Light and Vision.
Light and vision are of inestimable value to us. If destitute of either, utter darkness prevails. We who can see pity the blind, but we cannot fully realize what their condition is. If we close our eyes we are in darkness, but we are conscious of the aility to open our eyes at our own pleasure, so we cannot know by experience what it is to be entirely destitute of sight.As natural light and vision are essential to our enjoyment of the beauties and blessings of nature, so are spiritual light and vision necessary to our enjoyment of the beauties and blessings of spiritual things. Jesus taught that it is impossible for any one to see the kingdom of heaven without being born again. This means not only the kingdom of ultimate glory, but also the spiritual kingdom here. No one can see the kingdom of heaven above or on earth without being born again. "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." I. Corinthians ii. 14. The natural man is the one who is not born again - who is simply fleshly, having been born of the flesh only. Such are in darkness, having neither light nor vision. Having always been in that state, they do not realize their condition. And what renders their condition still more deplorable is that they "love darkness rather than light."
It is the work of the Saviour to give sight and light. Of him the Father says, in Isaiah xlii. 9, 7, "I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of my people, for a light of the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house." The state here described is one of utter helplessness. The blind cannot remove their blindness, and the prisoners cannot free themselves from their bondage. They are both blind and in prison. Justice must be satisfied before the prison door can be opened, and the prisoner cannot even aid in doing this. Jesus only can satisfy justice which he did by his death. He only can give sight which he does by the quickening of the Holy Spirit. This is not a mere improvement of the dim sight, but the impartation of sight to the blind. Paul was sent to open the eyes of the people, but not to give them sight. This no man can do. The gospel minister may open the eyes of those who have sight and thus help them to see, but he has nothing to do in giving the sight. Sight is given in regeneration. Preaching to the blind will not make them see. We might describe a beautiful object to the blind, and hold it up before them, but they would be powerless to see it. We might have all the zeal and fervor of which we are capable in describing the object, but it would be of no avail. The gospel claims to be no more than a description of the plan of salvation, a message concerning Christ the Saviour of sinners. This cannot give sight to blind sinners any more than a description of an object can enable the blind to see it.
We fully agree with Dr. Rothwell in the Regular Baptist Magazine, for July 1870. He says, "Before regeneration the sinner has no spiritual existence - neither eyes to see, ears to hear, heart to understand, nor will to obey. These faculties are wanting, and are the result of direct creating energy without means." Eternal life is imparted, and spiritual sight is given, in the regeneration of the soul. The eyes of the blind are then opened, and the ears of the deaf are unstopped. The sweet sound of the gospel is then heard with joy, and the glorious beauty of spiritual things is seen with transporting delight. "Blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear," says Jesus to his disciples. What a blessing it is to be able to see! "God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."
Two persons may possess equal mental endowments, and have equal moral advantages, and one may rejoice exultingly at the sound of the gospel, while the other listens with indifference. One sees a beauty the other cannot see. The heat of the sun will melt wax and harden clay. This is because wax differs from clay. So it is with one who sees the beauty of the gospel and one who does not. The Lord gives sight to the blind. To him be all the praise.
J. R. D.
Copyright c. 2005. All rights reserved. The Primitive Baptist Library.
