Religion Blinds

John 9 is the story and the testimony of the man who was healed of his blindness from birth.  Sadly, it is also the story of the blindness of religious people.  The Pharisees were all in a dither about Jesus healing a blind man on the Sabbath.  Their statement is more illuminating about their blindness, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath."  

What are some of our blind spots?  That sin is what another does, but NOT what I do.  That sin has a value, a ranking from worst to bad or small infraction of the rules.  That my doing enough good works will outweigh any bad that I have done.  That God is ready to hammer me with His golden hammer of justice.  That God loves her more since He has answered her prayer.  That I am a chess board pawn and that God moves me about just because He can.  That sin is about what I do and not who I am.  This is simply a short list of blind spots, self-deceptions that I can move into religion rather than enjoy the relationship which I can have because of Christ Jesus being my Savior and Lord.  

The blind man received his sight and he confronted the Pharisees with his insightful statement: "If this man were not from God, He could do nothing."  How precious that Jesus went looking for the healed sighted man to give him the whole Truth.  Now, upon receiving that truth, He truly gained whole and healing sight.  Alas, the religious Pharisees would not admit their blindness and clung to the statement that they could see.  Jesus words to them were such that because you claim you can see, you are now accountable and guilty.  I have a choice, I can confess and repent, or I can be self-deceived and practice religion and not relationship with Father God!

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