Being blind physically is a handicap. Being blind spiritually is a death sentence. Christians today are being spiritually blinded like never before. The source of the blindness can come from school, work, the media, and even church. But one thing is the same in every situation: the blindness occurs because of a false biblical teaching. The Bible says in 1 John 2:18, “Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.”
Sadly, in the last year I have heard many stories of how people have been blinded by those they thought were God-fearing and people-loving Christians. When we could be close to a world-wide revival, there are those who choose instead to attack. I believe it’s true that the church suffers more from the inside than from the outside world. I’ve seen churches grow in numbers but God is not present because of the blindness that has fallen on the congregation.
Look at what 2 Timothy 3:1-5 says about the days I believe we are now living in:
Sadly, in the last year I have heard many stories of how people have been blinded by those they thought were God-fearing and people-loving Christians. When we could be close to a world-wide revival, there are those who choose instead to attack. I believe it’s true that the church suffers more from the inside than from the outside world. I’ve seen churches grow in numbers but God is not present because of the blindness that has fallen on the congregation.
Look at what 2 Timothy 3:1-5 says about the days I believe we are now living in:
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power…
I know people who have called themselves born-again Christians for decades involved in many of the above activities without a second thought. Worse than that, I know pastors leading churches right now that have fallen into the traps of these sins.
I am not an expert on spiritual blindness but I have personally seen and have even experienced it myself. Only by the power of God was I able to see the truth and walk away from the ungodliness. I received a letter one time after I had stated a case for wrong actions by a pastor. This person was the wife of a deacon in the church. She said she did not care what her pastor did or said as long as he didn’t preach heresy on Sundays. It was an interesting statement because she was hardly in church to hear him preach on Sundays. I have a pretty good feeling that God wouldn’t really like that. He made it clear in Revelation 3:15-16, “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” It sounds like God means business about living completely for Him, not just on Sundays! Another deacon knew that the pastor was doing wrong things but didn’t care because people were coming to the church and there was money in the offering plates.
This is what spiritual blindness can do. It can take a person who may have been living a godly life and turn them completely against the Truth. It takes just one phrase to cause blindness.
There is another person who preached each Sunday in a church. Every Sunday at the end of the service he would tell people how much he loved them. Everyone in the auditorium smiled and knew that their pastor was an honest, true Christian man that they could turn to in a moment’s notice. Unfortunately, the story isn’t that rosy. You see, the man would then complain every possible complaint he had about the people of the church, the building, the low income and more during the week! From what I heard, there was not a day that went by without him complaining about his congregation. So much for the love. 1 Timothy 1:5-11 is paraphrased this way in the Message:
I am not an expert on spiritual blindness but I have personally seen and have even experienced it myself. Only by the power of God was I able to see the truth and walk away from the ungodliness. I received a letter one time after I had stated a case for wrong actions by a pastor. This person was the wife of a deacon in the church. She said she did not care what her pastor did or said as long as he didn’t preach heresy on Sundays. It was an interesting statement because she was hardly in church to hear him preach on Sundays. I have a pretty good feeling that God wouldn’t really like that. He made it clear in Revelation 3:15-16, “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” It sounds like God means business about living completely for Him, not just on Sundays! Another deacon knew that the pastor was doing wrong things but didn’t care because people were coming to the church and there was money in the offering plates.
This is what spiritual blindness can do. It can take a person who may have been living a godly life and turn them completely against the Truth. It takes just one phrase to cause blindness.
There is another person who preached each Sunday in a church. Every Sunday at the end of the service he would tell people how much he loved them. Everyone in the auditorium smiled and knew that their pastor was an honest, true Christian man that they could turn to in a moment’s notice. Unfortunately, the story isn’t that rosy. You see, the man would then complain every possible complaint he had about the people of the church, the building, the low income and more during the week! From what I heard, there was not a day that went by without him complaining about his congregation. So much for the love. 1 Timothy 1:5-11 is paraphrased this way in the Message:
The whole point of what we're urging is simply love—love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God. Those who fail to keep to this point soon wander off into cul-de-sacs of gossip. They set themselves up as experts on religious issues, but haven't the remotest idea of what they're holding forth with such imposing eloquence. It's true that moral guidance and counsel need to be given, but the way you say it and to whom you say it are as important as what you say. It's obvious, isn't it, that the law code isn't primarily for people who live responsibly, but for the irresponsible, who defy all authority, riding roughshod over God, life, sex, truth, whatever! They are contemptuous of this great Message I've been put in charge of by this great God.
Spiritual blindness causes people to do things that they would never approve of in the right state-of-mind. Lies are said, gossip is spread, hate mail is sent, threatening voicemails are left. The truth is rejected. This blindness is never meant to lead you to Jesus Christ, it is always meant to lead you away from Him.
Finally, if someone knows the truth, knows things are wrong at a church or Christian organization and continues supporting and endorsing this place, they are living in sin. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15:33-34: “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’ Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.” These people are just as bad as those doing the blinding because they are supporting the unbiblical action.
So, why do I write about this subject? It’s because it is something that is happening today, right now, possibly even to you without you realizing it. Satan is so good at what he does to get us off the straight and narrow path to God that sometimes we don’t even see it until it’s too late. I know this: it’s not something you want to mess around with. If you feel that spiritual blinding is going on, take a look again in 2 Timothy 3:5-7 at what we are to do, “And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives…always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” If you know someone who has been blinded and left you hurt, use the words of Jesus Himself while hanging on the cross for your sins in Luke 23:34, "Then Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.'”
Let’s be diligent to stay true to the Christ who set us free by dieing on that cross, living again, and taking away our sins. Make this prayer found in the Psalms become personal to you as you live according to God’s Word:
Finally, if someone knows the truth, knows things are wrong at a church or Christian organization and continues supporting and endorsing this place, they are living in sin. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15:33-34: “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’ Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.” These people are just as bad as those doing the blinding because they are supporting the unbiblical action.
So, why do I write about this subject? It’s because it is something that is happening today, right now, possibly even to you without you realizing it. Satan is so good at what he does to get us off the straight and narrow path to God that sometimes we don’t even see it until it’s too late. I know this: it’s not something you want to mess around with. If you feel that spiritual blinding is going on, take a look again in 2 Timothy 3:5-7 at what we are to do, “And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives…always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” If you know someone who has been blinded and left you hurt, use the words of Jesus Himself while hanging on the cross for your sins in Luke 23:34, "Then Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.'”
Let’s be diligent to stay true to the Christ who set us free by dieing on that cross, living again, and taking away our sins. Make this prayer found in the Psalms become personal to you as you live according to God’s Word:
No one who trusts in You will ever be disgraced, but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others. Show me the path where I should walk, O LORD; point out the right road for me to follow. Lead me by Your truth and teach me, for You are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in You. – Psalm 25:3-5
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