6 Mar 2016

In God’s absolute sovereignty, He has allowed the gospel of Jesus to be “veiled”. This means that although the gospel is objectively true, it is not seen by those it is veiled from. Why would the gospel, or good news, be hidden from sight? Like a dark cloth thrown over a light source, the light is there, but the person thinks that it isn’t, because they do not see it.

We are told that the “god of this world”, or the satan, has been given the power to blind the minds of unbelievers. Again, similar to “veiling”, blindness is an inability to see the true external reality, which exists even if it is not seen by the blind person. Why would God allow people to be blinded? This is a profound mystery. But it points to sight as the miracle and crux of the Christian faith. And it is God who gives sight – in His time, and in His way. It always leads to the same revelation, that Jesus Christ is Lord. This is the distinguishing mark of the person whom God gives sight to: that he or she surrenders his or her life to Jesus. Jesus becomes Lord.

How do we know that Jesus is Lord? The test of our affections reveals who we truly love, and what we truly desire. Can we “tell God that if He wills something different than we are asking, we know that it will be better and that is what we really want Him to do? If we find that we can’t say this, it is a signal that we’re dealing with one of Augustine’s “disordered loves”, a rival for God in our inmost being” (Timothy Keller).

So when we say or sing “Jesus is Lord”, that should trigger a great deal of self-examination. We can’t say it flippantly, or take it lightly. And we can’t say this from our sinful selves but only through divine illumination and intervention – only because God’s hand has healed our blindness and torn away the veil. Sight will lead to light. This is a clear promise from God. God does not call us to follow him blindly or stumble after Him in the dark. Instead, we will see clearly, for the first time in our lives. Jesus proclaimed: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (Jn 8:12). Hence, we know that we can follow Him wherever He leads us.