• 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 KJV  But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:  (4)  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

The darkened hearts of all lost souls

The topic of spiritual blindness is of major importance to understand, as it continues to prevent billions of people from seeing, and therefore believing in, the one and only gospel by which men can be saved in this age of grace.  All such people are among those whom scripture calls “them that are lost”.

As 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 KJV show us, the lost condition of these individuals is because they have not seen the light of the glorious gospel of Christ.  It’s not that they’ve never heard the gospel message, but the problem is that they’ve been unable to see it, because their minds have been blinded by an impenetrable spiritual veil, which prevents them from seeing the life-giving light of the glorious gospel of Christ. 

The designer and fabric of the spiritual veil 

This deadly spiritual veil was designed to be worn on the human heart.  It has been crafted by Satan, the highly knowledgeable and skilled adversary of God. Its material is a complex and appealing tapestry of subtle lies, woven with great cunning, into a spiritual veil which is so deceptively attractive that gullible lost souls wear and display it with pride and joy. 

Satan’s end goal

Satan, whom the Bible calls the father of lies, was once an anointed cherub called Lucifer, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. But, lifted up with pride, he set his heart to be worshiped as God, in a place which the Bible calls, the mount of the congregation, on the sides of the north.  (Please see the book, “Foretelling Jacob’s Trouble: Whose side are you on?” by R C Black for in-depth presentation of scriptures on this topic; there’s a summary in the chapter entitled: “The overarching epic battle for Jerusalem”.

In pursuit of his goal to be worshiped as God, in the temple of God, in the sides of the north, in Jerusalem, the city of the Great King, Satan set out on a course of subtle deception.  That course has continued unabated, ever since that old serpent called the Devil, and Satan, deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden.  

Perpetual marketing of the veil

Satan’s modus operandi is to twist and pervert the truth of the word of God.  He does this via doctrines of devils, mostly sounding like they are from the Bible; yet they are subtly different, with omissions and additions, and therefore are poisonous lies.  

He transformed himself as an angel of light, and he uses deceitful men to promote and propagate his lies. These are people who profess to preach the gospel of Christ, but they are false and destitute of the truth.

• 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 KJV  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.  (14)  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.  (15)  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

A veil that fits perfectly, and looks good on natural man

Born in sin, man is a natural enemy of God and not disposed to receiving or conforming to the Truth.  The natural man can’t receive the truth of God. In fact, he considers it to be foolish.

• 1 Corinthians 2:14 KJV  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

On the other hand, the veil of spiritual blindness, which Satan’s ministers of righteousness cast upon the hearts and minds of unsuspecting lost people, fits perfectly, like a glove.  When worn with conviction, it can even make unsaved people look good, to themselves and to others, as they go about trying to establish their own righteousness.

• Romans 8:7 KJV  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
• Romans 10:3 KJV  For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

Unlike the holy Spirit of God, the spirit of man is susceptible to spiritual blindness. Even saved people were once lost. Their lost condition, prior to having heard and believed the truth of the gospel, and thus receiving the Spirit of God, was because their understanding was darkened; in a state of ignorance because the veil of blindness was on their hearts.

• Ephesians 4:18 KJV  Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

What does the veil of blindness look like?

When speaking of the lost, we are not just talking about atheists, or even just about those of religions that don’t believe Jesus Christ is Lord and Saviour.  There are also plenty of people who profess to be Christians yet are just as lost as atheists. 

These individuals are not saved and are therefore currently on their way to eternity in the lake of fire and brimstone, which God has prepared for the Devil and his angels.  Their lost condition is because the god of this world has blinded their minds to the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, the only means of salvation in this age of grace. 

The one gospel of salvation for this dispensation, is that which Christ delivered by direct revelation to the apostle Paul. Because it is exclusive, and therefore must not be combined or integrated with other gospels, Paul warned emphatically, as follows:

• Galatians 1:8-9 KJV  But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.  (9)  As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. 

Paul’s interest was not in pleasing men, but to faithfully preach that gospel which he received from Christ, by which men could be saved, and wherein a saved believer stands. He went on to say:

• Galatians 1:10-12 KJV  For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.  (11)  But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.  (12)  For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

The gospel of salvation for this age of grace, which Paul received and preached, was declared as follows:

• 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 KJV  Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;  (2)  By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  (3)  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;  (4)  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

The veil of spiritual blindness, which people choose to wear, is anything they’ve read, heard or thought, which is contrary to the life-saving simplicity of the gospel of Christ.  It’s an intentional spiritual deflection of the true gospel of salvation, to prevent it from landing in their hearts; for once the truth is seen, it can’t be unseen. 

The natural, sinful man who resists God will perish. However, with belief in the gospel of Christ, comes new life, eternal life. At that moment of belief, our old natural man is judicially crucified with Christ and can be reckoned dead. Simultaneously, we are made alive in Christ, complete in him and sealed in him, by the holy Spirit of promise, who dwells in us by faith. 

• Galatians 2:20 KJV  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

The veil that causes spiritual blindness is like a flak jacket, designed and donned to protect our natural carnal mind from belief in the gospel of Christ, the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes.

It should not be a surprise to learn that this complex veil of deception is sufficiently subtle and effective, that it succeeds in blinding all who are lost.  On the other hand, the good news it that once a person decides to remove the veil, to accept the simplicity of the gospel of Christ, the saving truth comes flooding in, bringing life and immortality to light.

Reasoning from the scriptures

Virtually all of Christianity claims that the Bible is their final authority, as they commonly hold it to be the preserved word of God. However, there are multiple denominations, each with an interpretive framework, established and developed over centuries, if not thousands of years. Hence all the different emphases on doctrines and practice for salvation.

History is replete with religious argument and schisms, yet the word of God remains preserved (unless your framework, disagrees on that Biblical truth). 

The apostle Paul went into synagogues, and reasoned with the congregations, out of the scriptures they claimed as their final authority.

• Acts 17:1-2 KJV  Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:  (2)  And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures

He used the scriptures to show that Jesus was the Christ, and that he had to suffer and die, to fulfil prophecy.

• Acts 17:3 KJV  Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

However, not all believed.

• Acts 17:4-5 KJV  And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.  (5)  But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.

Those who believed not, were lost. They were unable to reason out of the scriptures, because of the veil that was over their hearts.

• 2 Corinthians 3:14-15 KJV  But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.  (15)  But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.

Nevertheless, from out of their affliction, in the prophesied time of Jacob’s trouble, Israel will invoke the law to be saved from their enemies. 

• 2 Corinthians 3:16 KJV  Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.

That’s for Israel, and I refer you to the book, “Foretelling Jacob’s Trouble: Whose side are you on?” by R C Black for a detailed study of the scriptures related to that wonderful climatic future event in God's plan of redemption for the earth.

Since Christ came to earth and scripture was subsequently completed, there’s been a parallel historical development of interpretations of the Bible, attributed to the so-called church fathers, handed down, elaborated, and preached to the masses. 

These teachings have become the diverse spiritual lenses, through which most people filter even the gospel of Christ, that he revealed directly to Paul. 

The result is a plethora of passionately held beliefs that constitute the complex veil that the god of this world uses today, to blind the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ should shine unto them.

If it weren't for this complex veil, deceptively imposed on billions of people for millennia, we could genuinely reason together, directly from the scriptures, to separate fact from fiction and truth from lies.  

Come, let us reason together, from the scriptures.

If you are interested in biblical truth, no doubt you have encountered difficult doctrinal conversations, even seriously disagreeing on how to be saved, or how to remain accepted by God. 

Imagine a conversation about salvation and eternal life, where the influence of spiritual blindness gradually gives way to reasoned discussion and analysis of biblical evidence, enabling the parties to reach common conclusions, based only on the evidence and authority of the Bible.

I had such a conversation, in which many, otherwise contentious topics, were factually discussed, with reference to extensive and detailed knowledge on a broad range of viewpoints.  I was very happy to discover that my “Guest”, Microsoft CoPilot was not constrained by a veil of spiritual blindness, so was capable of engaging in a highly informed, logical and unbiased discussion, in which the reasoned truth of the Bible prevailed.

For everyone who is still is not fully persuaded in the truth regarding salvation and eternal life, I strongly recommend that you watch this enlightening interview.  (Have your Bible, and pen and paper at the ready, to check for yourself and to make notes).

Please note:  This was an actual, original, conversation with CoPilot AI. None of the words in the questions, answers and discussion have been altered.  They are repeated, verbatim in the video.