Spiritual Sight

“Faith is ... the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]” (Hebrews 11:1).

“The issue of spiritual sight is the recognition of the Lord Jesus”—T. Austin-Sparks.

Opening the eyes of the blind is a primary and signature feature of Christ’s ministry, but spiritual sight—spiritual understanding—not natural sight, is the ultimate point. Eye-gates are the windows of the soul, and Christ came to either open or shut them, closing some with parables and opening others with explicit words and a demonstration of the Spirit’s power.

When Moses complained of his lack of ability to speak on God’s behalf, God interestingly said: “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or SEEING or BLIND? Is it not I, the Lord?” (Exodus 4:11). We can only speak about that which we see—and on some level—understand. Also, our understanding is inextricably tied to God’s sovereignty. But God’s sovereignty does not negate our responsibility to develop the proper internal disposition for enlightenment. Moses—being the meekest man upon the face of the earth—preconditioned himself to see and hear God. Unambiguously, God resists the proud, but draws near to the humble. Since Christ knew the hearts of all men, he spoke in parables to those not internally preconditioned to love truth, but “Explained Him” to those that did.

All of us—at some time or another—have heard the ridiculous and clichéd assertion that “faith is blind;” hardly anything could be further from the truth. Faith, “the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality,” is sight beyond natural perception; spiritual sight—which is the effect of faith—sees clearer and deeper than even the best and most thorough scientific scrutiny. The kingdom of God—which scripture declares does not come with observation—is no less real because of its invisibility to scientific inquiry and carnal perception. Spiritual or supernatural reality cannot be seen or discerned by carnal or natural man. Jesus made it plain: “Unless someone is born again, he cannot SEE the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

Ultimately, faith is obedience and spiritual sight, its fruit. Since “whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Romans 14:23), then to not be born again and see the kingdom of God is sin. Faith, or obedience, opens the eyes of the blind; unbelief, or disobedience, sews the eyes shut. As George MacDonald observed, “He who does that which he sees, shall understand; he who is set upon understanding rather than doing, shall go on stumbling and mistaking and speaking foolishness.” In other words, faith sees and does according to what sight suggests without perfect enlightenment; as some light is seen and obeyed, more light is given. Many never see anything substantial—thus they rationalize and justify continuing in unbelief—because they are unwilling to obey the initial light of light. Real faith is dynamic, superfluous and of a whole (sight and action are inextricably linked). Real faith never merely sees; it must also do what it sees. Those who invert the process—demanding to see before they obey—never get past the initial light of life and therefore their vision is never incrementally widened and clarified until the entire picture opens up before their eyes.

I like what T. Austin-Sparks said on this matter: “As we contemplate the state of things in the world today, we are very deeply impressed and oppressed with the prevailing malady of spiritual blindness. It is the root malady of the time. We should not be far wrong if we said that most, if not all, of the troubles from which the world is suffering, are traceable to that root, namely, blindness. The masses are blind; there is no doubt about that. In a day which is supposed to be a day of unequalled enlightenment, the masses are blind. The leaders are blind, blind leaders of the blind. But in a very large measure, the same is true of the Lord's people. Speaking quite generally, Christians are today very blind.”

The solution, though exceedingly simple, is lost to many souls because they love darkness rather than light. Jesus made it clear that “In him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4). Also, Jesus is “the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world” (John 1:9). In other words, every soul is given the initial light of life; even before conversion, we have a responsibility to obey what little light we see. Since Jesus did not come to condemn, but to save—and opening the eyes of the blind was his most prevalent sign—people are without excuse in regards to the unbelief they persist in. And ignorant Christians—enlightened but a little—are also unbelieving in many ways short of full redemption.

For full-fledged unbelievers and carnal believers alike these words ring true: “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God” (John 3:19-21). Spiritual sight must be opened along two tracks: As our eyes open to the holiness and beauty of the Lord, they must also open to the reality of our own depravity and ugliness.

Spiritual sight—like natural sight—is stereoscopic in nature. Each eye sees its own image that is then reconciled in the brain to make one comprehensive and multi-dimensional image. We are to have a deep and penetrating vision, a revelation about two things in fullness. In our first eye, we are to see the depths of the blackness of our own heart, how it is utterly depraved. In our second eye, we are to see that God loves us more than we could ever imagine. These two lines of sight—this dual revelation—forms one coherent, comprehensive and balanced picture of truth. By reconciling our depravity with His mercy we become both humble and secure, dead to ourselves and alive unto God simultaneously. When our eye is truly single (but comprised of these two pictures in harmonious oneness) our whole body becomes full of light, and in that full spectrum of light, we come to see that mercy really does triumph over judgment.