“What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.” (John 9:26-28)
It was a horrible scene: a blind man was walking into Speedway and before he neared the entrance door he dropped his cane. As he was bending down to pick it up a bearded man in a business suit, holding a steaming 32-ounce cup of coffee, was coming out the door. He didn’t see the blind man and plowed right into him, his hot coffee spilled all over his nice jacket and he started screaming:
“What the @&$?! You stupid idiot, did you see what you did to me? How could a grown man be such a fool? You were stooped down right in front of the store? What are you thinking? You piece of trash.” He then gave the blind man a final shove as he crashed down in a heap hitting the hard pavement.
The man didn’t stop, just huffed away into his fancy car, squealed his tires and sped off raising the bird for one last vulgar goodbye while the poor man was left lying on the ground. Two people came rushing to give the blind man assistance; one brushed him off while the other picked up his cane and directed him to the front door. The blind man’s shoulder was clearly hurt…and I am sure his ego was bruised as well.
Tell me, was the blind man at fault?
Of course not. In fact, the businessman was the real jerk in this situation. If he didn’t react so quickly he might have seen that the poor guy had sight impairment and hopefully he would have extended him some grace. But no, he just assumed the man was acting foolishly on purpose. Everybody should know that a blind man can’t be expected to see – and to demand for him to act as a man who can see is flat out wrong. I would even say it borders on abuse.
Yelling at a blind man for not seeing accomplishes nothing, it is an impossible expectation. Blindness isn’t cured by a verbal demand to see. It isn’t cured by anger at a person’s inability, or even statements to shame. Blindness is only cured by a miraculous healing.
However, what is clearly obvious in the physical world is often completely misunderstood in the spiritual world. This is the prime reason why so many people hate religion and feel abused in the church. Blind people are expected to act like they can see. Pastors, priests, teachers and parents place huge expectations on people demanding for them to behave as if they can see (attain righteous perfection); and as much as they try, they can’t nor will they ever be able to achieve it. It is impossible. They are spiritually blind.
But Jesus says in Luke 18:27, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
The Spiritual Condition of Man (Ephesians 2:1-3)
When a person is born into this world scripture declares we all are “Spiritually Blind — dead in our transgressions and sins.” 2 Corinthians 4:4 says this blindness has the effect of warping our perspective on God and his Son Jesus Christ. Instead of seeing him as beautiful and praiseworthy (glory is the term for this), God appears to us as an adversary, our primary object of hate. Colossians 1:21 says, “We are enemies to God in our mind.”
Spiritual blindness is a fact. And yet most churches expect the spiritually blind to attain righteous perfection on their own. Churches demand we yell, and with a pointed finger of disgust, say, “Love God and obey him, or else!” But most can’t even see through their hatred. We act shocked when people behave sinfully, we expect our children and the world around us to naturally perform deeds of righteousness. We wrongly teach “be righteous to become righteous.” No, no, no….this is like telling a blind man to see in order to see. And the more we yell and demand and heap guilt on unrighteousness people for not living righteously, the more we are acting like the bearded businessman whose coffee got spilled. I would even say much of our discussion on “works based salvation”, earning God’s favor through human effort and striving to be good, is spiritual abuse.
How a Blind Man Receives Sight (Romans 1:16)
So how does the impossible become possible? How does the broken soul receive miraculous healing? The GOSPEL. It is God’s power spoken to awaken a dead soul. It is when his light shines to give sight to the spiritually blind man. This moment of enlightenment is what awakens a person to the goodness of God. It has a two-step mutual process:
(1) God, because of his kindness and grace, is moved by the blindness of a person, and so he invites him to receive his mercy. He does this by sending the message of his kingdom. It is a message that is unlike any other. Jesus came to earth to live the perfect life you couldn’t. Jesus died, on the cross, to take the wrath against sin that you couldn’t. Jesus rose from the grave to prove he actually accomplished both. (1 Corinthians 15:1-6)
(2) The Blind Man, after hearing the gospel, is moved by the Spirit of God to receive it. We call this “faith” or as Martin Luther puts it, “naked trust in Christ alone.” Receiving the Gospel is a lot like a sail receiving the wind, or a hungry person receiving a loaf of bread. The Gospel is the power of God that is given to you to change you…it is what helps you see. (Titus 3:2-6)
The moment these two elements interact, or converge, new life is given. The theological term for this is “Justification.” When a person exercises faith in Jesus, God assigns Jesus’ righteousness on his behalf. In fact, he “declares” that person righteous. Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through Our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Justification must occur if a blind man is ever going to see.
Before I was a Christian I was a drunken, Rugby playing, partying fool. I also was empty and lost. Deep down I knew I was missing something, but I didn’t know what? I even went to church, but I never felt “good enough.” I tried to be religious, but the more I attempted to please God the more I knew I angered him. I was exhausted, defeated and I was done trying. And I wanted nothing to do with him.
And then I heard the gospel. I really heard it and I believed it. That is all I did, believe. After that everything seemed different. God was now for me and not against me. I wanted to be a new person. I also noticed that those in the church who used to look at me critically with furrowed brow now wanted to control me. They told me, “If I was going to be a Christian I better start looking the part.”
But Christianity isn’t looking a part, it is seeing life anew. It is finally having a hope and a purpose. It is wanting to live my life for the God who saved it. Justification must take place if I am going to have the spiritual ability to see, really see – – what the purpose of my life is and why God is so wonderful. When you are really are able to see, you will begin to pity those who are blind, and you also get angry at those who think they can see and can’t. Usually, they are the ones who tell you how to dress and what time to show up to church. I don’t go to church because I have to anymore, I go because I worship Jesus there.
Justification is the first step to real Christianity. Stop getting mad at blind people. And start living and sharing the Gospel.
