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Writer's pictureSteve Derenge

Spiritual Roots of Blindness

Updated: Mar 13, 2022

Biblically, what are some root causes of spiritual and physical blindness?

  • Cursing one’s father or mother (Proverbs 20:20)

  • Mocking one’s father or scorning a mother (Proverbs 30:17)

  • Hatred towards a brother or fellow believer in Jesus (1 John 2:11)

  • Idolatry--trusting in something besides God to meet your needs and desires (Psalm 115:4-8; 135:15-18)

  • Phariseeism--religious legalism, living under the law rather than under grace (Matthew 15:14; 23:16,17,19,24,26). [In those five verses in Matthew 23 (NASB1995), Jesus refers to the stringent Pharisees as “blind.”]

  • Judgmental criticism, hypocrisy (Matthew 7:3-5; Luke 6:41-42) [These passages may pertain more to spiritual and physical “cataracts” than to “blindness,” per se.]

  • Unbelief, spiritual pride (John 9:35-41) [The formerly blind man knew he couldn’t see, so he knew he needed God’s power to open his blind eyes. So when he trusted and obeyed Jesus, God healed him. The Pharisees thought they already saw spiritual things and matters accurately and with clarity. Therefore, in their own eyes, they didn’t need Jesus to correct their theology or to tell them how to do life and ministry. Thus they did not trust and obey him, which is the epitome of pride, unbelief, and spiritual blindness.]

  • Lust of the eyes, spiritual adultery, sensuality (Matthew 5:27-29; 2 Peter 2:14,17ff)

  • Spiritual compromise, “sleeping with the enemy” (Judges 16:18-22)

  • Sexual perversion (Genesis 19:4-11)

  • Perverting justice through bribery (Exodus 23:8; Deuteronomy 16:19; 1 Samuel 12:3)

  • Sorcery, opposing the gospel or ministry of Jesus, discouraging others from believing in Jesus for salvation, healing, or freedom (Acts 13:6-12; 9:1-9)

  • Grief can produce dimness of sight (Job 17:7; Psalm 38:10; 69:3; Lamentations 5:17)

  • Lack of spiritual vision or hope (1 Samuel 3:1-3) [Mark Dejesus has said that “hope” is your spiritual vision. Like the previous bullet point, this one pertains more to “dimness” of sight rather than “blindness.” My observation from this passage is that Eli’s poor eyesight appears to correspond with the infrequent visions and rare words from the Lord in those days, as further symbolized by the “lamp of God” which was running low on oil and likewise growing dim as young Samuel was lying down for bed. People were not fervently seeking and worshipping God in the temple or encountering His presence regularly the way that Jesus would demonstrate what a life rooted and grounded in love looks like. Eli’s passivity as a father and leader lacked clear and fervent spiritual vision (and therefore hope), manifesting itself in dim and poor eyesight. By contrast, Moses maintained such fervent intimacy with God as a trusted friend, that his vigor did not abate and his eyesight did not grow dim even at the age of 120 (see Deuteronomy 34:7)]

  • Lack of spiritual and physical care (Zechariah 11:16-17). Job did not allow the widow’s eye to fail, meaning that he provided for the needs of the poor, the widowed, and the orphaned (see Job 31:16ff). By meeting the needs of other people when they needed it, Job gave them hope and assuaged their grief, thereby not causing their eyes to fail. In Job 17:7, when Job encountered grief and his needs were going unmet, his eyesight physiologically grew dim.

  • Sin-consciousness; guilt; lack of faith, virtue, knowledge, godliness, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love (2 Peter 1:5-9) [These are potential spiritual roots of nearsightedness (or myopia), according to verse 9]

  • Worry and anxiety; wrong, flawed, unhealthy, toxic, pessimistic, fearful, or negative outlook on life (Matthew 6:19ff; Luke 11:34)

  • Unbelief and unrepentance, disobedience to God’s voice (Luke 11:32-36; Deuteronomy 28:15,28-29,65)

  • Trusting in the “bad news” of circumstances more than the “good news” of God (Psalm 112:4-8; Jeremiah 49:23; Proverbs 15:30)


If I were reading an article like this a decade or so ago, I would be quick to argue with the author that sin doesn’t always cause sickness or conditions like blindness, because concerning a blind man in the beginning of John chapter 9, Jesus said that neither he nor his parents sinned that he was born blind, but that the works of God might be displayed in his life. Growing up, I was under the impression that if a person is sick or has a debilitating, chronic, or incurable condition, then it is uncompassionate to get their hopes up with any notions that God may want to heal them. Because what if people pray for their healing, nothing happens, and then they get disappointed, disillusioned, and even angry at God, walking away from the faith?


Furthermore, to suggest that diseases or conditions like blindness have a sin behind them, what if that heaps false guilt upon that person? Isn’t that why Jesus corrected his disciples who asked whose sin or fault it was, “this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”


As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.” 6 When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes, 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing.

---John 9:1-7 NASB1995


What can we observe from this passage? How did Jesus respond to his disciples’ question? Did Jesus respond with, “Yes, this man sinned by his lack of faith and repentance, so he hasn’t been healed yet”? Or why didn’t Jesus say, “His parents or ancestors probably sinned in such-and-such a way, so he isn’t healed yet”? Could it be that to respond in such a way would heap more accusation and guilt upon that blind man? Is it likely that “the accuser of the brethren” accused the blind man in his thoughts day and night after similar discussions from other people, rabbis, and their disciples who passed him by throughout his life? (see Revelation 12:9-11; 2 Corinthians 4:3ff)


Rather, was Jesus seeking to shift his disciples’ sin-guilt-and-shame-conscious mindset “under law” into a faith-hope-and-love-conscious mindset “under grace”? “Jesus answered, ‘It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” (John 9:3 NASB) In other words, “You’re missing the point, disciples. It wasn’t that this man sinned or that his parents sinned, (even though all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.) Although there may be sin behind the manifestation of this man’s blindness because we live in a fallen world, that is not to be your focus regarding how God wants you to see this man. God’s higher purpose concerning this man’s blindness is for His glory to be displayed in his life as this man fulfills the amazing destiny for which God created him.” (my amplified paraphrase)


Jesus continued, “We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.” (John 9:4-5 NASB). It is as if a loving father walks into his house and sees a broken picture or vase all over the floor. His kids, who were playing catch with a ball, both come to him pointing fingers at each other as to whose fault it was that the glass artifact is broken with its pieces scattered all over the floor. What is the father’s reply? “I don’t care whose fault it is. I just want this mess cleaned up. If we don’t clean it up and deal with that mess soon, somebody could get hurt. Why don’t you get a broom, and you get a vacuum right now. Let’s clean up the mess.”


Now was one child more at fault than the other as to why the vase was broken? Maybe. Perhaps one child was careful and had good aim. But another child was being negligent, angry, cocky in his abilities, got dizzy or caught up in the moment, and accidentally hit the picture or vase with the ball. However, the father doesn’t care who is at fault. His focus is on cleaning up the mess in order to prevent an injury. He doesn’t care about the broken picture or the vase as much as he does the safety and health of his beloved children.


In the same way, Jesus responded to this fallen world by acting out his identity as the Light of the world. Therefore he healed the blind man and trained his disciples to go and do likewise. He had elsewhere said to his followers, “You are the light of the world; a city on a hill cannot be hidden.” (see Matthew 5:14-16) Again, “We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.” (John 9:4-5 NASB).


In other words, “When night comes and we go to sleep, we are no longer working at our jobs or living our lives as we do during the daytime. When we fall asleep at night (that is, when we die), we no longer have the same opportunity to make an impact in this world the way that we do when we remain in the body [Philippians 1:21-24]. This earthly life is the only shot we get at rescuing people from darkness and from hell’s clutches before we die. After that, we won’t have such an opportunity for the rest of eternity. While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world to do the works of Him who sent Me. My time on this earth is coming to a close, and then it will be your responsibility to let me live through you by the Holy Spirit whom I’ll talk to you more about later in John 14. While you are still alive in the world, you are the light of the world to represent me as ambassadors and imitators of God who do the works of God.” (my amplified paraphrase)


Were the blind man’s parents sinless? Certainly not. The only sinless man was Jesus. As the story in John 9 unfolds after Jesus heals the blind man by restoring his sight, the man’s parents come into the picture. Here their sinful attitudes and mindsets are revealed. They have the fear of man and love praise from men rather than praise from God. (see John 9:18-23) That’s idolatry, the spiritual root of blindness. The Scriptures are clear that those who serve idols become like those idols. Idols have eyes but cannot see, ears but cannot hear, hands but cannot feet, noses but cannot smell, and feet but cannot walk. (see Psalm 115; 135) There are areas of our lives where we do not yet see God rightly or trust Him, and that hinders us from bearing much fruit (our full potential in God) in our relational journey as His love cultivates greater maturity in us over time.


The "fear of man" is making other people one’s god. This idolatry can sometimes manifest generationally in blindness, paralysis, lameness, communication disorders, etc. Fear can paralyze us in many ways, particularly when trauma is not dealt with in our healing journey. Because of how God designed the human body to respond to the mind, our flawed beliefs that are rooted in guilt, shame, and fear produce negative physiological manifestations in our bodies down through the generations. As we learn to receive God’s perfect love in our relational journey with Him, we can daily replace areas of wrong thinking with the way that God thinks. This occurs by believing the good news about who God is (the gospel) and learning in practical ways to trust in God rather than listening in agreement with the voices of fear, guilt, shame, and accusation.


To share a personal story, when I studied abroad in Japan, I spent much of my free time watching YouTube videos and sermons related to taking steps of faith in the areas of healing the sick, casting out demons, etc. This helped to bolster my confidence in who God is and what is possible for the person who is fully in love with Him in trust and surrender to His words and His ways. During spring break, I traveled to Bangladesh, where I shared with my host what I have been learning over the past couple years about God’s power to heal and desire to do so through His “yielded vessels” who are faithful, available, and teachable to Him.


One day, we went to a large Hindu festival in order to offer to people the message of Jesus through materials and other interactions. When a crowd had gathered, my host invited me to pray for sick people who were present while he would serve as my interpreter. When I placed my hands on people with their permission, while even applying olive oil to them as a symbolic representation of God’s power to break off spiritual bondage and its effects (including sickness and disease), I was pleasantly surprised to see God do a healing work in their hearts and bodies.


The first lady for whom I prayed had tears of joy when God healed her from physical blindness (picture below). This awakened expectancy and desire within others in the growing crowd to receive a touch from God through prayer. That evening served as a reminder to me of God’s power and desire to heal people as He reveals to them what He is like through Jesus, the only way to enter into God’s Fatherly love and wonderful plan for their lives. (see John 14:6ff)


Click here for more information on knowing God personally and what it can look like to enter into His wonderful plan for your life.



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