Truth is black and white; there is no gray area. Christianity is entirely right, and all non-Christian views are entirely wrong – completely, at every point, and to its utmost degree. Darkness is not a dimmer light, but the absence of light, and light is not just a brighter darkness, since there is no light in darkness to be increased in the first place. Rather, light stands for the opposite of everything that is represented by darkness, and darkness stands for the opposite of everything that is represented by light. Scripture maintains this contrast in numerous passages, not as a difference in degree, but as two extreme opposites: "For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God" (2 Corinthians 6:14-16).

Paul refers to Christians as those who have been "rescued…from the dominion of darkness." Non-Christians are enslaved by the persons and qualities represented by darkness. They are intellectually and ethically ruled by Satan, and they are characterized by total wickedness and irrationality. They are bound in this condition, both unable and unwilling to free themselves from being evil and stupid. Unless an unbeliever admits this, he does not acknowledge his wretched condition and his need for God's grace, so that there is no repentance. And unless a believer declares this, he deceives the hearers and fails to deliver the gospel.

Some of the Christians who oppose me confess that Scripture indeed speaks and teaches as I do. However, they add, perhaps we should not tell the unbelievers all that we are saying here. That is, we realize that the Bible calls them evil morons, and many other derogatory things, but do we have to tell them that? Perhaps we can tell them about their true condition as unbelievers, using the words that Scripture uses, after they have converted to the Christian faith? In their rebuffs against me, this has been suggested even by some Reformed Christians, who take great pride in their strong doctrine of sin. But rather than a show of wisdom and kindness, this is blatant hypocrisy and underhandedness. What? Do we refuse to say to the non-Christians what we say behind their backs? Is this the kind of people we are as Christians? And then we have the gall to declare that they should become like us? This shameful behavior belongs to the realm of darkness and not the light.

On the one hand, we must not impose unbiblical barriers to the Christian faith, such as circumcision, food laws, or the celebration of holy days (2:16); on the other hand, we must not remove barriers to the Christian faith that are necessary aspects of the gospel, and that can only be overcome by the Spirit of God at work in the human heart. One such barrier is the biblical doctrine of sin. It offends and humiliates the sinner, and demands his repentance. Just as the doctrine of the crucifixion presents a stumbling block to some, the doctrine of sin, when presented in its fullness, causes those to stumble who have not the grace to acknowledge the truth and relinquish their pride, so that they may be saved through faith in Christ. But this stumbling block is a presupposition and cornerstone of the gospel, and it must remain if the truth – if the Christian faith itself – is to be preserved.

Of course, we may distinguish between the content of a message and the manner in which we present it. The biblical doctrine of sin is harsh in content, but the way it is presented can vary, depending on a number of factors, including the context of the conversation and the attitude of the audience. The point is that we must present the truth about what we believe, that is, if we truly believe what the Bible says about non-Christians. When we compliment the devil, we become the enemies of Christ. It follows that to preface our gospel preaching with praises for non-Christian science, culture, altruism, and so on, as even Reformed Christians often do, is something that comes from the evil one. Rather, our doctrine and conduct must reflect who we are – that is, children of the light – and also who they are – slaves of darkness, children of the devil.

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