How to deal with spiritual blindness.
I just had a serious conversation with a minister from Nigeria about the hardness of some people who orbit around him and the same type of conversations over the last several months with ministers in Mexico, Ghana and other geographical areas; and with husbands and wives as well. This hardness can only be described as a “deluge of spiritual blindness that is happening with some folks.” For example, I know a person who told me that they are right with Christ while sleeping around with multiple partners on their spouse. Another woman who has become a lesbian thinks she is right before God; the same with a man who has turned to homosexuality. Another man who cheats on his income taxes thinks he is morally upright. An elderly man, who is addicted to legal prescription drugs feels justified talking to his wife in an angry demeaning voice, belittling her. John 3:19:And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. Their eyes are scaled and their heart is hardened because they choose to close their eyes about their sin. In John 14:15 Christ said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” It is difficult to be a sheep, when your heart is a goat. And Matthew 7:20: Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Deceived people work much harder at denying truth than those that embrace truth. What is truth? Truth is not a set of facts; that is knowledge. Truth is a person; His name is Jesus Christ. God is not the demiurge, the originator of evil. Christ is truth, and it is a great comfort to embrace Him rather than a lie.
How do people who have been walking with Christ for some years trade in their relationship with the sublime glory of Christ for things that are cheap and do not build up their higher nature? Deception comes by way of progression. First, a little lie that is accepted, then more get piled up on it and of course, they find a supporting cast to reaffirm their deception along the way. Traveling not far behind comes a callous heart that puffs itself up with false pride, false humility and anger toward those that really care for them. They justify their behavior with a lot of excuses, but none are valid. They blame others for their condition and they have a sense of superiority over others that gives them a false security. Does this describe you? Of course, if you are spiritually blind you will not admit to these flaws because you think you are right. Over thirty years in the ministry I have seen this pattern numerous times. It saddens me that some people are so easily deceived. Unfortunately, some people love satisfying their lower-nature more than their relationship with Christ. Proverbs 14:12: There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. That is spiritual death.
What do you do to keep from spiritual deception or blindness? James 4:8Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. First, you must admit that your actions are wrong and turn to God, and through His word you will be delivered. Sin is usually doing something that is legal in an illegal matter. When it is legal it complies with divine moral law and when it is illegal it violates divine moral laws. For example, sex is legal when it does not violate God’s Moral Law; sex by pedophiles is always wrong. Racism is always wrong; turning your mind over to drugs is always wrong; treating your kids with contempt is always wrong.
Recently, I read a sports article of a highly successful athlete who admitted, “I was successful on the field, but unsuccessful with my wife and kids because of my blind pride.” He admitted that he was down right mean to them. Unhealthy pride is a destructive force in relationships. Proverbs 16:18: Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.
There is a class of men who are successful in one area, but who are failures in raising a family. Like the athlete mentioned above, they place their value in the wrong area of their life. A true blessing or talent does not negate ones responsibility of duties in society and especially for one’s family. We are still required to practice virtues that build up and not tear down. Ephesians 5:28: So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. I can always tell if a man loves himself by how he treats his wife and his kids. I am not advocating spouses don’t have arguments, but they should not be with hatred or being mean spirited toward family members. A mature man will reconcile quickly and learn from it to grow. I grew up in a dysfunctional family and I thank my precious Christ who has given me the strength and love to break that pattern of dysfunctionality in my family. I know some men that will treat an old stray dog better than his own offspring. Do you think it is fitting for a family to be raised in an environment of drugs, anger, threats and broken promises? Man is the inheritor of the divine, if he cultivates the higher-nature inscribed on his heart by being a disciple of those cardinal virtues of the Bible that lifts man up. Yes, we live in a fallen world and there are degrading influences that tug on us, but we forget there are many divine tugging’s as well. Which one do you succumb too? You can chose to scribble over the divine writings of your heart with debase things if you so desire, but that will only sear your conscious. But remember, you don’t get to choose the consequences. When you know to do what is right and you do not, you damage your mind and character along the way. That results in what our pop culture calls “Mental Illness.” Simply put, you act like a juvenile by doing crazy antics. Edmund Burke said, “Personal self-sufficiency and arrogance are the certain attendants upon all of those who never experienced a wisdom greater than their own.” Isaiah 5:21:Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight. Doing what is morally right shapes a man’s ood character. Man is never truly free until he adheres to divine laws created by a just, competent and magnanimous God for the highest good of mankind. There is no such thing as freedom without wholesome constraint. Deuteronomy 28:1-2: “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God… Things can begin to turn around if you will repent and truly follow Christ. Allow yourself to be discipled by someone who is proven. It is up to you now: choose light or darkness.
I also see a blindness of apathy for the Gospel, where people don’t see that they have it, but it permeates their entire life and walk. In a Christian, the blindness of a hard heart, and the blindness of apathy are related like the chicken and the egg. If you do not have as your main purpose in life to know God in a deeper way and to bring others into the light and life of Christ, then you will harden your heart and begin to feed on the counterfeit or the lie. If you harden your heart, then you will not want to know the Lord in a deeper way or bring others into the light.
