THE DANGERS OF SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS IN ANY ERA

 

John 9:35-41

The people have observed another miraculous healing of the man born blind was an astounding display of His/Jesus’ divine power, and life- changing event for the formerly blind man. But something we need to understand is that this man’s physical sight was not all the Lord was planning to give him on that life changing day. Jesus granted, yes granted, him spiritual sight as well, this is evident when the young man “worshipped Him” (v38) This was a gospel moment as well as a teaching one. Blindness is used throughout Scripture to represent the fallen man’s inability to comprehend divine truth.

 

We read in Isaiah, “Bring out the people who are blind, yet have eyes, who are deaf, yet have ears!” Isa 43:8

 

Jeremiah describes the blind as foolish, “Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes, but see not, who have ears, but hear not.” Jer 5:21

 

Isaiah revealed the leaders of his day were blind watchmen, “His watchmen are blind; they are all without knowledge; they are all silent dogs; they cannot bark, dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber. The dogs have a mighty appetite; they never have enough. But they are shepherds who have no understanding; they have all turned to their own way, each to his own gain, one and all.” Isa 56:10-11

 

So, centuries later Jesus would expose and renounce the Pharisee’s as blind men as well. Jesus would pronouns them guilty with the statement “Woe to you” Matt 23:1-36. This statement means they are guilty, and punishment will come upon you. Its in Matthew’s gospel Jesus would proceeds to state wherein they were guilty. It is here this most eloquent, most appalling, and most terrible of all discourses ever delivered to humans was pronounced in the temple, and in the presence of multitudes.

 

Jesus would say in Matthew’s gospel. “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves. “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.’ You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred?” Matt 23:14-19. Jesus would continue, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous,” Matt 23:23-29

 

By healing this man and giving him sight to see spiritual truth, reveals what the gospel produces…obedience and true worship of the One who came to save sinners. These men who overheard what Jesus was saying to this new man, was not by accident on Jesus’ part. This was a divine encounter to expose their true hearts ands motives. This conversation and affirmation of this man’s faith was to reveal a spiritual bankruptcy in these men who were suppose to be ready and prepared for the coming Messiah. I want us to pick up where these men asked Jesus the question “Are we also blind?” (v40)

 

This question speaks volumes to many pew-seaters

in the modern church age.

 

There are countless numbers of people who attend or become members, even get baptized, that are no different then these men who stand before the Son of God. We live in a society that is blinded by the things and aspirations of this world. Paul Washer says, “The world promises lots of glitter that is not gold." It’s having this truth exposed to their hearts, we realized how so many are fooled to the false promises of the world system and the church’s inability to stand upon truth. How easily we can pursue false hopes and dreams while our lives are wasting away and we become more useless to the kingdom of God. This is the false hope that many live by in the church age; a false understanding as it relates to spiritual truth, the gospel, and the Holy Scriptures.

This was the problem with these men as it relates to their spiritual status, “Are we also blind?” The blindness to spiritual things is poor, a blind sinner sees nothing of the light of life; that is these men. As John Calvin said, “Men will never worship God with a sincere heart, or be roused to fear and obey Him with sufficient zeal until they properly understand how much they are indebted to His mercy.” This means that, “The Sun of Righteousness has not risen upon Him.”

 

They perceive nothing of the

love of God in Christ and the gospel He preaches.

 

They are blind because this is the effects of unbelief. “as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.” Rom 11:8

 

They are blind because they are slaves to the Devil. “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Cor 4:3-6

 

They are blind because its inconsistent with the communion with have with God. “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” 

1 John 1:6

 

This is why Jesus exposes these men to the light of truth,

this is why they remained blind.

 

They claim to love God, but in reality, that is a lie. They claim to love the God of the Scriptures, but they love self, and portions of God’s word. They claim to be saved, but they are just as lost as the day they were born. This sobering truth is that those who willfully reject the light of salvation in Christ may find themselves fixed in their condition by God. Understand Scripture records not only that Pharaoh hardened his heart against God. (Exodus 8;15;32; 9:34). But also, that, as a result, God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. (Ex 4:21; 7:3; 9:12;10:1; 11:10; 14:4,8)

These men were those who could see, but they were truly blind to the Light of the world, the gospel. Many live, work, go to school, even attend church, live this way every day. They will not come to the light because they love the darkness, but also, they don’t want their evil deeds exposed. It’s the idea that D A Carson said, "Some Christians want enough of Christ to be identified with him but not enough to be seriously inconvenienced.” The man who was blind confessed his spiritual blindness and that he needed the Light of the world. The opposite was found in these men, who had physical sight to see, but rejected the Son of God.

 

The question these men ask Jesus, is formed in a way

that requires a negative answer.

 

Surely Jesus wouldn’t be suggesting that they were spiritually blind like the common people who did know the Law and rules of God. After all they were elitists, self-proclaimed experts in the law and devout disciples of Moses. They were recognized religious leaders of Israel. They were the superstars of Israel. These men were confident, that they lacked nothing in the spiritual perspective department. But the sad reality is that these men were so blind, they refused to admit their blindness.

 

This continued blindness is evident in today’s Christian circles and so-called churches.

 

One presbyterian speaker, not pastor, I refuse to say that title, said, “If Jesus were here today, he would have been a clinic escort...an abortion Doula"…”Blessed are those who end their pregnancies"

 

This is directly from Allendale United Methodist Church’s website. “We affirm the sacred worth of all people and strive to practice Christ’s example of unconditional love without exclusion. All are welcome to participate fully in the life and ministries of this congregation. Whatever your race, ethnicity, economic situation, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, background or belief, age or condition of ableness, whether single or partnered, you are God’s beloved and are welcome here. God calls us to acts of love, grace, and advocacy to promote healing and reconciliation. We are building a new Allendale: a place without barriers, a sanctuary for all.”

 

Some Lutheran and United churches use this as their creed before every so-called, call to worship. “I believe in the non-binary God whose pronouns are plural. I believe in Jesus Christ, their child, who wore a fabulous tunic and had two dads and saw everyone as a sibling-child of God. I believe in the rainbow Spirit, who shatters our image of one white light and refracts it into a rainbow of gorgeous diversity,”

There are many bible schools, universities and seminaries that are more liberal than the churches I have just mentioned that believe what they are teaching is biblical and true. For example: The teachings of Liberation theology which is a combination of Marxist philosophy with certain biblical motifs. It argues that we should reconstruct the whole of Christian theology by seeing it through the “axis of the oppressor and the oppressed.”

 

And this breaks my heart! Thousands, upon thousands of people, attend churches that teach and proclaim a different gospel; and what’s worse is that they think they are going to Heaven, when reality they are just as lost as the atheist, just as lost as these men in John Gospel.

 

Paul wrote the church and said, “While evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.” 2 Tim 3:13

 

And the sad reality of this it will lead many into thinking they love Jesus and are going to heaven. But the Scriptures plainly state, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” 1 Cor 6:9-10

 

This is why Paul lovingly warned the church about doctrines of demons. “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” Col 2:8

 

 

This is why Jesus says, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt…but your guilt remains.” (v41) Why? To be spiritually blind is not to see Christ, and not to see Christ is not to see God. And this leads to not seeing your sin for what it is……a rebellious and treasonous act against a holy and perfect God. Those who reject Christ are the lost, as so many turned and stop walking with Jesus. John 6:68-69. This is also evident in Paul’s teachings, “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” 2 Cor 4:4

  

This is goes for the pew seater as well and those behind pulpits in Canada and around the globe. Deceived into thinking they are saved and safe in His sovereign arms, but in reality, they are storing up judgment and wrath. This is tragic, that is why this portion at the end of John’s chapter is heartbreaking, because you know people like this, I know people like this. There are thousand upon thousands of churches that meet each week, just like us, sing songs just like us, professing to know God just like us, but in reality, they are just as lost as these men who stand before Christ.

 

Here is the warning! Without God and left to ourselves, we easily succumb to the devil’s schemes. We can become so hindered in the affairs of this world and its moral darkness that, in the end, God turns us over to spiritual blindness and eternal condemnation. Paul wrote, “Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.” 

Rom 1:24-25

 

These Pharisees were unwilling to acknowledge their blindness, but claimed to see. But unfortunately, their sin has damned them to outer darkness. This is why there is so many lost in the church, and outside the church, because they love their moral darkness but also love the Jesus/God, they have created for themselves. This is why their “guilt remains” this carries the sense of finality; it many be that this point Jesus permanently confirmed they’re in their willful spiritual blindness. This is why we read in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus says, “And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” Matt 15:10-14

Here is the tragedy! These three words “Let them alone” reveal that God will sometimes judge directly unrepentant sinners by abandoning them and even hardening them in their unbelief. (Hosea 4; Rom 1:18,24,26,28)

 

This is why Jesus is the determiner of human destiny as Simeon said, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel…” Luke 2:34. Those who, like the blind beggar, acknowledge their spiritual blindness and turn to the Light. This means they will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life. John 8:12. But those who, like these men, persist in loving the darkness rather than the Light. We see their demise in John 3:19-20. They will continue to wander aimlessly in their death until judgement and this is tragic, and deeply saddening. ”But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” 1 John 2:11. This group is destined to be condemned to the horrifying darkness of eternal Hell. But if you have air in your lungs, this is a wake-up call, there is still hope for you like this beggar who was once blind but is destined to spend eternity in the glorious light of Heaven.

 

What do I mean?

 

If the Lord Jesus has opened your eyes, then indeed you cannot help but recognize your former blindness; for in that state of nature, you could literally perceive nothing. This is the blessing and the truth of the gospel. These men were exposed by the light, but in their rebellious hearts they remained blind to the truth of the gospel. It’s not because God is sadistic, or is picky to those who belong in heavenly places, its because the natural man and woman is lost, blind, and many hate the light. As it relates to this portion of Scripture. John Piper wrote, “This is a description of the blindness and deadness of all human beings in the world who refuse to come to the light. The light that God reveals of himself in nature, they refused to go there. The light that he reveals in Christ, in the gospel, the light that he reveals of himself in Scripture, the reason people don’t come is not that they lack light, but that they love darkness. They are not kept from light against their will. It’s precisely their strong-willed preferences for the darkness that keeps them away from the light. Therefore, our blindness and our deadness is a real blameworthy desire and love and preference for darkness over light. We are really responsible for these desires, these loves, these preferences that we have. They are the very essence of what is evil about us. Oh, how thankful we should be that God does not simply leave all of us in our rebellion, but instead breaks in with light so we can see and savor and embrace the glory of Christ as our supreme treasure.”

That truth is evident in the man who was once blind and now sees “Worshipped Him”. Jesus became the supreme treasure of his heart because he saw his sin for what it was, evil. But he also saw the precious Saviour who came to extend grace and eternal love towards a repentant sinner saved by God’s grace. This is what the gospel does effectually to someone who was once blind to their sin.

 

What can you do to prevent spiritual blindness?

 

Recognize, be sensitive to your sin and the true gospel, because sin is what keeps a person blind from true fellowship and ultimately from Jesus in Heaven. Confess your sin and seek to be restored by a holy and just God who is patient. Realize there is an eternal joy, and there is no condemnation for those who are truly His, through the gospel confession. Seek God in prayer for the removal of spiritual blindness. “Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,” Psalm 13:3. In David’s prayer he says, “lest I sleep the sleep of death” The idea is, that death, indicated the dimness of vision was quickly stealing over him as a sleep, and that unless his clarity of vision were restored, it would soon end in the total darkness, the deep and profound sleep of death. 

 

This is why we love the whole counsel of God to keep us from darkness overcoming our lives and thoughts as we read in Psalm 119:18, “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

 

Things which are suited to excite wonder and amazement into the heart of the new and veteran believer’s life daily. That is, things which are secret or hidden from the common view or unregenerate man or woman; the deep, spiritual meaning of the word of God. This is pure worship and genuine faith that worships God, not the superficial man-centered worship that these and so many people do in churches around the globe. Heed the warning before its to late, spiritual blindness only leads to death and separation, where blindness that receives sight sees true joy found in Christ alone.