Gold is mined in the depths of darkness; in hidden places, it is brought up to light. In deep depths does the treasure lie; when one finds it, he buries it again. Gems found in the midst of rocks; one that sparkles when the light hits it; the others do not sparkle and are the same. A star in the night sky, who will bring it down? Pearls inside the mouth of a clam, hidden from the eyes of man. Crack a parable. Excavate a dark saying. Dig up a mystery. Find the gem which sparkles in the light. Put your light in dark places. With your eye, light up the depths. Bring heaven down.
In this dark world, although it is illuminated in light for 12 hours a day, it is dark. There is no knowledge of the truth, for our minds are darkened. We have no light. Our minds are darkened by the ignorance within us. Who knows truth? If we seen it go by, we would say, “What was that?” Yet we all know it, deep down in the depths of our soul; yet no-one perceives it. Many have proclaimed it, bringing it to the light, but no-one acknowledges it. We are dimmed by darkness, and the sayings have not illuminated us. We think we already know, yet we know nothing. We’ve heard it before and we say, “I have known it already,” yet we have not understood it; so the light has not entered us, otherwise we would have joy in eternal riches.
“There are thousands of translations of the Text, and the divisions over them. The denominations? Are there not thousands of sects of Christianity? And they all believe different things! Oh, and all the atrocities done in the name of God: beheadings, murder, and wars. Is religion such a good thing? Oh, and observe the Christians themselves! They are heady, high-minded, snobby, and act better than me. If I were to become a Christian, I would be like them! Oh, how many churches on the street corners and how famous religion is; wouldn’t truth be hidden? In the depths of darkness like a gem or a jewel. And if they have it, they’re not zealous for it!” Says the unbeliever.
These things are true, and many speak this way against Christianity; for religion to them is what they see, rather than what they don’t see. Is gold of Ophir in plain sight for all to find? Does a gem come from a stalk of wheat? Or do pearls grow on trees? Rather, these are hidden, in the depths of the earth, and require searching after. There is a strong concentration of rock amidst gold, a dense darkness amidst truth. Does one get to the water of a coconut from the outer layer? Does someone search for something they don’t believe is there?
These observed things surrounding Christianity are the darkness; these are the rocks of human kind, and are, as rocks from the earth, prevalent amidst the children of men; these things are pride, divisions, factions, envy, murder, strife, laziness, love of self, apathy. And these saturate the truth, as a layer of rock around the gem. For they are seen, but the gem is unseen. Where then is the gem? Where is humility, unity, love, peace, empathy, and self-abasement? Would not these be considered as jewels in the midst of us? But just as these “rocks” are from the earth, their opposites must come from heaven; for they resemble the stars in the midst of heaven. And these virtues are greater than gold, for they persist after death.
But whether above or below, “Who will descend into the deep,” or “who will ascend into heaven”? But rather it is Christ Jesus who descended to earth, and further still, to Hades; He it is who ascended from the dead, and higher yet still, to heaven, seated at the right hand of God. And yet you say, “I have known it already.” Have you understood it already? For we all have knowledge of it, but have we understood to search it out? If I know He is, and a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him, then I will seek Him, not expecting to find nothing, but through understanding, expecting to find Him. For He has promised, “Seek and you will find, Knock and it will be opened, Give and you will receive.”
I wrote expressly about all these “rocks” in the world which are grounds for stumbling; but if you can’t get past those rocks, how will you succeed past the Rock? For Christ is "A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE.” (1 Peter 2:8) But, “HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED." (Romans 9:33) For the way of earth to find earthly treasure is to dig by toil and sweat; but the way of heaven to find heavenly treasure is the way of faith, which is no work at all. For just as earth is opposite of heaven, so work is contrary to faith; and the ways of the Lord are not our ways; as it is written, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)
So therefore, pursue Christ, not through works, but through faith — searching and seeking the living God, although not seeing Him. For it is not through observing the things of the world, that you come to Him; but through observing Him by faith, the written Word of God. For the things which are seen are not from faith, for they are opposites to faith; and they lead you not to Christ, but away from Him; for this reason we walk by faith, not by sight.