How does John 9:25 connect with other biblical examples of transformation? Seeing Clearly: The Heart of John 9:25 “ He answered, ‘Whether He is a sinner I do not know. There is one thing I do know: I was blind, but now I see!’ ” (John 9:25) Snapshots of Change in the Old Testament • Genesis 17:5 — Abram becomes Abraham: “for I have made you a father of many nations.” • Genesis 32:28 — Jacob becomes Israel after wrestling with God, walking away limping yet blessed. • 1 Samuel 10:6 — Saul the king: “the Spirit of the LORD will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy… and you will be changed into a different man.” • Ezekiel 36:26 — Promise of a new heart and new spirit foreshadowing the inner change fully revealed in Christ. Jesus’ Ministry: Transformations in Real Time • Water into wine (John 2:9–11): ordinary to extraordinary, setting the tone for all His works. • Leper cleansed (Mark 1:40–42): from outcast to accepted. • Gerasene demoniac (Mark 5:15): “sitting there, clothed and in his right mind.” • Woman with the issue of blood (Mark 5:34): twelve years of suffering instantly reversed. • Lazarus raised (John 11:43–44): death to life, previewing resurrection power. New Testament Conversions Mirroring John 9:25 • Saul to Paul (Acts 9:17–18): “something like scales fell from his eyes, and he could see again.” Physical restoration pairs with spiritual insight. • Peter (Luke 5:8–10 → Acts 2:14): from fearful fisherman to fearless preacher. • Mary Magdalene (Luke 8:2; John 20:18): seven demons expelled; first witness of the risen Christ. • Cornelius’ household (Acts 10:44–48): outsiders filled with the Spirit, brought into the family of faith. • Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:36–39): immediate baptism signifying a brand-new identity. Core Elements All These Stories Share • Undeniable change: every person could point to a “before” and “after.” • Encounter with Jesus: the transformative agent is always Him—personally or through His Spirit-empowered followers. • Testimony over argument: “I was blind, but now I see” carries more weight than any debate. • Public evidence: others see the change (John 9:8; Acts 9:21). • Glory to God: each miracle or conversion magnifies the Lord, not the individual (John 9:3; 2 Corinthians 4:6). Living the Pattern Today • 2 Corinthians 5:17 — “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come!” • Ephesians 5:8 — “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” • Philippians 1:6 — The same God who began the work continues shaping His people, just as He did from Genesis to Revelation. Rejoicing in the Ongoing Miracle The man born blind voices the essence of every redeemed life. Once lost, now found; once blind, now seeing—this is the melody that harmonizes Abraham’s new name, Paul’s opened eyes, Mary’s liberated heart, and each believer’s journey. The transformation is real, visible, and grounded in the unchanging truth of Scripture. |
    |