Blind, deaf, mute

No one wants to not be able to see, hear, or talk.

What could be worse than a loss of any of these?

You might think of some.

Let's also consider these as spiritual problems: spiritual blindness, deafness, or muteness.

MULTIPLE PLACES for 1 SCRIPTURE

The Old Testament prophet Isaiah, the gospel of Matthew, and Luke's Acts of the Apostles use one passage to describe spiritual deficiencies. Isaiah 6:8-10; Matthew 13:13-15; Acts 28:25-27

The gospels of Mark and Luke quote Jesus saying part of it. Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10

John's gospel also mentions this, though John's use of it might refer to the devil as the force behind spiritual blindness and hardness of hearts. John 12:39-41; 2 Corinthians 4:4

The voice of the Lord is quoted in Isaiah. Isaiah 6:8-10

The voice of the Lord Jesus Christ Who quotes Isaiah, is recorded by Matthew. Matthew 13:10-15

Luke quotes Paul who quotes Isaiah or Jesus. Acts 28:25-27

Jesus said,

"In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled:

'You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.

For this people's heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.

Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears,

understand with their hearts, and turn, and I [the Lord] would heal them.'" Matthew 13:14-15

Jesus noted 3 major problems. Matthew 13:15

The FIRST ERROR was that some people had their spiritual hearts grow hard.

Instead of having a soft heart, Ezekiel 36:26; Ephesians 4:32 theirs became hardened, maybe through the deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3:13

The SECOND ERROR was that this hardness seemed to make it difficult for them to hear spiritual truth.

They "hardly hear" as Jesus said. Matthew 13:15

Don't most of us want to listen to what WE want, not what we need?

If so, can we see how easy it is to only want to follow those who scratch our itches, which can turn us from the truth and to myths? 2 Timothy 4:3-4

Or because by now we should be teachers of the word and not spiritual babies 1 Corinthians 3:1 because we've become too lazy to understand, Hebrews 5:11

we NEED to get back to the basic truths of the faith once delivered to the Lord's people. Hebrews 5:12; Jude v.3

Are there those who can accept that they need to learn or relearn foundational truths? Hebrews 6:1-2

Where are they who can accept a bold word, withstood to their faces with it as Paul did to Peter? Galatians 2:11-14

The THIRD ERROR that Jesus mentioned when He quoted Isaiah as recorded by Matthew is that people had shut their eyes, spiritually speaking. Matthew 13:15

This would be similar to Peter's condemnation that some were willingly ignorant [or deliberately overlooked truth]. 2 Peter 3:5

People still do this today, don't they?

They make a choice to close their eyes to the truth.

Some distort the truth, 2 Peter 3:16 which is a different problem.

To shut one's eyes when truth tries to penetrate darkness is dangerous. John 1:5, 9; 3:18-21; 9:5; 14:6; 15:26; 16:7-11

Jesus said that people such as these don't see, hear, understand with their hearts, nor turn to Him so that He could be their Healer. Matthew 13:15

Their choice, not His.

ALWAYS HEARING, ALWAYS SEEING BUT...

Two other issues that come from hard hearts and closed eyes are stated by Jesus.

Have you met those who like to listen to and read about religious or spiritual things but they still haven't arrived at the knowledge of the truth that God the Father wants for them? 1 Timothy 2:3-4; 2 Peter 3:9

They seem to be always "learning" 2 Timothy 3:7 but carried around by winds of teaching Ephesians 4:14 that aren't sound. 1 Timothy 4:7; Titus 1:14

As Jesus said, "You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving." Matthew 13:14

Sometimes, the truth isn't so clear. 2 Peter 3:15-16

So, spiritual perception is needed.

But we have to compare spiritual concepts from Scripture with others in Scripture, dissected correctly and handled accurately. 2 Timothy 2:15

We want to express spiritual truths in spiritual words as taught by the Holy Spirit Who can give us spiritual awareness. 1 Corinthians 2:13; 1 John 2:20, 27

We want to understand the things that God the Father has given freely to His children through the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 8:32; 1 Corinthians 2:12; 3:21-23; Ephesians 1:3-8

ARE WE BLIND?

After the Lord Jesus Christ healed a man physically blind from birth, John 9:1-7 He announced,

"For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind may see and those who see may become blind." John 9:39

Some Jewish leaders heard this and asked Jesus,

"Are we blind also?" John 9:40

Jesus replied,

"If you were blind you would not be guilty of sin.

But since you claim you can see, your guilt remains." John 9:41

So, any of us could be blind spiritually, not able to see what the Father wants us to see. Psalm 119:18; Matthew 16:2-3; Ephesians 1:16-20

It's not wrong to examine ourselves. Are we in the faith? 2 Corinthians 13:5; 2 Peter 1:5-11

SPIRITUAL DEAFNESS

We could also be deaf spiritually, not able to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying. Acts 8:29; 10:19; 11:12; 13:12; 20:23; 21:11; 1 Timothy 4:1-3; Hebrews 3:7-11; 10:15-17; Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22

As Jesus often warned,

"If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear." [Or, they had better listen!] Matthew 11:15; 13:9, 43; Mark 4:23; Luke 8:8

Jesus went on to say, "Pay attention to what you hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and even more will be added to you.

For whoever has will be given more. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him." Mark 4:24-25

SPIRITUAL MUTENESS

We may also be mute spiritually, that is, unable to speak the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:6, 12-13

John wrote that some speak using the world's value system and the world of non-believers listens to them. 1 John 4:1, 4-5

Should we be careful to NOT MIX the desires of the flesh, the desires of the mind, and the pride of life, which is the world's perspective, Luke 16:13; Romans 12:2; James 4:4; 1 John 2:15-16 with what the Holy Spirit wants to say?

Or maybe spiritual muteness is only SOME of the time, in certain situations.

For example, we might be afraid or timid to proclaim Jesus as Lord Acts 2:36; 1 Corinthians 12:3 at work, school, or among friends or family members.

We don't speak the mystery of the gospel boldly as we should, could, or would Colossians 4:3-4; Ephesians 6:19-20 because we're mute SELECTIVELY.

The fear of people is a snare. Proverbs 29:25

Instead of being trapped in cowardice, timidity, or fear, let's remember these truths --

The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life— whom shall I dread? Psalm 27:1

God the Father has NOT given His people the spirit of fear [or timidity or cowardice], but He has given the Spirit of power, love, and self-control [or sound mind or judgment]. 2 Timothy 1:7

The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion. Proverbs 28:1

ESCAPE

How can we get out of any conditions of spiritual blindness, deafness, or muteness?

If the Lord Jesus Christ were to say,

"Turn in an account of your management," Luke 16:1-2 we might wonder why.

We may think that all is well with our lives and our relationship with Him.

What if He then said,

"I know your deeds; you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were one or the other!

So because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to vomit you out of My mouth!" Revelation 3:15-16

Sounds harsh, doesn't it?

"Those I love, I rebuke and discipline." [point out faults and sins, and instruct and train them so they can change] Revelation 3:19

The next part of the Bible verse tells us our FIRST STEP --

"Therefore be earnest and repent." Revelation 3:19 [be motivated to change our way of thinking, communicating, and living with His help] Romans 8:12-14

What's a SECOND STEP?

Let Him be our total Savior because it's written of Jesus,

The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor.

He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed,

to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. Luke 4:18-19

We CAN have eyes and ears that are blessed. Matthew 13:16-17

We CAN choose to open our eyes to see wonderful things out of His word Psalm 119:18, 103 and have ears to hear what He says today. Revelation 2:7

Today, if we hear His voice, let's NOT harden our hearts. Hebrews 4:7

Let's do what His word says as we're able to understand and accept it. Matthew 7:24-25; Mark 4:33; John 16:12-13; James 1:22

Then, what we've seen and heard, we CAN communicate to others. Matthew 28:18-20

As the first believers said,

"For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard." Acts 4:20; 5:42; 17:6-7

Your thoughts?

R. Jason