The Biblical Path of Life

Tag: See

  • The Blind Man

    “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.”
    John 12:46

    There was a particular blind man that Jesus healed. Jesus had just told his disciples that He was the Light of the world. “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:5). When they encountered a blind man, Jesus made clay and anointed the eyes of the blind man. He then told the man to go wash his eyes. The blind man went, washed his eyes, and came again seeing.

    There was much discussion about this man amongst the people. They finally took him to the Pharisees. When the Pharisees asked what happened to him, he told them. After much discussion, they called him again asking how he could see. All he knew was, “whereas I was blind, now I see” (John 9:25b).

    The religious people challenged Jesus’ authority to give this blind man sight. “We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is” (John 9:29). This man, who was once blind, did not understand them. This is a marvelous thing! Even though these religious leaders did not know Jesus, the blind man was just glad that he could see! This blind man understood enough to know that God is the one that heals. “32. Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. 33. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing” (John 9:32-33).

    The religious leaders did not like his answer. “34. They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out” (John 9:34). They cast him out of the Temple.

    When Jesus heard, he found the man. “Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?” (John 9:35). The man who had been healed had a question. “He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?” (John 9:36). Jesus declared to him that He was the Son of God. Read the man’s response. “And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him” (John 9:38). This man who was blind could now see. But more than that, he met Jesus and believed that He was the Son of God. He could not only see physically, but spiritually he “saw” Jesus.

    What happened next? Jesus had a point to make. “And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind” (John 9:39). The religious leaders heard what Jesus had to say. The Pharisees responded. “And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?” (John 9:40). Jesus responded: “Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth” (John 9:41).

    The Pharisees did not think they were blind. Jesus pointed out that they were right. They could see. Most importantly, they could see the sin in their lives and chose to let it remain – even though Jesus was right there. For Jesus is the only one who could take that sin away, curing the blindness in the Pharisees. Remember why Jesus cam: “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness” (John 12:46). In this instance, the Pharisees chose to remain in darkness. Read what the Bible teaches about those who choose to remain in their sin. “26. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27. But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries” (Hebrews 10:26-27).

    Have you chosen to see (believing in Jesus), or to abide in darkness (remain in sin)?

    How to be Saved

  • The Preaching of the Cross

    “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”
    1 Corinthians 1:18

    Many times in the Old Testament, we read of the promise of Jesus. No one knew His name, yet God’s people were to be looking for Him the same. At times, God revealed specific things He wanted the people to understand. “Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high” (Isaiah 52:13). “Behold, my servant” is speaking of Jesus. God said Jesus would “deal prudently” meaning Jesus would succeed in completing what God expected Him to do. Continuing through that verse, see that it says that Jesus will be “exalted and extolled” which means “to raise, or lift up; to carry off; take away; it is the idea of one who is a substitution bearing the guilt or punishment of sin.” So just from that one verse we understand that God told Isaiah that He would send Jesus who would complete the task of being lifted up as the one who would take away the guilt and punishment of sin by becoming the substitute – the one who took sinful man’s place. This is what God had promised Adam and Eve in the garden (see Genesis 3:15).

    They were to be aware of the suffering death that this One would have to endure. Remember that when Jesus came, He was scourged and delivered to be crucified (see Matthew 27:26, 29-30). Why did this happen? “So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider” (Isaiah 52:15). Understand that this verse tells us that Jesus’ death would enable Him to “sprinkle” many nations. “Sprinkle many nations” means “to cleanse from sin; the Servant of the Lord came to make an atonement for the sins of even the Gentiles.” In the Old Testament, the people understood the high priest had to sprinkle the blood of the ram upon the altar to cover their sins for another year (see Exodus 29:20). God sent His Son to take away the sin (not cover), and allowed the entire world to “see” and then to “consider.” “See” means “to gain understanding”; and “consider” means “to observe; to pay attention to; to gain insight or understanding.” Each person has to see and decide (believe) for himself.

    Immediately after Jesus death, burial, and resurrection, there were still many who did not understand what had happened, and many did not believe Jesus had even risen from the dead. There were two in particular who were on the road to Emmaus, not far from Jerusalem. On the evening of Jesus’ resurrection, they were walking and discussing all they had heard. Jesus joined them, walking and talking with them, yet they did not recognize Him (see Luke 24:15-16). When He asked what things they were discussing, they explained, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: 20. And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done” (Luke 24:19b-21). They were trying to “consider” but did not yet understand. After walking with them, listening to them as they continue their discussion, Jesus responded: “25. Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27. And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:25-27). They needed to believe, by faith. “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Romans 4:5).   

    It is almost amazing to those today, who are Believers, to understand how they could not have recognized Jesus. However, many times in the Old Testament people should have understood and recognized what God was doing, yet they most of the time, they did not. All throughout the Old Testament, the people were taught of God, but they had a hard time understanding that He had been speaking of Jesus, who was to come. They lacked faith.

    “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18). See the following to help understand what this verse means: 

    • preaching means to speak intelligently about the word of the cross 
    • cross means the whole passion of Christ and the merit of His sufferings and death 
    • them that perish means exposed to eternal death 
    • foolishness means foolishness or absurdity
    • saved means those who have obtained salvation through Christ and are kept by Him 
    • power means a person in whom the power of God is manifested  

    The “power of God” was revealed when Jesus came and finished what God had for Him to do. Jesus came to pay the penalty for sin, taking it away from any who would only believe.

    Have you believed the preaching of the cross, becoming a Christian?

    How to be Saved

  • The Eyes of the Lord

    God sees all and knows all. He knows the thoughts of the heart. He hears the words spoken in secret. There is nothing hidden from God. This should be great words of encouragement to choose to do good. To choose to do right. To turn from evil. If we would remember and understand that God is ever present, ever watching – not to catch us doing something bad or wrong.  He wants to find someone in whom He can show Himself strong (see 2 Chronicles 16:9a where it says, “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.”).Who wouldn’t want God to show Himself strong in their life? But in the rest of that verse, we find that God had wanted to do this for King Asa, but because he had relied upon the king of Syria instead of the Lord his God, he lost the battle. Not only that, but God told him, “Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars” (2 Chronicles 16:9b). How awful would it be to choose an earthly king to help you instead of God? But imagine having God, Himself, tell you that you had done foolishly! And that you would have wars from then on in your kingdom!

    Now relate that to the average Christian’s life. Most Christians do not take into account that “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3). They might occasionally remember that they are to choose to do good and not evil. But they don’t take into consideration that God wants Christians to choose to do good so that he can show Himself mighty in their life.

    But we must remember something else very important. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10). God already knows all and sees all, but one day we will stand before Him and give an accounting of all that we have done in this life “whether it be good or bad.”

    Knowing these things, what do you choose?

    Will you choose good allowing God to show Himself mighty in your life?