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The man blind from birth by Jean-Louis Coraboeuf "As He passed by, Jesus saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked Him this question: Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered: It was not that he or his parents sinned; but it was that the works of God might be manifested in him. I must do the works of the one sent Me, while it is day; the night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world" (John 9:1-5). Jesus met a man, who had been blind since birth, aren't we also in some way in the same situation: since the fall, man has been conceived in sin and born a sinner (Psalm 51:5). With the exception of Jesus, no human being can be born without sin and still less save himself. Since we have been created in the image of God who is never ill, illness can only be a consequence of the fall. It was of little importance who sinned, the man blind from birth was not able to heal himself! Only a divine intervention could set the blind man free from his blindness, and Jesus was there to accomplish the works that only God can do. So, as a result of what we have inherited from Adam, we are all condemned to eternal death (Romans 6:23) as this blind man was condemned to blindness for the whole of his earthly life. Jesus was sent by the Father to restore sight to the blind. As a consequence of our birth in sin, we are all blind and we cannot see the glory of God revealed in Jesus (Romans 3:23). A miracle is needed in order to receive our sight. The work of God is that we believe in the One whom He sent (John 6:29); the miracle from God is that He takes off the veil that blinds us so that we see Jesus and the need to be saved by Him. The miracle that Jesus did was so great that it provoked a division among those who knew the blind man (John 9:17); and so our conversion also will provoke scepticism, opposition, indeed rejection amongst those who surround us. Having learned that they had chased the blind man from the synagogue after he was healed, Jesus met him and asked him this fundamental question, "Do you believe in the Son of God?" (John 9:35); the latter believed in the Lord Jesus and worshipped Him (John 9:38). Likewise, if we believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, we are saved and we can serve Him and worship Him with all our hearts. |