Thursday | 07 May 2026
Christ comes to us as the King through the word that is proclaimed by the Holy Spirit through His messengers. A messenger of Christ proclaims the gospel to an unbeliever, saying, ‘You are not My people’ on account of unbelief. Hos 1:9. This is the message to those who are outside of the church. It is also proclaimed to those who are in the church who may have drawn back in unbelief as they have succumbed to the anxieties, desires and pursuits that compete with their new‑creation life. This is affecting their sight, which Jesus likened to thorns growing in the ground of our heart.
Of course, this is an afront to people whose gospel is imbued with believism, even though the way that they live and relate in the church is contrary to the culture of Christ. Holding fast to their believism, they assert that they are one of God’s people, and, in doing so, say, ‘We see’. Because a person claims to ‘see’, denying the word that is revealing otherwise, Jesus said that their ‘sin remains’. Joh 9:41. That is, they find no deliverance from their sin and remain under condemnation.
In contrast to this, a person who is bankrupt in spirit recognises that they are spiritually blind and are in need of illumination and understanding. This was the confession of the man whose natural blindness was healed when Jesus formed new eyeballs for him from the dust of the earth. Joh 9:6‑7. After this man had been cast out of the synagogue, Jesus found him and asked him, ‘Do you believe in the Son of God?’ Joh 9:35. Demonstrating his poverty of spirit, the man acknowledged his lack of spiritual sight, asking, ‘Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?’ Joh 9:36. Jesus made Himself known to the man, who then confessed ‘Lord, I believe’, and he worshipped Him. Joh 9:37‑38.
Further Study:
John 9
References:
Hos 1:9
Then God said, ‘Call his name Lo-Ammi, for you are not My people, and I will not be your God.’
Joh 9:41
Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, “We see.” Therefore, your sin remains.’
Joh 9:6-7
When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ (which is translated, Sent). So, he went and washed, and came back seeing.
Joh 9:35-38
Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, ‘Do you believe in the Son of God?’ He answered and said, ‘Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?’ And Jesus said to him, ‘You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.’ Then he said, ‘Lord, I believe!’ And he worshipped Him.