Let’s talk about and reflect on perspective in terms of what we see and how we see. Jesus exhorted us many times to see and hear. The choice to hear is consistent refrain in His messages to the seven churches in Revelation. One of the main passages is below and Jesus quotes Isaiah in His highlighting of the issue.
10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” 11 He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; 15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’ 16 But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; 17 for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. 18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: Matthew 13:10–18 (NKJV)
In this passage Jesus tells his disciples that they can see and hear and on a later occasion rebukes them for failing to do so.
18 Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember? Mark 8:18 (NKJV)
This should provoke humility in us and a recognition that just because we can see it doesn’t mean we do see! However, it also means we have the capacity to see and can develop it and if we miss the mark recover it.
Given the impact our perceptions have on our faith, it seems important to ‘look’ at how we can make changes. Here are a couple of examples of the need to ‘see’ accurately, salvation and spiritual gifts. I am sure you have heard someone share the example of how unfair it is for a murder, rapist (fill in the blank) or some other person considered terrible, to be able to repent and embrace Jesus and get into heaven while a ‘good person’ they know or know of, misses heaven and encounters hell because they never embraced Jesus.
In looking at this an illustration that came to mind is the idea of an old door with the brass casing and a hole in the centre for the key. One could push the key against the door jamb, the top of the door, or the bottom of the door and the key would not work. You could also push against the metal plate just next to the keyhole and encounter the same outcome. You would only be able to open the door if you actually put the key in the lock and turned it. In the same manner salvation is through Jesus, you can try other methods but only Jesus unlocks and opens the door to salvation. Therefore, we need eyes to see the source of salvation.
Now we look at spiritual gifts. There are two basic camps, those who claim that spiritual gifts, as listed in 1 Corinthians 12 ceased when scripture was complete, or when the last of the twelve original apostles died or something similar. Then there are continuationists. Those who hold that these gifts are still in operation today. I am in the latter camp. I am aware that theological arguments can be made for either position, though frankly I think key points made in scripture need to be ignored and misrepresented to hold to a cessationist view. I am a continuationist for two primary reasons, well maybe three. Scripture exhorts us to seek these gifts, I have seen them in experience for decades in my life and the lives of others, and lastly, because I think we need them to accomplish what Jesus has called us to do. Given that millions of Christians around the world function in spiritual gifts I ask of cessationists what Jesus said in Mark 8:18, “Having eyes, do you not see?”
Now is there a point somewhere here? Yes, Jesus has given each of us eyes to see and I am confident that we all miss things. I know I have learned a great deal over time and adjusted my theology more than a few times. Which requires a willingness to look at things in a new way, to reconsider my position. Jesus always has more for us if we are willing to look and ask Him to open our eyes to see.