I’m guessing it is safe to say that we are talking about a spiritual ‘blindness’ as opposed to physical. Fact: We were ALL blind to begin with. What remains to be ‘seen’ (yes, pun intended) is do we really see?
And what was the source of our blindness originally?
We know that Jesus was sent to a people ‘sitting in darkness’. (Matt 4:16). He came to be not only a light, but ‘THE’ Light... of the world. (John 8:12)
We also know that ‘light came into the world and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil...and would not come to the light because they hate the light.” (John 3:19-20). Yeah...that one always gets to me as well.
“But he who does or practices or loves the truth...comes...to the light...that his deeds may be clearly seen...” (vs.21)
[Quick Pause for Clarification Here] – ‘light’ = ‘word’ = ‘Jesus’. Jesus Is the Word...He Is the Light...His word is a ‘lamp unto our feet’. (Ps.119:105).
Have you ever stopped to consider why we can go through seasons in our lives where we tend to shy away from the Word? You know...just really don’t want to wade through it? Other things seem more appealing like that TV or whatever. Heck...we would rather get lost in a ‘spiritual devotional’ book as opposed to the Word. What is it...about this ‘Word’ we say we love but will avoid and refrain from spending time in?
So back to the source of our ‘blindness’. Paul mentions in his second letter to the Corinthians suggesting: “if our gospel is veiled (hidden), it is veiled to those who are perishing.” (4:3)
If the gospel is veiled/hidden, what does it say there - is the condition of those people who don’t see it?
They are...perishing. Now I am not a big ‘Greek’ guy, but I do know a little about looking up words in a concordance for more clarification if needed. That word ‘perishing’ comes from a Greek word ‘apollymenois’ which means to ‘destroy fully’. We also see derivatives of this word in Revelation 9:11 where it talks about a ‘king’ who rules over the people and his name is Apollyon which means ‘destroyer’. I’m assuming you know who this is talking about here, yes? Satan. I would also direct you to 1 John 5:19 that states matter-of-factly that the ‘whole world lies under the sway/influence/power of the wicked one.’
Jesus declared in John 10:10 that He came that we ‘might have life, and it more abundantly”....but first clarifies that it is the ‘thief who comes to steal, kill, and....Destroy’.
Now, quick visit to Luke 13:1-5 (cited this yesterday) Jesus enlightens us to the truth that unless we all repent...we will all likewise...perish. There’s that word (perish) again. Can I just tell you that there is a little bit more to this idea of ‘repenting’ than saying you believe Jesus is the Son of God and was raised from the dead?
Now skip over to Acts 3 where Peter is preaching to those who have witnessed a notable miracle of a lame man being healed in front of the temple. This did provide a captive audience and Peter does not hold back in declaring the whole counsel of God. He obviously is speaking to many Jewish brethren and cites the writings of old where Moses had foretold of a future Prophet that God would raise up some day (Jesus); and listen to the point Peter drives home here in vs. 22-23...”Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you...and it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly Destroyed from among the people.”
I don’t know about you, but Me thinks this whole notion of ‘abiding’ is sounding a little bit more important than maybe we thought previously. And other little statements made by Paul in his writings make more sense now...like ‘work out your salvation with fear and trembling’ (Phil. 2:12) and ‘cleansing ourselves from ALL filthiness of the flesh and spirt, perfecting holiness in the fear of God’ (2 Cor 7:1). And while we like to think of the church being a big love-fest as we enjoy the presence of God, we also read in Acts 2:43 & 5:11 that ‘great fear came upon all the church’. But God was also working mightily in their midst as well.
Back to 2 Cor. 4 where the gospel is veiled to those perishing...’the god of this age has blinded those who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ ...should shine on them.” (4). Now...let’s ‘connect some more dots’....
Acts 26:15-18. This is where Paul is testifying of his personal encounter with Jesus that led to his conversion and what God is commissioning him to do...sending him to preach the gospel to the Gentiles so as “to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God ,that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.”
Whoop....go back and read that again slowly.
So, quick review here. Prior to seeing the light...we were in darkness...our minds ‘veiled’ by the god of this world, a.k.a. ‘the destroyer’. He does what he can to hinder/keep us from seeing the light that we might be set free. (Go look at Luke 8:11-12 for extra credit). ;-) Want to guess how we can have that ‘veil’ removed? It tells us right there in 2 Cor. 3:16- “when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.” Is that not amazing?
Again...Jesus told us there in John 10:10 that the ‘thief comes to...destroy’. But what did Jesus say He came to offer? - Life...and it more abundantly. What I think many of us fail to see is that there are so many people who struggle to read and understand and live out this Word. They seem to want to...but continue to hit that wall...and falter and fall and get discouraged wanting to throw in the towel and give up. We do see in John 6:66 where many no longer followed Jesus but this was probably for other reasons.
I love this hidden nugget of truth found in John 5:39-40 where Jesus addressed a group telling them that they search the scriptures thinking they will find eternal life...but are not willing to ‘come to Me, that you may have life.” We see that phrase ‘not willing’ again in Matt. 23:37.
This idea of ‘coming to Jesus’ seems to get diluted in our teachings. You can go into a department store and try on an outfit to see how you like it. We don’t have the luxury of ‘trying on Jesus’ to see if we like Him. If you don’t come to Him with ALL your heart in total surrender....you have Not...come to Jesus. I realize many bristle at that statement, but I’m telling you as honestly as I can...this could very well be the hinderance that so many have faced in their faith walk. There is no middle ground. You are either all in, or not. If you ‘think’ you are in, but still have an anchor or leg back in the world, then the best you can expect is a ‘form of godliness’ but will fall short in personally experiencing the power that will transform your life.
I would also submit that the reason people tend to drag their feet in surrendering to Jesus with All their hearts has been our failure to teach the whole counsel of God giving people a chance to see what is actually at stake here. This idea of ‘Jesus has a wonderful plan for your life’ sounds nice, but it’s not the whole story.
Let me close out today with some more thoughts on this ‘destroyer’ subject. Isaiah 54:16 tells us that God created him: “...And I have created the destroyer to inflict ruin.”
I know...gives you pause, yes? For the sake of time/space, a quick look at Acts 13:40 where Paul warns the church of the need to “beware...lest what is spoken in the prophets come upon you(us)”. He cites Habakkuk 1. You might go read there verses 5-12. In short, God is warning of impending judgment where He is ‘raising up the Chaldeans’ to carry out His wrath. Let me just tell you Paul is not suggesting that God is going to raise up that ancient tribe of people to carry out His wrath. But God does use the ’enemy’ to do that. And who is our enemy today? ( 1 Peter 5:8). a.k.a. the ‘destroyer’. And why did God create and use this entity? vs. 12 answers that question.
Like I said earlier...this whole ‘abiding’ in Him just has a stronger sense of urgency to it...as in maybe we should stop looking at it as some ‘extra credit option’ for super-saints.
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