As the Shining Light that Shines More and More
Here’s another “coincidence” in my daily reading. This time between Proverbs 4:18 from my daily reading of Proverbs: “But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day,” and a section of John Owen on that same verse which I “happened” to read the same day.
I am almost finished reading Owen’s “Meditations and Discourses Concerning the Glory of Christ,” which followed his longer “Meditations and Discourses on the Glory of Christ, in His Person, Office, and Grace: with the Differences Between Faith and Sight; Applied unto the Use of Them That Believe.”
Sidebar: Why don’t authors use such magnificently lengthy descriptive titles anymore?
Let me quote Owen. This is from Owen’s Works, volume 2, pages 438 – 440, Banner of Truth edition.
That this spiritual life is in its nature and constitution such as will abide, thrive, and grow to the end, is three ways testified unto in the Scripture.
In that it is compared unto things of the most infallible increase and progress; for besides that its growth is frequently likened unto that of plants and trees well-watered, and in a fruitful soil, which fail not to spring, unless it be from some external violence; it is likewise compared unto such things as whose progress is absolutely infallible, Prov. 4:18, “The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” The path of the just is his covenant-walk before God, as it is frequently called in the Scripture, Ps. 119:35, 105; Isa. 26:7; Ps. 23:3; Matt. 3:3; Heb. 12:13; and it compriseth the principle, profession, and fruits of it. This, saith the wise man, is as the shining light; that is, the morning light. And wherein is it so? Why, as that goeth on by degrees, and shineth more and more unto the high noon (though it may be interrupted sometimes by clouds and storms); so is this path of the just, – it goes on and increaseth unto the high noon, the perfect day of glory. It is in its nature so to do, though it may sometimes meet with obstructions, as we shall see afterward; and so doth the morning light also.
There is no visible difference, as unto light, between the light of the morning and the light of the evening; yea, this latter sometimes, from gleams of the setting sun, seems to be more glorious than the other. But herein they differ: the first goes on gradually unto more light, until it comes to perfection; the other gradually gives place unto darkness, until it comes to be midnight. So is it as unto the light of the just and of the hypocrite, and so is it as unto their paths. At first setting out they may seem alike and equal; yea, convictions and spiritual gifts acted with corrupt ends in some hypocrites, may for a time give a greater lustre of profession than the grace of others sincerely converted unto God may attain unto. But herein they discover their different natures: the one increaseth and goeth on constantly, though it may be sometimes but faintly; the other decays, grows dim, gives place to darkness and crooked walking.
This, then, is the nature of the path of the just; and where it is otherwise with us in our walk before God, we can have no evidence that we are in that path, or that we have a living, growing principle of spiritual life in us. And it is fit that professors of all sorts should be minded of these things; for we may see not a few of them under visible decays, without any sincere endeavors after a recovery, who yet please themselves that the root of the matter is in them. It is so, if love of the world, conformity unto it, negligence in holy duties, and coldness in spiritual love, be an evidence of such decays. But let none deceive their own souls; wherever there is a saving principle of grace, it will be thriving and growing unto the end. And if it fall under obstructions, and thereby into decays for a season, it will give no rest or quietness unto the soul wherein it is, but will labor continually for a recovery. Peace in a spiritually-decaying condition, is a soul-ruining security; better be under terror on the account of surprisal into some sin, than be in peace under evident decays of spiritual life.
And, by the way, this comparing of the path of the just unto the morning light minds me of what I have seen more than once. That light hath sometimes cheerfully appeared unto the world, when, after a little season, by reason of clouds, tempests, and storms, it hath given place again to darkness, like that of the night; but it hath not so been lost and buried like the evening light. After a while it hath recovered itself unto a greater lustre than before, manifesting that it increased in itself whilst it was eclipsed as to us. So hath it been with not a few at their first conversion unto God: great darkness and trouble have, by the efficacy of temptation and injections of Satan, possessed their minds; but the grace which they have received, being as the morning light, hath after a while disentangled itself, and given evidence that it was so far from being extinguished, as that it grew and thrived under all those clouds and darkness; for the light of the just doth in the issue always increase by temptations, as that of the hypocrite is constantly impaired by them.
Again, as it is as the morning light, than which nothing hath a more assured progress; so it is called by our Savior “living water,” John 4:10, yea, “a well of water, springing up into everlasting life,” verse 14. It is an indeficient spring, – not a pool or pond, though never so large, which may be dried up. Many such pools of light, gifts, and profession, have we seen utterly dried up, when they have come into age, or been insnared by the temptations of the world. And we may see others every day under dangerous decays; their countenances are changed, and they have lost that oil which makes the face of a believer to shine, – namely, the oil of love, meekness, self-denial, and spirituality of converse; and instead thereof, there is spread upon them the fulsome ointment of pride, self-love earthly-mindedness, which increaseth on them more and more. But where this principle of spiritual life is, it is as the morning light, as an indeficient spring that never fails, nor can do so, until it issue in eternal life. And sundry other ways there are whereby the same truth is asserted in the Scripture.
Why did I quote this lengthy passage?
Because of the charming old word “indeficient,” of course! And the spelling of “lustre!” (Lustré? “Must be Italian!”) (In case your perception of the preceding reference is lackluster, see here: https://youtu.be/4ewXbqRUdjU?si=slIhPazGOPYSJZ_E)
I quoted it at length because it gives me hope. And that is because Owen recognizes that a Christian’s progress in sanctification is not always steady and bright. “It may be interrupted sometimes by clouds and storms.” When a true believer backslides, falls into sin, is fainthearted and gives up – “falls into decay,” as Owen terms it, there is yet a “principle of saving grace” that “will give no rest or quietness unto the soul wherein it is, but will labor continually for a recovery.”
Owen writes about these “decays” as being “for a season.” For me, that season lasted for such a length that it makes me often question whether I had such a principle of grace within me to begin with, or whether grace truly entered my heart just a few years ago. Sometimes, due to continued frequent fallings and failings, I question if God’s grace is truly within me even now. So it’s almost a moot point. Was I truly saved at age 17 while still in high school? And then did I fall away for “a season,” that season lasting 22 years? Did the clouds then start to clear to allow the light of the grace within me to shine again? You know what? This is what matters: “TODAY if you hear His voice, harden not your heart.” (Heb. 3:15) “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” (Rev. 22:17)
“Lord, I come. O, forsake me not utterly.”
