If all the unjust are to be awakened and the power of death, over such of them as are willing, is to be destroyed by the just (Christ, the head, and the church, his body), will it not necessitate a future probation? I Cor. 15:26; Acts 24:15.

Would not the “restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began,” necessitate future probation? Acts 3:21.

Have the unjust dead yet been made alive in Christ? Does not the Lord promise through the Apostle that all the obedient shall be made alive in Christ? (I Cor. 15:21, 22). Would not the resurrection of the unjust, or their being made fully alive in Christ, necessitate both reanimation and future probation?

If the unjust are to have no future probation and there is to be no restitution, what need would there be for a raising (egeiro) up of the unjust? — and how could there be any further resurrection (anastasis) of any of the unjust? — or how could any be made alive in Christ? John 5:25-28; Acts 24:15.

If there is to be no future probation, how is God going to fulfill his promise of earthly blessings to Abraham (Gen. 13:14-18), which Stephen said had not been fulfilled in his day? Acts 7:3, 4, 5.

If there is to be no future probation, what becomes of the heathen, the babes, and the insane, who have not heard of the only name given under heaven whereby men can be saved (Acts 4:12), and who cannot be saved under the law? For how can they, when “by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight”? (Rom. 3:20). Is not the only way through grace by faith in Christ Jesus? (Eph. 2:8), and does not the Lord say he that climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber? John 10:1.

If there is to be no future probation, how is God going to fulfill his oath-bound promise, that the seed of Abraham (which is Christ, the head, and the church, his body), should bless all families of the earth? Gen. 12:3; Gal. 3:16-29.

Do not the heathen, the idiotic, and the babes compose the great majority of all the families of the earth? — and has not God promised such of them as shall prove to be obedient, the blessings of restitution? Could this be possible without future probation? Acts 3:21; I Cor. 15:21-23; Acts 15:13-17.

If there is to be no future probation, how is every man to come to the full knowledge of the truth? I Tim. 2:4; Isa. 11:8, 9.

If there is to be no future probation, how are God’s formerly chosen people, the Jews, going to be grafted in again and be saved? Rom., 11th chap.

If there is to be no future probation, why did Simeon declare that after God had taken out from among the Gentiles a people [his church] for his name, he would build again the tabernacle of David, that the residue of men MIGHT SEEK after the Lord? Acts 15:13-18.

Who are the residue of men the apostle is here speaking of, if they are not the large, non-elect class which will have gone the broad road to destruction? And how are they to seek after the Lord without future probation? Matt. 7:13, 14.

If there is to be no future probation, why should the apostle say that all the holy prophets taught a restitution of all things after the return of our Lord? Acts 3:20, 21.

If there is to be no future probation, why should it be necessary for God to “turn to the people a pure language, that they may call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent,” after all the earth (present conditions of this present evil world) have been devoured with fire? (fire of God’s jealousy). Zeph. 3:8, 9.

If there is to be no future probation, why would God promise through the prophet Isaiah, That as the rain watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, and giveth seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it? Isn’t a future probation necessary in order that God’s glorious, predestined plans and purposes may prosper and accomplish his good pleasure? Isa. 55:10, 11.

If there is to be no future probation, will not God’s purpose prove to be either a failure or a strange one, and will not Satan be the victor? Did not Satan get all except eight souls in the destruction wrought by the flood, and has he not since then gotten all in the broad way to destruction, except the little flock, the few that have walked the narrow way by faith? Gen., 8th and 9th chapters; Matt. 7:13, 14; Luke 12:32; I Pet. 3:20.

Isn’t it necessary for God to undo all of the destruction wrought by Satan (by God’s non-conniving permission, or otherwise it could not have been) in order that he may accomplish his good pleasure and not have his word return unto him void? (Isa. 55:10, 11). Isn’t it necessary to destroy both the devil and his works? Isn’t sin and its results — death and the grave — the works of the devil? Does not God promise that all these shall be destroyed? (Heb. 2:14; I John 3:8). Can the grave be destroyed in any other way than by depriving it of its occupant? Isn’t death the antithesis of life, and can it be destroyed in any other way except by giving life? Is real life anything short of being made fully alive in Christ? Has not the Lord promised all of these to the unjust dead who will be obedient to this great prophet, priest and king? (John 5:25, 28; Acts 24:15; Hos. 13:14; I Cor. 15:22).

Could these things be done without a future probation?

Why should there be any “earnest expectation of the creature” or any waiting “for the manifestation of the sons [church] of God” if there is to be no future probation? Rom. 8:19.

Does not God say, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts”? Does this not mean that God’s thoughts of and ways in exercising his power, love, mercy and justice are much higher than man’s? Isa. 55:8, 9.

If the foregoing truths quoted from God’s holy Word do not suit us, is it not time that we were praying the Lord of the harvest to ripen our desires, our ways and our wills, into preferring his grand and glorious ways and will in preference to our own? Rom., 9th chapter; Heb. 10:7.

God has promised a glorious day,
And by faith we now see it draw near;
Our Redeemer has opened the way,
And soon will its glory appear.

God’s hand shall all tears wipe away;
He’ll the joys of his favor restore,
And the light of that glorious day
Will bring life, joy and peace evermore.