But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! (Matt. 6:23 NIV).
Paul declares: For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light (Eph. 5:8).
Also: Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness (1 Thess. 5:5).
And: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son (Col. 1:13).
Peter testifies: But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light (1 Peter 2:9).
These verses are yet further proof of our spiritually blind condition from birth.
To deny this fundamental Christian truth is to embrace a fundamental tenet of Pelagianism.
We were once ruled by the Prince of Darkness, Satan, the ruler of the darkness of this world (Eph. 6:12); the prince of the power of the air (Eph. 2:2).
We were once among those in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them (2 Cor. 4:4).
The facts are clearly before us:
- All mankind come into this world spiritually blind sinners, bound to slavishly serve sin and Satan.
- As such, mankind cannot see or comprehend that which is spiritual, the Gospel included.
- The impossibility of our overcoming this spiritual inability by any power existing in ourselves is equivalent to the impossibility of a man born blind overcoming his blindness by sheer will power and desire……which is why the Holy Spirit deemed it necessary to include the miracle of John 9 in Christ’s catalogue of miracles.
- It is Christ who gives sight to the spiritually blind.
- Christians have been given the gift of spiritual sight by God’s free grace in Christ, without which they could not believe the Gospel…..even if preached by Christ Himself.
But man’s situation is much more dire and complex than that of spiritual inability alone.
Mankind loves darkness rather than light.
In fact, mankind hates the light and willfully refuses to come to the light (John 3:19-20).
How then is it possible to come to faith in Christ when men not only lack the ability, but lack the desire and will power due to hatred of the Light?
Who then can be saved?
The things which are impossible with men are possible with God (Luke 18:27).
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined (Isaiah 9:2).
But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. (Romans 10:20)
Such is the sovereign, omnipotent power of the Holy Spirit when born of the Spirit.
Spiritual blindness is removed and spiritual sight given.
Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,
3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?
4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:
5 The blind receive their sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me (Matt. 11:2-6).
Is the reader offended in Christ?
Is the reader offended to hear that unless Christ gives spiritual sight to the spiritually blind it is impossible for that sinner to see or believe spiritual truth?
Is the reader offended to hear that no man can come unto Christ by his own strength, power, will, or intellect, except eyes of faith were sovereignly given unto him by His Father? (John 6:65).
Is the reader offended to hear that the spiritual birth necessary to enter the Kingdom of God is graciously given to those of God’s sovereign choosing, independent of anything meritorious in man?
If so, you walk in darkness.