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5 "As long as I am in the
world, I am the light of the world.”
One of the most
popular and beloved hymn was written by a former slave trader and
ship captain who later gave his life to Christ. John Newton penned
the words to the well-known hymn, 'Amazing Grace': “Amazing
grace! How sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me! I was once
lost, but now am found; was blind but now I see.”
In this passage we see a man whom the
disciples assumed was born blind due to sin on his part or his
parents. Yet, Christ tells them that the result of his illness was,
so God would be glorified, revealing Jesus as God.
In the Gospel according
to John, Jesus repeatedly proves to be God through His actions and
words. There are five absolute “I Am” statements and seven
metaphorical ones. In Exodus 3:14, God tells Moses that His name is
“I am Who I am.” Powerful words reiterated by Jesus all through the
Gospel of John. For this blind man, due to Christ’s power, he is
not only healed, he gets saved. Christ says that while He is in the
world, He (“I Am”) is the light of the world. Through the continued
conversation and by the end of the chapter Jesus says to him, “You
have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking to you.” Not
only did this man physically see Jesus, but through his spiritual
eyes, he saw God his Savior.
Earlier in John 8:38, Jesus says to
the people, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was born, I am!”
A bold proclamation that sets Jesus before Abraham, so definitely
before Moses. To any who may doubt His deity, come see Him as He
is, God.
Although Newton was a slave trader,
Christ redeemed him, and he became an abolitionist fighting for the
end of slavery. In his waning years, as he lost his sight, he
penned the words, “…was blind, but now I see.” When we truly see
Christ as God and Savior, then we will be ready to tirelessly work
for His glory.
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