Does God Make People Spiritually Blind?

Have you ever wondered why some people never respond to the gospel?

You tell them God loves them, that he holds nothing against them, and he’s longing to share his life with them, and you get nothing. It’s like they’re asleep.

Well, apparently, that’s God’s doing:

Just as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes to see not and ears to hear not, down to this very day.” (Romans 11:8)

“Stupor” means numbness and is sometimes translated as “slumber.” According to Paul, who was quoting Isaiah, God makes people spiritually numb or sleepy. He shuts their eyes and closes their ears so they neither see nor hear the good news.

John said something similar:

For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, “He has blinded their eyes and he hardened their heart, so that they would not see with their eyes and perceive with their heart, and be converted and I heal them.” (John 12:39–40)

Who blinds the eyes of unbelievers? Apparently, God does.

But before we start jumping to conclusions about the sovereignty of God, let’s look at how this same prophecy appears in other places. Here’s Jesus:

In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, “You will keep on hearing, but will not understand; You will keep on seeing, but will not perceive; For the heart of this people has become dull, with their ears they scarcely hear, and they have closed their eyes, otherwise they would see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and return, and I would heal them.” (Matthew 13:14–15)

John said of the unbelieving, “God blinded their eyes,” but Jesus said, “They have closed their own eyes.” Big difference.

Interestingly, Paul echoes Jesus when talking to the Jewish leaders in Rome:

The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers, saying, “Go to this people and say, ‘You will keep on hearing, but will not understand; and you will keep on seeing, but will not perceive; for the heart of this people has become dull, and with their ears they scarcely hear, and they have closed their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and return, and I would heal them.’” (Act 28:26–28)

Was Paul contradicting himself?

Romans 11: God shut their eyes.
Acts 28: They shut their own eyes.

There is no contradiction. When Jesus and Paul (in Acts) say, “They closed their eyes,” they are saying, “Those who shut their eyes and ears to God’s goodness become insensible and hard of heart.”

And when John and Paul (in Romans) say, “God blinded their eyes,” they are saying, “God designed a world where unbelief has consequences.”

In his wisdom, God leaves no middle ground between faith and unbelief. Those who trust him get grace in abundance, but those who shut their eyes and ears to God’s goodness become insensible and hardened (Eph. 4:18–19). As a consequence of their unbelief, they become creatures of instinct, captive to their appetites (2 Pet. 2:12). God allows this to happen so that they might come to their senses and see their need for a Deliverer.

Here’s one more verse we must consider:

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. (2 Corinthians 4:4)

The devil does not go around poking the spiritual eyes of people – he’s not that powerful. But everything he does is designed to keep us in the dark. The good news is the darkness cannot overcome the light.

God does not blind people or put them to sleep. Far from it. Instead, he calls us out of darkness into his wonderful light so that we may shine and show the way for others:

But now, up on your feet – I have a job for you… I’m sending you off to open the eyes of the outsiders so they can see the difference between dark and light, and choose light, see the difference between Satan and God, and choose God. (Act 26:16–18, MSG)

Awesome!

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