Sound Familiar?

     One of my favorite portions of Scripture comes in the ninth chapter of John.  This is the story of the man born blind who was healed by Jesus on the Sabbath.  More than anything it reveals how the sin nature (which everyone has from birth) distorts the truth of events, and unless God changes the heart by regenerating it, people will continue in their delusion.

     From Scripture, we know that Jesus saw the man sitting and begging.  He made mud from

his saliva and put it on the man's eyes.  He told this man to wash in the pool of Siloam, and when he did, he received his sight.  The people who lived around him were surprised and tried to determine if he was really the blind beggar.  So the people brought him to the Pharisees because he was healed on the Sabbath (work was forbidden on the Sabbath), and to determine how this man was able to see.  (This encounter with the Pharisees goes from verses 13-34.) 

     Upon inquiry, the Pharisees learned from the beggar that Jesus had made mud, put it on his eyes, and when he washed in the pool, he could see again.  It was a straightforward explanation.  However, some of the religious leaders said that Jesus was certainly a sinner for not keeping the Sabbath.  Others said He must be a sinner; yet, the beggar said "He is a prophet".  Of course the Pharisees didn't believe the man so they called his parents to be certain he had been blind from birth.

     When his parents came forward and identified him as their son who had been blind from birth, they avoided being put out of the Synagogue by saying they did not know how he had been healed.  They said that he could speak for himself on this matter.  Once again, the Pharisees interrogated the man.  His answers were quick witted and stung the leaders for their unbelief as he told them that a sinner could never do such a miracle.  Indeed, the Pharisees were offended by his answers and cast him out of the Synagogue.  There are several things we can learn about unbelief from this portion of the Bible.

    First, an unbelieving heart will reject the facts in a case.  No matter how much evidence is presented to confirm the events, a person who decides its not according to their understanding will reject it.  The Pharisees couldn't believe that this man was healed initially.  Then, they rejected the fact that Jesus was sinless.  In their minds, Jesus had violated the Sabbath.

     Secondly, no one can give enough evidence to change their thinking when they choose to willfully walk in unbelief.  The parents came forward and agreed that this was their son who had been born blind.  Even when the former blind man came and described what had been done to him, the religious leaders still refused to believe that Jesus was the Christ sent from God.  Today, people jokingly say that if they had been there when the Lord walked on the earth, they would have believed it all.  However, no one can say that unless God changes their heart and certainly, the Pharisees had hearts of stone.

     Unbelief also sets up false standards which must be met.  In the mind of the Pharisees, someone should not be healed on the Sabbath because it violated the "no work" rules they had set up for that day.  Therefore, according to their narrative, the man that helped the beggar had to be a sinner.  To put it another way, Jesus could not have come from God.  In addition, the Pharisees also researched the whole matter in a biased fashion to support their subjective position on who Jesus was or was not.  They weren't looking for the truth or the light.  They loved their position, their authority and their power.

     Finally, unbelief is very self-centered.  If these leaders admitted that this was a miracle, then, they would have to acknowledge that Jesus was who He said He was.  This would upset their whole religious system and their position in the Synagogue.  We learn by reading the dialogue that they had their minds made up and nothing would change it.  Isn't this true even today?

     How often do we meet people that will not consider any other position but their own?  I don't think we have to look far.  This is the sin nature in action.  Unless God regenerates the heart and opens our eyes, we are blind to the truth in front of us.  Jesus said this on His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:6:  "“Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you."  This does not mean we cannot state our case for believing in Christ.  However, when we meet up with those who refuse to engage in reasoned discussion, we need to walk away and allow God to work in their hearts knowing we have shared to the best of our ability.  Pray for them that the Lord will open their eyes.

     As a believer walking in this fallen world, we cannot expect those outside of Christ to understand the truth of God.  We cannot change anyone.  Only the Lord can do that.  Therefore, let us continue to tell others the Good News of salvation in Christ and leave the results up to the Holy Spirit to convict and open their hearts.  Selah!