In John 9:39, Jesus stated His purpose for walking in this world— specifically, to open people’s eyes who are without sight and correct the vision of others who think they see, but don’t. I think the latter is the more difficult task. It comes with much opposition from those being helped. Pride and self-justification provide ready arms with which to resist change.
The sense is expressed well in the New Living Translation.
Then Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.”
This may not sound like the Jesus that is believed on today, Who, supposedly, accepts everyone as they are and doesn’t impinge on their belief system or their lifestyle. But it certainly matches the Christ of the Gospels, Who loves the ones He came to save enough to set them on a course of truth. True Christianity is not just about believing in Jesus. Christ Himself said it’s about knowing the truth, and obtaining the freedom truth produces (John 8:31-32).
But, apparently, people back then were pretty much like people today. I fairly conclude that because Christ’s converts, as recorded in the Gospels, were relatively few, especially when you consider Who He was. He fared much better finding recipients to receive physical healing than spiritual.
What you see doesn’t determine what you get.
In His famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus stated the importance of having correct spiritual vision. Often, what people see as truth is just their perception of the truth. From their view, it may be taken as reality. But nothing really is reality, but reality. Non-reality is merely illusion. Jesus confronted the dilemma in His day; we do in ours.
Matthew 6:23 ESV
The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
Luke 11:34-35 ESV
Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness. Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness.
Jesus’ enigmatic-sounding words are not that difficult to understand. He revealed that what a person may believe is light could actually be darkness— perceived to be light. That’s not exactly what people want to hear. But it is a rather profound thought. Jesus, Who was the light of the world, and Who sees all things with radiant brilliance, basically warned us to be sure we’re seeing things rightly. A person could be wrong while steeped in self-assurance that he’s right. And, that wrong view would, in effect, result in profound spiritual blindness. That’s because a person acts on what he believes. How we perceive things is how we live. That makes light and truth of paramount importance and indispensable. There is no premium on error of any kind in the Scriptures.
I Must Be Saved.
That’s the title of an old chorus we used to sing. Can anyone think of something more important than being saved? What would a bad eye (a fatal misperception) consist of in that category?
If a person believes wrongly regarding salvation, he may rejoice in what he perceives as light, but a Christianity that doesn’t save is really darkness. And Jesus indicated there is such a condition (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 13:23-27). Following up with Christ’s assessment in Matthew 6:23, If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! The words of the Savior evoke something near fright, intended to incite carefulness.
The Gospel light is glorious. Paul said it shines (2Corinthians 4:3-4). Jesus, Who is the central figure, is glorious. He and everything about Him radiates glorious light. The peoples of the world rejoice in much of His light. Christmas and Easter are celebrated annually with delight. But what Christ came to bring the world is salvation through the Pentecostal experience. Those who don’t receive it miss the Savior’s greatest gift. How great is that darkness!
It is indeed strange that the very reason Christ came and gave His life is missed by so large a community of believers. The four Gospels close with excitement and anticipation. Jesus rose from the dead and ascended to heaven. He told His disciples to wait for the long-promised Spirit, which He described as the purpose for going to Calvary (John 16:7). The book of Acts, placed exactly where it should be in the canon, opens with the chronological sequel to the Gospels. In the midst of spectacular excitement, the Church is born. There is dramatic outpouring of the Holy Ghost and cleansing by Christ’s blood through baptism in Jesus’ name. Three thousand wisely got in on it that very day. A person would think everyone would be a serious taker of so great salvation. Is there any conceivable reason why not?
Practical application
Give yourself this two-question test:
1/ Are you honest with yourself about Acts 2:38, which was revealed as salvation terms on the very day the Church was born?
Or, are you looking for a preferred, or easier, way? (Sometimes persons are led more by their bias than by an honest look at the Word of God. Nothing interferes with obtaining truth more than the blinding dominance of a preferred idea.)
2/ Have you ever asked the question of Acts 2:37, how you can be saved, while being open to the same answer that was given those who asked it on the Day of Pentecost?
If you’re asking the same question, the answer will be the same (Acts 2:37-39).
Honesty produces speedy results. True light shines pure and bright to honest souls. Jesus said the good ground that receives the seed of God’s Word and bears fruit is honest (Luke 8:15).
Coming to the light is the essence of salvation.
John 3:19-21 ESV
19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.
20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.
21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”