In John 9, we read about the healing of the blind man on the Sabbath. The man was born blind and was a beggar, but after his encounter with Jesus the Christ his eyes were opened and his days of darkness were over. The blind man was healed by Jesus and was able to see and testified of his healing. However, not everyone believed that he had been blind and received his sight. Therefore, they called his parents. His parents confirmed that he was their son and that he was born blind, but they kept silent about Jesus and his healing, so that they could stay in the synagogue. Just like so many Christians keep silent to stay in the church. But the man, who had been blind and received his sight didn’t keep silent about Jesus and his healing. His testimony caused a lot of turmoil among the Jews and resulted that he was cast out of the synagogue.
The healing of the blind man
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. I must work the works of Him that sent Me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. When He had thus spoken, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.
The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged? Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he. Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened? He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight. Then said they unto him, Where is He? He said, I know not.
They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind. And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.
Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see. Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.
They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a Prophet.
But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight. And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see? His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.
These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.
Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner. He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.
Then said they to him again, What did He to thee? how opened He thine eyes? He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be His disciples?
Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art His disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence He is.
The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence He is, and yet He hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth His will, him He heareth. Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were not of God, He could do nothing.
They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out (John 9:1-34)
The parents of the blind man kept silent out of fear
Although the parents of the blind man were witnesses of this great miracle and saw how their son was healed of his blindness by Jesus and received his sight, his parents didn’t testify about how and by Whom their son was healed.
The parents only confirmed to the Pharisees that he was their son and that he was born blind, but they kept silent about his healing and Jesus.
Why did they keep silent? They kept silent because they feared the Jews and they feared being put out of the synagogue.
The Jews had agreed that if any man did confess that Jesus was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue.
The parents of the blind man knew this and didn’t want to be put out of the synagogue. Therefore they kept their mouths shut and remained silent about the truth and referred the Jews to their son, since he was old enough to answer their questions.
Because the parents acted in obedience to the will of the Jews and kept silent about Jesus and their son’s healing, they could stay in the synagogue.
The blind man testified about Jesus and his healing
However, their son, who was healed of his blindness and could see, didn’t follow the example of his parents and didn’t keep his mouth. He didn’t keep silent and didn’t adjust his words so that he could stay in the synagogue, but he testified about Jesus and his healing and because of his testimony, he was cast out of the synagogue.
That was the price, which the man paid for his testimony of Jesus and that is still the price, which born-again Christians pay for following Jesus and to be witnesses of Jesus Christ (Read also: What does count the cost mean? and Following Jesus will cost you everything!).
How many Christians keep silent to stay in the church?
When people have a personal encounter with Jesus Christ and repent and become born again in Him, the scales shall fall from their eyes and they shall be healed from their spiritual blindness and see. Because they see, they shall testify about the truth and be witnesses of Jesus Christ on earth.
They shall testify of the Truth, whereby they may be cast out of churches that don’t follow, obey and do the Word of God, but have changed and adjusted the truth of God to the will, feelings, emotions, and lives of people (Read also: The hearers vs the doers).
How many Christians go to church and keep silent about the truth and the will of God out of fear of (the opinion of) people, to be criticized, and out of fear to be cast out of the church?
They rather keep silent about the truth and the will of God and rather compromise with the world and accept the works of darkness to stay in the church, than stay obedient to the Word and confess Jesus Christ and preach the truth of God and His righteousness, and bear the consequences.
But why do Christians want to stay in a church that compromises the truth of God and denies Jesus Christ and contradicts the Word and because of that preach lies?
Why do Christians want to stay in a church that sustains and approves the works of darkness by allowing and accepting sin and thereby rejects the holiness and righteousness of God?
Why do Christians want to stay in a church, where they have to keep silent about the truth and the righteousness of God and are forced to have communion with sin, because the church allows sin? (Read also: Can you be complicit in the sin of fellow believers?).
Do you love God above all?
Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for My sake shall find it (Matthew 10:32-39)
Following Jesus and standing on the truth of God and doing His will shall have consequences for your life. Especially in this time, wherein evil is embraced and considered as good and good is rejected and considered as evil (Read also: Can no one pluck you out of the hand of God? and What is the secret of the law?).
Is your love for Jesus Christ and the Father greater than your love for your family, friends, acquaintances, and the church and are you willing to pay the price for the gospel?
‘Be the salt of the earth’
