, a dreadful Hell, and the awful prospect of the "Day of Judgment" has coloured religious thought with a sombre hue which is not easily brightened. Yet to the thoughtful and reflective, the Bible can speak today with a clarity never known before and convey a hope for all humanity which is founded upon logical and understandable principles.

There is a basic law governing all God’s creation. That law declares that only righteousness can persist for all time; evil, although intruding and permitted for a season, must eventually bring about its own end. The whole of creation will ultimately continue to all eternity without the existence of evil in any form. Any other conclusion is wholly irreconcilable with the character of the Creator.

An equally important principle is that God, in bringing into existence a material creation, the earth, did so for the deliberate purpose of providing a suitable environment for a race of beings of a new order—mankind. Spiritual beings, inhabitants of the spiritual realm, had existed for countless ages before this earth came into existence, but with the ending of those long epochs during which the primitive globe gradually cooled and became capable of supporting living creatures, God created something entirely new—Man, made in the mental and moral image and likeness of God, adapted in every way to this earth and its resources, and—this is most important—intended to live for ever upon this earth under conditions of perfection.

Man was never intended to become an angel. The spiritual and earthly worlds are separate and distinct, and will always remain so. It is true that in the development of the Divine Plan a certain company of human beings —the "Church of Christ," His disciples of this Age—are invited to a "High Calling" which results in their transformation from earthly nature to spiritual (1 Cor.15:46‑52), but apart from this exception, which is a subject demanding separate and detailed consideration, God’s purposes for humankind is an earthly one—eternal life in an environment for which they are by every law of nature best fitted. The symbolic golden harps and trumpets, be‑jewelled mansions and white robes of the New Jerusalem are to be interpreted as allegorising the immensely varied interests and occupations, the arts and sciences, of that perfect state of human society dwelling in shadowless happiness amidst the green fields and sparkling streams of an earthly Paradise.

One grim spectre bars the way. Evil, the dread influence which is the cause of all sin and death, must never enter that fair land. Those who are vouchsafed entrance to this wonderful inheritance must themselves be perfect, upright, in fullest accord with the righteous laws of all creation and able to take their place as citizens of earth through the eternal ages. And man is not fit. Every member of the race is fallen below normal, under the influence and power of some one or other of the many manifestations of evil or held in the grip of sin. Before humanity can enter the Promised Land there must be a great cleansing.

No external purification this. No mere adherence to some code of rules which defines, in human language, the Law of God. It is not sufficient to profess a renunciation of sin and only casually and formally accept the name of Jesus Christ. These things are laudable in themselves but they do not penetrate deeply enough. The men and women who will compose that sinless society of the future will retain their uprightness before God by reason of an intelligent understanding of the principles which underlie God’s decree that righteousness must be universal; and a voluntary acceptance of the conditions of life as laid down by their Heavenly Father.

Man will be brought to view with dispassionate eyes the nature and effects of evil upon the one hand and the nature and effects of good upon the other, and then make a deliberate choice. The present life is an object lesson in the former, for all humanity has a very practical and first‑hand experience with sin and evil. There will be a time, though, when all people will enjoy an equally practical experience with the effects of righteousness. Since many of the earth’s past inhabitants now sleep in death, there must be a great awakening from the grave, that all who have ever lived may take up their position in this further development of the Divine Plan.

That future experience of righteousness will need a benevolent and all‑powerful administration. Benevolent, because the whole object of that period is for the ultimate happiness of men. All‑powerful, because it is essential that the influence and machinations of evilly minded men shall not impose restraint or bondage upon those who are endeavouring to learn the laws of the Kingdom. The practice of evil will therefore be forcibly restrained, and a theocracy of righteousness instituted, whilst humanity, as yet in a childhood stage, are progressing in an education which is to bring them eventually to the crossroads of decision.

For that decision has to be made. God will coerce no man’s will; and although it is true that during this age and this lifetime no man has any option but to be born and live as best he can under the domination of evil; and equally true that in the next age he will live his life under the dominion of truth and equity; yet at the end of that era there is a time when all restraining influence is removed and to every man upon earth comes the solemn adjuration "Choose you this day whom ye will serve." (Josh.24:15) The Messianic reign of Christ comes to an end when He steps aside and allows every man and woman, fully informed as to the relative consequence of evil and righteousness and fully able to choose the one or the other without let or hindrance, to make the momentous choice.

That choice is momentous because by that day not one living soul will be ignorant of the basic principle of creation—the consequence of sin, eternal death; and that of righteousness, life in perpetuity. And when it has been made, the immutable laws of God will bring to an irrevocable end the presence of evil in His fair universe.

There is no man who can be entrusted with the oversight of that righteous administration of the Messianic Kingdom,—no statesmen or politician, no writer or philosopher, no scientist or organiser, who could possibly be given all power in heaven and earth for the reclamation of the human race from degradation and their advancement to perfection. That is why Jesus Christ is to be earth’s new King, to rule in righteousness and equity. That is why the Bible speaks of the world as rejoicing at His coming to inaugurate this epoch of universal instruction in righteousness which shall be for the salvation of "whosoever will."

That is why, without any possibility of doubt, Jesus Christ must come again.