125 Spiritual Blindness

Anchor of Truth

Episode 125 Spiritual Blindness

What are the causes of spiritual blindness? Jesus had some strong things to say about blind leaders seeking to lead blind men. He also gave a strong rebuke to the church of Laodicea regarding blindness. Is it possible for us to be blind and not know it? Spiritual vision is a great miracle that comes to us by the mercy and grace of God. The scriptures teach us that we are all born into this world blind to spiritual things and God must open our eyes to see the unseen and see all things properly as God sees them. Jesus came as a great light into a world of spiritual darkness. Today we want to look again at the issues surrounding spiritual vision and the causes of spiritual blindness.

• Spiritual vision is always a great miracle from God
  • Jesus came into a world of darkness (Matt. 4:16)
  • Blindness is a work of the enemy (2 Cor. 4:4)
  • Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12)
• Spiritual vision is a continuous working from beginning to end
  • Those who have never seen (Matt. 15:13-14)
  • Those who have seen something but not clearly (Mark 8:22-26)
  • Those who have true vision but for whom a vast realm of divine thought waits for a fuller work of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:15-23)
  • Those who have seen, but have lost spiritual sight and are now blind but think they see (Rev. 3:14-23)
• Causes of spiritual blindness
  • Unbelief (2 Cor. 4:4)
  • Disobedience (2 Peter 1:5-9, I John 2:9-11)
  • Self-seeking in some way (Matt. 6:22-23)
  • Some scriptural examples of those whose eyes were opened
    • Isaiah (2 Chron. 26, Isaiah 6) “I saw the Lord”
    • Balaam (Num. 22-24, 22:31) “the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes”
    • Man born blind (John 9)
    • Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-40)
    • Paul (Acts 9:3-8, 26:12-18)
  • Cure to spiritual blindness
    • Humility (John 9:41)
    • Honesty (I don’t see clearly)
    • The veil is removed “in Christ” (2 Cor. 3:14)
    • Continually beholding God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 3-4,esp. 3:18, 4:6)
  • Jesus is the light of life (John 1:4, 8:12)

Some good ministry on this subject by T. Austin-Sparks:

http://www.austin-sparks.net/english/books/spiritual_sight.html

• Additional resources at http://www.ntchurchsource.com/
• Theme song “Will Your Anchor Hold” sung by J. Ashley Milne
• Comments and questions welcome. Email [e-mail]