For the most part, the world does not consider Jesus Christ to be worthy of their attention, let alone their belief or acknowledgement, other than blasphemy. The apostle Paul tells how his life was radically transformed from this worldly state in Acts 26, when Christ met him on the road to Damascus. Intrinsic in Paul’s salvation was Jesus’ revelation of Himself and His calling of Paul to a life in His service. In Acts 26:16-18, Jesus stated this to Paul. I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness… I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.
It’s no wonder that Paul was compel as a man possessed by the living God to proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). This heavenly calling was not unique to Paul and Peter, but to each believer in Jesus Christ as Lord. This is why Peter’s words were addressed to the whole church in general (1Pe 1:1). Like Paul, Christians have within them the God given capacity to assist those who are blinded to the truth of Jesus, to provide the biblical information needed by them to correctly understand Jesus.
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6). Like Paul, in our pre-Christian life, we were not interested in Christ. However, it was God who illuminated a right understanding of Jesus in our innermost place of decision making, our heart. From there, faith empowered by knowledge pervaded our lives, and Jesus was understood to be Lord. Now, instead of spiritual darkness, there is the light of Christ.
It’s not surprising then, that Satan works hard as the god of this world… to blind …the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God (2 Corinthians 4:4). Make no mistake Christian, unbelievers, which we all were, are not simply operating independent from God, they are blinded by Satan to the glorious truth of Jesus Christ. Spiritual ignorance of Christ is not only inherited from our parents, but is influentially supported by Satan and taught by the world.
John 1:9-13 explains it this way. The true light (Jesus) that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He (Jesus) was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him. Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
Jesus Christ is worthy of every person’s attention, and especially of those who profess faith in Him. In reality, there is no such thing as a Christian who is not interested in Christ as Lord. A tough reality which calls for our attention. It is good for us to sharpen our focus on Christ daily and to share Him with others regularly. Through Him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge His name (Hebrews 13:15).
