The DANGERS of
SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS
Rev. John W. Gerald
I. BLINDNESS OF HEART
Eph. 4:18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
This is where spiritual blindness starts. It is a blindness that does not appear to the victim. It is, nevertheless, fatal to the soul. It is called ignorance, and blindness of the heart. Those so blinded, are alienated from spiritual life. They are dead, and do not know it!
II. INNER DARKNESS
Mt 6:22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
Mt 6:23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great [is] that darkness!
Singleness of eye represents singleness of purpose. A divided mind is hard to deal with. A person so afflicted is unstable in all of his ways. Indecision is frustrating, and prevents decisive action. But a person who does not know whether he will serve the Lord, or not, and puts off accepting salvation through Jesus Christ, is making a decision through default! Those who can only see what the flesh and the devil desire, will make decisions in the dark! Their decisions will not be influenced by spiritual truths, nor will they be made in the light of eternal interests.
III. SEEING NOT PERCEIVING
Mt. 13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
Mt. 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mt. 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
The parable (a story or illustration) is not needed for those who have spiritual discernment, but the story is interesting to the spiritually blind and darkened mind. People will listen to a story, who will not listen to truths preached without illustration. They may enjoy the story, and miss the truth it illustrates entirely!
Mt. 13:14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
IV. THE WILLFULLY BLIND
Mt. 13:15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and [their] ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with [their] eyes, and hear with [their] ears, and should understand with [their] heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
The worst kind of blindness is WILLFUL blindness. The Pharisees knew that Jesus was from God, yet they condemned him to death for selfish reasons! They were afraid that he would take away their place and their nation!
V. THE SPIRITUAL BOTH SEE AND HEAR!
Mt. 13:16 But blessed [are] your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
Mt. 13:17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous [men] have desired to see [those things] which ye see, and have not seen [them]; and to hear [those things] which ye hear, and have not heard [them].
The prophets only saw through visions from a distance. The disciples saw through personal experience, first hand. We have their record, and through divine inspiration are permitted to see the things of God. Eyes that are open to the truth can see the truth when they accept it from the Lord. We see and believe the things that pertain to eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.
Mt. 15:14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
Those who do not "see" spiritual truths, yet presume to lead others will certainly lead them astray. Those who are led by the blind will fall with them in the end.
Mt. 23:16 Woe unto you, [ye] blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!
Mt. 23:17 [Ye] fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
To those who are greedy of gold, the temple may have little significance, but the holy place is of greater value than that which adorns it, and is sanctified by it. It is greater than any of its components. Is heaven valuable for its streets of gold, or because of its inhabitants? Are the precious stones of their foundations more valuable than the walls? Is the ring on the finger more valuable than the bride who wears it? Obviously not!
Mt. 23:19 [Ye] fools and blind: for whether [is] greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
Spiritual blindness misplaces true values!
Mt. 23:26 [Thou] blind Pharisee, cleanse first that [which is] within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
Some people are more interested in appearances than in genuine character. It is better to have inner cleansing than to have only outward show. Inner character will eventually be seen on the outside.
VI. SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS
Mt. 16:3 And in the morning, [It will be] foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O [ye] hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not [discern] the signs of the times?
Every generation is concerned with the signs of the times. We are so concerned today, and it is still true that we cannot see the real need of our generation. Spiritual blindness is so prevalent. When the need for revival seems most urgent, blindness to it is the greatest.
Lu. 19:41 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
Lu. 19:42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things [which belong] unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.
"This thy day" refers to the fact that Christ had come and had offered them their Messiah, which they had expected, but now rejected. It had been their day of salvation! It had been their opportunity as a nation, but it had now passed.
Joh. 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
The Jews, as many of us, hated Jesus because he revealed the truth. He was like a search light in their souls. They could not bear to see what the truth revealed. They hated him for making their sins known.
Joh. 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Workers of iniquity love the cover of darkness. They scamper like roaches when the light is turned on. They will do anything to deflect the light from their lives and deeds.
Joh. 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Those who are upright and honest have nothing to hide! They do not fear the light. When their good deeds are discovered by the light of truth, they receive honor.
Joh. 4:10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
VII. THOSE WHO FOLLOW JESUS SEE CLEARLY
Joh. 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
It is true, that the source of all light is Jesus! He is the light that brings life to the world. He is the light that leads to eternal life! In him is no untruth or falsehood. Those who abide in him will abide in the light of life! Darkness is ignorance, superstition and spiritual blindness. Jesus is the only healer of the spiritually blind. The way to receive spiritual sight, is to confess sin, receive pardon and grace through faith in Jesus Christ, and be saved unto life eternal through his atoning power. Have you received the "Light of Life"? Accept Him today!
