Age

From: Doctrinal Definitions: A Handbook of Doctrinal Terms & Expressions in the New Testament By: Stanley Bruce Anstey

• 3 min. read • grade level: 7

A term referring to an epoch or period of time that has run, or is running, or will run, its course on earth. Such periods are referred to as "the ages of time" (2 Tim. 1:9⁹Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, (2 Timothy 1:9); Titus 1:2²In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; (Titus 1:2)).

The Lord spoke of two ages in particular in His earthly ministry: "this age" and "the age to come" (Matt. 12:32³²And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. (Matthew 12:32)). "This age" is the Mosaic age, which began at Sinai in the giving of the Law, and was in progress at the time of the Lord's first advent. When He was rejected and cast out of this world, this age received a new characterization, and is now called "the present evil age" (Gal. 1:4⁴Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: (Galatians 1:4)). This is on account of the "princes of this age" committing the greatest of all sins—the crucifying of the Lord of glory (1 Cor. 2:6, 8⁶Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: (1 Corinthians 2:6)
⁸Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (1 Corinthians 2:8)). “The age to come” is the Millennium, the 1000-year public reign of Christ, yet to come in the ways of God (Mark 10:30³⁰But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. (Mark 10:30); Eph. 1:21²¹Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: (Ephesians 1:21); Heb. 2:5; 6:5⁵For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. (Hebrews 2:5)
⁵And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, (Hebrews 6:5): Rev. 20:4⁴And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4)). There have been “other ages” before the Mosaic age that have already run their course, as Paul indicates in Ephesians 3:5⁵Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; (Ephesians 3:5)—such as: the Antediluvian age, the Patriarchal age, etc.

Some have thought that the present calling of God by the gospel has put the Mosaic age in abeyance, and the ages of time will not begin again until some future day. But, this is not true; the Mosaic age is still running its course on earth today. The coming of the Holy Spirit and the introduction of Christianity did not bring it to an end; nor did it begin a new age. However, while the Mosaic age is not suspended, God's formal connection with Israel as a nation is in abeyance. Those who believe the gospel preached today are called out from the Jews and the Gentiles to be part of the Church of God. They are delivered "out of this present evil age" and are no longer part of it, as far as their position is concerned (Gal. 1:4⁴Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: (Galatians 1:4)). The Church, therefore, has no connection with the earth and the periods of time. Hence, to speak of this present time when the gospel of God’s grace is going out to the world as "the Church age" is not doctrinally accurate. Christians still must walk through this present evil age, but positionally they are not part of it. And sad to report, some Christians today are turning from their steadfastness in following Christ and are loving "this present age" and are settling down in the world as a result. Demas is an example (2 Tim. 4:10¹⁰For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. (2 Timothy 4:10)).