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  WILLED BLINDNESS
  by Elisabeth Elliot
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Summary: Deliberate deception leads to spiritual blindness, but turning
to Jesus Christ for light allows us to find truth and salvation.

Topics: "Spiritual Deception", "Godly Purity"
Scripture References: Psalm 18:28, Psalm 139:23, Matthew 6:23, John 8:12, Acts 13:10, 2 Corinthians 4:6, Ephesians 5:8, 1 John 1:5

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DESCRIPTION
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Elisabeth Elliot preaches about the consequences of deliberate deception
and the danger of holding onto darkness within ourselves, which can lead
others away from the light of Jesus Christ. She emphasizes that God is
pure light without any darkness, and if we harbor darkness within us, we
risk drawing others into that darkness. The story of Elymas serves as a
warning against willfully falsifying the truth and the resulting
spiritual blindness that follows such deception.

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CONTENT
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In Paphos there lived a sorcerer named Elymas, who posed as a prophet.
He belonged to the governor's retinue. Seized with jealousy because the
governor wanted to hear the word of the Lord from Paul and Barnabas,
Elymas tried to turn him aside from faith. Having seen the light, Elymas
preferred darkness and preferred also that others remain in darkness if
their turning to the light should turn them away from him. He thus
willfully falsified the truth and was struck blind.

The result of deliberate deception is blindness. The man who, to
preserve his own position, deceives himself or another, is a swindler
(this is what Paul called Elymas), "rascal, son of the devil, enemy of
all goodness" (Acts 13:10 NEB).

God is light and in Him is not any darkness at all.

If we guard some comer of darkness in ourselves, we will soon be drawing
someone else into darkness, shutting them out from the light in the face
of Jesus Christ.

"Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and by thy great mercy
defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of thy
only Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen" (Book of Common Prayer).

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/elisabeth-elliot/willed-blindness/
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