Blinded | Romans 1:21

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Blinded by their Hearts

Futility of minds starts in our desire not to “honor him as God.” Our Hearts are Arrogant.’

Ephesians 4:17–18 ESV

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.

“One great power of sin is that it blinds men so that they do not recognize its true character.”  Andrew Murray

“In faith there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don’t.” Blaise Pascal

Spiritual Blindness is the Result of Human Arrogance that leads to ignorance. It’s a willful ignorance.

We know that God exists. This is the plain knowledge of all men, but instead of accepting what we know, we reject it. More than this man sets his heart steadfastly against God.

Our intellects, damaged by the fall, will always lead us into dark futile thinking. We are hopelessly broken by sin and in darkness.

We live in an era that says, “Do what you feel” The problem is like every portion of our being, our feelings are damaged by sin and its effects.

Jeremiah 17:9 ESV

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

"Out of this darkness, out of this refusal to acknowledge God, comes a growth and increase in human arrogance: Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools (verse 22)."

Sproul, R. C. (1994). The Gospel of God: An Exposition of Romans (p. 35). Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications.

“I cannot believe in a God who wants to be praised all the time.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche

Blinded by The Enemy

2 Corinthians 4:3–4 ESV

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Another source of Spiritual Blindness is spiritual in nature. It’s spiritual warfare. We cannot miss this: one of the key works of the Holy Spirit is to open the blindness of men’s eyes so that they can see.

Jesus met this blindness head on with the Pharisees

John 8:42–45 ESV

Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.

When we believe the lies of the devil and not the truth of God and his word, when we allow the world and its lies to effect the way we see the things of God, we are blinded by the enemy.

The Second Letter to the Corinthians a. The Light of the Gospel in the Heart of the Apostle (4:1–6)

It is Satan who has prevented unbelievers from grasping the stunning brightness of the Gospel that is there for all to see.

It’s not just that those who are lost are “incorrect” about the gospel, or that they don’t understand. They are blinded by the lie. It’s only when the Spirit of God leads us into truth that we can behold the glory of the gospel.

John 16:13–14 ESV

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Paul is making it clear that the gentiles, like all sinners are blinded in their sin.

1 Corinthians 2:14 ESV

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

The only way to battle spiritual blindness is by the Spirit of God. This is a spiritual war that must be fought by the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. How often do we go into the world, convinced that it is our arguments that are going to change lives. They aren’t. The world is blinded by sin. What is going to change the world is spirit filled people, preaching the Sprit inspired word to the lost and dying world.

They are Blinded by God

John 12:39–40 ESV

Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said, “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.”

Jesus Gives Sight to the Blind

John 8:11–12 ESV

She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”