The Rejection of Light

Jesus said, «I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.» John 8:12.

God has given us his commandments, not only to be believed, but to be obeyed. The great Jehovah laid the foundations of the earth, arrayed the whole world in a robe of beauty, and filled it with things useful to man; and when he had created all the wonders of the land and of the sea, he instituted the Sabbath day and made it holy. God blessed and sanctified the seventh day, because he rested upon it from all his work of creation.

The Sabbath was made for man. God designed that upon that day men should engage in no secular pursuits, but should worship him. And those who reverence the commandments of God, will, after seeing the claims of the fourth precept of the decalogue, obey it without questioning the feasibility or convenience of such obedience. But if light on this subject is presented from the word of God, and men reject that light, they thereby refuse to obey God, and cannot be saved in their disobedience.

But none will be held responsible for light which they never received. Christ said of the scribes and Pharisees, «If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin; but now they have no cloak for their sin.» Again he said, «For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin; but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.»

Thus Jesus caused the Pharisees to understand that if he, the light and truth, had not come, they would not have been guilty of the sin of rejecting him. But he came, and flashed the light upon their pathway, and they chose darkness rather than light. This was their guilt. Thus it is with the Sabbath. We are not living in the age in which our fathers lived. God gave them treasures of wisdom which have come down along the line to our time. We have all the light that they had, and additional light is continually shining, and will shine more and more unto the perfect day. This generation is responsible, not only for the light imparted to past generations, but for the more abundant light now shining. In order to be blessed of God as our fathers were blessed, we must be faithful in improving the increased light, as they were faithful in improving the light that God gave them. Our heavenly Father requires of his people devotion and obedience according to the light and truth given them. His claims are right and just, and he will accept nothing less; all his righteous demands must be fully met, or they will remain in force against the transgressor.

The understanding of those who trifle with the plain testimonies of God’s Word, and refuse to believe because it is inconvenient or unpopular to do so, will become darkened; truth will appear to them as error, and error will be accepted as truth. There are so many teachers who confuse the mind, and lead men away from the path of obedience, that we need to watch, and pray much for divine guidance. Those who transgress God’s law will have much to say about charity; and when the truth is spoken, they talk of the liberality of God’s Word and the license given in it. But love for Christ and for the souls for whom he died, will lead the servant of God to make faithful warnings and appeals.

Those who walk in the light will progress. They will grow up to the full stature of men and women in Christ Jesus. This is the result of sanctification through the truth. Truth is progressive: and those who are preparing for the last great day will go forward, in accordance with the accumulated light which shines upon them from the prophecies and from the lessons of Christ and his apostles.

Regarding the rapidly approaching advent of our Lord, the prophet Malachi raises the question, «Who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth?» Surely the arrows of God’s wrath will pierce where the arrows of conviction could not. Where will the sinner flee when God pronounces judgment against him? Where will be the men in whom he trusted? where the false shepherds that led him astray? They can pay no ransom for his soul; for they themselves will be pressed under a still heavier load of guilt. The dens and caves of the earth afford no shelter for either deceiver or deceived.

There are souls to be saved; but the plan of salvation must be God’s plan. He will not lower his law to meet man’s standard. But through the merits of the blood of a crucified and risen Saviour, all who will may become overcomers. It is an exalted privilege to become sons and daughters of God. Christ says, «I have kept my Father’s commandments.» He pleased his Father in all things; it was his meat and drink to do his divine will. We should imitate Christ in his implicit obedience. And night and day our prayers should ascend to heaven, that we may walk in the light of truth, and at last be permitted to sing the song of triumph in the kingdom of glory.