Spiritually Blind

2 Corinthians 4:3-5 “If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake.”

I was talking to a good friend of mine this week about the obvious lack of morals, ethics, honesty, respect, honor, purity, et cetera in our society today. I remember when I was in the Cub Scouts program, I memorized the Scouts Law: A Scout is Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent - Judeo-Christian values that set a foundation of values to live by that looked outside of self. It seems so far from the godless self-centered values we see today. My friend told me a little story about himself that shed some light on how blind the unregenerate heart can be.

Matthew 15:13-14 Jesus replied, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit."

He told me that though he was raised in a major denominational church, baptized as a youth, went to Sunday school weekly, served as Acolyte/Altar boy, went through Confirmation, but didn’t know one thing about salvation. His church never talked about sin and he had no idea that he was a sinner; never knew that he was lost in sin, so didn’t think that he ever needed to be found or saved. “Chasing girls and girls chasing me, I never heard the word ‘fornication’ once. Sex is what we did.” He said that his world compass was set on this life (human existence) – girls, playing games, and having fun, but a moral & spiritual compass did not exist. “Jesus was just a man on a Cross and meant nothing to me”. God was not a personal God at all. It was meaningless. Church was an okay thing to do; you could take it or leave it. His family went to church, so he felt that they were Christians. Life was totally self-serving. He did whatever he wanted to do and there was a lot to do, with many distractions, to where he didn’t think about godly living at all. Raising hell was his way of life. Take up your Cross and follow Jesus? What did that mean? He didn’t get it ... yet.

John 3:3-6 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.]" "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.”

Praise the Lord, this story does not end there. Many years later, my friend knew a Christian man that kept telling him about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Though he was blind to the truth, seeds were being planted into his hard heart. One day as he had finish visiting this friend, the man (concerned about his soul) tuned his car radio to a local Christian station and asked him to listen to it on the drive home. The Pastor preached a message that we have all sinned against a just and holy God. The words cut straight through his heart, and the veil that blinded him from spiritual truth was lifted. “God is holy and just!” “I have sinned against God!” “I am in big trouble!” Then and there, he repented of his godless and sinful life, asked God to forgive Him by the atoning blood of Jesus taking his place on the Cross and accepted God’s free gift of eternal life in Heaven. He now lives a godly life, instead of a godless lie. This truly is a testimony to us all. Glory to God!

John 9:39 Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind."

Brothers & sisters, we have a spiritually blind world out there, needing us to point to the loving Lord and Savior. Praise God for that man that led my friend to the foot of the Cross. May you and I do the same for someone who has not come to a “saving” knowledge of Jesus Christ and make a godly difference in this world.

In Christ, Brian