Luke 12:48, commentary and pictures

The verse teaches that the servant who did not know his master's will yet did things deserving punishment is still guilty but will be beaten with few stripes, while the servant who knew his will and did not prepare or do it will be beaten with many stripes. It teaches that to whomever much is given much will be required, and to whom much has been committed much will be asked, so God expects returns proportionate to what was bestowed. Responsibility and guilt increase with light, gifts, privileges, opportunities, and influence received, so condemnation and punishment are heavier where knowledge and warnings were greater. Life, strength, talent, means, time, and mental powers are sacred trusts lent to be improved for His glory, yet He requires neither more nor less than a person is able to do through divine grace. Those who know the truth must let their light shine in faithful doing and share it with others, for profession, baptism, Sabbath observance, or meeting attendance does not excuse disobedience.

Parable Language and Setting

The servant who did not know his master's will, yet did things worthy of punishment, is still guilty but will be beaten with few stripes. Judgment is measured by the light God has allowed to reach each person, so greater light brings greater responsibility while the less-informed offender receives lighter punishment. Ignorance does not remove accountability, and church membership does not exempt anyone, but one who acts wrongly without knowing receives fewer stripes than one who knew. Those who have received the truth and the influence of the Holy Spirit and then turn from it bear aggravated guilt, more accountable than impenitent sinners who lacked that light, and continuing in wrongdoing will face judgment.

The servant who knew his lord's will but did not prepare himself or do it will be beaten with many stripes, for knowing increases guilt and punishment. Greater knowledge of God's will brings greater responsibility, and those who know it and disregard it are more guilty and their sin will not go unpunished. Profession of faith does not excuse disobedience, and when professed believers conform to the world their knowledge makes their guilt and anguish greater. God chastises His professed people when they act hypocritically and presume upon Him, as shown in Israel's defeat and the capture of the ark, for their knowledge makes wrongdoing weightier, yet He accepts faithful humble service and can carry forward His work without those who dishonor Him.

To whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required, and to whom much has been committed, of him more will be asked, so God expects principal and interest proportionate to talents bestowed. The talents entrusted to each person determine what the Lord requires, and this accounting is closely investigated. Greater knowledge, light, ability, influence, and opportunity bring greater responsibility to serve God and to share truth and witness for Christ through good works, and failing to act leaves one like the servant who knew his master's will but did not do it. Each servant must answer personally for the use or misuse of entrusted gifts, no one is required to give what was not given, and reward or punishment corresponds to faithfulness rather than greatness of talents, with work to be done conscientiously as under God's inspection even when no person watches. The return required is determined by talents bestowed, guilt is measured by opportunities and privileges left unimproved, and punishment is not for personal rejection of salvation alone but for influence encouraging others in sin, since faithfulness would have won eternal life and drawn others into the kingdom while refusal places the sinner with the enemy and keeps others from becoming laborers together with God.

The saying belongs to the last events of earth's history as Christ's warning calling for constant readiness, shown not by idleness but by faithfully doing life's duties and serving the Lord. Every person is a steward who must bring eternity into reckoning and live for God every day, not knowing when life closes and Christ calls to give an account of stewardship. Each has a work to do and a God-given responsibility to be faithful in preaching the gospel to all peoples, tongues, and nations before Christ comes, divested of selfishness, spending no money or time on flowers, feathers, bodily decoration, or self-serving at the cost of a soul, but using time to open the Bible and awaken perishing souls, with Christ having died that every soul might become a missionary and the burden not left to ministers alone. Present work and present duty, especially duty to family, is the stewardship laid upon a person, so chasing some great work not given while neglecting that sacred duty brings the unfaithful steward's reward, while faithful family work brings reward; therefore today's duties must be taken up in the fear of God with ways and works made perfect before Him. Knowing the Master's will brings duty to live faithfully now, not to postpone obedience or preparation until the time of His coming is known, for greater knowledge and opportunity bring greater responsibility and prospect of a distant return excuses no less devoted life, and each has only one probationary lifetime with every moment to be used in light of the coming judgment when the books will be opened.

God's law is the standard of character to which all must now conform and by which all will be judged in the last great day according to light received. At the judgment each case is decided and each is dealt with according to deeds, with reward or punishment according to works, and neither human arguments nor false theories can alter what is recorded in heaven. The record of daily choices determines condemnation or approval, and people will answer for how they used opportunities and valued privileges, the more given the more required. Misused God-given powers and neglected opportunities cause lasting loss, and forgiveness does not restore capacities voluntarily damaged in this life.

Responsibility Matches Privilege

Responsibility and accountability grow with light, gifts, privileges, opportunities, abilities, influence, and trust received, so those blessed with great light and grand truth are required to give much in return. Christians bear greater obligations than ancient Israel because their privileges exceed Israel's through the gospel entrusted to them to carry salvation throughout the world. Those who know the truth must put the whole heart into service rather than striving in a tame, listless way, with daily prayer and watchfulness and earnest seeking, not merely claiming to believe but living and practicing the truth in supreme love to God and to those for whom Christ died. Knowledge makes accountability heavier, so turning from truth after receiving its light and the Holy Spirit's influence brings aggravated guilt beyond that of impenitent sinners who lacked that light, and God requires an account with improvement and return on what He entrusted, to be used without needless adornment or display, in humility and sacrifice without seeking praise. In the Christian age greater revelation and blessings through Christ call for greater gifts and more active benevolence to support the gospel and save others.

God requires neither more nor less than each person has ability to do, lays no burden beyond what can be borne through divine grace, does not require what was not given, and is satisfied with diligent service within capacity however small the gift. Each servant must answer personally for the use or misuse of entrusted gifts, and reward or punishment corresponds to faithfulness in using them. Those entrusted with few talents are not expected to do what their greater-gifted brethren can do, and where little has been bestowed God does not require as much as where much has been given. Divine grace enables people to meet what is required of them.

People are judged not only for what they did but for what they could and ought to have done to glorify God, including every capacity, opportunity, generous impulse, and spiritual understanding left unused and what could have been gained by right use. All influence, acquirements, knowledge, ability, and property belong to God to be used and returned for His glory, and in judgment ministers and all people are answerable for what they might have been and done and accomplished if they had used what He gave them. Merely comparing oneself favorably with less willing people does not excuse failure to act on the Master's known will. Neglect of talents can bring eternal loss through knowledge and ability missed for eternity even where the soul itself is not lost, because each person is working out destiny for eternity and no one who makes no improvement upon gifts given will be clear. Talents few or many belong wholly to the Lord by creation and redemption, men as free moral agents having liberty to improve or abuse intellectual and moral powers and every capacity for usefulness, yet God measures obligation by the amount loaned and calls each to account to devote them to His service in constant improvement toward higher, clearer views of heaven and eternal realities.

Judgment is not limited to light a person chose to accept, for people are accountable for light they could have had by continuing to seek knowledge of the Lord. Everyone has a duty to place themselves where they can receive that light, including through messages of warning and opportunity to learn God's will, which increase what is required. Those who cannot obtain knowledge are judged by a different standard from those with opportunity to hear and understand truth, while those who knowingly refuse to listen are condemned as though they had heard and then refused to obey and practice.

Those given little are judged by a different standard and required to answer only for what they received, and a degree of righteousness accepted from them would not satisfy God from those who received abundant light. If they live faithfully according to that light and make use of what they have, they may be accepted and enter heaven before those given fuller light and greater opportunities who failed to live up to theirs, so judging others without considering what they were given is foolish. Some among Catholics who live faithfully by the light they have will be tested and judged by response to that testing just as professed believers are, and many will be saved, with some of less light living up to it better than those claiming present truth. Likewise many standing aloof from Seventh-day Adventists and not seeing the light are living more fully by their light than many Seventh-day Adventists by theirs, though great light has been given to Seventh-day Adventists and much is required of them, calling them to seek God's face for the Holy Spirit's work in the heart rather than judge others. Having the Scriptures does not itself mean understanding their meaning, for God judges by light actually possessed rather than by what was not received.

Judgment Fits Light Received

Guilt, condemnation and punishment are proportionate to understanding, light, privileges, warnings rejected and position held, so greater knowledge brings greater reckoning and greater account. Those who know God's requirements and reject them, who knew not only forgiveness and a Saviour's love but the just and holy requirements of His law, and then unite with Christ's foes, reject His perfect righteousness, refuse the light given, choose condemned ways, worldly amusements, vanities, follies and heart idols, and refuse conformity of conduct, commit sins most aggravating and will be judged more severely than heathen who never had the light and never knew God or His law. Disloyalty after greater light and higher position brings greater punishment, while one who knew less receives less, and unfaithfulness is punished in measure with what was received. In Israel's case the Chaldeans were used to chastise refusal of God's counsel, and the punishment matched knowledge and despised warnings.

A nation's guilt is measured in proportion to the light and blessings it has rejected, for receiving much requires answering for much. God keeps a reckoning of its response to His mercies and gifts and holds it accountable for what it received. Greater knowledge of God's will brings greater responsibility, so those who know it and disregard it commit greater sin and will not go unpunished. Israel's defeat with thirty thousand dead, the capture of the ark, and the death of Eli's two sons while defending it stands as testimony for all future ages that iniquity in God's professed people will not escape, guilt being measured by knowledge of His will. That chastisement shows God reproves hypocrisy and presumption in His professed people, accepts faithful humble service, and does not depend on the unfaithful to carry forward His work but can advance it without those who dishonor Him.

Greater privileges and greater light bring greater responsibility, and all are judged according to privileges, light and benefits received. Moses proves this, for having received special revelations of God's majesty with abundant light and glory and being honored above every other man, shown God's glory, and used to give God's statutes to Israel, he was accountable to represent God faithfully and his enjoyment of so great light made his fault bring retribution. The greater the light and knowledge the greater the responsibility, the more grievous the failure and the heavier the punishment, so sin in leaders is not dealt with as sin in those led. God forgives greater transgressions in the people while punishing the smaller fault of a leader, and past faithfulness and integrity do not atone for one wrong act nor avert its retribution. The fallen angels had known God's character and witnessed heaven's glory, so their rebellion carried greater responsibility and punishment matched to exalted privilege, and unlike fallen humanity they had no hope of redemption.

People are judged according to light, opportunities, warnings and examples given, and responsibility corresponds to what was received. God does not condemn merely for honestly believing a lie or conscientiously holding error, but condemns for disregarding opportunities and means to learn truth and do right. Belshazzar was condemned not only for doing wrong but for neglecting the knowledge and opportunities that could have helped him do right. Warnings and lessons and examples of judgment against sin become grounds for condemnation when neglected and the hearer chooses his own course, and each person's duty begins when the warning is given to put its lesson into practice.

The Jewish leaders had light in the prophecies and the plain written Word about Christ, so they would be judged according to that light. Caiaphas as high priest and representative of the nation therefore bore greater guilt. There is less excuse for stubbornness and unbelief now than for the Jews in Christ's day, for they did not have before them the example of a nation suffering retribution for unbelief and disobedience, while people today have greater light and greater evidence including the history of God's chosen people, their rejection of the Prince of life, and the warnings and reproofs given them. The Lord tests people today as much as He tested the Jews, sending messages of mercy and light of truth by the Spirit of truth, so that accepting the message and His messengers is accepting Jesus. Those who say they would not have rejected and crucified Christ are proven by how they deal with His message today, and they are not accountable for the deeds of the crucifiers, but if with all that light they travel the same ground, cherish the same spirit, hate exposure of evil ways, and refuse to walk in the light and receive reproof and warning, their sin and retribution will be greater, guilt greatly augmented, and the condemnation that fell on the Jews will fall on them only as much greater as their light is greater.

People will be judged by light and privileges had, for unto whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required. Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum received abundant blessings and witnessed Christ's works yet rejected the gift offered, being exalted to heaven, so their judgment will be more severe than that of Tyre, Sidon and Sodom. Light reflected from heaven not granted to Sodom and Gomorrah has been given to commandment-keeping people, and had it been granted to Sodom and Gomorrah they might have remained unto this day, and had the mighty works, knowledge and grace manifested to this people been made known to nations in darkness they might now be far in advance, so it will be more tolerable in the day of judgment for those in darkness than for those who had clear light of truth and turned from holy commandments delivered to them. The church at Battle Creek had superior advantages, abundant light and warnings, so its deficiencies, unbelief, hardness of heart and neglect to cherish and follow the light bring guilt not less than that of the favored Jews. The Jews did not go into darkness all at once but gradually until they could not discern the gift of God in sending His Son, refused blessings they might have accepted, and crucified the Son of God, and the same danger of gradual darkness faces those with superior advantages who neglect what they were given.

Those who profess to believe the Bible and even teach its truths, who are blessed with heaven's bounties yet live in cherished sin with no more gratitude than beasts and no sense of sinfulness, know their Master's will and do it not. When summoned before the great white throne they will stand condemned in speechless terror, unable to offer the excuses now urged to shield from divine requirements, and will receive severe punishment, for greater light and blessing bring greater accountability at judgment. God's law is the standard of character to which man must now conform and by which he will be judged in the last great day, each dealt with according to light received, one who knew his Lord's will and did it not punished severely and one who knew not yet did wrong punished lightly, return required being determined by talents bestowed and guilt measured by opportunities and privileges left unimproved. Punishment is not for personal rejection of the offer of salvation alone but for influence exerted in encouraging others in sin, because abilities were given to use for the Lord and opportunity to cooperate with the Redeemer, and faithfulness would have won eternal life and drawn others into the kingdom, while refusal places the sinner on the enemy's side and keeps others from becoming laborers together with God. Accountability and judgment correspond to light and knowledge received, so those who know God's will but disregard it in word and deed are accountable for failing to obey, those receiving less light and accepting salvation may receive eternal life while rejecters of greater light face greater condemnation, and even seemingly small deeds, neglects and unkind words matter, for a person is answerable not only for personal impenitence but for leading others into evil.

Stewardship of Gifts and Means

Life, strength, talent, means, time, mental powers, influence and opportunity are sacred trusts lent by God to be cultivated, improved and used wisely for His glory, with returns expected in proportion to the gift, and those who receive much must yield greater returns. What people give and do for God is to be proportionate to the light and blessings received, for means like body and spirit belong to God, and stewardship will be called to account. God entrusts abilities and possessions on trial, testing people day by day to see whether they acknowledge Him as giver, and how they use their gifts determines eternal destiny. Faithfulness increases gifts and leads onward in purity and holiness, while failure to advance brings falling back, and true faith works through love, purifies the soul and becomes a channel of light through self-denial and self-sacrifice. Life is not to be used as one pleases, and recognizing its sacred trust can keep the young from dissipation and crime.

In the Christian age greater revelation and blessings through Christ call for greater and more abundant giving, not less, to support the gospel, save sinners, feed the poor and advance missions near and far. What God requires increases with light and privileges received, and those who have received abundant blessings, especially knowledge of Christ's sacrifice, should show greater gratitude by giving more to spread salvation. Everyone can give in proportion to what has been received, those entrusted with much giving much and those with little giving accordingly, even by giving self, showing loyalty through actions, and reducing spending to give more. Self-denial for Christ belongs to this duty, for the gospel's expanded work makes giving more urgent, not less.

Wealth beyond plain living increases obligation, tests character, and must be used with noble generosity rather than hoarded or spent on needless luxury, fashion, vanity or extravagant self-gratification. Such wealth should humble its possessor, be laid out in seeking opportunities to do good, laying up treasure in heaven, and be given bountifully to help God's work near and far by those of different measures of wealth and ability. Increased means with extended influence brings double accountability, so improving a home does not remove duty to support God's cause, and prosperity must not make one less willing to give than when poor. Blessings and possessions are entrusted, not owned independently, and if held ungratefully without improvement God may remove providential care; those seeking the Spirit's baptism are to serve where they are and use wealth, health, skill and ability generously, including carrying forward neglected work such as in Nashville and the Southern field.

The Lord's money must be used faithfully without needless adornment, so church building should accept freely given help while choosing a neat, tasteful structure suited to worship rather than display. Resources are the Lord's and should be spent without display, with sacrifice offered freely, self kept humble rather than seeking praise, and nothing wasted on unnecessary things for personal gratification, for neglect of that trust must be answered for.

Influence entrusted by God must be thrown on the side of truth and godliness to make others better and point them to the cross, especially in seasons of severe trial and in connection with God's institutions. Christians bear a weight of responsibility measured by influence that no one can take from them, and true Bible Christians will use it to lead other minds, knowing the source of strength in order not to be overcome. Words and actions guided by the Spirit strengthen faith and do much good, while unsanctified influence works on the wrong side, encourages transgression, weakens faith and moral principles, and betrays trust. God holds people accountable daily for influence exerted and impressions made in all associations, and those given position and power of example have more required of them, so drawing minds away into vanity, folly, amusements and foolish indulgences brings guilt to be answered for, and neglect to regulate conduct by the Bible standard rests on them as greater sin because example affects others.

Education, culture, intellectual powers and religious advantages require pure and holy character and must be used to serve God, help human redemption and labor for less-favored others rather than turned against faith or used for selfish pride. Those so privileged are placed under greater obligation to make the most of blessings for the good of others and are accountable for whether they have rightly improved them. Intellectual powers are given to serve God, and when turned against true religion to undermine faith and lead others away they cause greater harm, bring greater condemnation at the final judgment, and every talent so misused is recorded as robbery against God.

Those in positions of trust, including ministers and leaders of God's work, bear heavier responsibility measured by influence and by light received, and much is required of those entrusted with much. They must distinguish sacred from common, see that workers receive right education, look to God for wisdom, remain humble and dependent, and reach influential minds with wise, prayerful, tactful effort, since if converted such persons can use abilities to reach many others. Ministers with greater light who neglect their Master's will face many stripes, and those entrusted with the gospel who use position to lead into breaking God's law are more guilty than ordinary sinners because profession carries greater responsibility. If their own minds are not clear and elevated and they give wrong bias to other minds, God will call them to account for doing the devil's work when supposed to do the Master's, and unless they repent judgments will fall, though delayed. A Watcher stands by them to reprove, convict or answer prayer, and God may remove the unfaithful and give their place to those who will represent Him.

God daily tests stewards, and how entrusted goods are used determines eternal destiny, with reward depending not on greatness of talents but on faithfulness and conscientious duty done as under God's inspection, even when no person watches. God's requirements are just and proportionate to what He has entrusted, He does not accept less than He requires, unmet demands testify against a person found wanting, and at the general judgment each case is decided according to faithfulness in entrusted work, people being justified by faith but judged and rewarded according to works. Christ watches servants' efforts with pity, understands human weakness, regards failures and discouragements tenderly, and those failures grow fewer when working in harmony with heaven with angels aiding.

Imparting Light to Others

Those who know the truth must let their light shine more fully and become channels of grace, bringing light, joy, peace, blessing, comfort, hope, love and warning to those in error and perishing for lack of knowledge. Greater knowledge, light, ability, influence and opportunity bring greater responsibility to serve God, witness for Christ through good works, live the truth in practice and not merely profess belief. Talents entrusted are to be put to use, with returns proportionate to what was received and an account required of the improvements they were meant to produce, and having made no special effort to save souls is no excuse when called to account.

To withhold Heaven's blessings for self is unfaithfulness to trust and robbery written in the Lord's record. It is like carriers entrusted with a fleet loaded with the means of life for starving sufferers in a distant colony, who lose their ardor, turn aside to islands in their course, yield to a selfish spirit of gain, use the entrusted stores for their own benefit and barter the means of life for selfish gain while leaving their fellow beings to die with cries ascending to heaven, a terrible sin daily repeated by Christians who use Heaven's blessings in the service of self instead of carrying relief as co-laborers with the angels. Each person therefore has a work to do and a God-given responsibility to be faithful in preaching the gospel to all peoples, tongues and nations before Christ comes, bringing eternity into reckoning and living for God every day, not knowing when life closes and Christ calls to give an account of stewardship.

Faithfulness means divesting every particle of selfishness, spending no money or time on flowers, feathers, decoration of the body or self-serving at the cost of a soul, but using time to open the Bible and awaken perishing souls ready to die. Christ died that every soul might become a missionary, not leaving the burden to ministers alone, with faithful stewards keeping the soul clean, cleansing themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God with the eye fixed on Christ. A congregation with abundant access to the Word is accountable for supporting workers and the work in fields of greater need, using means and capacities to advance moral and spiritual work rather than wasting or misapplying what was received. Those entrusted with carrying forward the sanitarium, and with schools and sanitariums entrusted with work among darkened nations and islands, are accountable in proportion to the light, knowledge and privileges given them.

Present work and present duty, especially duty to family, is the stewardship laid upon a person, so that chasing some great work not given while neglecting that sacred duty makes one an unfaithful steward who will receive the unfaithful steward's reward, while doing the family work faithfully brings reward. The duties of today must therefore be taken up in the fear of God, with ways and works made perfect before Him, to wipe out reproach brought upon God's cause and redeem the time. Stewardship must also act with Christian compassion and not withhold help from people in need through ungenerous, calculating caution, after the methods of the unfaithful steward. One given light and opportunities to serve faithfully is worse off in unfaithfulness than an unenlightened sinner, and being spared gives further opportunity to repent and redeem the time.

Living the Truth Faithfully

Profession of faith does not excuse disobedience, and baptism, Sabbath observance, meeting attendance, or saying God is merciful gives no assurance to those who neglect to do His will. Those who have put on Christ by baptism and covenanted to walk in newness of life, who have rejoiced in sins forgiven and tasted a Saviour's love, and then unite with the foes of Christ, reject the perfect righteousness Jesus offers, choose the ways He has condemned, refuse the light God has given, choose the amusements, vanities and follies of the world, set up idols in their hearts, and refuse to conform conduct to the just and holy requirements of God's law, commit sins most aggravating in His sight. Knowing increases responsibility, so those who know the Master's will and do it not receive heavier punishment and will be more severely judged than heathen who never had the light and never knew God or His law, and when professed believers conform to the world their knowledge makes their guilt and anguish greater. Assurance belongs only to those who know their Master's will and do it, and salvation comes when people accept its conditions and depend on God's mercy, and then God works out salvation for them. God asks from His people in proportion to the grace and truth given them, yet every righteous demand must be fully met, and disciples must show in life the Spirit, wisdom and goodness revealed in His word, and so condemn the world.

Those blessed with great light are required to give much in return, and those given grand and important truth, especially students in the school, must show religious interest and put their whole heart into the service of Christ rather than striving in a tame, listless way. The verse calls for daily prayer and watchfulness and for earnest seeking of the Lord, and for not only claiming to believe the truth but living the truth and practicing the truth, with supreme love to God and to those for whom Christ died. Every accountable person must walk in the light that shines on him, for if he fails his light becomes darkness, and his darkness is as great as his light was abundant. Accumulated light has shone on God's people, and neglecting to follow it leaves them in great spiritual weakness.

Faith and works must match the light received, for true faith works through love and purifies the soul, and those who accept the light and respond with self-denial and self-sacrifice become channels of light to the world. Faithfully using and valuing what has been received increases gifts and leads onward in purity and holiness, and increasing light must bring proportionate advancement onward and upward, with faith, obedience and love growing in keeping with the gifts received. Taking a high noble stand in self-denial and self-sacrifice and diligently improving entrusted talents greatly increases those talents, while failing to advance causes falling back, a corresponding loss of light and blessing, and retrogression even on the very borders of the heavenly Canaan. When people do not respond to the light and knowledge they have received with corresponding growth in spirituality, their hearts become hardened against the impressions of God's Spirit, neglected light keeps them in darkness, and profession without corresponding works is vain. Those who have had great light but have neglected to improve it are in a less favorable position for Christian growth than people who once lived in sin but accept the truth penitently, and neglect to advance dims the fine gold into deadness and formality.

People are accountable to God for the light, warnings, privileges and appeals they receive, and those who ignore solemn appeals will answer for them in the judgment, where the warnings will condemn those who persist in vanity, levity and pride. Hearing the truth without improving the light received or acting on what God's servants teach increases the punishment due in the end, and merely keeping the Sabbath and attending meetings does not excuse failure to live by the truth. Works that match the light graciously given identify people as belonging to the Lord, and God's people must therefore live up to their light, opportunities and sacred obligations, for failing to improve them leaves them answerable despite great privileges. Whether someone will be lost for not keeping the Sabbath cannot be answered apart from this principle, for the Bible leaves the judgment to God, who weighs the light each person has received, judging according to the light allowed to reach them, so that those who act wrongly without knowing receive fewer stripes. This includes Sabbath claims knowingly violated and reproofs seen in others yet disregarded while sustaining false ways.

Those who have had great opportunities but failed to use them and refused their responsibilities face greater guilt and condemnation than people who are mistaken about doctrine yet sincerely seek to do good according to the light they have. People are also accountable for the knowledge and experience they could and ought to have gained by improving their faculties and advancing in faith, and those who neglect their abilities, refuse their responsibilities, or use selfish reasoning to avoid knowing God's will may be more guilty. Some with less light will enter heaven before those who failed to live up to theirs. Therefore people must not condemn or judge others whose knowledge and light are less than their own, since they may be less guilty before God.