[March 12th, 1865.]
Light and darkness are familiar figures for knowledge and ignorance. Knowledge is intellectual light, and ignorance is intellectual darkness. And as we know, in the Scriptures, knowledge and holiness, ignorance and sin, are always associated. Those who have the knowledge of God and divine things are holy, and they only; and those who know not the things of the Spirit are the unregenerated. This is not an arbitrary usage. Knowledge produces holiness, and ignorance produces sin. The works of darkness are works which proceed from ignorance of God, or from the unenlightened, and therefore unrenewed, and therefore the polluted soul of man. It includes, therefore, all evil works such works as the heathen committed, and which unrenewed men everywhere commit. Such works are called “unprofitable” or “unfruitful” because they produce no holy effects, but are pernicious and destructive.
I. Our first duty with regard to such works is, not to have any fellowship with them, or rather, as the word is , have no fellowship or companionship with the children of disobedience in works of darkness. The thing forbidden includes, 1. Congeniality with, or complacency in evil. 2. Companionship, or fellowship with those who do evil. We are not to share the state of mind of those who delight in sin, and we are not to take part with them in its commission. The evil here meant includes not merely, 1. Acts of gross immorality. 2. But all acts which, although not esteemed evil in the world, are really such in the sight of God. 3. The whole course of conduct and amusement characteristic of the men of the world.
This fellowship with evil may be, 1. Internal. It may be cherished in the heart, and by our reading and observation. 2. It may be external, either when we actually participate in what is wrong, or when we connive at it or countenance it in any way. This may be done, (a.) By our words. (b.) By our writings. (c.) By our conduct. A large class of professing Christians are, by the opinions which they advocate, and the course of conduct which they pursue, in fellowship with evil. They evince congeniality with it, and do much to promote it.
II. But we are to reprove them.
To reprove is, 1. To convince. 2. To rebuke. The duty enjoined is therefore, 1. Not to be silent in the presence of evil; not to pass it over. 2. But to show it to be evil. Convince those who advocate or practice it, of its true character. 3. To rebuke, i.e., to declare that those who do evil offend God, and expose themselves to the consequences of his displeasure.
This duty, 1. Is a difficult one. 2. It should be performed with humility, with wisdom, with gentleness, and with a benevolent spirit, as well as with a zeal for the law and honor of God. 3. It should be done officially, by ministers in the pulpit and out of it; by private Christians, whenever the occasion calls for it; not when it is obvious that it would be useless or worse, for we are not to cast pearls before swine. 4. It is often better done privately than publicly.
The great thing is to be holy; to be illuminated by the Spirit; to shine as lights in the world, so that our spirit, opinions and conduct shall be a continual rebuke to evil. This requires that we should keep ourselves unspotted from the world and in fellowship with God, his truth and his people.
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