People love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil and the light of the Gospel exposes who they really are.
In John 3:19-20, Jesus directly states that this is the condemnation: light came into the world, but men loved darkness because their deeds were evil. Les Feldick points back to Adam and Eve, who ran and hid from God, and says this is the Adamic nature that has never changed. The god of this world also blinds the minds of unbelievers so the light of the glorious gospel cannot shine in to them.
John 3:19-20 — Jesus directly explains why people reject the light: their deeds are evil and they fear being exposed.
2 Corinthians 4:4 — Scripture reveals that the god of this world blinds the minds of unbelievers to keep the gospel light from reaching them.
Genesis 3:8 — Adam and Eve hid from God after sinning, which is the first picture of humanity running from the light.
Jesus told Nicodemus, "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved" (John 3:19-20). According to Scripture, when the Light came into the world, humanity did not welcome Him; they preferred the darkness that concealed their evil deeds. Paul explains another dimension in 2 Corinthians 4:4: "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." The condition is universal—Paul also concluded, "What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin" (Romans 3:9). Scripture makes clear that the problem is not the light; it is that fallen humanity hates the exposure the light brings.
Les Feldick begins with Adam and Eve. After they sinned, they sewed fig leaves and thought they had covered themselves, but when they heard the LORD walking in the garden, they ran and hid. Les calls this the Adamic nature—the very first evidence that fallen man runs from God. He says that has never changed; it is human nature to run from God when light shines on sin. Les also teaches from 2 Corinthians 4:4 that the god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that the light of the glorious gospel cannot shine in to them. He compares this to bright headlights blinding a night driver—the attractive, glimmering things of the world are what blind the lost. Les emphasizes that believers cannot overcome this blindness; God must take it away, and this is why we must pray. Finally, Les stresses that every human being has received light from God and is therefore responsible. The Word is near, even in the mouth, but people refuse to step into the light because the light reveals what they are really made of—and they do not want to see or hear that.
After Adam and Eve sinned, they made fig-leaf coverings, but when they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden, they hid themselves among the trees (Genesis 3:8). Les Feldick points out that even though they thought they had covered their nakedness, they still did not want to meet God. This is the first picture of the Adamic nature: sinners run from God because their deeds are evil and they do not want to be exposed.
Les Feldick quotes 2 Corinthians 4:4: the god of this world has blinded the minds of those who believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel should shine unto them. He explains that just as oncoming headlights can blind an older night driver, the bright and attractive things of this world are so glimmering that they blind lost people to the gospel. Until God removes this satanically inspired blindness, believers cannot make the gospel stick.
Les Feldick reminds listeners that from the call of Abraham, God set Israel apart as a favored nation and dealt with the Jews as His covenant people. They had the Word of God, the priesthood, worship, and the law. Yet when Paul reaches Romans 3:9, he speaks as a Jew and asks, "Are we Jews better than they Gentiles?" and answers, "No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin." Israel's privileges did not remove the basic human condition—both Jew and Gentile are under the control of the old Adam, so there is no final difference.
Les Feldick teaches that no human being has ever come into life on this planet without the light that God has given, so everyone is held responsible. He quotes Romans 10:8: "The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart." The Word is there for the taking, but they refuse to step into the light because the light reveals what they are really made of, and they do not want to see or hear that. This is why they prefer darkness.
Jews and Gentiles All Under Sin
Paul, writing as a Jew, concludes that Jews are no better than Gentiles—all are under sin, and Israel's privileges do not change the old Adamic nature.
World's Brightness Blinds
Lost people are blinded by the bright, attractive things of this world so the light of the gospel cannot reach them.
Loved Darkness Because Deeds Were Evil
Jesus says this is the condemnation: men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil; they want to stay hidden rather than be exposed.
Satan's Blindness Requires God's Action
Les says the god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers, and believers must pray because nothing can be done until God removes the satanically inspired blindness.
Blinded Minds Cannot See Anything to Gain
Unbelievers are blinded by Satan and see absolutely nothing to be gained from the gospel, so they continue on their way in total darkness.
Gospel Hid to the Lost
God hid some truths from the disciples, but the gospel today is hid to the lost because the god of this world has blinded their minds.
Adamic Nature Runs From God
Adam and Eve ran and hid from God even after covering themselves, showing that the Adamic nature is still to run from the light and hide from exposure.
Refusing Light That Reveals the Real Self
Every person has light from God and is responsible, but refuses to step into the light because it would reveal what they are really made of.
John 3:19: And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Jesus directly answers why people reject the gospel: they love the darkness that hides their evil deeds.
John 3:20: For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
This explains why people avoid the light: they are afraid their deeds will be exposed.
2 Corinthians 4:4: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
Satan blinds the minds of unbelievers so the gospel light cannot get through.
Romans 3:9: What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
Paul concludes that both Jews and Gentiles share the same fallen condition.
Genesis 3:8: And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
Adam and Eve's first response after sin was to hide from God, showing the fallen human instinct to flee the light.
Romans 10:8: But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
The Word is near every person, but they refuse the light because it exposes their true condition.
Jesus meant that the light coming into the world is itself the condemnation because people's deeds are evil. They do not want their sins exposed, so they love the darkness that hides them and will not come to the light for fear their deeds will be reproved.
Les Feldick explains from 2 Corinthians 4:4 that the god of this world blinds the minds of those who do not believe, so the light of the glorious gospel cannot shine through. The world's bright attractions also blind them, and only God can remove that satanically inspired blindness.
Yes, Les Feldick teaches that no human has come into life without the light God has given. The Word is near to every person, but they refuse to step into the light because it reveals what they really are, and they do not want to see that.
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