Blinded From the Light of the Gospel

Chris

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Staff member
Blinded From the Light of the Gospel
By Mike Gendron

God’s inspired Word warns us that Satan is blinding unbelievers from the light of the Gospel and the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul writes, “if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Cor. 4:3-4). Satan knows man’s greatest problem is sin and his only hope of deliverance from God’s wrath is through the Gospel of Christ. That is why the Father of Lies uses everything in his power to keep unbelievers blinded from the saving power of the Gospel (Rom. 1:16).

Religious Indoctrination Blinds People From Truth​

There are many devices God’s adversary uses to keep unbelievers in darkness, but his most powerful tool may be religious indoctrination. When I was catechized as a young Catholic boy, I was pressured into submitting my mind, intellect and will to the “infallible” teachings and traditions of the “one true church.” I did not know the Gospel because it was veiled under layers and layers of religious tradition. The light of the Gospel remained veiled because Catholic priests told me the Bible was too difficult to understand, so I never opened it until age 35. The veil of blindness that covered my heart remained until months later when I turned to Christ (2 Cor. 3:14-16). Most Catholics have had similar experiences. From the time they could think as little children, their minds were taken captive to errant religious teachings and traditions. As they grew older, many of them developed a fierce loyalty to their religion and refused to exchange it for a relationship with the one true God.

Religious Pride Keeps People in Darkness​

Religious pride is another device Satan uses to veil the Gospel from those who are perishing. This type of haughtiness flows from a fierce, unbending loyalty to a person or institution. It is for this reason many Catholics refuse to engage in spiritual conversations with Christians. Their spiritual arrogance arises from the erroneous teaching that the Catholic Church is the one true church and necessary for salvation (CCC, 846). Their refusal to consider the Gospel of grace arises from the fear of forfeiting their salvation if they were ever to leave the Catholic Church. The same paragraph 846 teaches that Catholics cannot be saved if they do not remain in the Catholic Church.

A Tragic Example of Religious Pride​

I witnessed this religious pride in my uncle, a Catholic priest of 61 years. He spent 30 years in Burma (Myanmar) converting Hindus and Buddhists to Catholicism. When he returned to America, I always looked forward to sharing God’s Gospel with him. Sadly, each and every time, he rebuked me with a condescending attitude for questioning his priestly position of authority. Blinded by religious pride, he dismissed my references to God’s Word because of a stubborn confidence in his priestly rituals and rites. Clearly, his religious arrogance was the greatest obstacle that prevented him from coming to Christ with genuine saving faith. Instead, he was content to continue offering the same daily sacrifices which can never take away sin (Heb. 10:11).

God’s Truth Sets Captives Free​

The ongoing battle for the souls of men is ultimately a conflict between the eternal truths of God’s Word and the fatal lies of the devil. Satan does a masterful job of creating a variety of works-righteousness religions to control people and conceal God’s Gospel of grace. He knows that anyone who adds works to God’s saving grace has nullified the only way of salvation (Rom. 11:6). The Father of Lies uses his deceitful workers, disguised as servants of righteousness, to control people with religious rituals for the purpose of appeasing their gods (2 Cor. 11:14-15). The only way they can escape from the snare of the devil, who holds them captive to do his will, is through a knowledge of the truth (2 Tim. 2:26). Only the truth of God’s Word can set them free (John 8:31-32). Yet, the greatest obstacle to learning the truth is to believe that you already know it.

There Is a Cure for Spiritual Blindness​

Supernatural blindness can only be overcome by the sovereign work and power of the Holy Spirit. When the Word of God is proclaimed, and the Spirit of God does His work of conviction and illumination, men will see the light of the Gospel (John 16:8-11, 13-15; 1 Cor. 2:12). It is God who shines “in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6). By God’s amazing grace, believers are delivered from the power of darkness into the glorious light of God’s kingdom. May God give us all a greater compassion for those who are where we once were!

https://www.raptureforums.com/roman-catholicism/blinded-from-the-light-of-the-gospel/
 

Jojo4124

Well-Known Member
Amen! When I got saved in college, I was praying about Purgatory. This false concept was branded into my brain from birth. After getting saved, I started comparing the RCC to the Bible.

As I prayed, asking Father God about the existance of Purgatory (cuz RCC backs up the Purgatory lie with some Bible verses... so I wasnt sure what to believe.)

Precious Jesus spoke to my heart and said, "If I died to pay for ALL of your sins, why would you still have to pay?" Understanding flooded my brain and it literally felt like scales fell from my eyes. I understood (what I then called) Easter!

My mom taught me that Jesus only opened the gates of Heaven for us, but we still have to earn it. If you arent a "saint" or a murderer then you spend some time in Purgatory. While you cant purchase Masses for your own points to get out of Purgatory sooner than you could (reducing the time spent burning off your sins), you could arrange for others to do so for you after you die.

I look at these demonic doctrines now n cringe. And Satan attacks innocent children with this brainwash done by their parents n priests.

I didnt lie about Santa or let my kids watch Disney's demonic characters, etc. Sooo many Christians were appalled and got defensive about my choices. I told them that the Star Wars writer, name escaping me lol, said that when he realized that his parents lied about Santa Clause, he decided that they must have lied to him about Jesus, too.

Anyhow, love your post!

Deception is something God hates. I dont think God is happy watching people deceive their children...like with false doctrine. BUT if the children grow up n seek the Lord, they will find Him!

Maybe ppl defend their false doctrine so vehemently, like my RCC family does, is because they are comfortable, traditions from generations which ppl like, memories, fear of losing all that?
 

SkyRider

Well-Known Member
Amen! When I got saved in college, I was praying about Purgatory. This false concept was branded into my brain from birth. After getting saved, I started comparing the RCC to the Bible.

As I prayed, asking Father God about the existance of Purgatory (cuz RCC backs up the Purgatory lie with some Bible verses... so I wasnt sure what to believe.)

Precious Jesus spoke to my heart and said, "If I died to pay for ALL of your sins, why would you still have to pay?" Understanding flooded my brain and it literally felt like scales fell from my eyes. I understood (what I then called) Easter!

My mom taught me that Jesus only opened the gates of Heaven for us, but we still have to earn it. If you arent a "saint" or a murderer then you spend some time in Purgatory. While you cant purchase Masses for your own points to get out of Purgatory sooner than you could (reducing the time spent burning off your sins), you could arrange for others to do so for you after you die.

I look at these demonic doctrines now n cringe. And Satan attacks innocent children with this brainwash done by their parents n priests.

I didnt lie about Santa or let my kids watch Disney's demonic characters, etc. Sooo many Christians were appalled and got defensive about my choices. I told them that the Star Wars writer, name escaping me lol, said that when he realized that his parents lied about Santa Clause, he decided that they must have lied to him about Jesus, too.

Anyhow, love your post!

Deception is something God hates. I dont think God is happy watching people deceive their children...like with false doctrine. BUT if the children grow up n seek the Lord, they will find Him!

Maybe ppl defend their false doctrine so vehemently, like my RCC family does, is because they are comfortable, traditions from generations which ppl like, memories, fear of losing all that?
To your point about Purgatory, it is just another Romanism invention to keep Catholics in bondage to the RCC. One HAS to buy Mass cards to shorten their deceased loved ones time in such a place. Also, they reinforce the satanic myth about “Mary” being able to radically shorten one's time there by wearing a scapular with the image of her on it. If one dies wearing it, the following Saturday “she” will spring you from that place. I wore one briefly when I was a kid going to Catholic grade school. The nuns were pushing that demonic doctrine. The thing started to smell after a while wearing it continuously around my neck, so I ditched it.

To your last sentence, Romanism is nothing more than the lazy man's/woman's guide to Christianity. Just follow the RCC's plan of salvation and don't worry about reading the Bible for yourself to see God's plan of redemption. Afterall, the self-described “One True Church” would never steer you wrong. They hold the keys to Heaven or Hell. Who else but them could show you the true way? Sadly, millions have bought into it and wound up, not in Purgatory, but another state of torment.

I remember having a talk with my dad while driving in the car, with both parents present, as we were headed to go explore a cave in TN. I told him that complete faith in Christ was the only requirement needed to be saved, not a ritualistic system of works as devised by the papists. I'll never forget his response: “It can't be that simple”. That from a lifelong, indoctrinated, fully immersed Catholic in their false doctrines. He was a very good man from a worldly standpoint. I only hope now that his words are not echoing in his mind eternally in a destination that he wasn't expecting.
 

Xenosjeff

Well-Known Member
SkyRider, "It can't be that simple" is exactly why and how Rome keeps people slaves of religion. They want people to fear the immense and complex puzzle that only Rome can tame.

So many times I've come to the point in expressing the gospel message to someone and get the feeling that they just asked themselves the "simple?" question.

If they keep listening, there is a chance to explain the simple facts surrounding the thief on the cross. You can also tell them about the three thousand added in one day who didn't have a Pope to guide them through the complexity of religious beliefs. But, chances are, their programming will kick in and they'll "click" back into that comfortable mode of just letting someone else do the work for them.

All we can do is try. The rest is not in our hands.

Jeff
 

SkyRider

Well-Known Member
No, I remember my response to my dad. The rest of the conversation is lost, but I said to him, paraphrasing “Why would God make it difficult to get to Heaven? Look at the example of the prodigal son. When he decided to forfeit his riotous living and return home, we see his father running to meet him, forgiving him everything and welcoming him home with open arms. God is the same way. He isn't trying to trip us up and make it difficult to enter Heaven”. I don't know if the words struck a chord or not. A lifetime of brainwashing is pretty hard to overcome.
 

paul289

Well-Known Member
I have also asked a Catholic "If God himself can't fully pay for your sins, how do you expect to pay for the rest of them in Purgatory?" He responded that he didn't have an answer. It's just stuffing God into this box and denying him the opportunity to do everything. Either God is all-powerful and can forgive all of your sins entirely, or he isn't, and we're lost forever.
 

Everlasting Life

Through Faith in Jesus
I'll never forget his response: “It can't be that simple”.


In a sense he was right. It wasn't simple, it was infinitely difficult which took an infinite being, Jesus Christ, the Lord God to do the very, hard, impossible for humans work for us.

The disciples started cluing in to this with the rich young ruler in Matthew 19, who by the Pharisees (religious leaders of the day) standards surely should have been in the Kingdom based on his works, wealth, position, etc.. But Jesus showed how humans can't even start to earn their way to heaven, how fallen we all are.

I love the incredulous exclamation of the Disciples and Jesus' answer:

The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”


Matthew 19:25-26


I said to him, paraphrasing “Why would God make it difficult to get to Heaven?


That's a great question.

As I ponder how the Lord willing laid down His life for me and the world to make it easy for humanity to make it to heaven......I get a sense of the love behind that eternal action. I find myself responding in my heart an emerging love for such a Savior who sacrificed so much for me, for all of us. What an incredible, amazing love....and to think on top of it a shared eternal inheritance is also waiting as well, is mind blowing.
 
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