The truth about "people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil."

Believers, remember the story of the woman caught in adultery in John 8:1-12? The scribes and Pharisees brought her to Christ because "They were trying to trap Him into saying something they could use against Him,…” Jesus told the woman’s accusers “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” The accusers, being convicted by their conscience “went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last.”

In verse 11, Jesus said to the woman- “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” But in verse 12, our Saviour says something that is seemingly unrelated to the event that just happened:

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 familiar with the story up to the point where our Saviour tells the woman “go and sin no more” but likely do not see how verse 12 - Jesus the Light of the world- connects with the story and some other bible verses that are being misinterpreted in the church today. Let's see how.

Jesus, the Light of the world and our Salvation, was right there within the reach of the scribes and Pharisees when they realized that they were just as guilty as the sinner woman. Remember James 2:10 

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

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... back into the darkness of trying to attain righteousness via law-keeping, cutting themselves off from Christ the Light! We see in Galatians 5:4 what literally happened with this set of scribes and Pharisees:

“For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace.”

The scribes and Pharisees could not bear to come into the Light (Jesus Christ) because then, the truth would be evident: that when it came to attaining righteousness by keeping the law, which was their anchor and the source of their high esteem in society, they were no better than the adulterers, prostitutes and even the scummy tax collectors! They could not bear the thought of being saved by Grace like the sinner woman. People would realise that they too were sinners and no better than the woman they were trying to kill despite their "holy holy" acts. People would know that they needed exactly the same kind of saving that the sinner woman needed! They would be exposed and lose their moral high-standing and respect in society! So they hid in their darkness of law-keeping. 

They hated the Light and loved darkness. They went away from Christ the Light of the world. 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 people, many of whom are looking for the Way to Life but can't find it in church because of the teaching of a wrong doctrine.

The people who love darkness (the descendants of those scribes and Pharisees) are pastors, leaders and religious people who present themselves as “holy” and above sin by their own power; those who condemn people by telling them that God will punish them for their inability to keep the Ten Commandments instead of pointing them to Christ as the One who will save/ransom/redeem them from their prisons of sin as He saved the sinner woman. These ones are as guilty as the ones they are condemning, just like the accusers of the sinner woman. They are under law because they believe that it is what they do or do not do that gives them right-standing with God; but "...no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands..." (Romans 3:20)

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 (Romans 5:19) and cling to theirs from works of the law because it gives them something to boast about. Like the Pharisees, they turn their backs on the Light of the world. They pride themselves in their ability to keep the law and condemn people who are weak, something that Jesus, would never do to anyone who comes to Him. His strength is made perfect in weakness!

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 (Romans 5:19.) Confessing that they are sinners (1 John 1:9) and that without Grace, they are nothing and have no power whatsoever to reign over sin would mean coming down from the pedestal of "holiness" that they have put themselves on. These ones who love darkness want you to think that it is their hard work, discipline at keeping the law and doing good and not Grace – undeserved, unmerited favour- that got them to the positions that they occupy in their church! They call on Jesus (Grace) yet reject His gift of righteousness; they try to get right with God by keeping the law of Moses: Neither cold nor hot!

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 could do nothing to save herself. She would have died by the law were it not for the Light of the world! They can never cast the first stone. They never point you to Jesus for salvation from sin. They accuse God's beloved according to the pattern of the devil the Accuser.

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 with God. 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 before God. 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."

Believers, let’s be for the law for the purpose for which it was given: to show us all up as sinners. The Law (in its pristine form where sinning results in death or loss of body parts that cause one to sin as Christ said in Matthew 5:29!) drove the sinner woman 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" not our puny efforts and self-determination. Peter relied on his own strength, even boasted that he would not deny Jesus and he went on to do the opposite...three times.

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;..."

This is the great torment. No wonder many in the church are still running from pillar to post trying to break generational and other curses that Christ died to redeem us from (Galatians 3:13.) They turn their backs on our Lord God's gift or righteousness for their own works that cannot save. No wonder many are still carrying about in their hearts a checklist of laws that they have broken and thus are under condemnation when there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ.

No amount of begging for forgiveness under the law can stop its fiery judgment from falling. There must be shedding of blood. Only Jesus Christ (and He alone with no additives of human effort) can save, just as He saved the sinner woman. He has accomplished the work of our salvation- salvation from hell, sins and addictions, unrighteousness, curses, depression, demonic oppression, everything that troubles mankind. By His grace, believe Him and see it.

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 “The Light of the world” 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.