Refutation of the Doctrine Called The Age to Come

19/21

Chapter Eight. No Probation after the Coming of Christ

We have endeavored to show, in the briefest possible manner, that RDAC 145.2

1. The most clear and definite prophecies point to the coming of Christ as the time of the destruction of all his enemies. RDAC 145.3

2. The prophecies of Daniel and John, given in symbols agreeing with the declarations of the other prophets, clearly show that all the nations of the earth will be “dashed in pieces” at that time. RDAC 145.4

3. The New-Covenant mediation is in the present dispensation, and in the present only; hence its blessings can only be secured by obtaining an interest in them in this dispensation. RDAC 145.5

4. The Old Covenant did not and could not of itself secure the favor or grace of God to those with whom it was made; and of course their descendants can claim nothing under it. RDAC 145.6

5. The New Covenant holds out no hope of special blessings to the Jews, but its promises extend to all alike, through faith, and will be fully realized in the new earth. RDAC 146.1

6. There is no promise of the restoration or rebuilding of “Jerusalem which now is.” RDAC 146.2

7. The great work of subduing the enemies of Christ, claimed for the Age to Come, will be accomplished before the second advent. RDAC 146.3

From these and other considerations we conclude there will be no probation after Christ comes. RDAC 146.4

Besides those who are tenacious of their constructions of the prophecies, regardless of the facts and principles which preclude the possibility of such constructions being correct, there are others who are honestly striving for the truth, but have also imbibed erroneous views of the prophecies. We discover that students of the Bible have arrived at far different conclusions on the same subjects, and we are led to conclude that on one side or the other there has been a wrong starting point-wrong premises have been laid; or an unjust process of reasoning adopted. Thus we see the importance of having something by which to test the correctness of our views. And if there were no general principles, plain and well-defined, no definite facts or declarations on which we can and must agree, we could scarcely expect to come to the “full assurance of faith,” any further than assurance is founded on confidence in our own imperfect judgments. We trust that in these pages our positions have been sustained by declarations of sacred writ, sufficiently plain and clear to satisfy the faithful lovers of God’s truth. To silence cavils we do not pretend. We feel clear before God when we have presented proofs sufficient to convince those who love God and tremble at his word. RDAC 146.5

The principles that remain to be considered in their relation to each other, and bearing directly on the point in question, are more general than any that have been considered. They are the bases of all revelation, and of all the purposes of God toward man-the foundations on which the superstructures of both testaments are erected. These all-controlling principles are RDAC 147.1