The Gospel's Power & Message

by Paul David Washer

Blind men find no beauty in a sunset, deaf men are not moved by even the most beautiful sonata, and brute beasts have no appreciation for art. In a similar fashion, unregenerate, unconverted, carnal men are spiritually blind, deaf to God’s Word, and in bondage to a brutish heart that would sooner feed its animal lusts than taste and see that the Lord is good.31 For this reason, Jesus exclaims that unless a man is born again he cannot even “see” the kingdom of heaven, let alone esteem its worth.32 For this reason, carnal people fill our church rosters—people who come for all sorts of reasons other than Christ and a hunger for righteousness.33 The more practical and present-day promises that have been added to the gospel make it appealing to them, and they remain in church as long as they continue to get what they want. This feeds their flesh in a religious fashion, but their souls remain dead to God and the hope of true salvation.