The man who was blind has been rejected by his family, community, and religion. The temptation to compromise in order to be accepted back into the synagogue would have been tremendous. Jesus now reminds the man what the false teachers will do to him.
False teachers steal
You do not tolerate a thief for a moment unless you want him to take things from you. The same is true of false teachers; they will steal from you. They will steal your money. They will steal your time. They will steal your spouse. They will steal your children. They will steal your peace and joy. They will steal your soul.
False teachers kill
Thieves will kill to cover their tracks and avoid being caught. False teachers will do the same thing. Many times this is quite literal. They killed Jesus for exposing them, and they killed John the Baptist, Stephen, James, and many others. This killing is also spiritual. They will kill your soul, the soul of your spouse, and the souls of your children. You cannot compromise and hang out with thieves; they will kill you.
False teachers destroy
Thieves do not care what they break as long as they get what they want. So it is with false teachers; they will destroy anything to get what they want. They will destroy your marriage, your family, your walk with the Lord, your church, and your friendships. Nothing is sacred to them except their own selfish motives.
Jesus gives abundant life
In contrast to the thieves, Jesus came to give life instead of taking life. He came to give everything that the false teachers wanted to take. He came to give a full and abundant life overflowing with peace and joy. The contrast is clear. Jesus is calling on this man to turn his back on the Synagogue and those who would steal from him and destroy him. He is calling on this man to run after Christ so that he might experience abundant life.
Application
Will you avoid false teachers? Will you follow Christ?
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