May 31, 2023
Newness of Life
“So they were saying to him, ‘How then were your eyes opened?’ He answered, ‘The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me, Go to Siloam and wash; so I went away and washed, and I received sight.’ They said to him, ‘Where is He?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’ They brought to the Pharisees the man who was formerly blind. Now it was a Sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also were asking him again how he received his sight. And he said to them, ‘He applied clay to my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” John 9:10-15 (NASB)
In our lives, each of who have trusted Jesus Christ as our Savior, have seen our lives changed dramatically. We also know of someone else who had this life transformation. Some appeared worse off than us. Such is the course of the Holy Spirit’s role in the life of the believer. He begins a new work within each, transforming our destination from hell to heaven. Then He performs the act of sanctification in our lives. Sanctification is a church word. It comes from the root word, “sanctify.” This means “to set apart.” The last four letters, “tion” of the word is by an “ongoing process.” So this essentially means a person who “sets aside their life, living for Jesus, day by day.” In this story, the man healed from his blindness, verifies his identity for the Pharisees. They cannot believe what they have seen, and neither can the crowd who witnessed it.
“They brought to the Pharisees the man who was formerly blind. Now it was a Sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also were asking him again how he received his sight. And he said to them, ‘He applied clay to my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” I can’t explain this story better than Borchert: “When the initial question of identification was answered, it was followed by a second probing question that sought for the reason behind the change (9:10). The man’s answer was a simple rehearsal of the facts concerning his healing (9:11). That answer was then followed by still another question related to Jesus’ whereabouts. The poor man’s only response to this additional question was “I do not know” (ouk oida; 9:12). In this exchange the neighbors functioned almost like the nondecisive “crowd” (the ochlos) of 7:25, who actually wanted to have simple, cut-and-dried, categorical answers to their questions. Crowds, like the neighbors in this story, are notoriously emotional and reactional. They generally are looking for noncomplicated leadership guidance and quick answers to important questions. Such was the case in this instance as they sought for an authoritative evaluation of the man (9:13).”[1] People are looking for someone to explain it.
Miracles occur every time we see someone accept Jesus as Savior. The salvation of the individual begins with the Holy Spirit’s drawing. He asks the nonbeliever to do something which looks foolish (admitting their condition before God), then smearing mud on their eyes (trusting someone’s instructions). Afraid and usure, the nonbeliever acts in faith to go do what the Master tells him to do (he trusts the Master’s words). He bathes in the water (the act of salvation), and becomes a new creation. For the first time in life his eyes are opened to see the beauty of what God has given to him (spiritual things). He goes and testifies of the One who changed his life (testifying of Jesus). Many still today do this when they come to saving faith. Newness of life!
[1] Gerald L. Borchert, John 1–11, vol. 25A, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 316.