God’s Grace – Greater Than our Sin

Why is it that the eyes of the Nation of Israel must be clouded over at the time of the appearing of our Saviour? The Bible says, “³⁷ But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: ³⁸ That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? ³⁹ Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, ⁴⁰ He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. ⁴¹ These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.” (Jn. 12:37-41.) Here the writer of the Gospel of John is quoting from Is. 53:1 and Is. 6:9-10. These passages make it clear that God is a God that saves those that are His, and He is not a God that has chosen to save all of mankind. This does not make God unjust (God forbid that we should even think this), but this does show that God has designed to save some from amongst a mankind that is undeserving of any Salvation at all.

What I want to think about today, is the fact that God’s Grace is indeed sufficient to cover the sins of His People, no matter who they are, or what sin they have committed. But, what I am struck by today, is the equally indisputable fact that men are witnesses of this Salvation being poured out upon men, and yet they do not seek a part of it, but rather they seek to destroy this Salvation and the recipients of it.

So, what I want to focus on today, is the How and the Why that men are blinded and will not come to the Lord Jesus Christ, even though there is evidence of His Mercy and Grace all around them.

It was Sin that Blinded Them

The first point that I want to make is that Sin itself is the root of the Blindness that afflicts all of mankind. We read in Jn. 3:19-21, “¹⁹ And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. ²¹ But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” What we are being told here, is that men, in their sinful, natural condition, prefer the Darkness to the Light. They do not want to be where they can see or where others can see them. The Light represents God and Goodness. The Darkness represents Evil and Sin. Those that sin, are in Darkness and they cannot see. Because of Sin they are in Darkness and don’t want the Light.

So, let’s be clear: The Blindness that Natural Man is afflicted with, is something that is the result of his own Sinfulness. Sinners, don’t desire God, and they don’t desire to see the Light of God. Therefore, they blind themselves from the only Means by which they can be saved. This is a terrible condition to be in, but it is the inherent condition of man. The Lord told the people through Ezekiel, “Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.” (Ezek. 12:2.) You might compare the state of man spiritually, with a man physically that has Eyes and refuses to use them; or a man that Ears and refuses to use them. Except, in the case of natural man, the refusal to use the Eyes and Ears is the result of an Inherent disability known as Sin.

Jesus Christ must be Shielded From Them

I want us to notice also, that though men were and are wicked; and though men were and are blinded by Sin; still, it is apparent that the Lord Jesus Christ and His Salvation is greater than the effects of any Sin – this must be true if any man is to be saved at all. Even though men are Blind; indeed, even though men are Dead spiritually, Jesus Christ is still able to save them. If any man is exposed to the Saving Grace of God, that man, must inevitably be saved – or perhaps, be destroyed out of hand. Therefore, the Lord is careful to Reveal Himself and the Father in Heaven, only to those that are His. Jesus Christ said, “²⁵…I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. ²⁶ Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. ²⁷ All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.”(Mt. 11:25-27.)

Now, I don’t want us to think that the Lord goes out and Willfully and Purposefully shields the Grace that is found in His Son from those that might otherwise be legitimately seeking Him. This is not the case. In fact, we can say that the primary means through which men are kept from the Grace of God is actually Sin (which we have already mentioned) and Satan. We read in 2Cor. 4:3-4, “³ But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: ⁴ In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” In shielding the lost from the Grace of God, the Lord primarily works indirectly by allowing Satan to Blind the Hearts and Minds of the Reprobate. There really doesn’t need to be direct intervention from God in order that men might not be saved – they naturally will follow the tendencies of their own hearts, and the desires of Satan. The Lord Jesus said to the Jews, “³⁷ And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. ³⁸ And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. ³⁹ Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. ⁴⁰ And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. ⁴¹ I receive not honour from men. ⁴² But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. ⁴³ I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. ⁴⁴ How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? ⁴⁵ Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. ⁴⁶ For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. ⁴⁷ But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?” (Jn. 5:37-47.) Man’s own wickedness and depravity will shield him from the Glory of God’s Grace. However, as we consider our text verses, I think that we can safely say that God does shield the Reprobate from the Grace of God as it is revealed in Jesus Christ in this way at least: He doesn’t reveal so much of Him that Salvation will become something that is inevitably visible. In this way we can say that God does certainly Blind the Eyes and Deafen the Ears of the Lost. Many times in the Life of Jesus Christ, people would see Him and Hear Him, and they would marvel. The evidence of His Greatness and His Glory was not altogether hidden. We read in Mt. 9:8, “But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.” This verse comes upon the heels of the occasion when Jesus healed the man that was sick of the palsy. (See Mt. 9:2.) Later in this chapter, Jesus casts out a devil. We read these words in Mt. 9:33, “And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.” The Lord Jesus Christ was clearly, even to the unsaved human eye, not like other men. When the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Jesus, the officers returned empty-handed to the Pharisees and chief priests and they said simply, “…Never man spake like this man.” (Jn. 7:46.)

These events should cause us to see that Jesus Christ must be shielded to some degree from sinful man, or else all would have to acknowledge Him as Lord. He is Greater and more Magnificent than any Sin or Sinner! His Beauty and His Wonder exceeds that of any mortal man or celestial being! It seems that if only a little more were revealed to these men, then they could not help but be sure that this was God. And, if that understanding were given them, they must be either as the Demons – and believe but be destroyed; or the Saints – and believe and be saved.

When the Lord Jesus Christ delivered the Parables, He said that He spoke these Parables so that the world would hear, but not believe. We read in Mt. 13:10-17, “¹⁰ And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 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. 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. ¹³ Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 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: ¹⁵ For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. ¹⁶ But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. ¹⁷ For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.” Then in the next verse, Jesus addresses His disciples, and He says, “Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.” (Mt. 13:18.) He could give them Hearing Ears, if it was His desire to do so. But, otherwise, their ears would not hear. Towards the end of this same chapter, we read this: “³⁴ All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: ³⁵ That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.” (Mt. 13: 34-35.)

I suppose that some might argue, “If Christ could have spoken more clearly, and the world would have Seen and Heard and Believed, then why didn’t He?” Well, the answer is simple: The world was not ordained to salvation. But, the Elect were ordained unto Salvation.

Still, we can be sure, that any man that has any desire to See and Hear the things of God, he is not deterred by God. We can be sure of this because of the fact that any man that does desire the things of God, must desire them only because God has instilled in him that desire. We read in Jn. 6:36-40, “³⁶ But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. ³⁷ All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. ³⁸ For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. ³⁹ And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. ⁴⁰ And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Sometimes, we as human beings – created by God, must just step back and attempt to look at the Creation from the Creator’s perspective. We, as human beings, are not the center of the universe. God is the Creator, and His Will has always, and will forever be done. All that exists in this Creation – human beings and angels and demons included, only exist to fulfill some design and purpose of God. Therefore, we have no right to question the way that the Lord conducts the events and fulfills the purposes of God in the Creation. Certainly, if the Lord had designed to Save every soul – then every soul must necessarily be saved. However, if the Lord did not design to save every soul – then, the Lord will work it out so that His Elect will be saved – but not one more than that number will ever be saved. Who are we to question the Lord God Creator? Who are we to cast blame on the One Who has made every molecule with a distinct purpose in mind?

Jesus Christ must be Revealed to the Elect

The Blindness and the Deafness and the Death that all men are subject to, is the Ultimate Backdrop upon which the Glorious Christ can be presented to the World of the Elect. What the Blindness and the Deafness and the Death that is all around us shows to us, is that indeed Jesus Christ must be a Great and Magnificent and Sovereign Saviour. For, if men are naturally so Blind, and if men are naturally so incapable of good, then the Salvation of man is even more wonderful to behold. And, if men were not blind and deaf and dead, then the Salvation of the Elect would not be so wonderful after all.

Notice the Words of the Lord in Jn. 9:39-41, “³⁹ And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. ⁴⁰ And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? ⁴¹ Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.”

When John the Baptist’s disciples came unto Jesus to inquire if He was truly the One that they looked for, Jesus performed miracles in their presence and then He told them, “²²… Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. ²³ And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.” (Lk. 7:22-23.)

We read these words at the beginning of the Gospel of John: “¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² The same was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴ In him was life; and the life was the light of men. ⁵ And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not…¹² But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: ¹³ Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. ¹⁴ And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (Jn. 1:1-5, 12-14.)

Conclusion

I guess the thought that I am most trying to get across today, is the thought that men are too wicked and despicable and miserable and hopeless to ever save themselves. They need the Grace of God to be shown unto them in order that they might be saved. On the other hand, the Grace of God as it is manifest in Christ Jesus is so powerful and wonderful and exceeding great that it can save any man. It is so wonderful that if it were revealed to any man, he must inevitably be saved – or be destroyed with that knowledge of God.

The balance between these two thoughts is wholly in the Hands of our Omnipotent and Gracious and Sovereign and Marvelous Saviour. We should rejoice in that any are Saved. And yet we should acknowledge that He can save any, but He saves only those that are His.