The Genesis Of Spiritual Blindness
Pastors Leslie & Adeline Chua
“The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
Spiritual blindness works in a mysterious way. The Pharisees, despite their depth of Scriptural knowledge, failed to see that Jesus was Israel’s Messiah. Ironically, the blind and uneducated Bartimaeus had no problem perceiving the truth concerning Jesus. The blind sees, but those with sight cannot see.
Paradoxes such as this in the Bible never cease to amaze me. How do we explain this phenomenon?
Spiritual blindness is the inability to discern the will of God. Most believers are familiar with this definition. However, spiritual blindness can also be defined as the inability to discern deception in the light of God’s revealed truths.
We must take the second definition seriously. It is increasingly evident that we are living in a time of unprecedented deception. Lies are masqueraded as truths, and truths are attacked as lies and conspiracy theories. It boils down to how well one can spin a narrative. As such, it is hard to take anything at face value nowadays.
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Spiritual blindness can also be defined as the inability to discern deception in the light of God’s revealed truths.
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The inability to discern deception has serious ramifications.
I am saying this in the light of the soon return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Scripture contains numerous warnings about deception at the end of the Last Days. Jesus warned in His Olivet Discourse about false Christs and false prophets that would mislead many believers. The apostle Paul warned of false signs and wonders, wicked deception, and strong delusion (2 Thessalonians 2:9-11).
Many believers will be deceived, and they will fall away from the faith in the Last Days. Paul spoke about a great apostasy, meaning a great falling away of Christians from their faith in Christ (2 Thessalonians 2:3 – NKJV, NASB). Jesus said the same - “many will fall away” (Matthew 24:10).
This is a sobering thought. Therefore, we must seriously consider the matter of spiritual blindness.
It is easy to understand that non-believers are spiritually blind because they are not in the light. But believers have the light of Christ. So, how can believers be deceived?
No Love for the Truth
How does spiritual blindness happen to Christians?
In the 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 passage, the apostle Paul explains the reason very clearly and succinctly – “because they refused to love the truth.” Refusal to love the truth is the root cause of spiritual blindness and deception.
The truth here refers to the Word of God, the revealed truths in the Bible.
It is important to take note that Paul is not speaking about non-believers in this passage because they are not expected to love the Word of God. Only Christians are expected to love and cherish the truths contained in the Word of God.
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Refusal to love the truth is the root cause of spiritual blindness and deception.
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Do you love the Word of God? Do you love the truths that are revealed in the Holy Scripture?
These are difficult questions for many contemporary Christians because the Bible contains many inconvenient truths.
The fact of the matter is biblical truths are incompatible with many social norms and the prevailing culture, which have become increasingly hostile to the Christian faith. To hold and live by these truths make us look like a square peg in a round hole. It can be uncomfortable. We find ourselves constantly at odds with the views and opinions and lifestyles of our peers. As such, it will create a lot of tension in our social and work relationships.
What do we understand by loving the truth?
I would argue that loving the truth is not merely enjoying reading the Bible devotionally and be motivated by some inspiring passages. It means more than that.
Living by The Word
First, loving the truth means understanding the Word of God not just cognitively, but also deeply with the heart. Head knowledge only informs, but it cannot transform. It will not motivate you to apply these biblical truths in your daily life. Only those who have embraced God’s Word with their whole heart and soul will faithfully practise it. Only then will you be convinced and convicted by the truths such that you live by them.
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The Pharisees knew the truth, but they did not love the truth. Hence, they were spiritually blinded as shown by their failure to recognise Jesus as Israel’s Messiah.
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Consider the scribes and Pharisees. They knew the Scripture well. They could memorise the entire Torah, swimming backstroke with these first 5 books of the Bible. This is no small feat. But Jesus denounced them as hypocrites because they failed to live by the teachings in it.
The Pharisees knew the truth, but they did not love the truth. Hence, they were spiritually blinded as shown by their failure to recognise Jesus as Israel’s Messiah.
Many modern-day Christians are no different from the Pharisees. They know the Bible sufficiently well enough. But their thinking and lifestyle conform more to the world than the Word of God. When pressure mounts, they compromise without much resistance. Sympathy and support for the LGBT cause is one of many examples.
These believers know the truth, but they do not love the truth enough to stand and live by it. They are at risk of spiritual blindness and deception.
Speak Truth
Secondly, loving the truth means having the conviction to speak up against the lies and deceptions that fly in the face of biblical truths.
You love the truth so much that you will not only like what God likes, but you will also say what He says. You will contend for the truth when the truth is maligned or discredited. You will proclaim the truth whether it concerns the gospel or social issues. This is our basic Christian responsibility.
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Loving the truth means having the conviction to speak up against the lies and deceptions that fly in the face of biblical truths.
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The courage to speak up comes with conviction. If you are convinced and convicted of the truths in the Word of God, you will have the courage to stand by it, and if necessary, testify to it. Bear in mind that courage is not the absence of fear, but despite the fear, you still bear witness to the truth.
The exercise of courage is important as we race toward the end of the Last Days. Intimidation to remain silent will come from different quarters, from your peers, the masses, and even the government. Remember that the tentacles of the Anti-Christ will reach into every national government around the world. You will be shamed and cancelled by your family and friends. You may be arrested, and even be put to death.
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The Word of God is clear.
Our testimony of biblical truths must be proclaimed without compromise. The way to live is to be courageous even unto death.
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Courage is a vital asset in such a time as this while fear is a great liability. The apostle John’s words in Revelation 12:11 is instructive - And they have conquered him (referring to Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.
The Word of God is clear. Our testimony of biblical truths must be proclaimed without compromise. The way to live is to be courageous even unto death.
Therefore, start to live courageously. Preach the gospel and testify to truths with boldness. If you love the truth, you will testify to it.
Spiritual Blindness for Those Who Refuse to Love the Truth
If you love the truth, God will bless you with wisdom and discernment. You will be able to see through deceptions. However, if you refuse to love the truth, you will fall into deception easily.
Worse, “God will send them a strong delusion so that they may believe what is false” (2 Thessalonians 2:11).
This is clearly a divine judgement on those who refuse to love the truth. God will not just allow them to be deceived, He will reinforce the deception, making it worse. He will cause them to become deluded.
There are different levels of deception. On the scale of deception, delusion ranks the worst. A deceived person does not know the truth of the matter it is intentionally hidden from him. As for the deluded person, he will still be deceived even when the truth is placed right in front of him.
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Because of their unbelief and continual disobedience, God has given the Jewish people a spirit of stupor so that they could not see and perceive and hear and understand. It is a divine judgement.
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It is hard to believe that God would do such a thing. But this is not the only passage that teaches this truth.
The prophet Isaiah prophesied concerning Israel - “Go, and say to this people: “‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed” (Isaiah 6:9-10).
Both Jesus and Paul quoted this passage to explain the reason for Israel’s spiritual blindness (Matthew 13:14-15; Romans 11:7-8). Because of their unbelief and continual disobedience, God has given the Jewish people a spirit of stupor so that they could not see and perceive and hear and understand. It is a divine judgement.
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Refusal to love the truth carries with it grave consequences. God will bring about spiritual blindness. God will send these people a strong delusion so that they may believe what is false, in order that they may be condemned.
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Paul warned the believers in Romans chapter 11 that God would judge His church similarly if we disobey His Word – “For if God did not spare the natural branches (referring to Israel), neither will he spare you (referring to New Covenant believers)” (Romans 11:21).
Refusal to love the truth carries with it grave consequences. God will bring about spiritual blindness. God will send these people a strong delusion so that they may believe what is false, in order that they may be condemned (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12).
Take this warning seriously. Love the truth. Love the Word of God. Live by it. Bear witness to it. Otherwise, you run to risk of falling into deception, spiritual blindness, and delusion.