Spiritual blindness refers to the inability to perceive, understand or receive spiritual truths. It is a condition where someone is unable or unwilling to recognize God, His word, and spiritual matters. The Bible has a lot to say about spiritual blindness and its causes, characteristics, and cures.
Causes of Spiritual Blindness
According to the Bible, there are several potential causes of spiritual blindness:
Sin – Persistent sin and disobedience to God can lead to a hardness of heart that blinds people to spiritual truth. Romans 1:21 says, “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.”
Satanic deception – Satan actively works to blind people’s minds so they cannot see the light of the gospel. 2 Corinthians 4:4 states, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
Worldly influences – Being consumed by the temporal things of this world can prevent people from perceiving spiritual realities. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 says, “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
Hardened hearts – Repeatedly rejecting God’s truth causes people’s hearts to grow hard and their ears become deaf to His voice. Isaiah 6:10 records God saying, “Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”
Self-sufficiency – When people think they lack nothing, they fail to seek after God. Revelation 3:17 warns, “You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.”
Unbelief – Refusing to trust in Christ and believe the gospel blinds people to spiritual truth. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 declares, “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
Characteristics of Spiritual Blindness
The Bible describes several characteristics of those suffering from spiritual blindness:
Cannot understand spiritual truth – They are unable to comprehend the meaning and importance of God’s Word. 1 Corinthians 2:14 states, “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.”
Ignorant of God – They are estranged from the life of God and lack understanding of His ways. Ephesians 4:18 warns, “They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.”
No fear of God – Having no reverence for God, they brazenly sin against Him. Romans 3:18 declares, “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
Cannot find God – They cannot find or know God, groping about in blindness. Acts 17:27 notes, “God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.”
Cannot see God’s light – Christ the light of the world does not illuminate their darkness. John 1:5 states, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
Cannot see their lost condition – They fail to recognize their desperate state and need for salvation. Revelation 3:17 warns, “You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.”
Cannot perceive the truth – Their blindness prevents them from discerning truth from falsehood. 1 John 2:11 notes, “But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.”
Cannot see the glory of Christ – The magnificence and splendor of Jesus is hidden from their eyes. 2 Corinthians 4:4 declares, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
Consequences of Spiritual Blindness
The Bible highlights several dire consequences of spiritual blindness:
Cannot experience salvation – Without comprehending their need for redemption, the blind remain lost in their sin. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 states, “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
Enslaved by sin – Those unable to see and hate their sin remain trapped in sin’s bondage. John 8:34 warns, “Jesus replied, ‘Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.'”
Under God’s judgement – Continuing in rebellion against God stores up His wrath. Romans 2:5 declares, “But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.”
Deprived of joy and peace – The spiritually blind forfeit the joy, peace and blessings found in Christ. John 15:11 states, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”
Wandering in darkness – Not knowing God’s truth, the blind stumble aimlessly about. 1 John 2:11 warns, “But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.”
Headed for destruction – Rejecting God’s light leads down the road to eternal separation from Him. John 3:19 declares, “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.”
Cure for Spiritual Blindness
Though spiritual blindness is a serious condition, the Bible provides hope and a cure:
God’s revelation – God breaks through blindness by revealing His truth through Scripture and the Holy Spirit. 2 Corinthians 4:6 states, “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”
A new heart – God removes our heart of stone and gives us a soft, receptive heart to know Him. Ezekiel 36:26 declares, “‘I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.'”
God’s call – Hearing and responding when God calls us out of darkness into light. 1 Peter 2:9 notes, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
Belief in Christ – Putting our faith in Jesus as the Son of God opens our eyes to the truth. John 9:39 states, “Jesus said, ‘For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.’”
The Holy Spirit – The Spirit gives spiritual understanding and helps us discern God’s truth. 1 Corinthians 2:12-13 declares, “What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak.”
In summary, spiritual blindness is a devastating condition where people are unable to perceive, comprehend or receive spiritual truths. Its causes are varied – from sin and satanic deception to hard hearts and worldliness. Characteristics include ignorance of God, inability to understand His Word, and failure to see one’s need for salvation or recognize Christ’s glory. It leads to aimless wandering, enslavement to sin, and eternal destruction. Yet God graciously cures blindness by revealing Himself, regenerating stony hearts, calling us to the light, and sending His Spirit to open eyes to discern His truth.
