John 9:31 Now we know that God hears not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and does his will, him he hears. 1. It is ill to wrench passages of the Bible out of their context, and treat them as infallible scripture when they are only sayings of men. By acting thus foolishly we could prove that there is no God (Psalm 14:1), that God hath forgotten His people (Isaiah 49:14), that Christ was a winebibber (Matthew 9:19), and that we ought to worship the devil (Matthew 4:19). This will never do. We must inquire who uttered the sentence before we venture to preach from it. 2. Our text is the saying of a shrewd blind man who was far from being well instructed. It is to be taken for what it is worth; but by no means to be regarded as Christ's teaching. The Pharisees evidently admitted its force, and were puzzled by it. It was good argument as against them. It is true or false as we may happen to view it. I. IT IS NOT TRUE IN SOME SENSES. We could not say absolutely that God heareth not sinners, for — 1. God does hear men who sin, or else He would hear no one: for there is no man that sinneth not (1 Kings 8:46); not a saint would be heard, for even saints are sinners. 2. God does sometimes hear and answer unregenerate men. (1) To show that He is truly God, and make them own it (Psalm 106:44). (2) To manifest His great compassion, whereby He even hears the ravens' cry (Psalm 147). (3) To lead them to repentance (1 Kings 21:27). (4) To leave them without excuse (Exodus 10:16, 17). (5) To punish them, as when He sent quails to the murmurers (Numbers 11:33), and gave Israel a king (1 Samuel 12:17), in His anger. 3. God does graciously hear sinners when they cry for mercy. Not to believe this were — (1) To render the gospel no gospel. (2) To deny facts. David, Manasseh, the dying thief, the publican, the prodigal, confirm this testimony. (3) To deny promises (Isaiah 11:7). II. IT IS TRUE IN OTHER SENSES. The Lord does not hear sinners as He hears His own people. 1. He hears no sinner's prayer apart from the mediation of our Lord Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5; Ephesians 2:18). 2. He will not hear a wicked, formal, heartless prayer (Proverbs 15:29). 3. He will not hear the man who wilfully continues in sin, and abides in unbelief (Jeremiah 14:12; Isaiah 1:15). 4. He will not hear the hypocrite's mockery of prayer (Job 27:9). 5. He will not hear the unforgiving (Mark 11:25, 26). 6. He will not hear even His people when sin is wilfully indulged, and entertained in their hearts (Psalm 66:18). 7. He will not hear those who refuse to hear His Word, or to regard His ordinances (Proverbs 28:9). 8. He will not hear those who harden their hearts against the monitions of His Spirit, the warnings of His providence, the appeals of His ministers, the strivings of conscience, and so forth. 9. He will not hear those who refuse to be saved by grace, or who trust in their own prayers as the cause of salvation. 10. He will not hear sinners who die impenitent. At the last He will close His ear to them, as to the foolish virgins, who cried, "Lord, Lord, open to us!" (Matthew 25:11).Conclusion: One or two things are very clear and sure. 1. He cannot hear those who never speak to Him. 2. He has never yet given any one of us a fiat refusal. 3. He permits us at this moment to pray, and it will be well for us to do so, and see if He does not hear us. (C. H. Spurgeon.) Parallel Verses KJV: Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. |
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