Understanding Spiritual Blindness and the Influence of “the god of this world”
Sometimes, when people hear about the message of Jesus and the good news (the Gospel), it just doesn’t make sense to them. It’s like they’re standing in a dark room with the lights off—even if you describe what’s around them, they can’t really see it for themselves.
Why is that? According to the passage, there’s a spiritual reason behind this. It says that “the god of this world,” a way of talking about Satan, has blinded the minds of people who don’t believe. This doesn’t mean Satan actually created the world or runs its governments, but that he has a big influence over people who are far from God. It’s as if he has put a blindfold over their minds, so no matter how bright the light, they can’t see it.
This “blinding” isn’t about physically not being able to see—it’s about not understanding or accepting the truth about Jesus. The minds, or the way people think and understand, are affected. Satan does this by distracting people from even listening to the message, by stirring up negative feelings about it, and by making their natural confusion even worse. It’s not just general ignorance—it’s a kind of spiritual barrier.
But why would Satan want to do this? The passage says it’s because the Gospel—the message about Jesus, who is described as “the image of God”—is so powerful, beautiful, and life-changing. If people really understood it, it would fill their lives with light and hope. The Gospel is called “glorious” because it shines a bright light on who Jesus is and what He’s done for us. It’s full of amazing promises and truths that can truly change lives for the better.
Satan wants to keep people from seeing that light, because if they did, they might turn to God, and that would mean losing his hold over them. In simple terms: the devil wants to keep people in the dark, so they won’t discover how good and true the message about Jesus really is.
To sum up: If someone doesn’t “get” the Gospel, it’s not just a matter of intelligence or education. There are spiritual forces at work, trying to keep people from seeing the truth. But when people do see it—when the “light” finally shines into their lives—it changes everything. That’s why the message of Jesus is so special and why it’s so important to keep sharing it, hoping the “blindfold” will one day come off.
Minister A Francine Green
September 2025
afrancinegreen.com 