Monday, July 18, 2011

Daily Gospel Devotional: July 18

John 9:35-41…

Seeing is believing…

Jesus had taken the initiative to give this man physical sight (John 9:11). Now He would take the initiative to give him spiritual sight. The failure of the Pharisees and their religion was evident, as was the power of Jesus (John 9:30-33).

Do you believe in the Son of Man? The formerly blind man knew Jesus was God’s messenger, but now Jesus would reveal Himself as Messiah. This resulted in worship. The man who was blind could now see, both physically and spiritually.

For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind. Jesus came to save (John 3:17, 12:47), but in the process of His coming as the “Light of the world” (John 1:4, 8:12, 12:46), He exposed the sinfulness of men. Those who refuse the light remain in darkness. There is no neutral position on the question of Jesus.

Are we also blind? The Pharisees thought of themselves as having spiritual vision. Jesus tells them that they are not lacking evidence of who He really is, but since they won’t receive it, they are indeed guilty of sin, and spiritually blind.

People have enough evidence to turn from their sin and have faith in Christ. Yet most refuse to receive the Light. Because they think of themselves as capable judges of Jesus, they remain in spiritual darkness. Their ideas of God are predicated on their own sinful predisposition.

If you go away just thinking that Jesus was a good man, or a prophet, or some ideal we can aspire to, without realizing who He really is, the Son of God and the Savior of the world, you are in grave danger. People think they can see clearly, but you cannot see what you are blind to.

4 comments:

Even So... said...

In the course of one year we will read
• Every Verse
• Every Passage
• Every Gospel

We welcome your comments. If you know someone who would like be included in the daily email, or if you would like a copy of the reading schedule, let us know (primesoul@hotmail.com). You can check www.voiceofvision.org for each day’s reading, or go to www.voiceofvision.blogspot.com to leave a comment. God bless you as you join and continue in the walk with us...

Ann said...

It is not natural to obey, nor is it necessarily sinful to disobey. There is no moral virtue in obedience unless there is a recognition of a higher authority in the one who dictates. Many a soul begins to come to God when he flings off being religious, because there is only one Master of the human heart and that is not religion but Jesus Christ. But woe to those if when they see Him, say-I will not. He will never insist that they do, but have begun to sign the death warrant of the Son of God in their soul. When we stand face to face with Jesus Christ and say-I will not, He will never insist; but we are backing away from the recreating power of His Redemption. It is a matter of indifference to God's grace how abominable one is if we come to the light: but woe be to us if we refuse the light of God.

Ann said...

Oswald Chambers, "My Utmost for His Highest", July 18

Even So... said...

Yeah, Ann, I recognized that as OC right off. Interestig that it is today's reading. I tell people that I don't read him every day anymore, because I don't want to live the same life every year...ha ha...

Freaky stuff, I so often coincide with him, I guess it has entered into my soul that much, but it is weird when it has happend a few times this year at the same day.

I can think of worse things I could have to be derivitave of...truth is timeless...