Sight Over Blindness

We’ve heard the phrase, They can’t see the forest because of all the trees. Or maybe you’ve heard or even used the phrase, Don’t bother me with the facts; my mind is made up. Both of these phrases probably gave birth to the concept that ignorance is bliss.

None of these ideas are healthy or wise. Yet, they describe the world in which we live and the way in which we used to exist. It’s like a hog or a turkey blissfully enjoying eating themselves to a fat hog heaven, while feeling so wonderful about how well they’re treated. Then comes that fateful day, when they are going to be the main course.

Jesus came to give spiritual sight to a world accustomed to being blind.

Opposition Against Spiritual Sight - 4:3-4

This world finds itself careening downhill at a breakneck speed toward destruction.

Everyone on the ride is screaming with the thrill and an adrenaline rush as they catapult in the darkness towards destruction. My friend, this is the picture I see of those who enjoy being blinded; unable to see the Light of Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:3–4 NASB95

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Paul speaks of this blindness as a veil which has blinded the minds of the unbelieving. You see, the god of this world has blinded the Indus of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.

Satan has seen to it that confusion, deception, lying, chaos, and whatever it takes, is used to keep people from coming to Jesus for salvation. He will try to get people to think of Jesus as only a baby. He will try to get people to believe that Jesus is good from a human perspective and not really a righteous, holy God. He will try to cause people to see Jesus as unfair by adding human logic and wisdom to their thinking, as if Jesus could be reduced to humanity’s ways. Satan will do his best to get people to be religious and trust in their good works to earn enough points to get to heaven. There are so many ways in which the god of this world will oppose people getting Spiritual Sight.

Remember that last week, we recognized that there seems to be a love of darkness and a resistance to light. This is because of what the apostle John described in John 3:19.

John 3:19 NASB95

“This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.

Not only is their rejection of light because of their love for evil, Paul explains earlier that it is simply not possible for the unbeliever to experience sight because the Holy Spirit has not yet enabled them to understand spiritual matters.

1 Corinthians 2:14 NASB95

But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.

Frankly, it doesn’t matter how eloquent the message is presented, nor how logically, or seeker-friendly the message is. Unless the Spirit of God enables the unbeliever to be freed from the veil covering their eyes, causing them to be spiritually blind, they will continue on in the darkness, condemned for eternity.

We know that the god of this world, Satan, is very proactive in pulling that veil or shade over the spiritual eyes of the unbeliever. Why would he do this? For the simple reason that they might not see the light of the gospel. Satan does not want people to be saved. He does not want God’s glory to be seen in Jesus.

Origin of Spiritual Sight - 4:5-6

It is imperative that we understand that the origin of spiritual sight does not come from studying, nor from listening to great speakers, nor from amazing personal experiences. It is from the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:5–6 NASB95

For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

Everyone who proclaims the gospel message should repeat this phrase over and over: We do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord. The gospel message has no power if it originates with me or you. The gospel message has power only if it originates with Jesus and proclaims Jesus as Lord.

At this Advent time of year, we proclaim the glorious reality that Jesus, the Son of God, came into this world as a baby, thus beginning His incarnation; God in the flesh. But we must understand why He came into this world as a baby. As has been stated so many times, Jesus came to offer forgiveness of sin, providing the opportunity for salvation to all who would believe on His Name. This was accomplished on the cross at Calvary and was validated by God the Father when Jesus was raised from the dead. He could not have died had He not been born as a man. He could not have been raised from the dead had he not been fully man so that He could die. We could not live had Jesus not died and rose again.

This time of year, we celebrate the fact that Jesus came to this earth for our salvation. Christmas exists because Easter happened. And one day, when I leave this planet, I will be experiencing in fullness the benefit of that Christmas gift from Jesus Christ when He took away my sins and made me His child.

It helps to understand verse 6 a bit more when we look at it comparing Genesis 1:3.

Genesis 1:3 NASB95

Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.

The light shone out of darkness. The God of all that there is turned the physical light on at creation. The same God turned on the spiritual light in my life when I become a new creation.

Just a sidebar; my salvation was instantaneous and not a process. The creation of this world and all that there is, and in particular, light, was instantaneous and not a process. Just as evolution is not true in the physical world, it is not true in the spiritual realm.

John 8:12 NASB95

Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

Before my salvation, my spiritual world was in darkness. I was spiritually blind. As smart as I may have thought I was; as good as I tried to be; I was blind. Jesus alone caused me to experience the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

The origin of spiritual sight is none other than Jesus Christ. The veil was lifted from our eyes the moment we were able to be saved. We know that origin or that source is Jesus Christ.

Outcome from Spiritual Sight - 4:7-10

As we recognize these deep truths, our heart’s desire should be to proclaim the wondrous news of why we celebrate Christmas, all the while looking to Him regardless of our situation in life.

2 Corinthians 4:7–10 NASB95

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

Have you ever considered the fact that you are carrying the richest treasure ever to be known within yourself? You may not think that when you look in the mirror or when you see other Christians. But it’s true. Whoever you are and whatever you do, you are carrying the glory of God in the face of Christ. That is beyond amazing!

A little later in this letter, Paul writes about being attacked in such a way as to make him look like a fool in presenting the gospel message. This experience wasn’t much different than some of the media, some politicians, or some people who disagree with you. Listen to how low they went.

2 Corinthians 10:10 NASB95

For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible.”

But we know that the valuable treasure of the gospel of Jesus Christ is not affected by our appearance or how we talk. Remember the power and ability to change lives does not come from us, but from God. Yet, you have to admire how Paul dealt with this in order to continue sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. He didn’t deny his weaknesses. Just like us, Paul carried the glorious treasure of the gospel in an imperfect, faulty human being.

Friends, if the world were to base their belief about Jesus only upon how we look or what we say, it would be a complete failure. However, we are not presenting ourselves. It is Jesus Christ we present. We carry this treasure in our frail and failing bodies. We don’t speak our words, but we speak the life-giving words of Jesus.

We don’t just stay with the incarnation or the birth of the Son of God, we move all the way through His crucifixion and continue to His resurrection. We speak from the simplicity of the manger, to the steadfastness of Jesus’ life, to the sadness of the cross, to the celebration of the resurrection. Then we bring application to the hearer as we explain the need to surrender to the Savior for Salvation in Christ.

Just like many ordinary clay pots that have been used for centuries to store valuable treasurers, so are we. The value of the pots comes from what is contained within them. What a privilege to be used by God to share the most valuable gift of all with others; though I am just a common, ordinary earthen vessel or clay pot. We see this in Paul; we see the same thing with the apostles; just everyday people who were given sight and allowed to share with others that glorious treasure that was within them. The reason: so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves.

As we look at verses 8-9, we see that rather than allowing problems and supposed limitations define Paul, he chose to recognize that as an opportunity to allow God’s power to be seen through him. What a lesson for us! When we feel the most inept, the weakest, the most beat down, we can rejoice that God’s power is unaffected. In fact, that which the world in its blindness thinks should destroy us, allows God to receive all the glory, allowing that glorious, unfiltered light of Jesus Christ to shine. When we recognize our weakness, then God is free to unleash His power.

You see, one of the outcomes of spiritual light is that regardless of what happens to us, if we are sharing that light with others, God’s power is unlimited. We are able to share the love of God in spite of our inabilities and ineptness. Notice that Paul didn’t go around acting like Mary Poppins and just thinking a spoonful of sugar would make everything better. He recognized the problems; he acknowledged how intense everything was. Yet, he fully understood that Greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world.

Verse 10 clearly shows that all of Paul’s suffering was because of evil men, not because Jesus was not pleased with him. Jesus Himself suffered at the hands of evil men, not because the Father was upset with Him. In fact, the Gospels tell us that the Father was pleased with Him.

How many would have thought that the first Christmas night was the beginning of the end of Jesus’ earthly life? How many would have conjectured that the baby born to Joseph and Mary would have to die at the hands of evil men so that those who would believe on His Name would receive eternal life? This, my friends, is all part of the Christmas story. Yes, it is somewhat upside down from what most people think about Christmas.

Without the power of the living Christ in our lives, just like Paul, we would be dead in our sins. Paul summarizes this whole thought in Galatians 2:20, which we remember so well.

Galatians 2:20 NASB95

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Observations

In this world that seems to function in a dysfunctional manner in its blindness, Jesus’ gives sight which overcomes blindness.

As the hymn writer stated: Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound; that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I’m found; was blind, but now I see.

Yes, there will always be opposition to Spiritual sight. There will always be those who will shout Bah! Humbug! But even Ebenezer Scrooge’s character has the veil removed from his eyes.

The reason this is possible is because of the origin of Spiritual Sight which is found in none other than Jesus Christ. It could not have been a man-made idea, for there would be no power.

And this outcome from having spiritual sight is that Christ rules in our lives. In this world, which suggests that you are in charge of your own destiny, this certainly is upside down.

So this Advent season as we prepare for the arrival of Christmas in celebration of the arrival of our Savior, proclaim to this upside down world, with a joyful voice, that peace can only be found in Jesus Christ.