Fanciful or Speculative Teachings
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who cooperate with Christ are on safe ground. God richly blesses them
as they consecrate their energies to the work of rescuing the world
from corruption. Christ is our example. By beholding Him we are
to be changed into His image, from glory to glory, from character
to character. This is our work. God help us rightly to represent the
Saviour to the world.—
The Review and Herald, August 13, 1901
.
Conjectures Regarding the Future Life
There are men today who express their belief that there will be
marriages and births in the new earth; but those who believe the
Scriptures cannot accept such doctrines. The doctrine that children
will be born in the new earth is not a part of the “sure word of prophecy”
(
2 Peter 1:19
). The words of Christ are too plain to be misunderstood.
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They should forever settle the question of marriages and births in the
new earth. Neither those who shall be raised from the dead, nor those
who shall be translated without seeing death, will marry or be given
in marriage. They will be as the angels of God, members of the royal
family.
I would say to those who hold views contrary to this plain dec-
laration of Christ, Upon such matters silence is eloquence. It is pre-
sumption to indulge in suppositions and theories regarding matters
that God has not made known to us in His Word. We need not enter
into speculation regarding our future state.
To my ministering brethren I would say, “Preach the word; be
instant in season, out of season” (
2 Timothy 4:2
). Do not bring to the
foundation wood, and hay, and stubble—your own surmisings and
speculations, which can benefit no one.
Christ withheld no truths essential to our salvation. Those things
that are revealed are for us and our children, but we are not to allow
our imagination to frame doctrines concerning things not revealed.
The Lord has made every provision for our happiness in the future
life, but He has made no revelations regarding these plans, and we
are not to speculate concerning them. Neither are we to measure the
conditions of the future life by the conditions of this life.
Matters of vital importance have been plainly revealed in the Word
of God. These subjects are worthy of our deepest thought. But we
are not to search into matters on which God has been silent. Some