Seeing They Do Not See [The Spiritually Blind]

Have you ever been in a rut, where you know that something needs to change but don’t know what to do or even which way to go?

Have you ever been concerned over a friend or relative who is caught up in a rut or struggling to get their life together yet nothing seems to change? You want to help but nothing you say or do makes a difference. They walk around blinded to any way out of their situation. They just keep making the same mistakes over and over again…

In the Good News of the Gospel is a way out; a way to live your life in a new and different way. But for many who are trying to see or understand, the Bible is too confusing and so they don’t see the hope it offers to change their lives for the better.

Many have tried to explain the Gospel in the simplest terms so that anyone who hears can understand. Many have tried to illustrate the teachings of Jesus so people can see the truth. Yet today many do not see, nor do they understand. Seeing they do not see, hearing they do not understand. Why is that?.

Why is it so hard to see and understand the Bible?

The Truths Of The Bible Can Only Be Seen With Spiritual Insight

In Matthew 13: 10-17 the Disciples turn to Jesus for help. Jesus is using parables to teach about the Kingdom of Heaven and the Disciples hoped He would find a way to explain things simpler so all could understand and find hope. They understood that many in the crowd had no hope.

The crowds followed Jesus because He could solve any need in an instant. If someone was sick, Jesus could heal them. If they were hungry, Jesus could feed them. If they were tormented by some demon, Jesus could cast it out and make the person whole again.

The Disciples followed Jesus because they believed that He was in fact the Messiah; the one that God almighty had promised would come and establish a new Kingdom that would never fall. It was to be a promised fulfilled to King David, and Jesus was the man to fulfill it. Now Jesus is here teaching but the parables he uses have hidden messages which the many did not understand.

In verse 11 Jesus answers their question–“Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of Heaven is given to you, but not to them”. then Jesus adds, “Though seeing they do not see; though hearing they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this peoples’ heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.”

The one thing that was holding the crowd back was lack of spiritual insight. That one thing was held back because their hearts were hard, they sought Jesus for the miracles, the free things that often occupy our thoughts, but they were not looking for spiritual insight.

The Disciples had faith, they believed that Jesus was the messiah. The crowd had no faith in Jesus for the most part; yes, they believed he could perform miracles, but they still did not believe he was the messiah. Their hearts held them back.

Why Some People Don’t Get It [Is There No Hope]

The crowd had a spiritual problem because they were not part of God’s spiritual family at the moment. They were not believers yet. They were Jews; God’s chosen people. And they were children of God in the sense that they shared a common ancestor in Adam. But they were not believers, yet. This text comes n the middle of Jesus’ ministry and the Holy Spirit had not begun to convict and convince sinners yet. The Disciples and few followers that did believe in Jesus were the minority among the Jews at the moment.

After Pentecost when the followers of Jesus were filled with the Holy Spirit and begun to work as people preached. In the book of Acts when the Holy Spirit came in power the Disciples begun to preach the good news and may followers were added to the assembly of believers.

Acts 2:36-41 – “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.”

There is always hope in God. Still today many don’t see the truths in the Bible, they read but don’t understand. They hear someone preaching or teaching but don’t understand. People don’t get it because their hearts are not open to God. Sin in their life has blinded them to God’s word. Until they deal with the sin problem and turn to God and repent they cannot see how God can help.

Add to this fact that the Devil; ole Satan and his minions, are still out there attempting to deceive the world to keep them lost in their sins. Even those who know there must be something more are targets as the Devil does not want them to repent. The Devil spreads his lies thick. He says, you don’t have to go to church to be saved, just keep doing good in your life and your good works will save you.

The Devil says, God loves you anyway just the way you are, just keep living your life the best you can. Just when you think about going to church the Devil say’s those people who go to church are just a bunch of hypocrites, they just want your money.

In the end people are blinded by their own sinful nature and until God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, convicts them they are convinced that they are doing the right thing.

• The really don’t want to get right with God, they love their way.
• They love the rut their in. It’s comfortable there and they’re in their comfort zone; they don’t want to move out. It’s scary to face the truth.

What Can We Do to Help Reach the Lost

Our hope is found in the power ot the Holy Spirit to reach out and convict others. We can make a difference, but it is not through the power of persuasion! Our hope is found in the power of prayer.

We must always remember that there is a spiritual battle going on.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 – “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

Ephesians 6:10-13 – “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

Are we fighting the spiritual battle? Are we praying always for those whom we know? Are we lifting our concerns to God through prayer, asking him to help those we know that are either struggling with their faith or still lost?

Pray in Faith [Prayer + Faith Produces Results]

Even the Disciples were amazed with Jesus’ power to control even nature. In Mark 11 when Jesus was hungry and came upon a fig tree that had no fruit he cursed it. Mark 11:14 – “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it. When they came back to the same tree the next day and found it withered they realized His great power. At this point Jesus reminded them that nothing is impossible with faith in God–

Mark 11:22-24 – “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

When we are struggling to understand or when our struggle is out of a desire to help those who are lost then we must remember that there is a way to overcome spiritual blindness.

Overcoming Spiritual Blindness [God’s Way]

Overcoming spiritual blindness God’s way is done through prayer.

If you or I want to make a difference in this world. If your hearts desire is to see people come to know the saving power of the Gospel there is only one way. Hope is found when we focus our efforts in the spiritual realm.

The choice is up to you.

You can live as frustrated Christian by simply doing nothing.

Or we can lift our concerns up to Jesus, believing in faith that he hears and answers our prayers. Nothing is impossible with God through prayer.

I hope that something that is said here helps you in your journey to help reach out to others, as well as to encourage and uplift fellow believers.

Please let me know if you have any thoughts or questions on this topic. You can do this by sending an email or commenting or sharing this post on social media.

May God bless you today with wisdom and hope as you journey through life.

Raymond, Author-Walkinghope