THERE are more kinds of darkness than one. There is the darkness that broods in heathen lands. Have you ever thanked God that you were not born where the true God is unknown, and people spend their lives oppressed by the dread of evil spirits, who, they imagine, are always bent upon their damage and destruction?
The darkness that fills lands that are under the blighting influence of Romanism is bad enough. They profess to worship the true God and Jesus Christ, yet their minds are darkened by clouds of superstition, springing from the fact that to them the Bible is a sealed, and ofttimes an unknown book.
Buenos Ayres is the largest city in the southern hemisphere, and the second largest Latin city in the world. A Christian worker who lives there reports as follows:
“The other day, I asked a brother if he would go out into the street, speak to the first twenty men he met, and see what they knew of the Bible. He did so, and the result is most instructive. These twenty men represented six different nationalities—Spanish, Italian, Serbian, Uruguayan, Portuguese, and Rumanian. The Uruguayan said he had read portions of the Bible. One Spaniard knew something about the Bible, but he had never read it. A Portuguese said he had read the Bible. An Italian had read the Bible, and seemed to have faith in the Lord Jesus. Another Spaniard Said he had studied at a Jesuit college in Spain, but he had never had a Bible in his hands. And what about the other fifteen? None of them had ever seen a Bible, and by their replies they knew nothing about it.”
Is it surprising then that though Buenos Ayres is a palatial city and full of luxury, it is a place where morality is almost unknown?
To us, however, the Bible is not unknown in this fashion: we learned at least something of its contents in the course of our education, and if cross-questioned we could prove that we had a good deal of knowledge about God.
So far so good, yet it is quite possible with all this to be very much in the dark. It is possible to know a great deal about the Bible without it ever having shed a ray of light into the heart; possible to know much about God without really knowing Him, and having been called by Him “out of darkness into His marvellous light.”
When Jesus was upon earth, He met with people of that kind in the person of the Pharisees. They were uncommonly well versed in the Scriptures, and yet they hated Christ of whom the Scriptures spoke. They searched the Scriptures, and yet they would not come to Christ that they might have life. (Sec John 5:39-4039Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 40And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. (John 5:39‑40).)
How is it with you? Perhaps for many years the Bible has often been in your hands, and you are familiar with its message. Has it ever been the means of letting the light of the gospel into your heart? or do you still remain in the dark?
You may have frequently read it with interest you may have appreciated the stories of God’s grace to sinners, working salvation in human hearts and lives, but has it led you to the Saviour, and do you believe on Him?
Without this all will be in vain. Everything depends upon whether or no you, believe on the Son of God.
F. B. H.