I believe physical blindness would be my most feared physical handicap. I can’t imagine what it would be like not being able to see. Many people have this handicap because of accident, or illness, or having been born blind. Many learn to carry on a near normal life with this handicap. On the other hand there is another kind of blindness. In this case it is “spiritual blindness.” A lot of folks think they are carrying on a normal life though spiritually blind. It is not the case that such a one is “normal” in God’s eyes. There is a saying that fits so well when speaking of spiritual blindness: “None are so blind as those who will not see.” How true.
The blindness of Israel led them to sin: “We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noon day as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.” (Isaiah 59:10). This was said of those who had rebelled against God. It was not the case that they did not have direction or guidance; they did through the Law of Moses. It was the case that they turned a “blind eye” to the Law; they refused to “see” its purpose, and they refused to live by the Law. Their sins had separated them from their God: “Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: {2} But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, [so] that he will not hear” (Isaiah 59:1-2).
Cataracts upon the eyes are like a “veil” over the eyes. The Jews had a similar spiritual blindness. When Christ came, the Jews refused to give up the Old Testament. They refused to understand that the Old Testament prophesied this Christ. Their trust in the old law was like a “veil” over their face keeping them for “seeing” the truth: “But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ. {15} But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart” (2 Corinthians3:14-15).
Jesus noted that the “blindness” was by their choosing to close their eyes: “For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them” (Matthew 13:15). Truly, none are so blind as those who will not see.
From these verses we see that God is not responsible for this “spiritual blindness.” Someone else helps man: “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Many let Satan steal away any word of God they have learned: “And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts” Mark 4:15).
Spiritual blindness holds a damning grip on those in the world: “Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: {19} Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness” (Ephesians 4:18-19). Unless one is willing to see there is no hope.
Spiritual blindness also causes slackness in fulfilling our Christian duties. The Christian has great responsibilities to grow. Peter said we are to diligently add certain things to our lives such as: “. . . add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; {6} And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; {7} And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity” (2 Peter 1:5-7). But notice Peter said: “He that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins” (2 Peter 1:9).
Spiritual blindness brings a terrible fate: “Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch” (Matthew 15:14). Spiritual blindness is voluntary. Remember, there are none so blind as those who will not see!
—John D. Cotham
Shady Valley, TN