The Out-of-Focus Church
“And as He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that He should be born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was in order that the works of God might be displayed in him.”
In the Jewish tradition of Jesus day, sickness and suffering were commonly held to be the consequences of one’s personal or family sin. Jesus’ disciples therefore, were asking Him, “Whose guilty here, the boy or his parents? But Jesus didn’t try to explain sin and suffering to His disciples. Instead, He corrected the false idea the disciples held, and He refocused their spiritual vision upon His Father’s purpose in the life of the boy, (See John 9:3-5).
God didn’t “zap” the boy with blindness nor use him as a spiritual guinea pig in-order-to bring glory unto Himself! Paul even opposed the idea of our merciful Father being viewed as using man’s sin to glorify Himself (See Romans 3). That’s not God! One Christian has said, “Every pain is a context in which God shows Himself at work.”
A Christian, (or a local church), can find himself losing his spiritual vision ever so gradually when “religion” replaces relationship! When, “Whose guilty Here?” replaces forgiveness, healing, and restoration of lives and relationships according to God’s Word and the power of the Holy Spirit working through the church Body. Often, we Christians are so ready to point the finger without first examining our own hearts and motives. Like the blind man whose sight was restored, may we be the first to express our need of the Savior’s healing touch by confessing, “I am the one!” (See John 9:9).
Pastor Louie