J.A. Matteson
Can the blind at birth truly comprehend light, even when it is carefully described to them? Can the deaf at birth ever really experience the sweet sounds of springtime birds singing at sunrise? How could a person color blind understand the depth and vibrancy of red? "But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep" (Jn. 10:26). Note the key word used by Jesus: because. It is a causal word denoting why something is the way it is. This word in this statement, placed where it is, is problematic to the Arminian. Notice also what Jesus does not say, "You do not believe because of your hardness of heart," or "You do not believe because of your pride and refusal to repent," or "You do not believe because you lack knowledge and must be educated in the way of salvation," or "You do not believe because you can't make intellectual sense of it all." While all of those statements may be true at some level, they are not the ultimate cause of perpetual spiritual blindness resulting in unbelief. What fellowship has light with darkness, or can the living communicate with the dead? Jesus reveals a spiritual law of new birth and the Jews, whose hearts were cloaked in darkness, did not perceive the light. Why? Their spiritually dead condition was and, most horribly, would continue due to the efficient cause of divine election bypassing them according to the good pleasure of the Father's will. To those whom His favor rests faith is the instrumental effect of grace upon the heart, "The people who walk in darkness will see a great light..." (Isa. 9:2). In no way do the people walking in darkness who see the light perceive it meritoriously. Rather they perceive it in spite of their darkened souls, being enlightened as an act of divine grace. When the light of faith dawns in the heart the cares of the world take on the true measure of their insignificance in the blinding light of His eternal glory, "What is man that You are mindful of him?" (Ps. 8:4). So you believe that Jesus is the Christ? You do well. However, do not boast in anything other than the grace of God which has awakened you, revealing the identity of His Son to you. Any other boasting is evil. You brought nothing to the transaction but your deadness and sin. Salvation is of the LORD.
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