Eyes to See and Ears to Hear
As we witness and as we talk to people about moral issues, we Christians find ourselves becoming frustrated. What is so clear to us is rejected by non-believers. We are NOT smarter than non -Christians are. We are NOT given a higher IQ the moment we become believers. There has to be some reason why the truth that is so clear to Christians is simply not clear to an unbeliever. Scripture explains why this is the case. Corinthians 2:14 states that the non-Christian cannot understand.
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. (emphasis added)
1 Corinthians 2:14 (ESV)
The literal translation is a bit more clear:
But a natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he is NOT ABLE to know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14 LITV)"Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word." (emphasis added)
The reason a non- believer fights us and refuses to understand is not because he doesn’t want to. God says they are unable to. In other words, it is beyond their ability. It is as much beyond their ability to understand as it is beyond an infant’s ability to understand complex equations.
- "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot (which means not capable or able) serve God and wealth. (Matthew 6:24)
We are all a product of our environment. As we all know, humans possess a fallen nature. We sin because of our nature. Why do some commit one type of sin while others commit other types of sin? In other words, why does someone live the lifestyle of a homosexual which is a sin, while another person incorporates, let’s say a life of robbery. Why does someone live what seems to be a "moral" life but has no problem and will fight for the right to murder unborn children? I’m sure there are many factors but we are all a product of our environment.
We are frustrated at what we see around us, as it is so clear to us that if only people would do such and such, see such and such, things would be better. The fact of the matter is God said they do not possess the ability to do so. I recall talking to a non-believer regarding abortion. Once I presented all my "arguments" as to why this unborn child was a human being, her answer was simply "I don’t believe it’s a baby." I can’t tell you how frustrated I was since she presented no evidence to support her beliefs. I now understand why. She is blinded to truth. She does not possess the ability to understand the things of God because she does not have the Holy Spirit. It is at this point that I must wipe the dust off my feet and move on.
- But God says: because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, (Romans 8:7)
BECAUSE the mind set is on the flesh and is hostile to God, it is NOT able to follow God. It is UNABLE and has no capability to see things that we so frustratingly try to impart on those we encounter. It can be infuriating to try to explain to someone what is so clear to us. I recall when a particular church decided to ordain homosexuals. I sent an email pointing out scripture showing them that what they were doing was a sin and was against the word of God. I never received a response. Should I have not done that? Of course, it was the right thing to do. We are to share truth. But if truth is rejected, we have no ability to open a person’s eyes and make them see truth. Only God has that ability no matter how frustrating it is to us. I have no ability to open the eyes of those in that church to make them see what is so clear in scripture — homosexuality is a sin. Only God has the ability to open eyes and hearts.
I know of people who spend time on atheist boards and the frustration that they feel is immense. They spend hours upon hours, months upon months trying to get these atheists to see truth. But unless God opens their eyes, they do not possess the ability to see truth, the things of God. It is beyond their ability much as it is beyond my ability to hop into a jet airplane tomorrow, taxi it to the runway and take off and find my way to China and then land the plane.
- "You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also. (Matthew 23:26)
- The Pharisee here was not physically blind. He was spiritually blind.
- "HE HAS BLINDED THEIR EYES AND HE HARDENED THEIR HEART, SO THAT THEY WOULD NOT SEE WITH THEIR EYES AND PERCEIVE WITH THEIR HEART, AND BE CONVERTED AND I HEAL THEM." (John 12:40)
The majority of the Jews rejected Christ as their savior even though their whole lives were devoted to God and they studied scripture and "should have known" Him when He came. Yet, scripture says they did not see Him because: For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery–so that you will not be wise in your own estimation–that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; (Romans 11:25)
The point I’m trying to make is that we should spread the gospel — that is the commission He gave to all of us believers. Until a person’s eyes have been opened by God, they cannot see what we are trying to convey. We cannot make a terrorist see the utter vile sin he is committing unless God opens his eyes. We cannot make a terrorist see the futility of his actions or the depravity of his actions until God opens his eyes. We do not have the ability of God to open a person’s eyes. They do not possess the ability to see the things of God. How do we know? Because God said so.
- in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4)
The dilemma that we face when talking to no- believers is as follows:
- Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot (which is an inability) hear My word. "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:43-44)
However, we believers see truth because: "But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. (Matthew 13:16). We see and hear because He gave us the ability to do so.
Next time we start to feel frustrated at someone who fights truth, we should remember that they do not possess the ability for God did not give them the ears to hear and the eyes to see. They simply cannot.
We should realize that it is not our job as a Christians to change the world to make it a nicer place to live but it is to preach the word of God to as many as we can. He is the only one capable of changing anything and He does that through the hearts of man. It is God that gives them eyes to see and ears to hear. Without Him opening eyes and ears, they do not possess the ability to see or hear what we are trying to say.
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Good evening. Indeed it is our charge from the Lord to spread the gospel to all people in all nations. Thank you for your efforts, and for level setting with our brothers and sisters in Christ so that they can better release the frustration that builds when they are having a hard time getting through to someone. May the Lord bless you, keep you, guide you, and make His face to shine upon you and your loved ones always.
Your brother in Christ,
Rev Jason Thurwanger
Good evening to you too. I know how frustrating it is to talk to someone and the truth of the Gospel is as clear as a bell to me but to someone whose eyes have not been opened by God, it is a mystery. The most I can do and the most I am charged with is taking the Gospel to all that I can. But I’m not the “heart changer” — just the “Gospel spreader.”
In my opinion, you touch on a common misconception of the church today, as if to a large extent “to this day the LORD has not given [us, the people of God] a heart to understand or eyes to see or ears to hear” (Deuteronomy 29:4)–here, of the depth of sin that the gospel addresses.
Of course, the downside to understanding the blindness of the unregenerate (the unbeliever) is the temptation to disbelieve that our words and actions will not help effect hearing the word, especially in a day in the West when God seems to be hardening more than those on whom He has mercy (cf. Romans 9:18). These are frustrating times indeed.
Interestingly, the John 12 passage you cite alludes to Isaiah’s commission, which was to preach in order to harden hearts with what he said (“lest they turn …”) en route, if you will, toward the exile.
Nonetheless, Isaiah contains some of the richest texts regarding grace and mercy, texts which benefited succeeding generation of hearers.
Perhaps the seeds we sow today will only bear fruit in later generations, fruit we may not live to see. Perhaps God is pleased to use our testimony to the truth to harden those He will.
Peter Rubel
Hi Peterrubel, you are correct regarding John 12:40 — but it also is referencing Matthew 13:14-15. I agree that we are probably in one of the more frustrating times in history — at least it seems so to me but then this is the time that I live in so that’s my reality.
I think people can ‘believe’ that the bible is truth — people walk up the isle and make a confession all the time. But if the confession is a result of a ‘feeling’ after hearing a sermon, listening to the worship music, but not as a result of being drawn by God, then the confession not one of being saved. I’m not sure I’m making sense — it’s late here, I’m tired and so I may be rambling.
Some seed falls on hard soil, and Satan comes and takes the seed away (speaking of Matthew 13), or the seed of the gospel falls among thorns. Presumably you are arguing that some people in the church also respond to “no-seed,” as it were, in a non-converting way. Not doubt.
Interestingly, the disciples were terrified seeing Jesus walk on water because “their hearts were hardened” at the feeding of the five thousand (Mark 6:52). And apparently, they did not understand Jesus’ exhortation to beware the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod for similar reasons (Mark 8:14-21)–spiritual blindness.
Of course, the disciples’ unbelief and misunderstanding occurred prior to Jesus’ cross work and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. This side of those events may not be quite the same.
Nonetheless, the disciples’ less-than-glorious progress in faith suggests the possibility of parallel or similar fits, starts, fizzling, and progress in faith among us in the church today.
We may not always recognize what God is doing in a person, at least in the short run. Sin’s deceitfulness (cf. Hebrews 3:13) in the believer may mimic sin in the spiritually dead (cf. Ephesians 2:1). At some point, however, we should be able to recognize the difference between no faith on one side and temporary doubt or ignorance on the other.
“Oh to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be!”
Peter Rubel
I completely agree that some seed falls on hard ground only to be taken by Satan. What I was trying to get at is that we are commanded to spread the Gospel. We have no way of knowing if someone we share the Good News to will take root. We’re not commanded to make sure it takes root. Unfortunately frustration arises amongst Christians because we get so frustrated when they disbelieve. It’s so obvious to us that it is human nature to become frustrated. What I was trying to point out is there is no need to feel frustrated because those that do not have ears to hear or eyes to see will never get it. Those that do, will get it though it may come to fruition after they have left our lives. Sometimes we get to see the whole process, sometimes we see nothing, sometimes we see the results of someone else’s ‘seed planting.’ And then sadly, some simply don’t have eyes to see or ears to hear and will enter eternity lost despite hearing the Gospel.
Hi peterrubel,
I believe what we do WILL make a difference…I truly like the old saying “one plants, one waters, and one reaps the harvest”. This is why I am always willing to share even the littlest bit about the Lord. My witness may be just the beginning, maybe the middle, or possibly the end (harvest) of someone coming to know the Lord.
OkieRob
Sorry–”believe that our words and actions will not help effect hearing the word.” Peter Rubel
Hi Tishrei,
Another excellent post…I vehemently AGREE with you on this subject. I never try to figure out if I am ‘getting through” to someone about the Lord or try to convince them of anything. My job is to “tell”, that is all I can do.
OkieRob
AMEN — that is all we are commanded to do. In fact, we utterly lack the ability to change one’s heart from a reprobate to a believer.
Hi tishrei,
I agree with and thank you for your exhortation to keep on telling the gospel and sowing the seed. God’s word in our mouths will accomplish the purpose God intends (Isaiah 55:11). Ezekiel’s “watchman on the wall” metaphor (3:16ff), among other texts, implies our duty to do so. God help us to keep Jesus’ commandments!
Peter Rubel
P.S. Be sure to look up the Mark 8:14-21 passage as it ties in with your original post.
Excellent post,
A fruit tree does not eat from it’s own fruit but others, so are we in His service.
Hi Louis,
Oh yes, I agree — we are in His service. And a fruit tree produces fruit of its own kind and therefore, a Christian will produce fruit that bears the fruit of sanctification.