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From above I stated last year...
From the New American Standard Bible (NASB):
19 This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
From Strong's: 4655 for darkness in John 3: 19. (88). σκότος
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| Strong's page 88 |
From my Reformed perspective, the corrupted, fallen nature of humanity (Genesis 3, Romans) prohibits a person in darkness from embracing the light to the point of salvation.
New American Standard Bible
Romans 5:10 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved [a]by His life. Footnotes: [a] Romans 5:10
Colossians 1: 21-24 21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, 22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach— 23 if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.
Human beings as enemies of God and being alienated from God with a hostile mind (s), in my opinion cancels out theology/philosophy of person's simply responding to the offer of salvation using libertarian free will (incompatibilism). In contrast, God, through the Holy Spirit, regenerates the persons (Titus 3, or same makes born again John 3) applying the atonement and resurrection work of Jesus Christ to those persons that simultaneously embrace, as secondary cause, with limited free will, what God has caused, choosing them (Ephesians 1-2) (compatibilism). This is neither libertarian free will, nor divine force of coercion.
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January 8 2020
Again from the NASB
19 This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
As from the New Testament, human beings love darkness (evil) as opposed to the Light from the triune God (God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit) (good).
They embrace evil deeds, but these deeds can be exposed by the Light.
God the Son, Jesus Christ is the Light here. But, theologically, God's gospel and truth is also 'light.'
In his John commentary, David J. Ellis writes concerning 3: 19...'Christ as the world's true Light shows men what they essentially are.' Ellis (1239)
Here in my theological opinion, is a biblical reason why many non-believers have little or no interest in biblical studies, religious studies and theology, because any study risks his/her worldview and resulting choices, acts and actions being exposed as evil and sinful.
There are also others that reject the gospel and the atoning and resurrection work of Jesus Christ by embracing counter premises and conclusions in contrast to what are the more evidentially clear biblical interpretations, and therefore support counter premises and conclusions, within biblical studies, religious studies and theology. This group would include some critics and scholars.
Based on New Testament theological concepts, human sinful nature (and demonic influences on humanity) is multifaceted. Disbelief in the biblical God occurs with both a human refusal to significantly study the bible, religion and theology, and disbelief occurs with some that study at various significant levels, but disagree.
I am using John 3 for a theological base with article. As for living in the democratic western world, I certainly support the rights of those to be non-Christians and am not hostile or unfriendly towards non-Christians. I am not being combative.
BAUER, WALTER (1979) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, Translated by Eric H. Wahlstrom, Chicago, The University of Chicago Press.
ELLIS, DAVID J. (1986) 'John' in F.F. Bruce (gen.ed.), The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Marshall Pickering/ Zondervan.
STRONG, J. (1890)(1986) Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Burlington, Welch Publishing Company.
Related links
Wednesday, June 05, 2019 Darkness: But not black and white
Monday, June 03, 2019 Darkness and lack of belief
