John 9:23-26

23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

24 So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, “Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.”

25 He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.”

26 Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?”

“I Was Blind, and Now I See”

“He is an adult. Ask him.” This was the formerly blind man’s parents’ response to the interrogation from the Pharisees. Basically, the parents said, “He is not our responsibility anymore. He is a grown man. Go talk to him, and leave us out of it.” Of course, they were afraid of being excommunicated from the synagogue. But… these Pharisees don’t give up. In verse 24, they called the man who was blind again, but this time, they gave him what sounds like an order! They said, “Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.” Paraphrasing, this means, “Tell the truth! The man who healed you is a sinner.” They are trying to force him to reject the Man who gave him his sight! Crazy! What if one of them was the one who was blind and was healed by Jesus? I bet they wouldn’t reject Jesus then. These people had no idea how to put themselves in another person’s shoes. 

In verse 25, we see the power of Jesus shining through within this man. It didn’t matter to this man how much power the Pharisees had over him. He didn’t care that they could excommunicate him. He knew who had opened his eyes. He knew why he could see for the first time in his life. Had the religious leaders ever offered to help him? Probably not. Had these Pharisees ever shown any compassion for him? Most likely… not. What these Pharisees really wanted was for the man to bear false witness against Jesus, and say that He was a sinner and didn’t really heal him. This man had the strength and light of Jesus inside of him at this point, and he wasn’t going to waver. He said, paraphrasing, “I don’t know anything about whether he is a sinner or not, but I know one thing… I was blind, and now… because of Him, I can see.” This took such courage! 

It is amazing how much courage Jesus can give us if we let Him mold and shape us into His image. We know the courage that Jesus had when He came to earth to be persecuted and murdered for us. If we truly let Him shine through us, we can have that courage too. This man let the light of Jesus shine through Him as He went up against the most powerful religious leaders of that day. He knew what the cost would be. Am I willing to have this kind of courage? Look at the apostles on the day of Pentecost! Think about the courage that it took for them to stand up in front of thousands, proclaim Christ, and usher in the kingdom of God… the church of Christ. Can you imagine the beautiful chaos on that day when 3000 were baptized into Christ for the remission of sins? I wonder… what were the Pharisees doing during all of that? What about the courage of Paul, who left everything he had been taught at the feet of Gamaliel behind to follow Christ? Paul was a Pharisee who persecuted Christians! I wonder… was Paul present on the day of Pentecost when all that took place? He could have been, and obviously, he wasn’t one of the 3000 who obeyed on that day. He would have been in his mid to late 20’s from what I have read about his age. And… what about the courage that Stephen had as he saw people gnash at him with their teeth, and felt that first stone dig into his body after standing up for our Savior? I’m sure that it was all worth it to him when he looked up, saw the heavens open, and saw Jesus… standing at the right hand of God before he died. If I truly have Jesus inside of me, then I will have this kind of courage… when or if the time comes that I need it. I may not need courage to withstand physical suffering in this day and age, the way Jesus and the apostles did. But… it might be the courage to withstand mental and emotional suffering from the world today. I pray that I have the light of Jesus inside of me so that I will have the courage to stand up for Jesus…..no matter the cost…..like the formerly blind man did so long ago. In verse 26, the Pharisees again asked him, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” At this point, the man probably feels like a broken record. As this account continues, we see the light of Jesus continue to shine within this newly healed man. The man was blind throughout his whole life, then Jesus came along, and he could see. Spiritually, this is how it is with every single one of us. We were blind for our entire lives… until we allowed Jesus to heal us… and then we could see!

God means for everyone to learn what the Bible teaches about being saved. It only takes an open heart for Jesus and a willingness to put away what we’ve been taught in the past, and truly read what God’s Word says for ourselves… and then accept what it says and obey it. If I can help you in any way, I would love to! Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? Are you saved? If you aren’t, or if you’re not sure if you are, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are… believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out. 

I love God’s Word. It challenges me to be better… to do more in His service. It is interesting and keeps me on the edge of my seat, wondering what will happen next. It gives me confidence and builds me up, and it brings me to my knees when my soul needs convicting! Thank you, Father, for the wonderful gift of Your Word!

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan God has outlined in His Word for humankind to receive His grace, which leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)