It is a frightening thing to be in total darkness. I remember there were times out at sea when there was no moon and if you were outside on the deck's it was so dark that you literally could not see your own hand in front of your face. It was at moments like those that you realize you could step off the edge of the ship and fall into the ocean without warning and never be seen again!

The present world system is just such a place as that in a spiritual sense. Satan, as the prince of the power of the air is filled the earth with darkness and many are stepping into eternity without warning, having rejected or never even seen the light. This is a tragic thing, but in many cases this blindness of darkness is self-induced. It is like someone walking around claiming that they could not see, but wearing a blindfold!

Why do so many people remain in darkness? Why do so many avoid the light? One reason that Jesus gave was that they did not want their deeds exposed.

John 3:19-21 NASB

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. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”

This is so tragic and unnecessary because the light is not restricted to only a few! The allow themselves to be blinded by this world by their refusal to believe.

2 Corinthians 4:3-6 NKJV

But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

John 1:9 NASB

There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.

Now at this point, some would say that the only way for an on regenerate person to receive the things of God would be by a direct action of the Holy Spirit enabling them to see. But what the following verse says is that the spiritual things of God or only foolishness to those who refuse to look at anything spiritually.

1 Corinthians 2:14

But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.

It is a twisting of this passage to say that unregenerate people lack the capability to comprehend anything about salvation apart from a direct revelation from the Holy Spirit. It is true that the Bible, as the Word of God, has Spirit-embedded power that is living and active, but the receiving of truth is not what Paul is talking about. In context, he is saying that the Greek philosophers and orators didn't have a clue about the wisdom of God, and never would because they refused to believe.

Thus even the psalmist could write,

"The entrance of thy words giveth light;

it giveth understanding unto the simple."

(Psalm 119:130)

In fact, it's a direct operation apart from the word of God were necessary for salvation, then Romans has a glaring omission in chapter 10, verses 14-17:

Romans 10:14-17

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:

“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,

Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

But notice here that Faith comes by hearing the word of God not by hearing someone's opinion or a very gifted speaker. If we are not preaching the word there will be no convicting power to save, because the light will not be shining. Some have compared the church to a hospital for the sick, and that is a valid illustration. But we are also to be a lighthouse for the blind! That's why Paul was inspired to write this as well:

2 Corinthians 4:5-6

For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Let no man say he was lost because the Holy Spirit didn't give him the ability to see the light. The light has shone on every man, and the Spirit acts through the living Word of God to illuminate the path to salvation. Preach the Word and let the light shine!