WHY SO MUCH DARKNESS
By W. G. Guy
The word darkness as used in the Bible frequently refers to sin, wickedness and evil. Jesus came to deliver mankind out of all of that darkness.
2 Corinthians 4:6 – For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:9 – But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
It appears that great darkness has grown in these days, not only in America, but worldwide. This darkness is the lies, corruption and wickedness that has infiltrated into our schools, our government, our entertainment and even the national news media. Science tells us that darkness is the absence of light. Dealing with the darkness of sin, corruption and wickedness is spiritual darkness, and Jesus Christ is the light of the world.
John 8:12 – Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Jesus said that His followers were to be His light in this world.
Matthew 5:14-16 – Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Ephesians 5:8-11 – For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
So what happened to that Christian light that is to shine and keep the darkness subdued? Obviously, in too many believers, that light is not shinning enough to drive out the darkness. Jesus illustrated this spiritual condition in one of His parables; the one about the ten virgins.
Matthew 25:1-8 – Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
What was the problem that the five foolish virgins experienced? Their light went out! What was it that fuels the light? Oil! They had no oil, thus no light. Many believers today have this same problem – THEIR LIGHT WENT OUT. Many never seem to have allowed that light to shine in the first place.
There is a spiritual application in this illustration. In the Bible oil represents the Holy Spirit. It is the power of the Holy Spirit that equips believers to be witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ in exceeding wonderful ways. This power is obtained by the baptism with the Holy Spirit – being filed with that divine oil to power the light.
Unfortunately not all believers are taught that this is available to them. In fact, in some groups, this empowerment is denied saying that it is not for today. They deny that there is a second experience called the baptism in the Holy Spirit. They say that they got the Holy Spirit when they believed in Jesus Christ as Savior and that there is no second experience.
Such a belief is to deny what is recorded in the Bible. The Holy Spirit that they received when they are born again is the Spirit of Christ; also known as the Spirit of Adoption and the Spirit of Regeneration. This is clearly shown when Jesus’ disciples were gathered together and He appeared to them and gave them His Spirit – this is when they were born again, or born of the Spirit.
John 20:22 – And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
Many Christians have not been taught that the Spirit they receive when accepting Christ is His Holy Spirit, not the third person of the Trinity which Jesus told them was a second experience that would empower them to be His witness in this world; to be His light that withholds the darkness.
Those that teach that this second experience is not for today like to use the passage found in:
1 Corinthians 13:8-10 – Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
The problem here is that knowledge has not vanished away; in fact, in the book of Daniel we read that in the latter days “knowledge shall be increased”. In addition, denying that these gifts of the Holy Spirit are for today is to ignore what is recorded in the very beginning of 1 Corinthians where the apostle Paul tells his purpose for this letter to that church..
1 Corinthians 1:7 – so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: (notice it is unto the coming or return of Jesus).
Christians today need the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives now more than ever, not only to be a witness throughout the world, but to also to effective in restraining the darkness. Note what the apostle Peter stated at Pentecost:
Acts 2:38-39 – Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
This includes today! We need that oil of the Holy Spirit to keep that light shining. Failing to do so allows the darkness to increase.
By W. G. Guy
The word darkness as used in the Bible frequently refers to sin, wickedness and evil. Jesus came to deliver mankind out of all of that darkness.
2 Corinthians 4:6 – For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:9 – But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
It appears that great darkness has grown in these days, not only in America, but worldwide. This darkness is the lies, corruption and wickedness that has infiltrated into our schools, our government, our entertainment and even the national news media. Science tells us that darkness is the absence of light. Dealing with the darkness of sin, corruption and wickedness is spiritual darkness, and Jesus Christ is the light of the world.
John 8:12 – Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Jesus said that His followers were to be His light in this world.
Matthew 5:14-16 – Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Ephesians 5:8-11 – For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
So what happened to that Christian light that is to shine and keep the darkness subdued? Obviously, in too many believers, that light is not shinning enough to drive out the darkness. Jesus illustrated this spiritual condition in one of His parables; the one about the ten virgins.
Matthew 25:1-8 – Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
What was the problem that the five foolish virgins experienced? Their light went out! What was it that fuels the light? Oil! They had no oil, thus no light. Many believers today have this same problem – THEIR LIGHT WENT OUT. Many never seem to have allowed that light to shine in the first place.
There is a spiritual application in this illustration. In the Bible oil represents the Holy Spirit. It is the power of the Holy Spirit that equips believers to be witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ in exceeding wonderful ways. This power is obtained by the baptism with the Holy Spirit – being filed with that divine oil to power the light.
Unfortunately not all believers are taught that this is available to them. In fact, in some groups, this empowerment is denied saying that it is not for today. They deny that there is a second experience called the baptism in the Holy Spirit. They say that they got the Holy Spirit when they believed in Jesus Christ as Savior and that there is no second experience.
Such a belief is to deny what is recorded in the Bible. The Holy Spirit that they received when they are born again is the Spirit of Christ; also known as the Spirit of Adoption and the Spirit of Regeneration. This is clearly shown when Jesus’ disciples were gathered together and He appeared to them and gave them His Spirit – this is when they were born again, or born of the Spirit.
John 20:22 – And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
Many Christians have not been taught that the Spirit they receive when accepting Christ is His Holy Spirit, not the third person of the Trinity which Jesus told them was a second experience that would empower them to be His witness in this world; to be His light that withholds the darkness.
Those that teach that this second experience is not for today like to use the passage found in:
1 Corinthians 13:8-10 – Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
The problem here is that knowledge has not vanished away; in fact, in the book of Daniel we read that in the latter days “knowledge shall be increased”. In addition, denying that these gifts of the Holy Spirit are for today is to ignore what is recorded in the very beginning of 1 Corinthians where the apostle Paul tells his purpose for this letter to that church..
1 Corinthians 1:7 – so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: (notice it is unto the coming or return of Jesus).
Christians today need the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives now more than ever, not only to be a witness throughout the world, but to also to effective in restraining the darkness. Note what the apostle Peter stated at Pentecost:
Acts 2:38-39 – Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
This includes today! We need that oil of the Holy Spirit to keep that light shining. Failing to do so allows the darkness to increase.
