THE LIGHT OF LIFE
They were convicted and went out one by one. As sure as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, when you come into contact with God you are exposed. There was exposure, and they could not bear it, and I will tell you why: they had a character to maintain. They went out one by one, went out to their religion, their prayer-saying, their confessions, but they went out into religious darkness, and there is no darkness like religious darkness. They came in in religious hate, and they went out into religious darkness, and that to maintain their character before their fellows. “How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another?”, John 5: 44. When you get into the presence of God you get far removed from the opinions of men. Do not shrink from exposure, because the light that exposes you discloses what God is. If the light exposes my evil to me, it is that I may learn the exceeding good that is in Him. I love to think of that - what a wonderful thing it is! If I have to learn the evil that is in myself, it is that I may know that there is goodness in God that is greater than my evil. That is what we have in the blessed God. God is saying, I want you to know Me, and that your salvation lies not in what you are, or what you can be, but in what I am. Your salvation lies not in what you are, but in what God is. Oh, He is so blessed! He has made it possible for us to find a home in His blessed presence. He will not condone evil, but His goodness is greater than my evil. I cherish that thought, God has overcome evil in me, by good in Himself, and He has put me on that line – to “overcome evil with good”, Rom 12: 21. There is exposure here, and these men were afraid of the light, because their deeds were evil. God always looks at deeds according to the motive that leads to them. They were doing good, in a way, and would credit themselves with it. The devil does not mind what good you do, so long as you credit yourself with it. We have the idea that Satan is down in the slums, but Satan is in the synagogue in Scripture. Satan is seeking to dishonour God. They went out to their alms, to their prayers, but in religious darkness. What could the woman do? She had no character to maintain - where could she go? She had to stay there. And what does the Lord say? The Lord says, “where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?” She said, “No man, Lord.” And Jesus said unto her, “Neither do I condemn thee: go and sin no more.” “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 light of life.”
_______________________
From Living Words for Needy Souls, 4th edition