But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
All that is reproved is brought into view and exposed by the light, because whatever brings things into view is itself light. Those who were once darkness but are now light in the Lord are to walk as children of light, having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reproving them and exposing what is done in secret. It is shameful even to speak of those secret deeds done in darkness. To awake from sleep and arise from death so that Christ gives light is to walk carefully not as fools but as wise, using the time well because the days are evil, and to understand what the will of the Lord is. Walking as children of light bears the fruit of the Spirit in all goodness and righteousness and truth, proving what pleases the Lord, being filled with the Spirit rather than with wine, singing with melody in the heart, and giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ.
Light Exposes Darkness
Everything brought under reproof is laid open by illumination, for whatever lays things open and brings them into view is itself illumination. Secret unfruitful deeds of darkness are thus made plain when reproved rather than fellowshipped, even things done in concealment that bring shame to speak of. This belongs to the instruction of Ephesians chapters 4 and 5 for the time when every effort is made to tear up the foundation of faith in the third angel's message, showing that not a pin or pillar of the building of the work of the last sixty years has been moved and that the history of the past must be reprinted and held. Light shining upon human works tests them and lays evil bare, and those who refuse to come to the light do so lest their works be shown not to have been wrought in God. Outward appearance may make true servants look like people of the world, yet they serve opposing masters and are separated in interests.
As clearer truth is received and minds are enlightened, sins once committed in ignorance can no longer be indulged without guilt, and life and character must change to accord with the light. Those who resist it become more stubborn and perverse. Openness belongs to what is good and lays deceitful methods bare, while practices that are not open as day belong to evil. Wrongs must not be cloaked or concealed but criticized, purged away, and brought into the open, including wrongs in sanitariums.
Proclaiming the Sabbath truth in contrast with error brings truth to view and exposes contempt for God's law, and those who bear that light must not let fear silence them. God's light making hidden sins manifest was seen when loving warnings and reproofs shone upon the Corinthians, exposing sins that were defiling their lives and characters. The verse shows the character of the work before those who consent to be laborers together with God, which is to work in Christ's lines, exercising mental endowments to a purpose in making those within the sphere of influence wise and better, uplifting and strengthening the weak, and making straight paths for the feet lest the lame be turned out of the way.
Walking as Children of Light
Those who were sometimes darkness but are now light in the Lord must walk as children of light, proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. Holding to Christ's strength makes them light in the Lord, and the church as keeper of gospel truth shines God's light in clear, distinct rays by so walking. Walking as light means having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reproving them, so that what is done in secret is exposed. It means coming into collision with common opinions, modes of thinking and practice that destroy life, without being influenced to do wrong. It is a shame even to speak of the secret evil deeds done in darkness, and reproof exposes them without shameful speaking of them.
Awaking from sleep and arising from death so that Christ gives light means to walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil. To be so awakened is to be not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is. Walking as children of light bears the fruit of the Spirit in all goodness and righteousness and truth, proving what is acceptable and pleasing unto the Lord. It means being filled with the Spirit instead of drunkenness with wine wherein is excess, speaking in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with melody in the heart, and giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ.
The reproof belongs to presenting the body as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God, remembering that life is derived from God and men are not their own but God's property. It refuses inordinate appetite for unhealthful things until gratifying perverted taste becomes second nature, and refuses to follow extremists in pleasure and selfish gratification who are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God at the sacrifice of health and truth and righteousness and life eternal. It refuses wine and tobacco as not essential to Christian growth, because indulgence in intoxicating liquor places a man wholly under the control of the demon who devised this stimulant to deface and destroy the moral image of God, while evil attributes cherished exclude from heaven and godly traits cherished open the gates of the city of God. The Lord looks on the heart and cannot be deceived by pretense, lying, and hypocrisy, so moral power and the higher wisdom which is first pure, then peaceable, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, is gained only by a minute-by-minute fight of faith. That wisdom must be practiced with education after the Divine mind and will, with regenerating power and spiritual life, unlearning wrong ways and learning the first principles of Christianity to love one another as Christ loved, or souls will be lost.
In God's health institutions the verse calls for complete renovation and working from Christlike principles, making distinction between the precious and the vile. It forbids receiving inspiration from those bitter against the truth and criticizing and judging brethren whom Christ teaches to respect, love, and esteem better than themselves. Then the cloud resting on the institution will be rolled back and workers will receive hearts of flesh in place of hearts of stone and be converted and saved unto eternal life, as at St. Helena. The verse gives lessons for the guidance of every married man and every married woman, calling each to search the heart as with a lighted candle. Neglecting duties in the home eclipses the light, keeping it from shining as a right example in habits and conduct.
All that is reproved is brought into view and exposed by the light, because whatever brings things into view is itself light. Those who were once darkness but are now light in the Lord are to walk as children of light, having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reproving them and exposing what is done in secret. It is shameful even to speak of those secret deeds done in darkness. To awake from sleep and arise from death so that Christ gives light is to walk carefully not as fools but as wise, using the time well because the days are evil, and to understand what the will of the Lord is. Walking as children of light bears the fruit of the Spirit in all goodness and righteousness and truth, proving what pleases the Lord, being filled with the Spirit rather than with wine, singing with melody in the heart, and giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ.
Light Exposes Darkness
Everything brought under reproof is laid open by illumination, for whatever lays things open and brings them into view is itself illumination. Secret unfruitful deeds of darkness are thus made plain when reproved rather than fellowshipped, even things done in concealment that bring shame to speak of. This belongs to the instruction of Ephesians chapters 4 and 5 for the time when every effort is made to tear up the foundation of faith in the third angel's message, showing that not a pin or pillar of the building of the work of the last sixty years has been moved and that the history of the past must be reprinted and held. Light shining upon human works tests them and lays evil bare, and those who refuse to come to the light do so lest their works be shown not to have been wrought in God. Outward appearance may make true servants look like people of the world, yet they serve opposing masters and are separated in interests.
As clearer truth is received and minds are enlightened, sins once committed in ignorance can no longer be indulged without guilt, and life and character must change to accord with the light. Those who resist it become more stubborn and perverse. Openness belongs to what is good and lays deceitful methods bare, while practices that are not open as day belong to evil. Wrongs must not be cloaked or concealed but criticized, purged away, and brought into the open, including wrongs in sanitariums.
Proclaiming the Sabbath truth in contrast with error brings truth to view and exposes contempt for God's law, and those who bear that light must not let fear silence them. God's light making hidden sins manifest was seen when loving warnings and reproofs shone upon the Corinthians, exposing sins that were defiling their lives and characters. The verse shows the character of the work before those who consent to be laborers together with God, which is to work in Christ's lines, exercising mental endowments to a purpose in making those within the sphere of influence wise and better, uplifting and strengthening the weak, and making straight paths for the feet lest the lame be turned out of the way.
Walking as Children of Light
Those who were sometimes darkness but are now light in the Lord must walk as children of light, proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. Holding to Christ's strength makes them light in the Lord, and the church as keeper of gospel truth shines God's light in clear, distinct rays by so walking. Walking as light means having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reproving them, so that what is done in secret is exposed. It means coming into collision with common opinions, modes of thinking and practice that destroy life, without being influenced to do wrong. It is a shame even to speak of the secret evil deeds done in darkness, and reproof exposes them without shameful speaking of them.
Awaking from sleep and arising from death so that Christ gives light means to walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil. To be so awakened is to be not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is. Walking as children of light bears the fruit of the Spirit in all goodness and righteousness and truth, proving what is acceptable and pleasing unto the Lord. It means being filled with the Spirit instead of drunkenness with wine wherein is excess, speaking in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with melody in the heart, and giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ.
The reproof belongs to presenting the body as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God, remembering that life is derived from God and men are not their own but God's property. It refuses inordinate appetite for unhealthful things until gratifying perverted taste becomes second nature, and refuses to follow extremists in pleasure and selfish gratification who are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God at the sacrifice of health and truth and righteousness and life eternal. It refuses wine and tobacco as not essential to Christian growth, because indulgence in intoxicating liquor places a man wholly under the control of the demon who devised this stimulant to deface and destroy the moral image of God, while evil attributes cherished exclude from heaven and godly traits cherished open the gates of the city of God. The Lord looks on the heart and cannot be deceived by pretense, lying, and hypocrisy, so moral power and the higher wisdom which is first pure, then peaceable, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, is gained only by a minute-by-minute fight of faith. That wisdom must be practiced with education after the Divine mind and will, with regenerating power and spiritual life, unlearning wrong ways and learning the first principles of Christianity to love one another as Christ loved, or souls will be lost.
In God's health institutions the verse calls for complete renovation and working from Christlike principles, making distinction between the precious and the vile. It forbids receiving inspiration from those bitter against the truth and criticizing and judging brethren whom Christ teaches to respect, love, and esteem better than themselves. Then the cloud resting on the institution will be rolled back and workers will receive hearts of flesh in place of hearts of stone and be converted and saved unto eternal life, as at St. Helena. The verse gives lessons for the guidance of every married man and every married woman, calling each to search the heart as with a lighted candle. Neglecting duties in the home eclipses the light, keeping it from shining as a right example in habits and conduct.