Editorial: Living in the Year 2100

From: The Christian Shepherd: 2000

• 7 min. read • grade level: 8

The headline on the poster in the college hallway read: “Will you be living in the year 2100?” It invited suggestions for items to be placed in a college time capsule to be opened in January 2100. Students were encouraged to make these recommendations because, “due to advances in medical science,” they might expect to still be living at the planned opening of the capsule in 100 years!

How subtly does Satan seek to lull souls into thinking that life stretches endlessly before them! Thus blinded, man little realizes or cares that his history, begun 6000 years ago, started with God’s invitation to eat of the tree of life and live forever (Gen. 2:16-17; 3:22¹⁶And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: ¹⁷But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. (Genesis 2:16‑17)
²²And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: (Genesis 3:22)). Instead, having willingly disobeyed God, he brought ruin and death into that beautiful and pristine scene of innocence (Rom. 5:12¹²Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12)).

The reality is that few if any of these students living today will still be alive in this world in January 2100. Of course, they will consciously exist somewhere—either alive in the presence of Christ (2 Cor. 5:8⁸We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:8)) or in hopeless, eternal separation from the God of light and love who created them (Matt. 7:23²³And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:23)).

Let’s consider three distinct parts to this question, doing so in light of the truth of the Word of God.

“Will You Be Living . . . ?”

Living and dying. The Word of God is the very truth which Pilate could not discover when he asked the Lord Jesus, “What is truth?” (John 18:38³⁸Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all. (John 18:38)). It plainly states that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23²³For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)), that “death [has] passed upon all men” (Rom. 5:12¹²Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12)), and that “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23²³For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)). Divine truth reveals that death is the final end of every soul (apart from the sovereign grace of God—Eph. 2:5, 8⁵Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) (Ephesians 2:5)
⁸For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8); Rom. 5:17¹⁷For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) (Romans 5:17)). The life of every unsaved person who read that poster—yea, in the world—ends in death.

Further, Satan seeks to hide the divine truth that all are “dead” (no life before God), even while they live. Be he in the best of health and vigor, unregenerate man is “dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1¹And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; (Ephesians 2:1)) and is pictured morally in the man of Luke 10¹After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. (Luke 10:1) who was left “half dead” by those who had robbed him. This is the true moral condition of all mankind—physically alive yet morally dead before God.

God warned the first man and woman, “In the day that thou eatest thereof . . . dying thou shalt die” (Gen. 2:17¹⁷But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. (Genesis 2:17) JND; see footnote). From the moment an infant—born with Adam’s fallen nature—takes its first breath, it begins to die. And were it to live 100 years or more, the truth still remains—its life is marked by dying.

Eternal torment. In Luke 16:23²³And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. (Luke 16:23) another solemn truth about life and death is recorded. Here we read of a man who, though having ceased living in this world, still exists. But what a tragic existence he experiences! “I am tormented in this flame” are the awful words spoken from his own parched lips. Oh dear reader! If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, consider what it means to leave this world that way. You will still consciously exist, in January 2100 and forever, in a hopeless eternity of torment and weeping, separated from the God who loved and created you (Matt. 8:12¹²But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 8:12)).

Eternal life. Yet, illuminating this somber, grim side of divine truth is wonderful, glorious hope, summed up in Romans 6:23²³For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23): “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” The assurance of this life is given in 1 John 5:13¹³These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:13): “That ye may know that ye have eternal life.” We are also given to know that when done living in this world, believers go to “be with Christ; which is far better” (Phil. 1:23²³For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: (Philippians 1:23)).

Eternal life is infinitely more than the endless life in innocence that Adam had before he sinned. The Good Shepherd came that we “might have life, and that [we] might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10¹⁰The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)). What an abundant gift is the life of Christ who is eternal life (John 11:25; 14:6; 17:3²⁵Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: (John 11:25)
⁶Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)
³And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (John 17:3)). It can’t be lost, for He promises, “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish” (John 10:28²⁸And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (John 10:28)), and “because I live, ye shall live also” (John 14:19¹⁹Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. (John 14:19)).

“Will You Be Living in the Year . . . ”?

What “future” really means. The enemy always suggests that this life holds the promise of a future—that there is always time for living. Satan falsely speaks in the language of years while God speaks in the language of now. The truth makes no promise of the future (as to this life)—whether in days or years. There is a sober question in James 4:14¹⁴Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. (James 4:14): “For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” Man is also warned that “now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2²(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2)). The lie of promised years and future for the unbeliever is solemnly unmasked by God’s rebuke in Luke 12:20²⁰But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? (Luke 12:20): “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee.”

The believer’s future. For Christians, days, months or years must be understood in reference to the promised return of the Lord Jesus—first for His bride the church (1 Thess. 4) and then to appear in this world (Acts 1:11¹¹Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. (Acts 1:11)). His words, “Surely I come quickly,” give a divine answer to the world’s scoffing spirit, which asks, “Where is the promise of His coming?” We can become tainted by this spirit of unbelief so that the expectation of the Lord’s imminent return fades, and we begin to act morally as the wicked servant of Luke 12:45⁴⁵But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; (Luke 12:45).

No prophetic event remains to be fulfilled before Christ’s promised return. Let us regulate every thought of the future—years or days—by a daily living in the spirit of the patience of Jesus Christ (Rev. 1:9⁹I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 1:9)), awaiting His shout (1 Thess. 4:13-18¹³But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. ¹⁴For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. ¹⁵For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. ¹⁶For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: ¹⁷Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. ¹⁸Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13‑18)).

“Will You Be Living in the Year 2100?”

We don’t know. Believers are not to try and anticipate or determine the date of the Lord’s return for the church or His appearing in this world. It is not ours to “know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power” (Acts 1:7⁷And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. (Acts 1:7)).

But presently occurring “famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes” (Matt. 24:7⁷For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. (Matthew 24:7)), “wars and rumors of wars” (Mark 13:7⁷And when ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. (Mark 13:7)), “the love of many [becoming] cold” (Matt. 24:12¹²And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. (Matthew 24:12)), and “the earth . . . corrupt before God . . . and . . . filled with violence” (Gen. 6:11¹¹The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. (Genesis 6:11)) all provide stark evidence that the Lord’s return (the rapture) and subsequent appearing (Col. 3:4⁴When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4)) is at hand. Six thousand years of man’s sad history has passed and we stand at the beginning of the seventh millennium—the seventh day (2 Peter 3:8⁸But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. (2 Peter 3:8)). It ought to be exceedingly precious and comforting for believers longing for Christ’s return to remember that “God . . . rested on the seventh day” (Gen. 2:2²And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. (Genesis 2:2)). As we enter the seventh day of man’s history on this earth, can the promised coming of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ be far off?

We do know. January 2100 will come. When it does, the world will be experiencing one of three things: (1) God’s grace still offering salvation to the lost, (2) seven years of the most solemn, frightful judgments this world has ever known, or (3) a thousand years of blessed peace, rest and joy. Personally, it seems very probable—in view of the present dark conditions of the world—that January 2100 will be part of the thousand years of the glorious millennial reign of our Lord Jesus Christ.