“Jesus said, ‘For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.’” (John 9:39 NIV)
The Lord Jesus healed people suffering from all kinds of diseases. He enabled the paralyzed to walk again, restored hearing to the deaf, and gave sight to the blind. John 9 gives a detailed account of one such miracle. There we read how Jesus healed a man who had been blind from birth. What an amazing miracle! Not only the man himself, but also those around him were deeply impressed and rejoiced at what had happened.
Not everyone responded positively, however. The religious leaders criticized Jesus for performing this healing on the Sabbath, since they believed no work should be done on that day. Determined to undermine His influence, they declared, “We know this Man is a sinner.” (John 9:24, NIV)
In response to these events, Jesus spoke about spiritual blindness. His coming into the world has a twofold effect. He opens people’s eyes to God’s salvation, helping them recognize what is wrong in their lives and how they can be reconciled to God. But those who think they do not need Jesus and refuse to face their sin will be exposed as blind.
This story shows that the religious leaders, despite all their confidence, were spiritually blind. Do you recognize this as a danger for yourself? How can you guard against it?