John 9
SCRIPTURE abounds with questions of all kinds; but so far as man is concerned there is surely none of greater importance than the one which stands at the head of this paper. This question was asked by One who had performed the wonderful miracle of opening the eyes of a man who had been born blind, and who had already confessed before his neighbors and friends that "a man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam and wash; and I went and washed, and I received sight." This was in itself a good confession, but further testimony quickly followed, when he declared this same Jesus to be "a prophet"; and, amidst the jeers of Christ's enemies, boldly asserted, in the full assurance of faith, " Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not; one thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see.
Pharisaic reviling was now freely heaped upon the man whose eyes were opened, and who was not afraid to own it; but brighter still shone his faith when their callous sneers only resulted in calling forth the further, but yet more precious, truth, " Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. They answered and said unto him, Thou vast altogether born in sins, and dolt thou teach us? And they cast him out." Yes, the religious world of that day had agreed among themselves that" if any man did confess that Jesus was Christ he should be put out of the synagogue." As then, so is it now, that the mere religionist is a bitter foe to God and His Christ. Hence the synagogue door was rudely shut in the face of this faithful confessor, only, however, to bring him into closer touch with his almighty Deliverer. "Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?" This is the one great crucial question for each, and all, of Adam's race; and none can ever taste, or know, the joys of God's salvation who du not honestly confess that Jesus the Christ is, in deed and in truth, "the Son of God.”
On this divine foundation, everything rests for time and for eternity; and, amidst all the ten thousand dogmas of these last and closing days, faith only can give the true answer to Christ's question. Face to face with his glorious Deliverer, the man whose eyes were now open answers Christ's question with another “Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on Him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen Him, and it is He that talketh with thee." He, who is Himself" the truth," now opens the spiritual eyes of the one who has just confessed Him as Lord, and light from the glory of God fills his heart, as this further revelation entered his soul. It was none other than the Son of God Himself who thus spoke to him, and, as this stupendous truth was borne in upon his spiritual vision, he exclaimed," Lord, I believe” and he worshipped Him.
Dear reader, nineteen hundred years have nearly rolled away since this wonderful event took place upon this earth; but a fact still more wonderful rises up before my soul, as I meditate on the death and resurrection of the One who opened that blind man's eyes. "We know the Son of God has come, and hath given us an understanding that we may know Him that is true" (1 John 5:2020And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. (1 John 5:20)). It was He alone who could say, "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life that I might take it again... I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father" (John 10:17, 1817Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. (John 10:17‑18)). It was by His own triumphant rising from among the dead that Jesus has been "declared the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness." It is His blood alone which cleanseth from all sin. Do you then feel your need of Him; and are you resting now by faith on His finished work and atoning sacrifice? Do you know Him, not only as "a man called Jesus," but as "the Son of the living God"? Were He not truly such, in both His person and His work, He could be no Savior to you.
If you do not, in this day of grace, own Him as such, and as a poor, lost, guilty sinner bow now at His feet as your Savior, you will hereafter be compelled to own Him, not only as God's Son, but also as the Son of man, when you stand before Him in the Day of Judgment. It was God who sent His Son, the Savior of the world; and, to know God and Jesus Christ whom He hath sent, is life eternal. Be not then like the Pharisees of old, who, having asked of Jesus, "Are we blind also?" received this answer from His holy lips, "If ye were blind ye should have no sin, but now ye say, We see, therefore your sin remaineth.”
All is simple, dear reader, if once you realize your ruined, lost, and helpless condition, and confess your blindness. Then, and then only, will your blind eyes be opened by power from on high, and you will gladly confess, in common with all true believers, that "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." Meanwhile, the question now awaits your answer, "Dost thou believe on the Son of God?”
S. T.