The Tragedy Of Spiritual Blindness

Matthew 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.

The small koala staggered onto the road, forcing the oncoming traffic to come to an abrupt halt. At first appearance the small bear behaved as if it was intoxicated on an overdose of eucalyptus leaves, but the tell-tale signs around the eyes revealed the truth. Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease that effects hundreds and hundreds of koalas in Australia. Swollen, cloudy eyes that cause eventual blindness and ultimately death due to starvation, is the sad reality of this condition. The koala, totally disorientated, and unable to see his dangerous position, squatted in the middle of the road swaying back and forth until a motorist, impatient to be on his way, almost drove the little bear off the road. This is a common occurrence along the rural roads where I live.

Watching the koala wander slowly off into the scrub, I reflected upon the greater tragedy of spiritual blindness. Jesus had plenty to say about those who were unable to see that their own shortsightedness led both themselves and others astray. Full of opinions and practices that inhibited them from entering into the Kingdom of God, they blindly led others along the same path too. The disciples may have given weight to the opinion of the Pharisees; but Jesus did not mince words with those who presume to guide others, though they themselves lacked spiritual insight.

John 9:13-14 They brought to the Pharisees him that beforehand was blind. And it was the Sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.

In John 9 we read the story of Jesus healing a man born blind and the Pharisees refusing to accept this healing because it was done on the Sabbath. Instead of being grateful for this supernatural work of God’s grace, the Pharisees begin to argue about the observance of the Sabbath. Their concern is about their interpretation of what the fourth commandment requires. Rather than question their own understanding of the law, they reject Jesus and His ministry. Obstinate unbelief had blinded them spiritually, despite their clear physical eyesight. Jesus summed up their blindness succinctly when he said:

John 9:39 For judgement I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and they which see might be made blind.

Jesus gives sight to the blind (Luke 4:18) and yet those who think they see are blind. Jesus came to open the eyes of the blind so that they would understand God’s Kingdom perspective, yet ironically, those like the Pharisees who truly believed they understood God and His ways, would remain fixed and lost in their ignorance and spiritual blindness.

Indignant, the Pharisees responded to these words, ‘Are we also blind?’ (John 9:40)

John 9:41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

The Pharisees lacked the humility to see that they were sinners, and blinded by their sin, they failed to see their true position.

Like the Pharisees, there are many who do good and honor Christ with their lips, yet their hearts are far from Him. They worship Him in vain, teaching the doctrines, philosophies and practices of the world, rather than clinging to the crucified Christ and the salvation found in Him alone. They are blinded by their sin. Yet Christ still opens the eyes of the spiritually blind today. Those who are staggering around in their sin, lost in an eternal oblivion and wandering aimlessly without a Shepherd are being brought to the cross and finding the hope they never dreamed possible. Our call is to pray faithfully that God might in His mercy open the eyes of those who are blind.

1 Peter 4:17 For the time is come that judgement must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Let’s examine ourselves first before pointing the finger at those we consider to be spiritually blind. Judgement will begin with the house of God (His Church) and we have much to answer for. Our own opinions and practices, habits and means of justifying ourselves before the Father are no less offensive than the sins of the Pharisees. Let the earnest and humble plea of David ring from our lips to so that we might see clearly with our eyes and walk securely before our Heavenly Father.

Psalm 51:10-12 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation: and uphold me with thy free spirit.