Why The Spiritually Blind Cannot See?
Mike,
I have been discussing the matter of free will with a religious friend of mine. I told her that without discord we could never understand harmony! “But strong meat belongs to them that are of full age, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” I then quoted these scriptures.
Heb 5:14 For the creature (in the Greek transcripts this actually says creation) was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him (God) who hath subjected the same in hope.
Rom 8:20 But it is spirit in man, the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand.
Job 32:8 (ESV) However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual.
1Co 15:44 (NKJV) Believe you not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwells in me, he doeth the works.
Joh 14:10 (GW) Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? What I’m telling you doesn’t come from me. The Father, who lives in me, does what he wants. [ no free will there!]It’s just cause and effect “For whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.
I sent this to her and received in return only the brief statement “God is only in us once we make the choice to receive Him.” I am finding out firsthand what you have been saying that only God can open a person’s eyes to truth. She is of the popular belief that Adam and Eve ‘fell’ from perfection. Should I continue to ‘reason’ with her, or just let it go?Thanks,
D____
Good morning D____,
You quoted Rom 8:20 to her.
Rom 8:20 For the creature (in the Greek transcripts this actually says creation) was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him (God) who hath subjected the same in hope.
I remember how that verse hit me when I first had it pointed out in the context in which you present it here. I thought, ‘Hey, I’ve read that many times before, but where in the world did that come from?’ It was like I had never seen that verse before.
I was conversing with a brother recently, and during the course of our conversation he mentioned the impact that Jer 18:4 had on him.
Jer 18:4 And the vessel that he made of clay [ Adam] was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
“The Potter” does not make mistakes. He deliberately marred the first vessel by making it of clay. All clay vessels are marred. The only unmarred vessel is “the Lord from heaven.”
1Co 15:44 It is sown a natural body [ marred]; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural [ marred] body, and there is a spiritual body.
1Co 15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam [ marred vessel, made of clay] was made a living soul [ marred]; the last Adam [ was made] a quickening spirit.
1Co 15:46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural [ marred]; and afterward that which is spiritual.
1Co 15:47 The first man is of the earth, earthy [ marred]: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
1Co 15:48 As is the earthy [ marred], such are they also that are earthy [ marred]: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
1Co 15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy [ marred], we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood [ marred] cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption [ marred] inherit incorruption.
In these verses Paul equates ‘natural, earthy, and flesh and blood’ with ‘corruption.’ When Christ pronounced everything He had created as “very good,” He was not saying that it was finished or perfected.
Gen 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
When we say that this verse proves that God created everything perfect and finished and then it all came tumbling down in a so- called “fall of man”, such a statement ignores the fact that “everything that He had made” includes the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and that old serpent the devil. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was a good tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It worked perfectly to accomplish what it was created and designed to accomplish. When Adam and Eve ate of its fruit it made them like God “to know good and evil”. The serpent was a perfect serpent. He seduced Eve, and through her Adam, to eat of the tree of which they had been told not to eat.
Gen 3:22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
Gen 3:23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.
Gen 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
It is not the lying serpent who says “The man is become as one of us, to know good and evil.” That is not a lie, that is the Truth. Those are the Words of God. The first step we take towards becoming “as one of us” is to come to “know good and evil.” Knowing the difference between good and evil does not make God evil. But of course God does inform us that He is the one who creates evil:
Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.
Your friend here, and for that matter the whole world, understands God’s words here to mean ‘sometimes’ at the end of this verse. ‘ I… create evil… sometimes.’ But when they do that they are adding to themselves “the plagues which are in this book.”
Rev 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
It is best to just believe that “I the Lord do all these things,” and leave the ‘sometimes’ off. Your friend had asked you before why God didn’t just start with a rod of iron. Well, we all ask that question, and the natural man does not like God’s ‘what business of yours is that?’ answer.
Rom 9:19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
Rom 9:20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed [ it], Why hast thou made me thus?
Rom 9:21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
Again, the whole world adds the word ‘sometimes’ to the end of verse 21.
In the face of all of these verses your friend says:
God is only in us once we make the choice to receive him.
To which Christ answers:
Joh 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Here is what the concordance reveals about the Greek word translated ‘draw’ in this verse:
G1670
ελκυω / ελκω
helkuo / helko
Total KJV Occurrences: 8
draw, 4
Joh_6:44, Joh_12:32, Jas_2:6 (2)
drew, 4
Joh_21:10-11 (2), Act_16:19, Act_21:30
The Greek word is helkuo, and a quick look at all of those entries listed above will reveal that free will is the last thing involved with this word ‘helkuo’. For example:
Jas 2:6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw [ helkuo] you before the judgment seats?
What? Do any of us will to have lawsuits brought against us? I think not. We are all dragged into court when we are sued by another person.
Joh 21:10 Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.
Joh 21:11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.
Do fish in a net will themselves out of the water? No, they have to be dragged out of the water.
Act 16:19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,
Act 16:20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,
Act 16:21 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.
Act 16:22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat [ them].
Act 16:23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
Did Paul and Silas will to be beaten by a mob? No, they did not, and we do not choose Christ until we too, have been dragged to do so. Only then do we ‘choose’ to obey God; only after God demonstrates his chastening love for us, do we then love Him.
Joh 15:16 (a) Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you…
1Jn 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.
But your friend does not believe that God is in the business of blinding people, and so she cannot understand the reason Christ spoke in parables. She actually cannot see or hear these words of our Lord simply because she has not been given “eyes that see or ears that hear.”
Mat 13:9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Mat 13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
Mat 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Mat 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
Mat 13:14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
Christ spoke in parables to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah, which prophesied their blindness and deafness, and so it is to this day for the multitudes who cannot to this very day see this reason for the parables.
So you are talking to a deaf and blind woman, and that by her own words when she says that we have free will. ‘To her it is not given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God.’ Don’t be discouraged. Always be ready to answer, but let this lady consider what you have given her, and then answer her when she asks you about any subject.
I hope this helps.
Your brother in Christ,
Mike
Other related posts
- You Shall Receive Power Part 2 (May 28, 2009)
- Wife of Isaiah and A Type and Shadow (April 25, 2008)
- Why We Are Hated of All Men? (April 7, 2008)
- Why Was Drinking Blood Taboo? (January 25, 2009)
- Why The Spiritually Blind Cannot See? (November 23, 2009)
- Why The Hardened Heart? (November 4, 2004)
- Why No Church Says What You Say? (July 21, 2005)
- Why Guard The Tree Of Life (May 13, 2011)
- Why Did God Command Israel to Kill Infants? (August 26, 2010)
- Why Christ Drove Out The Money Changers (December 16, 2010)
- Why Better For Judas if He Had Never Been Born? (November 24, 2011)
- Who Will See That They Have Pierced Christ? (September 7, 2010)
- Who Walks Up And Down Among The Stones Of Fire? (November 18, 2009)
- Who Walks To And Fro In The Earth? (November 18, 2009)
- Who Should We Hate Spiritually? (October 5, 2010)
- Who Is Zion? (November 18, 2009)
- Who Did King David Call Lord? (August 18, 2010)
- Who Crucified Christ? (November 12, 2008)
- Who Can Eat Of The Sin Offering? (October 15, 2008)
- Who Are the Poor? (May 4, 2012)
- Where Should I Start In Studying Revelation? (September 29, 2010)
- When is Wisdom Not Found in the Land of the Living? (May 13, 2011)
- When Did Christ Ever Sacrifice To Baalim? (July 24, 2007)
- What is the Soul? (August 6, 2009)
- What is the Glory of God? (October 20, 2006)
- What The Tabernacle Foreshadows (July 18, 2007)
- What Is Aionios Life? (August 3, 2007)
- What Does Endure to the End Mean? (November 12, 2010)
- What Becomes Of Our Flesh? Part 2 (March 28, 2009)
- Were Moses And Elias With Christ On The Mount? (July 11, 2005)
- Welcome (April 11, 2009)
- We Can Bind and Loose Things In Heaven? (May 13, 2011)
- Waters As Chastening Judgment (May 2, 2008)
- Was The Sabbath Observed From The Creation? (October 20, 2006)
- Was Man Made Upright? (September 30, 2008)
- Voting As A Christian And Never Die (October 28, 2010)
- Understanding The Bible (October 9, 2010)
- Types of The Mark of The Beast (October 8, 2007)
- Types And Shadows Of The New Testament (June 16, 2009)
- To Turn From The Holy Commandment (October 3, 2004)
- To Resist Or Not To Resist (June 13, 2010)
- To Be Ordained (August 4, 2008)
- Their Worm Dieth Not (July 18, 2007)
- The World Means Babylon The Church (October 28, 2004)
- The Word Keep (October 20, 2006)
- The Tree of The Knowledge of Good and Evil (March 23, 2008)
- The Time of Jacob's Trouble (August 21, 2009)
- The Teaching of Rain and Archers (June 20, 2004)
- The Sum Of Thy Word (September 21, 2011)
- The Spiritual Meaning Of Words (July 15, 2008)
- The Son of Perdition (June 17, 2008)
- The Scriptures Have Opened Up (October 3, 2008)
- The Real Meaning of In the Beginning (August 23, 2011)
- The Parting of His Raiment (July 25, 2007)
- The Parents of The Man Healed of Blindness (September 4, 2008)
- The Names Jacob And Israel And Judah (July 1, 2009)
- The Meaning Of Hated Of All Men (June 29, 2010)
- The Marriage Supper Furnished With Guests (July 6, 2006)
- The Mark of the Beast 2008 (June 25, 2008)
- The Mark Of The Beast 2005 (April 20, 2005)
- The Head of Christ Is God (November 16, 2006)
- The Greek Word For Drag (March 28, 2010)
- The First Tabernacle Have To Be Destroyed? (June 6, 2009)
- The Fatted Calf (June 10, 2007)
- The Father Ever Speak To The Disciples? (September 18, 2008)
- The Fate of Sodom (September 21, 2007)
- The Fast I have Chosen (August 1, 2007)
- The Fallen Angels (July 25, 2007)
- The Faith Of Christ (June 25, 2008)
- The Evil That is Mythical Creatures (August 4, 2012)
- The Eternal God (December 14, 2009)
- The Established Church Being Blinded (March 18, 2009)
- The Days Ordained For Us (November 6, 2008)
- The Canon of Scripture 2005 (March 12, 2005)
- The Canon of Scripture (June 12, 2007)
- The Blessings of a Healthy Family (May 13, 2011)
- Taking Up Arms (July 6, 2006)
- Suicide And The First Resurrection (April 18, 2010)
- Suffer Little Children To Come To Christ (May 3, 2010)
- Studying The Bible (July 9, 2006)
- Strong Delusion (November 30, 2008)
- Spiritually Eating and Drinking with the Drunken (May 13, 2011)
- Spiritual with Spiritual (July 14, 2007)
- Spiritual Significance of Picking the Snake up by the Tail (July 31, 2011)
- Spiritual Significance Of Ananias And Sapphira (November 26, 2009)
- Spiritual Sacrifices (April 11, 2007)
- Spiritual Meaning Of Words (October 5, 2005)
- Spiritual Drunkenness (December 4, 2009)
- Sovereignty and Giving An Account (July 21, 2005)
- Sovereignty And Held Accountable (June 10, 2007)
- Significance Of Herbs (June 25, 2009)
- Show Us Plainly of The Father (April 13, 2008)
- Should A Christian Fast? Study (June 12, 2007)
- Should A Christian Fast? (April 20, 2005)
- Short Sighted Christians and Healings or Miracles (July 13, 2006)
- Seek Ye First The Kingdom Of God (May 28, 2009)
- Science In The Life Of The Believer (March 25, 2010)
- Satan Is Cast Out of Heaven? (October 12, 2006)
- Response Of Andrew And Peter To Christs Call (June 19, 2009)
- Providing and Relying On God To Provide (October 3, 2004)
- Praying for the Peace of Jerusalem (November 26, 2009)
- Possess Ye Your Souls (October 26, 2010)
- Plead With Your Mother (April 30, 2010)
- Overcoming The Wicked One (July 10, 2008)
- Our Heavenly War (October 5, 2005)
- Offering of Cain Was Not Accepted (November 14, 2004)
- No Perfect Translations Of The Bible (October 20, 2004)
- Neither Had Received His Mark (February 24, 2008)
- Need To Repent and For What (May 16, 2007)
- Names In Scripture (October 6, 2008)
- Nadab And Abihubr (September 18, 2008)
- Much Learning Does Make Us Seem Mad (May 4, 2010)
- More About The Lords Supper (October 20, 2006)
- Message of the Book of Jonah? (September 22, 2011)
- Melchisedec (October 17, 2010)
- Meaning Of Names Being Changed? (May 13, 2011)
- Man Shall Not Live By Bread Alone (April 24, 2007)
- Man Shall Live By Every Word of God? (May 13, 2007)
- Lying Signs and Wonders (April 25, 2008)
- Let Us Be Making Man (November 18, 2009)
- Let Not Judah Offend (October 23, 2010)
- Leaving Babylon and Being Part of Christ's Body (June 12, 2007)
- Knowing The Voice of The True Shepherd (April 25, 2007)
- Keeping the Book of Revelation (October 20, 2011)
- Karma In The Bible (April 2, 2008)
- Jephthah and the Grafting In (February 26, 2009)
- Israel and Strangers (February 13, 2010)
- Is the Bible God's Total Reliable Truth? (June 22, 2009)
- Is There A Law of Circularity? (January 8, 2006)
- Is There A Gap Between Genesis 1:1 and 2 (November 25, 2007)
- Is The Son Of Man A Worm? (September 1, 2008)
- Is The Garden of Eden A Mere Parable? (July 14, 2010)
- Is The Bible The Only Word Of God? (April 6, 2008)
- Is Melchisadek Really a Priest of God? (June 24, 2011)
- Is Evil Good? (June 29, 2011)
- Instruction Upon Thy Bed (March 28, 2008)
- Initial Email Exchange Explaining Split (April 19, 2007)
- I Am That Woman! (May 13, 2011)
- I Am Crucified With Christ (May 3, 2008)
- How to Scripturally Study the Bible? (July 6, 2006)
- How To Use the Wigram Concordances? (March 10, 2006)
- How Do We Live By Every Word of God - Part 1 and Part 2 (March 14, 2010)
- How Can Scripture Be Trusted? (January 31, 2010)
- How Can God Kill And Still Love? (April 21, 2009)
- His Knowledge Of Who We Are? (August 12, 2009)
- His Anger and His Mercy (September 27, 2010)
- Hem of His Garment (April 3, 2009)
- He Shall Suffer Loss (July 29, 2004)
- He Left The Linen Cloth (July 18, 2007)
- Have We All Worshiped the Beast (August 16, 2011)
- Hated of Men Like Christ (August 1, 2010)
- Hated By Versus Peace With All Men (June 15, 2010)
- Handkerchiefs and Aprons (April 24, 2007)
- Grounds For Divorce (July 24, 2007)
- Gods Word As A Two Edged Sword (June 22, 2009)
- Gods True Name (November 18, 2009)
- Gods Left Hand (August 5, 2010)
- God So Loved The World (March 28, 2005)
- Generational Curses (October 20, 2004)
- From Whence Are His Elect? (September 10, 2007)
- Four Aspects About His Word (April 11, 2009)
- For Ever Ends (March 18, 2009)
- First Fruits To Babylon For Their Good (May 2, 2009)
- Faith By Hearing (June 23, 2008)
- El Olawm (February 10, 2008)
- Eating Locusts And Honey (March 1, 2010)
- E_Sword Wigrams And The Holy Spirit (February 25, 2009)
- Drinking His Blood (September 27, 2007)
- Does God Take Pleasure In Us, His Creation? (June 17, 2007)
- Does Calling Christ The Lord Prove A Trinity? (December 11, 2009)
- Do We Hate His Words While In Babylon? (July 14, 2010)
- Do I Contradict Myself? (July 23, 2007)
- Discerning Scriptures (April 2, 2009)
- Did Paul Say World Without End? (May 13, 2011)
- Did Michal, Daughter of Saul, Have Children? (May 13, 2011)
- Did Joseph Slander His Brothers? (August 4, 2012)
- Did Jephthah Commit Human Sacrifice? (October 12, 2010)
- Did God Make Man Upright? (June 19, 2008)
- Did Enoch And Elijah See Death? (December 22, 2004)
- Did Christ Teach Self Mutilation? (January 30, 2010)
- Did Christ Pick Corn on the Sabbath? (September 15, 2011)
- Definition of a True Christian (March 30, 2009)
- Death Hell And Eternity (January 24, 2009)
- Days of Creation and The Seventh Day (November 11, 2007)
- David And Bathsheba Not Stoned (July 10, 2008)
- Cutting Off The Hand Of The Wife (January 15, 2010)
- Cutting Off Her Hand (May 17, 2010)
- Crying and Mark of Eze 9_5_7 (October 5, 2011)
- Crooked Serpent represent Babylon? (March 30, 2009)
- Confessing Our Sins (January 3, 2009)
- Communicate With The Dead? (March 30, 2009)
- Christ and Melchisedec (May 3, 2008)
- Christ Having To Die (March 6, 2008)
- Choosing Evil And Dutch Translation Of Site (February 10, 2009)
- Chaste Conversation (June 20, 2008)
- Can Women Preach? (October 11, 2006)
- Can We Live Sinless Lives? (March 27, 2007)
- Can We Live By Every Word Of God? (September 5, 2011)
- Can We Know The Truth? (October 10, 2008)
- Can We Change God's Mind? (June 12, 2008)
- Can A Person Really Talk To Dead People? (December 28, 2009)
- Can A Christian Make A Graven Image? (June 23, 2009)
- Burning And The Book Of Life (June 12, 2005)
- Born Again_Gestation Mystery Solved! (July 10, 2008)
- Being Tempted Versus Being Tested (October 30, 2008)
- Being Sin Versus Sinning (October 17, 2008)
- Because He Could Swear By No Greater (August 30, 2007)
- Beast Accountability For Human Lifeblood? (December 15, 2010)
- Are We All Failures? (November 18, 2009)
- Are We All Blasphemers? (November 18, 2009)
- Are We A Sweet Savor Offering? (January 25, 2010)
- Are We A Sin Offering Like Christ? (May 5, 2008)
- Are Unbelievers Already Justified? (March 9, 2010)
- Are There Two Israels? (November 15, 2008)
- Are There Prophecies Only For The End Times? (March 26, 2009)
- Are The Writings of Paul More Important? (July 6, 2006)
- Are The Two Adams Both Trees? (November 1, 2010)
- Are The Seraphim Evil Spirits? (June 3, 2009)
- Are The Preparations of The Heart Really From Man? (October 21, 2010)
- Are The Book And The Books The Same? (December 21, 2009)
- Are Prayer Tongues Scriptural? (January 24, 2010)
- Are Parts of The Law Still To Be Kept? (August 20, 2007)
- Are Enoch And Elijah In Heaven? (October 11, 2010)
- Are Baby Dedications Scriptural? (December 18, 2009)
- Are Animals Resurrected? (October 29, 2008)
- Are All Things Really Ours? (July 18, 2010)
- Another Jesus and Another Gospel (May 17, 2008)
- And the Word Was God (September 1, 2010)
- An Infidel and Envy Versus Jealously (November 27, 2007)
- An Attitude of Gratitude (September 25, 2007)
- Amazed And Thankful (September 6, 2010)