THOUGH I WAS BLIND, NOW I SEE (Part 2)
“He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.” (John 9:25 NKJV).
Jesus’ miraculous work on the man who was born blind evoked a chain of reactions. At first, the Jews did not believe that the miracle actually happened although they had listened to the man’s testimony. So, they called his parents to interrogate them.
John records their interrogation.
John 9:
18 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight,
19 and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”
20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind. (RSV).
Still not satisfied with the parents’ response, the Jews summoned the man again for another round of interrogation (John 9:24-35).
Sadly, like those Jews, many people today still don’t believe that Jesus still saves, heals, delivers and does wonders and miracles.
Having failed to discredit the miraculous work the Lord Jesus had done on the man born blind, the Jews resorted to discrediting Jesus before the man while they were interrogating him.
“So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, “Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.” (John 9:24 NKJV).
But the man was quick to answer them, saying, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.” (John 9:25 NKJV).
It is impossible to discredit Jesus before someone who has truly had a divine encounter with Jesus!
As pointed out in the first part of this piece, the miraculous work was a sign for the Jews and also for us today.
Let us examine the purposes or implications of this sign.
First, the man was blind from birth, when he had not even done anything right or wrong. Jesus told His disciples that the man’s blindness was not caused by his personal sins or that of his parents (John 9:3).
This implies that our spiritual blindness from birth has nothing to do with our individual sins. It is simply one of the consequences of the original sin, the sin of the first man, Adam. We are sinners from birth, not by our sins, but by the disobedience of Adam.
Paul states, “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.” (Rom. 5:19 NKJV).
Having become alienated from the life of God from the womb, our minds have become darkened and unfruitful in knowing or discerning the things of the Spirit of God.
Paul testifies, “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Cor. 2:14 NKJV).
Second, the miraculous sign was to unveil the Lord Jesus to the Jews then and to all men today as “the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.” (John 1:9 NKJV).
Jesus came as the Light into the world so that we might not continue to abide or walk in spiritual darkness.
Jesus declares, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (John 9:5 NKJV).
“I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.” (John 12:46 NKJV).
Although the blind man did not invite or ask Jesus to restore his sight, yet Jesus came to him and gave him his sight.
Likewise, while we were straying into destruction because we were spiritually blind, God came down in the person of Jesus to give us light, so that we might not abide in darkness and eventually perish in darkness.
What a good, loving and merciful God!
Third, the miraculous sign reveals that it is a must to put our faith in Christ before our spiritual sight can be restored.
Although Jesus had done all the works He needed to do on the blind man, yet until the man acted upon Jesus’ words, his sight was not restored.
John writes, “When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.” (John 9:6-7 NKJV).
Similarly, although Christ had accomplished the work of our salvation, yet until you put your faith in Christ and His redemptive work, you will remain in your sins and spiritual blindness.
Without imploring God He sent down His Son, Jesus Christ, to come into the world to accomplish the work of our salvation through His shameful and painful death on the cross.
Paul states, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:8 NKJV).
Although the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men in the person of Jesus Christ; however, grace alone cannot save anyone; you must put your faith in the provision of grace for you to be saved.
Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ Jesus and His finished work at the cross!
Paul testifies, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Eph. 2:8-9 NKJV).
Anyone who rejects Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour has rejected God’s only provision for his salvation. Such a person will die in his sins and spiritual ignorance!
Beloved, you were born spiritually blind into the world which is full of darkness. It is indeed a double tragedy!
From birth, you were wandering and groping about in darkness, walking in the futility of your mind, having your understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God (Eph. 4:17-18).
However, there is good news for you. What is the good news?
The Light has come into the world (John 3:19)!
Jesus Christ has come into the world to give you light (spiritual understanding) so that you may know the true God and be reconciled to Him.
Apostle John states, “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.” (1 John 5:20 NKJV).
The divine light or spiritual understanding that the Lord Jesus gives is His divine Life. The Scripture testifies, “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:4 NKJV).
Without having divine life in your spirit, you are still in darkness, without spiritual understanding.
How can you receive this divine life and thus have divine light or understanding?
By believing, confessing and surrendering to Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour!
Paul clearly presents this truth in his epistle.
Romans 10:
8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach):
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (NKJV).
John also writes, “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:12 NKJV).
Friend, Jesus Christ, the true Light, is still in the world, giving life and light to all who believe in Him, receive Him, and follow Him.
Why would you continue to abide and walk in darkness?
Welcome Jesus Christ (the true Light) into your life today and you will never again abide and walk in darkness.
Jesus assures, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” (John 8:12 NKJV).
Follow the Lord Jesus and you will never again walk in spiritual darkness!
Prayer: My Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Jesus Christ, the true Light, into the world to give me the light of life. I believe in, receive and confess Jesus Christ today as my Saviour and Lord, in Jesus’ name. Amen.