1885 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

R721 : page 3Our Friend, our Brother, and our Lord,What may Thy service be?--Not name, nor form, nor ritual word,But simply following Thee."====================FUTURE RETRIBUTION.While from past study of the Scriptures we have found that notthe present age, but the age to come, is the world's judgment ortrial day, the questions have doubtless occurred to many: Towhat extent are men of the world now accountable for theiractions? and will their present actions be considered in theirfuture trial? Will those of the world's children who are moral,honest, honorable, and even benevolent and charitable (for thereare such) receive no reward in the future? and will those who areimmoral, dishonest, selfish, and even criminal, receive nopunishment for their evil deeds?These are important questions, especially to the world, and wellwould it be for them if they could realize their importance andprofit thereby. They are important also to the Church, becauseof our interest in the world, and because of our desire tounderstand and teach correctly our Father's plans.We have learned that the sacrifice of Christ secures for allmankind, however vile, an awakening from death, and theprivilege of thereafter coming to perfection and living forever ifthey will: "There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of thejust and of the unjust" (Acts 24:15). The object of their beingagain brought into existence will be to give them a favorableopportunity to secure everlasting life on the conditions whichGod requires--obedience to his righteous will. We have nointimation whatever in the Scriptures that in the awakening therewill be any change in the moral condition of men; but we havemuch, both in reason and in revelation, to show, that as theywent into death, so they shall come out of it. As there is "nowork, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave"(Eccl. 9:10), they will have learned nothing. The Millennial Ageis the time allotted for the world's awakening, discipline and trialunder the reign of Christ.R722 : page 3While strictly speaking, the world is not now on trial: that is,the present is not the time for their full and complete trial, yetmen are not now, nor ever have been, entirely without light andability, for which they are accountable. In the darkest days ofthe world's history, and in the deepest degradation of savage life,