God’s Division Between Light and Darkness

Surely these solemn declarations of eternal truth should be enough to get the attention of any sincere soul. But God has uttered much more! In fact, when “the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters” and God performed his very first act of creation on the first day, he created light, then “divided the light from the darkness” (Gen. 1:2-4).

Since that very first day of creation, light and darkness have never been able to unite!

Why? Because God established that separation. No man has ever been able to come to the light without departing from darkness; neither has any man ever been able to remain in the light who has returned to darkness.

“This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:5-7.

Some today are deceiving themselves into believing that the blood of Jesus Christ is cleansing them from all sin even when they do works that belong to the kingdom of darkness. This simply is not the case. Whoever departs from THE CROSS departs from the light, is no longer “hid away with Christ in God,” is no longer “beneath the dripping blood,” and is consequently no longer in the security zone. The idea that just one drop of the blood of Christ ever applied to the soul covers all sins, past, present, and future, is without foundation in the Word of God, yet people actually teach such absurd and unscriptural theories. They say all who have ever had the blood of Christ applied to their hearts are eternally secure because not one drop of Christ’s blood can ever go to hell! But the idea of Christ’s blood going to hell is not even relevant to the subject. The fact is, the blood of Christ covers no volitional sin that has not been acknowledged, confessed, thoroughly repented of, LAID DOWN AT THE CROSS, renounced and forsaken.

When the blood of Christ is initially applied to the heart of a penitent sinner, at the cross, by the Holy Spirit who convicted the heart of sin, the blood purges the conscience from all guilt and condemnation relevant to past sins that have been committed, thus making the penitent one both innocent and blameless. The virtue of the blood also frees the penitent from the power, bondage, and captivating force of sin. “Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” John 8:34, 36. Being thus emancipated, the Lord’s command to the liberated convert is, “Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee” John 5:14. “Go and sin no more” John 8:11. To disobey this commandment of the Lord is to forfeit the status of innocence and blamelessness that the cleansing blood of Christ produced.

A backslidden Christian who returns to sinning will never be held accountable for any of the sins the blood of Christ acquitted and washed away when he/she initially came to the cross of Jesus Christ in repentance. But he/she will be held accountable for any sins voluntarily committed thereafter in departing from the cross. God has promised, “Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.” Exodus 32:33. He declared this truth to Moses and never countermanded it anywhere in the New Testament!

One of the most important facts we can ever learn in life is the fact that sin (the works of darkness) separates us from the fellowship and favor of God, who is light, and in whom is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.” 1 John 1:6. No one can have volitional sin in their life and at the same time have fellowship with a holy God. Sin must be forsaken and abandoned if we would walk with God. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Rom. 6:23. “In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” John 1:4. Therefore, if we would have life, we must walk in His light, and if we would have light, we must receive His life. Life and light are inseparable. Death and darkness are also inseparable. Whoever steps out from darkness into the light enters into life; whoever steps over from light into darkness enters into death. This is the definite, clear-cut teaching of the Word of God that divided the light from the darkness on the first day of creation. It cannot be altered. Therefore, hear ye the Word of the Lord:

Sin Brings Forth Death!

Ezekiel 18:20-28: “The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live? But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? Are not your ways unequal? When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.”

Romans 6:16: “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”

John 8:34: “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.”

Matthew 6:24: “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

James 1:12-16: “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren.”

James 5:19-20: “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.”

Question: Do those who err from the truth remain in a state of life, or do they enter into a state of death until converted from their error? Are they still saved while in error, or are they lost until converted from their error?

For a clear scriptural answer, read Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32. Notice that in verse 32 Jesus said, “It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.”

Therefore, it is clear that those who forsake God and become prodigals enter into a state of spiritual death and are lost while away from God. But they can be converted and made alive again if they will repent and come back to God. Remember, GOD IS OUR SALVATION and there is no salvation outside of Him.

Any time voluntary sin has been committed, a subsequent application of, and cleansing by, the blood of Christ must take place in order to resurrect the soul to life. Why? Because “when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity … in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.” Ezek. 18:24. In his trespass he did die. Therefore, the dead and withered branches that allowed sin to sever them from the holy root and vine, Jesus Christ, must be grafted in again in order to regain the status of life, versus death. And, “God is able to graft them in again.” Rom. 11:23. However, if judgment day should catch one who has been saved in a backslidden state (a state of defilement and spiritual death), that person will be eternally lost. Jesus emphatically taught this. Listen to Him!

Luke 12:35-46: “Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all? And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. But 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; The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.”

What is the portion of the unbelievers? Again, let the Word answer: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Rev. 21:8. This will be the portion of unfaithful servants of the Lord, who fail or neglect to watch and pray, love Him with all their hearts, and keep His commandments. Again, Jesus warns, “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting [overeating], and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” Luke 21:34-36.

The faithful Apostle Peter unites with His Lord and Savior in conveying the same solemn warnings in his 2nd epistle, chapter 3, verses 10-14, and verse 17: “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. … Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.”

So we see that, not only is it possible for a saved person to fall from their steadfastness, but if found with defiling spots or blemishes at Christ’s coming, that person will not meet Him in peace. All who would be accepted of the Bridegroom, as a part of His holy Bride, must have on the wedding garment, that is, “be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.” Rev. 19:8. Jesus warns us in Matt. 22:11-13 about what will happen to one who shows up without the acceptable wedding garment:

“And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

We will truly be speechless in that day if we are found not clothed with the righteousness of Jesus Christ. He gave Himself for the church, “that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Eph. 5:25-27). To be found in this spotless state, holy and without blemish, we must be obedient to His Word and allow the Word to thoroughly cleanse us. We are also “sanctified by the Holy Ghost,” working in conjunction with the Word, as we present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God (Rom. 12:1). If we fail to obey the Word on any point, we will end up unsanctified and unworthy to receive the crown of life, which the Lord has for all those who are faithful to follow and obey Him even to the end. Listen again to the words of Jesus:

“Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” Rev. 2:10. “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Matt. 24:12-13.

We can find absolutely no promise in the Word of God of a crown of life to anyone who is unfaithful, who allows their love to wax cold, or who fails to endure to the end. Some would have us to believe that Jesus would prefer that we be faithful unto death, but even if we aren’t, there’s no need for any great concern because, according to their theory, if we were ever once saved, we’re guaranteed a crown of life regardless. But the divinely inspired Apostle Paul says, “If we deny him, he also will deny us.” 2 Tim. 2:12.

A Sad But True Story

This reminds me of one of the saddest stories I ever read in “Fox’s Book of Martyrs,” page 15. This happened under the seventh great persecution of the Church, around the year 250 A.D. I quote:

“Nichomacus, being brought before the proconsul (Optimus of Asia) as a Christian, was ordered to sacrifice to the pagan idols. Nichomachus replied, ‘I cannot pay that respect to devils, which is only due to the Almighty.’ This speech so enraged the proconsul that Nichomacus was put to the rack. After enduring the torments for a time, he recanted; but scarcely had he given this proof of his frailty, than he fell into the greatest agonies, dropped down on the ground, and expired immediately.

“Denisa, a young woman of only sixteen years of age, who beheld this terrible judgment, suddenly exclaimed, ‘O unhappy wretch, why would you buy a moment’s ease at the expense of a miserable eternity!’ Optimus, hearing this, called to her, and Denisa avowing herself to be a Christian, she was beheaded, by his order, soon after.”

Here we get a glimpse of how true to the Word of God the views of the early Christians were. They believed just as Jesus taught in Luke 17:32-33: “Remember Lot’s wife. Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.”

Wouldn’t we all do well to take heed to Jesus’ words, “Remember Lot’s wife?” What was the case with Lot’s wife? The Lord saved her from the destruction that came upon Sodom in the beginning. But later, she disobeyed the God who saved her. She turned and looked back toward Sodom, a thing the Lord had said not to do. Because of her disobedience in looking back, after the Lord had graciously saved her, she lost her salvation. Will it not happen likewise to us? Again, hear the warning of Jesus: “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62.

I am also reminded of the words of Justin Martyr, who lived and wrote in the second century:

“Those persons, however, who had once believed and publicly acknowledged Jesus to be the Christ, and then later, for one reason or another, turned to the observance of the Mosaic Law, and denied that Jesus is the Christ, cannot be saved unless they repent before their death. … God in His goodness, kindness, and infinite richness considers the repentant sinner to be just and innocent, as he declared through the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 33:11-20), and the one who turns from the path of piety and justice to follow that of injustice and impiety God judges to be an impious and unjust sinner. Thus has our Lord Jesus Christ warned us, ‘In whatsoever things I shall apprehend you, in them also shall I judge you.’” – Saint Justin Martyr, Dialogue With Trypho, page 219.

In this quotation it is very clear to see that the primitive Christian church believed that the teaching of Ezekiel 33:11-20 is applicable to New Testament salvation and that a Christian can indeed lose his/her salvation by turning aside, for one reason or another, from the faith once delivered to the saints. It also agrees with the Apostle Paul’s teaching in Galatians 5:4: “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.”