glory of Christ – Praying Pint

38.v. “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe.”

Ephesians 2:1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,

1 Corinthians 2:14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 4:4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

2 Timothy 2:26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

Ephesians 4:17-18 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.

Romans 5:6-11 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Colossians 1:21-22 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard

John 3:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

Acts 26:18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Ephesians 5:8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

Colossians 1:13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

I read this statement this morning on “Regeneration” Faith/Repentance

“Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God’s grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace. “Repentance is a genuine turning from sin toward God. Faith is the acceptance of Jesus Christ and commitment of the entire personality to Him and Lord and Savior.” Regeneration is necessary because the Bible describes unbelievers as the walking dead. Not only are they spiritually dead, but they are depicted as natural / without the Spirit; blinded in their minds; bound by Satan; alienated from God; enemies of the Lord; condemned in their unbelief; and in spiritual darkness.

25.b. “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing”

2 Corinthians 2:14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.

Luke 2:34    And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed

John 9:39   Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.”

1 Corinthians 1:18    For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Acts 13:45-47    And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.

2 Corinthians 4:3-4     And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.  In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God

2 Thessalonians 2:10    and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

“Among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing”, “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing”, “Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life”, “it is veiled to those who are perishing”, “The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers”, “They refused to love the truth and so be saved”. There are truly those who will have eternal life and those who will not. To those perishing, God’s word, the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been rejected. They have chosen to believe the lies and deceptions of Satan and they have chosen to refuse the truth found in and through Jesus Christ.

Imagine a drowning man being thrown a life jacket and all he has to do is grab hold to be saved and somehow he has purposed in his mind the life jacket is foolish and will not take hold of it. He perishes in his rejection of what can save him. Imagine a person dying of thirst and is offered water and all they have to do is drink and they will not die, but somehow they have purposed water will not save them from dying and they refuse to drink and they perish in their rejection of what can save them. Imagine a person in a speeding car that is heading straight on course to drive off of a mountain cliff and have been told to apply the breaks and they will stop and not die. They reject this advice and perish because they do not believe in that which can save them from certain death. Imagine a pilot of a small plane who has been warned of severe weather and the need to avoid it. The tower has the latest weather radar and they are relaying information to all on a path with it. The pilot who has also had radar in his plane does not see it on his screen and does not believe what the tower is telling him. He chooses to continue and perishes because of his unbelief. There are hundreds if not thousands of examples that can metaphorically demonstrate the acceptance/rejection of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

20.p. “Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false”

Romans 11:7 What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.” And David says, “Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them; let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever.”

Isaiah 6:10     Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

Matthew 13:14-15   Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘“You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.”  For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’

2 Corinthians 4:4    In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

2 Thessalonians 2:10-12   and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.  Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false,  in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

How utterly bad is it to have rejected God and His love through Jesus Christ and then believe that which is nothing more than a delusion, lies, and unsatisfying to the soul? God reaches out in love to mankind with a gracious and merciful gift, Jesus Christ, and people have and continue to reject this offer. This offer has been flat out denied, neglected, diluted, or rejected, and it is in this state of mind they easily believe dilutions and lies. The saving grace knowledge of Jesus Christ is not so much withheld from them but rather they have blinded their eyes and deafened their ears with wanting to believe anything other than the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is a personal intentional choice of rejection. With hardened hearts, they hear of God’s love through Jesus Christ but it has no effect. Though the Word of God shouts “Come to Me”, “Believe in Me”, “Trust Me”, “Rely on Me”, “Yield and surrender to Me”, “I love you so much I sent My Son to bear the burden of your sins”, “I will give you rest”, “I will give you joy, peace, power, courage, hope”, and “I will give you eternal life”, they choose to reject, deny, and neglect it. They choose to believe in the wisdom of man or self rather than the Creator. They choose to deny and reject God’s Word when it says; “I will judge you”, “I will pour out My wrath on you”, “I will not withhold my anger against you forever”, “I will cast you into eternal hell for eternity”, “I will reject all who have rejected Me”, “I am coming again to judge both the living and dead”, and “it is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of an angry God and all of His fury”.

Rejection, denial, neglect, and complacency, take on many forms, at different times, but always display the intent of the heart, mind, and soul of people. All is exposed and open to God. He knows the intent of your heart and mind. He knows if you have surrendered all your hope of forgiveness for sin by faith, trust, and reliance in/on Jesus Christ alone. He knows if you keep some of this surrender back and by some means rely on some form of your good works or Christian service to help you become good in His eyes. This will never produce anything God-honoring because you are trying to keep some of this honor for yourself to somehow make you right in God’s eyes. It is just another delusion and lie. There is nothing you can do other than complete humble surrender, reliance, and trust in Jesus Christ. It is then and only then you will realize the good things you do are for the single purpose of honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ.

18.t. “The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel”

John 16:2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.

Matthew 10:28     And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Romans 10:2-3    For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.  For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.

2 Corinthians 4:3-6   And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.  In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.  For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.  For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 2:10-12     and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.  Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false,  in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Wicked deception, established their own, did not submit, blinded, refused truth, perishing, and strong delusion are all Words used to speak of those who have the desire and find purpose fulfilling their worldly and selfish desires. All of us displayed some of these characteristics to some extent in our lives. We were selfish, blind, deaf, and perishing in our sin, and yet, in God’s grace, mercy, and love He pulled us out of this pit of destruction. I have no earthly idea of how this is accomplished. In my own life, I was very selfish and worldly. I gave very little or absolutely no thought about God. I can’t even say for sure if I gave any thought about heaven or hell. I am pretty sure I was void, blind, and deaf to anything of God. Through an accident though God broke through. I was not seeking Him. I was not wanting to know Him. I was not wanting to honor Him. I was not wanting to obey Him. And yet, He broke through, showed, and allowed me to understand sin, my sin. He allowed me to understand the need for Jesus Christ as redeemer and savior for the forgiveness of my sin. He gave me an understanding of heaven and hell. He gave me an understanding of truly being forgiven.

While I was yet a sinner, blind, and deaf to things of God, Christ died for my sin. He rescued me from the depths of hell while I was not even looking to be rescued. I can’t imagine how anyone could have been given this understanding of Christ and the need for redemption and salvation, and reject it or turn their back to it. While I was yet a sinner, God opened my heart and mind to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He opened my understanding of the need for repentance, forgiveness, belief, faith, and trust. “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.”

I do not understand how a person’s heart and mind can be opened by God to the need of Jesus Christ and reject it. Yet, it happens millions of times each day. Hebrews 3:15 “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. I don’t see how it is possible, but people continue to harden their hearts and minds to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Eternity awaits us all. The path to eternal life is through Jesus Christ alone. The path to eternal torment is to reject and deny the need for Jesus Christ.

16.z. “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

John 10:22 At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

2 Corinthians 4:3-4   And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.  In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Matthew 17:5    He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

Acts 3:23   And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’

1 John 2:19   They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.

Revelation 3:20    Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

The religious leaders wanted Jesus to speak plainly, and here He spoke more plainly than they probably wanted. Jesus previously told them they were not true shepherds. Here Jesus told them they were not even true sheep, because the Messiah’s sheep believe and hear His voice. They are not only untrustworthy shepherds of God’s people but are showing that they ought no longer to be classed among the sheep that pay attention to His voice. People have a choice to hear and follow Jesus Christ. It is not that you were not chosen, but rather you rejected being chosen. When there is a knock at your hearts’ door there is a choice. When you hear the knock will you eagerly open it? It is our choice of what and who we open the door of our heart to. Sadly, things of this world are welcomed in and the Word of God, Jesus Christ, salvation, redemption, forgiveness, and eternal life are denied entry. Those that choose this will perish from this life to eternal hell. Those that choose to open the door do so with a desire to know and be known by Jesus Christ. Turn your ears away from the noise of this world that is knocking and shouting at the door to your heart. Reject opening that door to them and listen for the knock and voice of Jesus Christ. If you listen to it, it is knocking right now.

115. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false

1 Samuel 26:6 Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Joab’s brother Abishai the son of Zeruiah, “Who will go down with me into the camp to Saul?” And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.” So David and Abishai went to the army by night. And there lay Saul sleeping within the encampment, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head, and Abner and the army lay around him. Then Abishai said to David, “God has given your enemy into your hand this day. Now please let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice.” But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?” And David said, “As the Lord lives, the Lord will strike him, or his day will come to die, or he will go down into battle and perish. The Lord forbid that I should put out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. But take now the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go.” So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul’s head, and they went away. No man saw it or knew it, nor did any awake, for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen upon them.

Isaiah 29:10     For the LORD has poured out upon you a spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes (the prophets), and covered your heads (the seers).

Isaiah 44:18     They know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand.

2 Corinthians 4:4    In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12     The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders,  and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.  Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false,  in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Acts 28:26-27     “‘Go to this people, and say, “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.”  For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed;

We have many examples of God causing the eyes of man to be closed for a heavy sleep or so that they have no perception, understanding, or knowledge. We also have examples of satan sending false delusions and blinds those from seeing the light of the Gospel. In any case, those who are blinded have previously chosen to refuse to believe. In their heart, soul, and mind they have rejected God of heaven and chosen to believe the lies of the god of this world.

Spurgeon – The practice of blinding men is a horrible process, too horrible for us to say another word about it; but there is also spiritual blindness which comes on some men. These are, to begin with, unbelievers. The god of this world does not blind believers, but he blinds the minds of those who do not believe. It is, therefore, a very dangerous thing not to believe in the Son of God. The penalty of unbelief is death and condemnation; and that penalty begins to fall on men when, as a result of their unbelief, their foolish heart is darkened, their intellect loses the power to perceive spiritual objects, and the god of this world blinds their mental vision. Ah, my hearers, how anxious Satan is to secure your destruction, since, rather than that you should see the saving light, he takes the trouble to blind your eyes!

A man may be a very keen politician; he may be a first-rate man of business; he may be an eminent scientist, a profound thinker, and yet he may be blinded concerning spiritual truths. How often is it true, “You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them to babes!” As an old writer says, “Poor, ignorant men often find the door to heaven, and enter in, while the learned are looking for the latch.” Yes, a man may have clear eyes for worldly things; he may be very keen as for his insight into the problems of life, and yet the God of this world may have blinded his eyes.

What is even more remarkable, a man may have much scriptural knowledge; he may understand, in the letter, the things of the kingdom of God; he may be very orthodox in his beliefs, and may be able to give an answer to those who ask him what he believes, and why he believes; but still he may have no spiritual perception of the reality of these things. A person may know something of botany from books, and he may even understand the Linnaean system of classifying plants; but he may never, after all, have seen the primrose by the river’s bank, nor have gathered a single flower out of the garden. He is a poor botanist, is he not? He who has studied natural history in his own room, but has never seen a living animal, knows very little about the subject after all. We have many all around us, who can talk about heaven and hell, and sin and salvation, and Christ and the Holy Spirit, who nevertheless have never had one true perception of the meaning of any of these words. They see, but do not perceive; they hear, but do not understand; they are unbelievers, and the god of this world has blinded their minds.

Calvin – In what sense God is said to blind men, and to “give them up to a reprobate mind,” (Romans 1:28,) is evident from various passages of Scripture; that is, when he takes away the light of his Spirit, and gives a loose rein to the lust of men, so that no reasoning can restrain them. He likewise arms Satan with the efficiency of error, so that they who have refused to obey the truth do not guard against his snares, and are liable to be deceived by his impostures. What then can be left in us but the thickest darkness and gross ignorance, so that this tyrant, the father of lies and of darkness, ravages at his pleasure both within and without? for there will not be found in us any spark of light to dispel the clouds of error, but, impelled by a spirit of giddiness with which God strikes the reprobate, (2 Thessalonians 2:11,) we shall be driven about in a strange manner at the will of Satan.