No Excuse

John 9:25 – One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.

John chapter 9 tells the incredible story of a man born blind who was healed by Jesus and then cast out by the Pharisees. All those who knew him knew it was a miracle but the man had to retell the story over and over. The Pharisees were once again on their high horse because the so-called healing had taken place on the Sabbath. They asked him again what had happened and he told them that the story hadn’t changed from the last time they asked, but he would sum it up for them – “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”

The Pharisees were incensed when the man asked them if they wanted to become Jesus’ disciples. ‘We are disciples of Moses’ they reply, ‘as for this man, we do not know where he comes from’. Just listen to the man’s response:

“Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from and yet he opened my eyes… if anyone is a worshipper of God and does his will, God listens to him. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”

Refusing to accept the truth and refusing to be taught by a ‘sinner’, they cast him out. The man himself had never seen Jesus so he didn’t recognize him when he came to talk to him. Jesus asks, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” The man replies, “Who is he, sir?”

Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshipped him.

Some Pharisees had overhead the rest of this conversation and they ask Jesus, “Are we also blind?” Jesus reply would not be well received, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say ‘we see’, your guilt remains.”

All those who had seen and heard Jesus were now accountable for their sin and they would have no excuse before God. Before knowing the truth of the gospel, guilt does not exist because spiritually you are blind. Once the truth is presented, guilt becomes real and a choice must be made.

Don’t go through life living blind to the wonders of God’s salvation – discover real life with eyes wide open!