2 Corinthians 4:3-4

Main Thought: Many of us are astounded in this day and time by what we see around us from those who are not Christians to those who are unbelievers. These unbelievers hear the same Gospel that we have heard, but not only reject the message of the Gospel but often speak of it with viciousness and blasphemy. Very often we hear people decry the exclusive claims of Christianity, that Christ is the way, the truth, and the light, as intolerant or bigoted. Others will say that when we call certain types of immorality sinful–especially sexual immorality, like living together without marriage or homosexuality– then we are being unkind or unloving. These rejections of Christ, however, should not be shocking considering what Paul has to say in these verses. Men and women reject Biblical truth because they are spiritually blind, blind because Satan blinds their minds. We must remember that he is the great deceiver and has great spiritual power. Remember that when Jesus was confronting the Pharisees in John 8, he eventually said to them “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires (lusts).” (John 8:44). However, we understand that Satan does not have ultimate spiritual power. Only our Lord has omnipotent power, and millions of times throughout the course of time He has broken the power of blindness held by Satan, opened the eyes of unbelievers, and delivered them from the realm of spiritual darkness into spiritual light (1 Peter 2:9), delivering those of us that know Christ, from a destiny of eternal death into the promise of eternal life. Perhaps today you are burdened for someone you know and love who is under this curse of death and darkness, and perhaps are beginning to think that they are a hopeless case. But remember the one who wrote this, the apostle Paul, who was in great spiritual darkness, persecuting the church. He was stopped one day on the road to Damascus by Christ and his blindness was removed, making him see the beauty and wonder of the One he had persecuted. Certainly, if Jesus did that for him, then we can know that no one is beyond the power of God and redemption. I pray that we do not despair of those lost deeply in sin, but trust in the great saving power of our God.