Part 2
"Then came His disciples, and said unto Him, knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? But He answered and said, Every plant, which my Heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. (Mat. 15:12-14)Our eyes are a complex pair of instruments that transmit signals to our brain. How our brain deciphers those signals determines what our brain informs us about what we are seeing. Blindness occurs when an obstacle interrupts the signal from the eye to the brain. Because of this malfunction, the eye cannot send messages, or the messages are blocked from getting through. Sometimes corrective glasses can be used to enhance the image, or surgery may be needed to clear away the blockage. Another cause that brings about the same effect as blindness to everyone is darkness. Without light, even those with 20/20 vision are as blind as if they had no eyes. (Isa. 59:9,10)
Blindness is symbolically used throughout Scripture to signify those who are unable to see Spiritual truths. As in the natural, an obstruction is in the way of the messages sent, preventing Spiritual sight. That obstruction in every ones case is sin. Sin blocks the light of Spiritual revelation, and leaves man in total darkness -- Spiritually blind. "But if thine eye be evil thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" (Mat. 6:23)
Glasses will not correct this problem; not even surgery can help. The only way to see into the invisible, the only way to see beyond this natural world, and to see into the Spiritual realm, is with Spiritual eyes. The only way to have those Spiritual eyes is to be re-born. "Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except a man be BORN AGAIN, he cannot SEE the kingdom of God." (John 3:3) "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (Vs. 6) To see earthly things you need unobstructed eyes of flesh. To see heavenly truth, you need unobstructed Spiritual eyes.
Truth is not visible, so what is meant when it is said we can see that which is invisible? Sight is also meant to indicate understanding. When we say, "I see what you mean," we are saying that we have understanding. Sight, in a Spiritual sense, indicates we have understanding of Spiritual Truth. Thus to say that a man is blind, (in the spiritual sense) is to mean they have no understanding of Spiritual Truth. Unless we are born again, and equipped with Spiritual eyes to understand Spiritual Truth, we cannot see; thus we cannot understand, the Kingdom of God. "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolish unto him: neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned." (I Cor. 2:14) While we strive for a pure, clear understanding of the Truth, the flesh still blurs our vision. Paul tells us: "For now we see through a glass darkly." (I Cor. 13:12).
Clearly the same comparison can be made with hearing. Seven times in Revelation chapters 2 and 3 we are told, "He that hath an ear let him hear.." Or in another place, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Rom. 10:17) Christians often wrongly quote this verse to suggest that it is just through listening to Scripture that faith is gained, not knowing that it is only a Spiritual ear that can hear a Spiritual word for faith to come. Of course God can, and often does impart faith when one is engaged in listening to His Word being preached, [and how shall they hear without a preacher?] (Rom. 10:14) but it is not with the natural ear that one hears, and acquires faith. "The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them." (Prov. 20:12)
Being born again is just the beginning of a process to Spiritual maturity. It is the first step in our walk in the Spirit. We have just passed through the first veil of the Tabernacle into the outer court. As in the natural it is necessary to mature, and to develop our senses, to grow in knowledge, and understanding. There are levels of Spiritual maturity, and while we have been given all that pertains to life and Godliness, we still need to grow. Though the end of God’s purpose is complete in Himself; and we are complete in Him; yet we do not experience our fullness at once. It is needful that we continue our walk into the Holy Place, and onto full maturity in the Holy of Holies.
So then, we see that it is through this new birth that we enter into the Spirit realm. We have become a new creation in Christ and a member of a corporate body of Christ in the Kingdom of God. As such, we have been given Spiritual eyes and Spiritual ears so that we can begin to see and hear Spiritual truths. "The first man Adam was a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening Spirit." (I Cor. 15:45) We have been birthed into this quickening (Life giving) Spirit having been joined to the Lord, as a member of His body. "But he that is joined unto the lord is one Spirit." (I Cor. 6:17) As such we can speak with quickening words of life to those we have contact with. We become His representative body here on earth. Living in this world of flesh, with our citizenship in heavenly places. "As He is so are we in this world." (I John 4:17).
While it is true we are His ambassadors sent with the ministry of declaring the Gospel; God alone Sovereignly determines each one’s appointed day of reconciliation; "every man in his own order." It is only to those whom our God is quickening with His Spirit, that will bear any fruit. This is important to remember when we are a witness of the Gospel to those we come in contact with. We must learn to be sensitive to hear the Master’s voice. He will tell us who to speak to, what to say, and when to say it.
It is hard for many to believe, and accept to be true, but it is God who is responsible for who hears and who does not. It is God who is responsible for who sees, and who does not. Just as you did not have a choice about your natural birth, you do not have a choice about your birth Spiritually. God has a plan and a purpose for all. The very moment of our salvation, and the circumstances to bring it about was all determined in God before the foundations of the world. The end of His purpose is settled. It is not just that God knew, but He predestined, and foreordained it all to come to pass. He leaves nothing to chance. With God there is no such thing as chance.
I have heard it said, that God is a gentleman, and He will not force Himself on anyone. I do not believe it for one minute! He does not wait for us to "decide" for Him. God acts, He does not react. You did not choose Him; He chose you. Have you not read? "No man can come to Jesus unless the Father draw (Greek word: drag) him." Jesus said: "If I be lifted up I will draw all men unto me." God is not limited from imparting Life unto those He calls to come forth out of the grave of their sin. The God who created you knows how to get your attention. And you can be sure, when God calls your name, you will put off your grave clothes, and put on His robes of righteousness.
If that is true, (and I believe it is) what about those who reject Him their whole life here on this earth? Do you think God only predetermines the life circumstances of some men? Does God only Love some of His creation, and the rest can go to hell? (I am not trying to be vulgar.) What about those who have never heard the Gospel? Is God to be satisfied with only a small portion of creation saved, and the rest the devil wins? The answer from most Christians is yes, because they know not the power, or the purpose of God.
The purpose of God is to reconcile ALL creation to Himself. The power of God is the ability to carry out His purpose. The method is to use His firstfruits enChristed body to spread the message of reconciliation. Jesus has already paid for the sin of the world. God has already conciliated with the world through the cross. We are sent to deliver this message to the world: Be ye reconciled to God. Those who do not hear in this life will hear in the next. Those who are not reconciled in this life will be reconciled in the next until the end of the ages when God shall be all in all!
Amen.
Reader’s note: I know statements I made in this essay may have raised more questions than I answered. It would be beyond the scope, or intention of this essay to answer them all, nor do I now think I have all the answers. It is however a view into the understanding I now have of the reconciliation process, and what I now see to be the plan and purpose of God for creation.
END.
