And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light. John 3:19, NRSV.
The loss of one soul is represented as a catastrophe in comparison with which the gain of a world sinks into insignificance.... In Jerusalem is represented every soul who neglects present privileges and refuses the light that God sends them. Have the counsels of God been cherished? Have the entreaties and warnings of His servants been accepted? Has remonstrance been heeded? Oh, that we may individually improve the golden moments of this “thy day” lest the word shall come, “but now they are hid from thine eyes.” If light shines in our day we are to receive the light, appreciate it, and walk in the light without waiting to see whether prominent people or scholars accept it....
The words of Christ [are]: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” ... Jesus looked down through the centuries and saw that the Christian world would think and teach that the death of Christ abrogated the Father's law. He therefore makes a plain statement to undeceive all minds that want to be undeceived upon this point....
Men and women have died without keeping the seventh-day Sabbath. They were good people and lived up to all the light they had. They could not be responsible for the light that they never had. We are accountable for the light that shines in our day. To excuse our transgression of God's law because good people in generations past did not keep it would be folly....
It is never safe to be indifferent to light. If professedly great and good people do not obey the law of God, is it any reason we should transgress? ... It was the scribes, the rulers, the priests, men in holy office, men who believed their righteousness was above the whole world, who persecuted Christ. These pious pretenders were the fiercest persecutors Jesus had.... It was the teachers of the people that mocked Him while He hung upon the cross.
Professed Christians of today who reject light will be no more favorable to those who receive and rejoice in the light of truth than were the Jews in the days of Christ. If they had known that He was the Prince of life, they would not have crucified Him. Why did they not know? Because they refused every evidence given them that Christ was the Messiah.... They will look upon the believers as a little, weak people, a few fanatics, and will speak derisively of them.—Letter 35a, 1877.
From Christ Triumphant - Page 318
Christ Triumphant