There are millions of people in our world who are blind, living in a dark world. We pity them and we feel sorry for them. Bright sunlight to them is the same as the darkness of night. They cannot see the beautiful trees, flowers and nature. They grope in darkness, trying to find their way.
A man bandaged his eyes for a day and said it was a terrible experience. But more terrible than physical blindness is spiritual blindness. Millions of people cannot see spiritual things. “He has blinded their eyes…” John 12:40
They have eyes but they see not. The strongest, clearest evidence from the Word of God, they cannot see or understand. People love error and fables, but sound doctrine they cannot stand. They hate the truth.
There are many great evangelists who preach the gospel message. I went to one of these meetings of Billy Graham’s where 60,000 people came together in Toronto to listen to him speak. Many religious preachers are popular and are accepted by millions. But there are preachers who are not popular. They are hated, rejected and persecuted. Their work often has small results.
“And spared not the old world, but saved Noah, the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the Flood upon the world of the ungodly.” 1 Peter 2:5
Noah was a preacher of righteousness. After 120 of preaching, only his own family believed him and accepted his message. He and seven others were saved.
People were blinded—they did not recognize the message of God.
If Jones and Waggoner had preached a message of prophecy, Sabbath, health reform, and faith, this would have been accepted, but they decided to preach the message of righteousness—for this reason they were rejected by many, and even ridiculed.
The Christ’s Our Righteousness message was so unpopular that in 1888, Sister White wrote that not one in one hundred among church members understood it for themselves.
People were so blinded that they could not recognize the messages of God. Still today, very few accept it and even understand the message from Jones and Waggoner.
Jesus was a preacher of righteousness. Was His message accepted? Did people recognize Him as a Messenger from God? The religious leaders at that time rejected Him and His message. They hated Him and they killed Him.
Who recognized Christ the Messenger as divine? Perhaps John the Baptist, like Elijah, who was to prepare the way for His coming.
“And John, calling unto him two of His disciples, sent them to Jesus asking, Art Thou He that should come, or look we for another?” Luke 7:19. Here we see that John sent two of his disciples to ask Jesus, Art Thou He that should come? Or look we for another? Even John the Baptist was not sure.
Was Adam and Eve blinded? Yes. They did not obey God.
William Miller was a messenger of God. He could see the prophesies of the Bible better than anyone else at that time. He went faithfully through the proclamation of the First Angel’s Message.
In the Second Angel’s Message He also participated. In the Midnight Cry he started doubting, but yet in the end he accepted it. He rejected the Third Angel’s Message. What happened to his spiritual eyesight?
We know that a 17-year-old girl could see the truth clearer than William Miller. That girl was Sister White.
Jones and Waggoner would be the best people to proclaim the Christ Our Righteousness message. Wrong. They lost their way. They lost the message that Sister White wrote about. They confused the people after 1888.
Saul was a very religious man. He knew the Old Testament very well. He had read it through many times. Hundreds of prophesies were given in the Old Testament about Christ’s first coming. He heard the testimony of Stephen. He listened to the Christians that he persecuted. But all his intelligence, his learning, his Bible knowledge did not open his eyes to see the truth. “As for Saul, he made havoc of the church. Entering into every house and haling men and women, he committed them to prison.” Acts 8:3
Jesus and His disciples were celebrating the first communion service the night when Jesus was taken and condemned to death. Judas watched the solemn service of feet washing. He listened to the words of Jesus. “This is My body which is broken for you.” In this solemn occasion, what did Judas see, what was before his eyes? He did not see Jesus, nor His character. Judas saw only 30 pieces of silver. And in the middle of the celebration he went out into the night to betray his Master.
Was Judas blinded? Yes, he was. Yet he had been with Jesus for three and a half years.
“Which of the prophets have your fathers not persecuted? And they have slain those who foretold the coming of the Just One. Of Him ye have now been the betrayers and murderers.” Acts 7:52
Is there someone here today who still wants to become a preacher of righteousness? In the same way you will be unpopular, hated, and rejected. Yet, there is nothing new in this message. For the past 6,000 years this same message has been preached in the world. Yet it is a new and strange message to Christians because they purposely have neglected its study. For the lack of interest they have declined. Anyone who dares to preach it will be rejected.
Satan is not against religion as long as the message of Christ Our Righteousness is not preached. The message that cooking on Sabbath or buying food on Sabbath does not look so bad. The message was that sin does not look so terrible. However, without the message of Christ Our Righteousness, sin cannot be overcome. Perfection is only a dream to them who reject it or change it. Yet every Christian church claims that they have this message, and in every age there is only one church which preaches the message of Christ Our Righteousness clearly and correctly. All the other churches quote the Bible, but without this message they have no saving power. Any church, by rejecting this message are only “play” churches. Without the power of the gospel, people do not receive the spiritual food for this time.
“Satanic agencies are clothing false theories in an attractive garb, even as Satan in the Garden of Eden concealed his identity from our first parents by speaking through the serpent. These agencies are instilling into human minds that which in reality is deadly error. The hypnotic influence of Satan will rest upon those who turn from the plain word of God to pleasing fables.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8, p. 294
Every person who sins is blinded by Satan. One sin in our life, one neglected duty is enough to bring blindness and weakness upon us.
“The experience of the past will be repeated. In the future, Satan’s superstitions will assume new forms. Errors will be presented in a pleasing and flattering manner. False theories, clothed with garments of light, will be presented to God’s people. Thus Satan will try to deceive, if possible, the very elect. Most seducing influences will be exterted; minds will be hypnotized.” –Ibid., p. 293
Who were deceived by Satan in the time of Christ? Were they the learned, educated, wise people, or the unlearned, simple people? Who will be deceived today? The wise, educated people or the simple, unlearned people?
Educated, wise people often get proud of their knowledge, and God cannot use them. “Those who are humble in heart the Lord will use to reach souls whom the ordained ministers cannot approach.” –Ibid., vol. 6, p. 43
In the time of Christ the educated, wise people rejected Christ; they found fault in His teaching, which was blindness for them, because Jesus was perfect and sinless. Spiritual blindness is existing among professed Christians. This is the reason we have so many Christian churches, each teaching something different.
It is dangerous to neglect even one requirement of God. “One sinful desire, persistently cherished, will eventually neutralize all the power of the gospel. Every sinful indulgence strengthens the soul’s aversion to God. The man who manifests an infidel hardihood, or a stolid indifference to divine truth, is but reaping the harvest of that which he has himself sown.” —Steps to Christ, p. 34. The result of cherishing one sinful desire can lead to spiritual blindness.
Here are some examples: paying less than 10% of tithe, abusing health reform, neglecting church meetings, or neglecting missionary work. Without saving others you cannot have perfect peace and a clear conscience.
Who are the most blind people today? The ones who have the greatest light and knowledge, but do not live up to it. Lukewarm Laodicea is more blinded than other churches because of their greater privileges and greater knowledge, which is not put into practice. Unfaithful Sabbath-keepers are more accountable before God than unbelievers who do not profess religion as they have sinned against greater light.
In the fallen churches, sinners feel comfortable. The smooth messages by their ministers comfort the guilty conscience. But, in the church of God, a sinner does not feel at ease. The constant reminder of his sin either brings him to obedience and faithfulness or he will go and seek a church where he feels comfortable and where his sin is tolerated.
This Reformation Movement is not based on some new and strange theory, but on the message of Christ’s righteousness, simple and clear, upon the law of God.
The first pioneers of this movement were willing to go to prison and even to death for their faith. This proves that the Reformation message is not just to satisfy intellect but it is the power of God to overcome sin and to be faithful unto death.
One distinguishing sign of the true reformation is that they are in unity. They all speak the same thing.
“The time has come for a thorough reformation to take place. When this reformation begins, the spirit of prayer will actuate every believer and will banish from the church the spirit of discord and strife. Those who have not been living in Christian fellowship will draw close to one another. One member working in right lines will lead other members to unite with him in making intercession for the revelation of the Holy Spirit. There will be no confusion, because all will be in harmony with the mind of the Spirit. The barriers separating believer from believer will be broken down, and God’s servants will speak the same things. The Lord will co-operate with His servants. All will pray understandingly the prayer that Christ taught His servants: ‘Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.’ Matthew 6:10.” –Testimonies for the Church., vol. 8, p. 251
“The mighty shaking has commenced and will go on, and all will be shaken out who are not willing to take a bold and unyielding stand for the truth and to sacrifice for God and His cause. The angel said, ‘Think ye that any will be compelled to sacrifice? No, no. It must be a freewill offering. It will take all to buy the field.’ I cried to God to spare His people, some of whom were fainting and dying. Then I saw the judgments of the Almighty were speedily coming, and I begged of the angel to speak in his language to the people. Said he, ‘All the thunders and lightnings of Mount Sinai would not move those who will not be moved by the plain truths of the Word of God, neither would an angel’s message awake them.’” –Early Writings, p. 50–51
Do not wait for the shaking in the future. She wrote that it has commenced and will go on until the end. William Miller was astonished when he realized that it was only 13 years to the end of the world. He could not remain silent, but began to preach all around the message of the end of the world everywhere. Today, we know we are living in the end of time. Should we not be more in earnest in warning the world of the coming doom? Tell the sinners of their lost condition. Call the lukewarm Laodiceans to repent and to return to their first love.
Compare your own life to the standard, the character of Christ. If you lack in one point, do not let this day come to an end without a thorough reformation. Put away sin even if it kills you. Sacrifice your cherished idols. Confess your sins, bring them to the judgment before the end. This may be your last chance. May God be merciful to us.
Millions of professed Christians are resting in their graves—unsaved. Millions of professed Christians who are living today are yet unsaved, and they do not know it, because they are blind. Never have people had so much knowledge of the Bible as today. Never have people understood the Bible prophecies as today. Never has the knowledge of God’s will been so great as today.
Even though there are many Bibles in hundreds of languages, never has the darkness and blindness been so great as it is today. Darkness covers the earth, and gross darkness the people. This darkness is self-inflicted. The blindness of people is of their own choosing.
Jesus said, “Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind.” Matthew 15:14. Jesus did not tell the disciples to go to them, and try to save them, argue with them, or debate with them. Jesus said, “Let them alone.” The blind refuse to see the strongest evidence—light and darkness are the same to a blind person.
What kind of people did Jesus call blind? Ones who kept the Sabbath very strictly. They fasted twice a week. They gave money to the poor. The paid 20–30% of their income to the church. They prayed in the street corners.
“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!” Matthew 23:15–16. They did much missionary work, travelling land and sea to make one convert. And yet Jesus called them blind, and the children of the devil.
Are there blind Christians today? Is history repeating itself? Is not anyone who commits sin choosing to be a blind person? “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” 1 John 3:8. Who commits sin chooses to be blind to the truth.
“But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.” 1 John 2:11. Whatsoever ye have done unto the least of My brethren, ye have done it unto Me. It is sin to dislike any person, when we should love even our enemies, thus blindness will result if the sin is not repented of.
“To reject the Lord’s servants is to reject Christ Himself.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 489
“In rejecting God’s chosen instrument they rejected Christ; they insulted the Spirit of God.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 635
To reject a messenger of God or His message is sin. Satan knows this. He does not tell you to reject God or to reject Jesus but to reject the Lord’s, mortal messengers. To reject the messengers of Jesus is to reject Jesus Himself. Let us love everybody.
If someone of us is fallen into spiritual blindness, there is a remedy to open our spiritual eyes. “I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.” Revelation 3:18
God has provided eyesalve to anoint our eyes so our spiritual eyesight can be restored. Then we will see where to go and what to do, and we will meet each other in heaven. Amen.
Timo Martin