The world is deceived by the devil as he comes preaching another Jesus Christ and another gospel as referenced in Galatians1:8. He deceives them as to whom the person of Jesus Christ really is. Sin is a crutch and deception is the devils greatest tool. But the Jewish biblical Jesus Christ/none counterfeit can set you free and offer you true salvation. See, the woman at Jacobs well was disposed to leave the matter of the coming Messiah/anointed one who would tell the Samaritans all matters. As they say Christ revealed more to her then to the Apostles. See, I read some reference of that in Henry Matthew commentary. Recently, I read/watched a testimony of a man who came to faith in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. He actually taught religion for many years. But it wasn't biblical Christianity. His conviction came years later when he was reading a passage in John 20.31
" 31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name ."
He realized in the past when looking/not even looking at the scripture it didn't dawn on him what was on the page/in the bible as he didn't discern the text mentally or physically which is a holy text, a holy living word and so he was blind by ignorance and a lack of spiritual discernment. Perhaps in his mind tradition cancelled out spiritual discernment. He had learned a complete differing concept and even though he taught religion it was not true biblical Christianity as he did not realize the importance of the word of God in the light of the Gospel. Ponder that one. Sort of funny how the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well was sort of lost in a similar fashion with different implications as it was misleading discernment & blindness putting her off. And when you really think about it, it's just like people that are blinded to the truth which can be rich people, poor people, middle class people, plain people or unbelievers. I sometimes think as I seen the Street Preachers trying to reach such people when they go preach in religious places/even various streets and it's like hatred shock to those who think they follow truth or even can/will acknowledge biblical truth. Many have a negative view of the bible. Many are deceived and don't have a humbled spirit to even acknowledge biblical truth or have a listening ear to accept the truth nor can they see it or taste it. They put it off. They suppress it automatically. No wonder God says in his word that on judgment Day he will tell many "I never knew you" Mathew 7:21-23 as they are instructed to depart from him as they were found with inequity.
The word of God also says that many could have been saved as they thought they were saved but they just didn't love the truth 2 Thessalonians 2:10 Can deception saves you? No. Wouldn't you want to know if you were living a lie? Many people couldn't care less?. Sometimes when preachers are trying to reach people who are sinful, lost and deceived they tell them you love your sin. What does that mean? They are inslaved to the worldy ways and lost. Scripture tells us that a person must deny themselves if they are in Christ and obey him even if they want to be his disciple. It also tells us a friend of the world make them enemies of God. You can't serve two masters as Christ said. Error can never be truth.
((Quote)): "Of whatever waters and comfort we drink we shall thirst again. But whoever partakes in the spirit of grace and the comforts of the Gospel, she'll/He'll never want that which will abundantly satisfy his/her soul. Carnival hearts look no higher than Cardinal ends".
You can call it a blindness or an ignorance. For to be carnally minded is death/enmity and opposition to God's Commandments. It is rebellion! It is essentially resistance to his calling and submission to his narrow ways/path/door. I guess we could ponder in concentrations and puzzlement why some people are reachable with the gospel and other people put up a brick wall.
If you look at the scripture below you will see that the traditions of men had been kept, still are that Christ said transgress Gods commandments. Christ reiterates Asaias prophecy that these people are hypocrites and disobey Gods true commandments. They profess him with their lips but their hearts are FAR from HIM!
Interesting to note that Christ used to say those who have ears let them hear as we know many don't have the spirit of Grace and humbleness to really listen and understand. In essence one gets the feeling that they don't care. Years ago there was a song called, "I can see clearly now". In the song there was a line "I can see clearly now the rain is gone and all obstacles are not in my way". Some people care and eventually see. But many love the world and could care less about biblical truth. Just because their parents said/friends what they may follow is true so it must be truth?. NO! The devil hates thinkers. The word of God tells us that on Judgment Day many will hear Christ tell them they are workers of iniquity and he never knew them. He instructs them to depart from him as they are those who break God's laws. Many are children of deception or don't obey him. They will not inherit eternal life. They will forfeit their own souls. As I said before the gospel tells us in God's word they could have been saved but they just did not love the truth. Could you imagine they're going to forfeit their own soul because they just didn't love the truth. That means they didn't live it. So that means they did not live a holy life in Christ. They were scattered and sin ridden, unrepentant and that's why the gospel tells us there will be gnashing of teeth and crying on judgement day Luke 13:28. Some may ask how could you have crying after death. Spiritual bodies same you. Your soul or spirit does not die. So was Jesus Christ right when he said sin leads to death. Absolutely! I guess what is hard to comprehend or we can say what is an irritant, troublesome, puzzling, disheartening is that it's to make people see the biblical truth who refuse to listen. Many cannot listen as the carnal mind is enmity towards God. It's very hard to make such lost people see the spiritual & biblical truth.
When Christ Jesus gave the blind man his sight back that had profound implications. You see the Pharisees/scribes and various other religious people/leaders thought they were more righteous than others and they actually despised others. The Bible tells us how they made they're garments sort of fancy or large as to demonstrate their superiority over others. The gospel tells us that they loved the chief seats in the synagogs/banquet hall gatherings. Ignorance, pride and POWER was their blindness. The Bible tells us God highly esteem a contrite humbled spirit. How many people fit this mold? What's blinding them? Perhaps pride, arrogance, superiority of vanity, false teachers, the material world and it's lusts that can't satisfy them let alone anyone. Their fallen nature is a stumbling block coupled with their ignorance and shallow minds. They're not concerned with the life to come and the gospel truth gets overridden by lies, deception, arrogance, ignorance and narrow-mindedness. The truth gets overridden by a deceiving spirit if we think of it in biblical terms. The Bible tells us the spirit of Antichrist 1 John 4:2-3 is in the world and many fall victim to it. That is figuratively speaking in religious terms. They can't see it as it gets overridden by the carnal mind and the love of the world and brainwashing/deception in many circumstances. No wonder God says in his word a friend of the world becomes his enemy and he gave them up to a reprobate mind. Don't confuse this with loving your enemy. The Lord Jesus Christ converted people and he hung around people that were despicable to other people. But he never did as they did. Jesus converted the woman at Jacob's well. He explained to her that the water she was drinking will make her thirst again but the spiritual holy water that he was going to give her which was eternal life would give her eternal satisfaction/joy. She needed to believe he was The Christ, repent and turn from sin. The word of God tells us that God searches the heart and he knows every single thought. It tells us on judgement Day people will give an account for every idle word ever spoken and every bad & good work will be brought to light (Mathew 12:36). Can you imagine the embarrassment as so many people think so many things are hidden but to God there is nothing hidden. He knows their/our wicked hearts. He knows their/our thoughts. Those lost/deceived with hardened hearts can choose to live a lie but it will catch up to them one day. People are so concerned with the material illusions/deceptions/carnally minded and things of this fallen world that they don't even care to teach their own children biblical truth nor true biblical dignity and respect for God/nor themselves. Funny how Christ said or implied that the prostitute and tax collector would enter the kingdom of heaven before the Jewish religious leaders of the lords day. Why? They acknowledged the hearten truth. They cared about the truth as the thief on the cross who said lord Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom. He actually repented of his sins right on the cross in front of the Lord Jesus Christ.
To put it bluntly and non lukewarm such reprobate wicked people are Idol worshipers, vicious and evil doers in the sight of the lord but they don't think so. They may not even know so. Many of these such people are pagans unbenounced even to themselves. People have many idols but God says you have to love him with all your heart, mind and soul. Paganism is spiritual fornication. Christ told the Samaritan woman God is a spirit and true worshipers must worship him in spirit and in truth. Pilate asked Christ what is the truth but he couldn't have understood. He was blind to that truth just as many people are blind as a bat to the gospel truth. The truth can set you free and open your eyes. Open your eyes and your mind. You see the woman at Jacob's well was willing to listen. Of course Christ had a way to make her see. Many people have obstacles in the way but they could care less so on judgment Day when they hear those harsh words that Christ said he will tell them they chose it. They chose to not care for the truth. It was them who closed their ears and lived a sinful deceived lifestyle. In essence its the devil and his angels of darkness that transform themselves into Angels of light that deceives them. Many live a lifestyle of deception by counterfeit. No wonder he doesn't just say, "okay I forgive you come in." Not to say God is not meriful as he is. While they had life in their human bodies they had a chance to listen and even repent but they didn't care. The Bible tells us to fear God and not man. Funny how the thief on the cross told the other thief we deserve our just punishment and don't you even fear God. You can be set free to but you have to love the truth and come to the Lord Jesus Christ. You need to call on him and have a personal relationship with him. You need to know whom the person of Jesus Christ really is minus deception. You need to have a prayer life. It would help to understand prophecy. The truth is many people don't care. To put is bluntly many people love the world and all its fantasies, all its sinful pleasures and carefree easy deceptive illusion/vanity filled idol worshipping living & ways. We've become enslaved to unholy deceptive prideful and sinful careless drunkedness, carelessness and a sin stained vanity infested lifestyle. The wonderful truth is the Bible says in John 8:36
"If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." Amen.
Get saved
Repent and believe on the gospel. Christ said he came to give sight to those who dont see and take it away from those who say they see and don't. Open your eyes and mind. Think!!! Wake up!!!
Suggested reading
The Two Peters – One An Apostle And One The First Pope
120 Reasons Against Christmas
Here are some testimonies. You view them and hear their testimonies if they are real or fabrication. God know the heart of men/woman. We can consult the word of God for answers but listen/view these testimonies.
Testimonies (1) HERE