RESULT OF REJECTING THE LIGHT.
THE responsibility which accompanies the knowledge of truth, and the consequences of not walking in its light, are forcibly emphasized in the Word of God. A notable application of the principle is found in Christ's denunciation of the cities on the Sea of Galilee:— "Then began He to upbraid the cities wherein most of His mighty works were done, because they repented not: Wo unto thee, Chorazin! wo unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell; for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee." Matt. 11:20-24. Light on the great plan of salvation increases as time passes on (Dan. 12:4; Eph. 3:5; Heb. 1:1, 2; Rev. 1:1, 2; 14:6-12; 18:1), so succeeding generations are held accountable for greater results in Gospel work than were their predecessors. Greater attainments are expected of them, both in character and in good works. But the foregoing illustration shows a wonderful retrogression even in the face of a wonderfully-increasing light. And the Scriptures show us that such degeneration, even on the part of those who profess to follow Christ, will continue till the end. See 2 Tim. 3:1-5. The culminating light in connection with the Gospel work is that spoken of in Revelation 18. It is represented by an angel having great power, and the earth lightened with his glory. This is the last effort for fallen man, and seems to be specially directed to rescuing the Lord's own honest-hearted people from the thraldom of the apostate church. This appeal is made just prior to the close of probation, as shown in verse 4: "Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." The whole chapter is a warning to those who have had extraordinary light, of the danger of going down to perdition in spite of that light. The result of rejecting this last-hour warning may be learned from verse 21: "And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all." The responsibility of those who have the light of truth, and the fearful results of failing to walk in it, are tersely stated by the Saviour in a few words: "That servant [that professed disciple], which knew his Lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to His will, shall be beaten with many stripes."