The truth about those who "loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil"

Believers, remember the story of the woman caught in adultery in John 8:1-11? The scribes and Pharisees didn't bring the woman to Jesus because they loved God and were passionate about the Law. They brought her to Christ because "They were trying to trap Him into saying something they could use against Him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with His finger." (verse 6.) 

See the rest of the story:

7"So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

Many of us are very familiar with this story but likely do not see how verse 12 - Jesus the Light of the world- connects with this and some other bible verses that are being misinterpreted in the church today. Let's see how.

The scribes and Pharisees in the story saw that they were JUST AS GUILTY as the woman that they'd caught in the act. Jesus floored them with His "....cast the first stone." Remember James 2:10 

"For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all." 

Also Deut. 28:15 (Keep EVERY SINGLE ONE of the Law or face the ENTIRE curse.)

For the sake of clarity, people who profess Christ but believe that their righteousness and "maintaining their salvation" depend on their own power and ability to stop sinning, do good things and obey the Ten Commandments are under Law while believers whose righteousness is from Christ's obedience (Romans 5:19) and know that they can do nothing without Him are under Grace.

Unlike their religious counterparts in the church today (those who think that they are "good Christians" because they do their best to keep the Law and are not committing certain sins) the scribes and Pharisees knew that the Law neither grades on the curve nor excuses a person from punishment because "he tried his best." Breaking one equals breaking all so all who are under Law are condemned because all have sinned.

The scribes and Pharisees who wanted to stone the sinner woman came to their senses when they heard Jesus and so could not kill the woman. They saw that they were just as guilty as she was, much like how today, the pastor or leader who condemns people for their inability to keep the Law is as guilty as the ones he is condemning because he is under Law and "...no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands...." (Romans 3:20)

Jesus, the Light of the world and our Salvation was right there within the reach of the scribes and Pharisees. But instead of coming to the Light of the world who "...gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds" (Titus 2:14,) they slunk away... away from the Light of the world that came to redeem them from sin.

They shunned the Light - Jesus Christ- and went back into their darkness of trying to attain righteousness via law-keeping and their filthy rags works of the Law. They could not bear to come into the Light because then, the truth would be evident: that when it came to righteousness by the Law which was their anchor and source of their high esteem in society, they were no better than adulterers, prostitutes and even the scummy tax collectors! Break one and be guilty of all. People would know that they were sinners too despite all of their "holy holy" act. They would be exposed! So they hid in their darkness of law-keeping. 

This brings us to Christ's words to Nicodemus in John 3:

19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed."

Believers, this verse does not refer to thieves, armed robbers, kidnappers and "bad people" shunning church. The church is already bursting at the seams with such! The people who love darkness are the religious types in the church who reject the gift of righteousness that Christ died that we might have. They do not see their need for our Saviour Jesus Christ to save them from their sins. In fact, they feel that they are not "as bad as other people." They pride themselves in their ability to keep the Law and condemn people who are weak.

Like the Pharisees, they actively preach righteousness (by works of the Law) but shun the finished work of Christ in making us righteous by His blood. Confessing that they are sinners (1 John 1:9) and that of themselves, they have no power whatsoever to reign over sin would mean coming down from the pedestal of "holiness" that they have put themselves on. 

Romans 5:17 says -

"...But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one Man, Jesus Christ."

But these ones who "loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil" like the scribes and Pharisees do not agree with this verse. They hide the truth and preach that it is by human effort that a person triumphs over sin and death; but the sinner woman would have died by the Law were it not for the Light of the world! They even pretend that they can live by the Law but when push comes to shove, they can never cast the first stone. 

Just as the scribes and Pharisees in the story of Christ's saving of the woman caught in adultery, many in the church turn their backs on Jesus Christ, the Light of the world, who came to save us from our sins and also give us the gift of no condemnation by which we go and sin no more! How? By rejecting His blood-bought gift of righteousness and striving to obtain theirs from keeping the Law. No one can.

For sinner woman, the Law, wielded by her accusers, brought her to the end of her tether. She was guilty. She knew it whereas the Pharisees who accused her and were as guilty as she was were in denial, like many in the church who think that their law-keeping and good works can get them somewhere. There was nothing she could do to save herself from death. Believers, this is the very reason why the Law was given- to show us all up as guilty. See Romans 3:19-

"Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God."

The Law drove her to Grace- our Saviour Jesus Christ. Grace saved her from certain death. What's more? It is His "Neither do I condemn you" that makes us "go and sin no more." No amount of law-keeping and good works can make any righteous in God's sight (Romans 3:20.) Only the freely-given gift of righteousness that comes by "one Man's obedience" (Romans 5:19) will suffice.

This story also connects with Isaiah 50:

10 Who among you fears the Lord

and obeys His Servant?

If you are walking in darkness,

without a ray of light,

trust in the Lord

and rely on your God.

11 But watch out, you who live in your own light

and warm yourselves by your own fires.

This is the reward you will receive from Me:

You will soon fall down in great torment.

Before their encounter with our Saviour, the sinner woman and the scribes and Pharisees walked in darkness and had no Light in their lives. The Law, wielded by the Pharisees, drove the sinner woman to the Light of the world and she was saved. The scribes and Pharisees rejected the Light of the world (The Lord our Righteousness) for their own fires.....they rejected the gift of righteousness that is freely given in Christ for their own righteousnesses from works of the law. But Galatians 3:10 says- 

"For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse;..."

Believers, our Lord God loves us so much. His desire is for us to prosper and be in health. We have this and much more only in Christ. By His Grace, let's rely on Him to lead us on the path of righteousness.

Trying to attain righteousness and favour before God via works of the Law and doing good deeds is going through the wide gate and broad way that leads to destruction. Many are on it today. The letter kills.

The small Gate and the narrow Way lead to life. The Spirit gives life. Remember we receive the promise of the Spirit through faith and "the Law is not of faith."

The Holy Spirit will teach you all things.

Believe Right and you will Live Right.