01/27/2021
For those of us who have come to see even a glimmer of the glory of God through Jesus, we find it inconceivable how someone could not worship Him, and yet so many refuse His call. How is this possible, and how could they be so blind to the truth that is God’s glory? They have become blinded by the gods in the world which they have concocted for themselves... how rampant runs human selfishness that men will lose their soul for a few bobbles of earthly wealth and pleasure.
“In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
2 Corinthians 4:4 ESV
When we come to understand this we are so thankful that our own vision of God’s glory is being made more perfect every day. We praise the Lord Jesus Christ who is making us see by removing our earthly blindness... making our blindness fall away as if it had been the result of scales.
“So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized;”
Acts 9:17-18 ESV
When our vision has been restored, our lives are transformed as well, and the scales of sin that were placed over our eyes by the gods of this world, fall away. Scales of diverse sins of many colors, and none is more tempting than gold which spawns many ill conceived children...
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”
1 Timothy 6:10 ESV
Wealth makes it possible for us to fill our lives with an array of earthly gods, and in it’s pursuit alone it hides God’s glory behind scales such as deceit, lies, thievery, jealousy, coveting, and so many other vices we are tempted to use in the pursuit of this god of mammon.
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
Matthew 6:24 KJV
But don’t be fooled because there are many other gods that blind us, each coming with its own set of scales. There are gods within ourselves like vanity, selfishness, sex, power, prestige, idolizing others, and then the false gods such as Baal, Dagon, Marduk, Satan, and so many others that exist in the minds of men, and who we give reign over our us. In these and others there is no shortage of earthly, and imagined gods that we allow to blind us to Jesus, and the one true God of Abraham.
So we live in the world of the blind, and in this place men and women have chosen to remain blinded to the glory of God throughout history; coming to worship fantasies, others, and themselves. Their actions have blinded them to the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. Yes, they have become satisfied in the darkness, and comfortable with their scales of blind illusion, so God has allowed them to remain in the darkness. But we as believers have followed the light, and denied the scales of sin to have dominion over us through our faith in Jesus, thus worshiping God with perfect eyesight... even in the world of the blind.
“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
2 Corinthians 4:6 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for calling us to yourself, and revealing your glory to us through the face of Jesus Christ. Thank you Lord for not giving us over to the sin in ourselves, and the false gods we have concocted in our desire to worship things that make us feel good in our decrepit nature. Thank you for allowing us to worship you, and love you with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God in whom we place the entirety of our belief, and to whom we come through the redemption of Christ. Praised be your name Father as you reveal your glory to us, and affirm your holiness in us, and majesty in all that surrounds us. Hear our prayers Lord, and the prayers of your Son Jesus Christ who intercedes for us. Forgive us our sins, and find us worthy in your Son Jesus of receiving eternal life with you. We long to sit at your table Father, and dine with you in the midst of your glory forevermore.
Rich Forbes