For Deeds Done

IN reference to the subject of the sanctuary, and the investigative Judgment which we teach is now going forward, a question sometimes arises in substance as follows:—

A man's influence for good or evil, as exerted through his example, teachings, and life, is felt, and helps to mold the characters of others as long as time shall last. How, then, when his case comes up in the investigative Judgment, can he be judged for his deeds and life, before the results or effects of that life have ceased?

This is indeed an insuperable objection to the view that a man is judged as soon as he dies. In that case a large portion, perhaps much the larger portion, of the evil influence of some persons is either left out of the count, or the Lord is obliged to anticipate in their judgment.

This difficulty we conceive is entirely obviated in our views of the investigative Judgment of the heavenly sanctuary. The natural order would seem to be that the work should commence with the first generation of men, and come down through succeeding generations in consecutive order to the end. And we know that of all the earlier generations of men there are none, with but exceedingly few exceptions, whose influence has not for generations been as dead as their bodies. The account with such persons can be at once closed up, and the decision of the Judgment rendered.

This is especially the case with the wicked. It strikes us as something a little remarkable, as we think upon it. If we go back only three or four generations from our own time, how many ungodly persons can be named whose teachings, life, or example is exerting a pernicious influence on the world to-day? It is marvelous how soon the influence of the wicked is cut off. With the righteous it is not wholly so; for even Abel, with many of the ancient worthies who are set forth as examples, and all Bible writers, are to the present day exerting an influence upon multitudes for good. Perhaps a few ancient heathen philosophers may be counted on the other side.

But giving this the widest scope possible, it is seen at once that but very few of those who have long been dead are wielding any potent influence over the human family at the present time. And if the number were ten times as great as it is, it would involve no difficulty; for we can readily see how easy and appropriate a thing it would be to count that man in the Judgment work, whose influence is still alive and active among men, as himself still with the living, and leave his case to be decided with the cases of the living, at the very close of the sanctuary work and of probation.

But, further, we are to consider that the investigative work in the sanctuary is not for the purpose of tracing out the full guilt of the sinner and determining the degree of his punishment, but simply to decide the question whether, taking into account his deeds to that point where his probation ended, he should be assigned a place with the righteous or the wicked. And this is all that need be determined in this Judgment, all else being left till after the coming of Christ, to that Judgment of the thousand years, 1 Cor. 6:2, 3; Rev. 20:4, in which the cases of the wicked will all be examined, their deeds, and the influence of them while time lasted, be taken into the account, and the punishment to be rendered in the second death be accurately adjusted to the degree of their guilt.