March 30

Read: I Thessalonians 4:7-8

Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin (James 4:17).

To Him That Knoweth

The objection is often raised that God would not damn a saved man who, having had no light on holiness, had never been sanctified; therefore we cannot assert that it is second-blessing holiness or hell. Many able answers have been proposed to clear up this issue. But for all practical evangelical purposes it is not our question to answer. God alone can deal righteously with the consequences of ignorance among men.

Our responsibility is for the consequence of knowledge. The issue for us is not, What will God do with those who do not know? The issue is, What is God’s judgment upon those who neglect or who refuse to walk in the light?

When God reveals truth to the mind, He requires us to do something about it; and the more important the truth, the greater the urgency for action. In every decision between right and wrong, between good and better, now is the time to act. The responsibility of God’s child is to seek the truth and to obey that truth as soon as it is known.

There is no evading the fact which the Bible puts so clearly: “God hath… called us… unto holiness. He therefore that rejects [marginal reading] rejects not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.” We cannot turn away from the light of holiness without disobeying God. We cannot continue to disobey — even though conscience has grown numb and no longer prods us — without backsliding. H I have had clear light on entire sanctification I must walk in the light and obey. Or I shall disobey and walk into darkness. The consequences of my decision are second-blessing holiness or hell.

Affirmation For Today

I shall this day do what I know God wants me to do.