Giving Sight  
To The Blind
                                                                                            By Pastor F. M. Riley
                                                                                           August 22, 2018
     "And as Jesus passed by, He saw a man which was blind from his birth.
     And His disciples asked Him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
     Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him," John 9:1-3.  
Introduction
     This passage of Scripture, right on through verse 7, when expounded rightly [2 Timothy 2:15], sets forth a great salvation message.  Sadly, some today are more concerned with "topical preaching," than they are with the "exposition" of the Word.  There are wonderful spiritual truths set forth in this event in the personal ministry of Christ, when it is carefully studied and expounded.  
     Now our readers know what this study is about.  Let's look at these truths through the exposition of the Word.......
Types and Shadows
     I strongly believe, teach, and preach, that the inspired Word of God should always be taken at face value for what it actually and literally says, unless there is a Scriptural reason for doing otherwise.  And yes, I am well aware that there are some Scriptures in God's Word which are to be understood symbolically and spiritually.  But how does one tell the difference?  John 16:13 is in the Bible for the benefit of all who are true believers.  This promise of the Lord Jesus Himself will not be of any benefit to those who are Christ rejecting unbelievers, for no unbeliever has access to spiritual truth, 1 Corinthians 2:9; 2:14.     
     Yet I keep in mind that the inspired Word is filled with types and shadows of things to come.  Read it for yourself in Colossians 2:16-17, Hebrews 8:1-5, and 10:1.  Therefore, those things which happened to the Israelite people, while still living "under the Law" contain types and shadows of "things to come." Then John 9:1-7 first applies to Israel and to the Jewish people.......
The First Application
     In Deuteronomy 29, the Lord God sternly warned Israel as a nation and people, that if they refused to obey and observe His commandments and statutes, one of their judgments would be spiritual blindness, 29:29.  The inspired Word makes it quite clear that from the time the nation of Israel came out of Egypt, they were a rebellious and disobedient people.  Therefore the nation and people of Israel, like the man in John 9, was blind from their birth.  And who was the Lord sent to minister to at His first coming?  See Matthew 15:24.
     Therefore, the first application of spiritual truth in this event,  should apply to the nation and people of Israel.  Like the Apostle Paul was inspired to write in Colossians 2:16-17, the restoring of sight to this blind man, while still under the Law, was "a shadow of things to come," especially for the nation and people of Israel.  Glory to God!  
The Second and Main Application
     However, since this blind man in John 9 is never named in the account, and it is never stated anywhere in the account that the application applies only to Israel, then the truth set forth in this event, obviously extends beyond Israel.  How?  I am so glad you asked!  
Spiritual Blindness
     All of mankind; every person born into this world comes into the world spiritually blind, 9:1. We are born in a state of innocence, knowing neither good nor evil, yet having a "sin nature" which causes even little children to sin.  Compare  Jonah 4:11.  As we grow, we do things that are not right, and become guilty sinners, due to our "sin nature" received from Adam, Romans 5:12. Yet the Lord God mercifully tolerates and overlooks our sins, up until that time when we come to the personal knowledge of what is right and what is wrong.  Then we become accountable to God for our sins, and lost in our sins, standing in need of the Lord God's saving grace,  Romans 7:7-11.   
     This is due to the "sin nature" each of us received from Adam, Romans 5:12.  So, just as this man was blind from his birth, we are all spiritually blind from our birth!
Who Sinned?
     Then in 9:2, the Lord's disciples asked the Lord if the man was born blind because the man had sinned, or because his parents had sinned? The Lord's answer is very enlightening.
The Works of God
     In 9:3 the Lord told His disciples that the man's blindness was not due to the man nor his parents having sinned.  Rather, the Lord said that the reason for the man's blindness was so "the works of God should be made manifest [revealed] in him."  In essence, here was a case where a man had been born blind, in order that others of mankind might know and understand the work that God was doing in sending His Son into the world to become the "propitiation" for the sins of mankind, 1 John 2:2; 4:10.  
     The Lord Jesus Himself verified this truth in 9:4 by saying that He "must work the works of Him that sent me."  Christ also made it clear that His work would be done in a time of grace, "while it is day."  The Lord then gave a warning that a time is coming on the earth, "when no man can work."  I suspect that this was a veiled warning of the coming Tribulation period.
The Light of the World
     In all of the spiritual darkness that was [and is] in the world, how could anyone ever be saved?  In 9:5 the Lord answered that question by telling His disciples, "I am the light of the world."  It is by looking to the Lord Jesus Christ by faith, that we can see and know spiritual truth; the way of salvation.  
     The Lord Jesus had already set the stage for this miracle of giving sight to the blind in John 8:12.  The truth that the Lord stated in 8:12, He now  demonstrated here in John 9.  Glory to God!  
The Second Adam
     Then having told His disciples these things, in 9:6 the Lord spit on the ground.  He then took that damp spot of earth and made a ball of clay from it.  Then He anointed the eyes of the blind man with that clay.    
      What fantastic truths are set forth in these two inspired Scriptures.  
      Do our readers remember that God "cursed the ground" after Adam had sinned?,  Genesis 3:17.  Yet here is Christ Jesus taking that soil that had been cursed, spitting upon it, and forming it into healing clay, and anointing the eyes of the blind man with it.  Long before the Apostle Paul spoke of Christ as being the "last Adam" in 1 Corinthians 15:45-47, the Lord was demonstrating this truth here in John 9.  Christ Jesus came into this world in obedience to His Father, to redeem everything the first Adam had lost by his disobedience.  Even the spit of our precious Lord Jesus has healing power in it.   Oh, praise the Lord!  
The Way of Salvation
     Then in 9:7, the Lord told the blind man to go to the pool of Siloam and wash in that pool.  Now right here the man had a choice!  He could obey the Lord and receive his sight, or he could refuse to obey and stay blind. The Lord God never forces salvation upon anyone.  Each of us are given a choice, whether or not to receive Christ as our Savior, or to continue to live in sin.  Obviously, the blind man heard and believed the Lord and  chose to obey Him, Roman 10:17.   
     The inspired Word itself tells us here that the word, "Siloam," literally means "Sent."  In other words, go wash in the pool of the One who was sent to you by God, and who sends you to the truth of God's Word for salvation.   The Lord did not send him to some other pool.  The Lord sent him only to that particular pool.  By doing this, the Lord was demonstrating that there is only one way of salvation.  
     Folks, there is only one way of salvation set forth in the inspired Word of God.  Those today who are telling people that there are other ways of salvation, or that there are many ways of salvation, are false teachers and liars. Such people, regardless of whether they are well known preachers or just some individual, are not to be trusted or believed by anyone seeking salvation with God.  Salvation is only by drinking from "the water of life" which is the Lord Jesus Himself, John 14:6.  Once again, Christ had already declared Himself to be "the water of life," John 4:10-14; 7:37-38.  Now here in 9:7 He visibly  demonstrated this truth.   Praise the Lord!  Glory to God!  
     The blessings in John 9 do not stop here.  Those readers who want more blessings from this account should carefully study the entire chapter.   
Conclusion
     Dear reader, the very hope and prayer of my heart is that "you" are truly saved by God's wonderful grace, Ephesians 2:5-10.   If any reader has doubts about your salvation, or no assurance of salvation, then RUN to the Lord Jesus in humble and sincere prayer, asking Him from your heart to save your soul for time and for eternity, John 3:36; Romans 10:13.  Any reader who truly calls upon the Lord from their heart will be saved, Acts 16:30-31.  
     Once a truly repentant believer has been saved, they need to love and serve the Lord enough to begin witnessing to others.  Hurry!  There is not much time left!  Remember!  The Lord said, ".....the night cometh when no man can work," John 9:4.  The terrible night of the Tribulation period is almost here.  Hurry to witness to and win your loved ones, friends, and neighbors to Christ.  
     May the Lord bless His Word to the hearts of every reader.  
<<<<<<<       O       >>>>>>>
     Permission is granted to any true believer, or Bible believing Christian ministry to reproduce this study to share with others, or to quote from it in context as written.
     My personal contact information:
POSTAL.......Pastor F. M. Riley, 14275 Co. Rd. 8120, Rolla, MO 65401
EMAIL..........francismriley34@gmail.com
PHONE........573-202-6493  
<<<<<<<       O       >>>>>>>