April 25, 1893
Accountability for Light
By
Mrs. E. G. White.
When Christ was on earth, he stood as the
representative of humanity. He was on trial
in behalf of man, and the test was made in his experience as to the possibility
that humanity could overcome through
divine power. God created man in his own
image, but Satan had determined to obliterate that image, and deface from the
soul the impress of the character of God.
He determined to make man wholly like himself. Christ was the brightness of his
Father's glory; and because of this, Satan hated him. He set every ingenious
device at work to tarnish the glory of Christ, and lead him into sin. The
spotlessness of Christ's life, the unstained purity of his character, brought
against him the most intense hatred. Though Satan was upon his track every
moment, seeking to overcome him, Jesus said, He "hath nothing in me."
He determined that he would not respond to the temptations of the enemy. The
Son of God was obedient to every jot and tittle of the law, and left a perfect
pattern for man to copy through divine strength. Jesus looked forward to the triumph and joy that man
might attain through the agency of the Holy Spirit. The followers of Christ were not to be left to their
human weakness. He said to his disciples, "Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall
be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and
unto the uttermost part of the earth." {RH, April 25, 1893 par. 1}
It is through the mighty agency of the Holy Spirit that
the government of Satan is to be subdued and subjected. It is the Holy Spirit
that convinces of sin, and expels it from the soul by the consent of the human
agent. The mind is then brought under a
new law, and that law is the royal law of liberty. Jesus came to break the shackles
of sin-slavery from the soul; for sin can triumph only when the liberty of the
soul is extinguished. Jesus reached to the very depth of human woe and misery,
and his
love attracts man to himself. Through the agency of the Holy Spirit, he lifts the mind
up from its degradation, and fastens it upon the eternal reality. Through the merits of Christ man may be able to exercise the noblest
powers of his being, and expel sin from his soul. {RH, April 25, 1893 par. 2}
Concerning the advent of the Holy Spirit,
Jesus said, "It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away,
the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto
you." Now read carefully, that you may
discern what is the work of the Holy Spirit. "And when he is come, he will
reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin,
because they believed not on me." If
they do not believe on Jesus as a personal Saviour, they have no promise of
salvation; for it is through faith in Christ alone that there is hope for the
lost. "Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no
more." From the time he ascended to his Father, he has represented man, as
his surety and substitute. The Father looks upon the Son in the perfection of
his character, as one who has borne the penalty for sin, and has wrought
perfect righteousness for the repenting soul, and he is reconciled to all who
believe in Christ as one fully able to save from sin. {RH, April 25, 1893 par.
3}
It is essential that we who are fallen
through sin, shall put on the robe of Christ's righteousness which has been
prepared for us. The Holy Spirit was to convince "of judgment, because the
prince of this world is judged." The unfallen worlds have watched the
conflict and trial of the Son of God in behalf of humanity. They have seen the
crooked working of him who was once highly exalted of God, but who was expelled
from heaven with a large number of angels, who has made this world the stage of
his action, the field of his controversy against God. In heaven he complained
against the law of God, declaring it unnecessary and arbitrary. He
misrepresented the Lord Jehovah, and the high Commander of heaven. He claimed
that he was above law, and maintained that right was upon his side; but he has
fully made manifest that the principles he advocated were evil and injurious.
It has been proved that "the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the
soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes
of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is
pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever:
the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired
are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter
also than honey and the honey-comb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and
in keeping of them there is great reward." {RH, April 25, 1893 par. 4}
We are
exhorted in the inspired records to "receive with meekness the ingrafted word, which is able to save your soul." A mere casual faith in the word is not enough; it must be
received into the heart, ingrafted in the very
character. It is only when this is the case that we have that faith which works
by love, and purifies the soul. Then open
wide the door of the heart for the entrance of sacred, solemn truth. The
psalmist says, "The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth
understanding unto the simple." It is as we
render obedience to the command of God that we have light and peace. As we make the testimonies of God our delight, we have
guidance and counsel. We then eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of
God, and find that his words are spirit and life. {RH, April 25, 1893 par. 5}
As we walk in the commandments of God, we
follow on in the way cast up for the ransomed of the Lord to walk in. The
faithful of all ages have walked in this path, and they have shone as lights in the world. In this age the light
transmitted from them has been shining with increased brightness upon the path
of those who are walking in darkness. Some have received the truth, believed
and obeyed it. The light of the third angel's message has penetrated into many
a darkened mind. The light of the wisdom, the goodness, the mercy, and love of
God has been shining forth through his holy word. We are not in the place where our fathers were. Advanced
light is shining upon us in these last days. We cannot be accepted of God; we
cannot honor him by rendering the same service, doing the same work that our fathers
did. In order to be accounted guiltless before God, we must be as faithful in
our time in following and obeying our light, as they were faithful in following
and obeying the light that shone upon them. Of every individual member of his church, our heavenly
Father requires faith and fruits according to the grace and light given. God
cannot accept less. Every soul should place himself where the light will shine
upon him. He should treasure every ray, that he may brighten and bless the
souls of others with the heaven-sent radiance. {RH,
April 25, 1893 par. 6}
The darkness of the world is great, and individually we
shall have light just to the degree to which we improve it. We are to keep the commandment, "Thou shalt love
thy neighbor as thyself," by disseminating the light of truth that has
blessed our souls, to those who sit in darkness. Every soul is accountable for
the talents intrusted. As a church, as individuals, we are to stand upon the elevated, holy ground where
the truth has placed us. We are to represent
to the world in character and unity the accumulated light which shines upon us
in these last days. If we were blind, we should have no sin in neglecting to
diffuse the light; for we would not then see our privilege in reference to our
own souls and the souls of our children and neighbors. Every soul to
whom the Lord has granted light will be accountable for the light, and will be
expected to walk in the light according to the degree of grace and truth given
him. {RH, April 25, 1893 par. 7}
Many have gone into their graves in full
faith that Sunday was the Sabbath. Through his deceptive power, Satan made of
none effect the fourth commandment, and men taught for doctrine the
commandments of men. Sunday, the child of papacy, has been accepted and
nourished and cherished by the religious world. They have looked upon Sunday as
the Sabbath, the sanctified day of rest, when there is not a particle of
Scriptural evidence to justify the claim of this spurious Sabbath. Through the
agency of the man of sin, men have been led to exalt Sunday where the Sabbath
of the Lord alone should be exalted. The Lord God of hosts is to be exalted,
and his law is to be honored. In this day he
has sent special light. The third angel is represented as flying in the midst
of heaven, heralding to the inhabitants of the world the commandments of God
and the testimony of Jesus Christ. The third angel's message is to go
everywhere. It is to be proclaimed b y the human agent, and it becomes every one who hears to be attentive to the heaven-sent
message, and in no case to be careless, to refuse to hear or receive it; for it
is a message from God to man. If we are
rational beings, and the light has come to us, we shall be held accountable for
it. But those who have not had the light
which is now shining upon the people of God concerning the Sabbath question,
will not be accountable for the light; for it has never been brought before
them, and they have died without condemnation. {RH, April 25, 1893 par. 8}
Christ said of the Jews, "If I had
not come and done among you works which no other man did, ye would not have
sin, but now you have no cloak for your sins." "For God sent not his
Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might
be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not
is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only
begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the
world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
For
every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither
cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his
deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God." {RH, April 25,
1893 par. 9}
It is plainly stated in the Scriptures
that if the whole congregation sin through ignorance, the priests shall make an
atonement for the sins when they are made apparent, and the sin of ignorance shall be forgiven. The work of Jesus is to forgive the sins of the past, but if light
comes from heaven to the church, and men refuse the light because its
acceptance involves a cross, then they stand guilty before God; for they have
made it manifest that they love the world more than they love Christ and the
truth. Those who have an opportunity to
hear the truth, and yet take no pains to hear or understand it, thinking that
if they do not hear, they will not be accountable, will be judged guilty before
God the same as if they had heard and rejected. There will be no excuse for
those who choose to go in error when they might understand what is truth. In his sufferings and death Jesus has made atonement for
all sins of ignorance, but there is no provision made for wilful blindness. Those who have hid their eyes from the truth lest they
should be convinced, must exercise repentance toward God for the transgression
of his law, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, that their sins of
ignorance in the transgression of the Sabbath may be forgiven. {RH, April 25,
1893 par. 10}
Let none plead as an excuse for not
keeping the Sabbath, that their fathers died accepted of God when keeping the
first day of the week. No doubt they were accepted; for they did not sin
against the light that is shining upon you in your day. God would have us walk
in the light which shines upon us. We are to
appreciate the truth that is presented to our understanding; for if we do not
walk in the light, it becomes darkness, and our darkness will be proportionate to the
light that is given. {RH, April 25, 1893par. 11}
We shall not be held accountable for the
light that has not reached our perception, but
for that which we have resisted and refused.
A man could not apprehend the truth which had never been presented to him, and
therefore could not be condemned for light he had never had. But if he had opportunity to hear the message, and to
become acquainted with the truth, and yet refused to improve his opportunity,
he will be among the number of whom Christ said, "Ye will not come unto me
that ye might have life." Those who deliberately place themselves where
they will not have an opportunity of hearing the truth, will be reckoned among
those who have heard the truth, and persistently resisted its evidences. E.G. White, {RH, April 25, 1893 par. 12}