ARE YOU SINGLE OF EYE?

As I was writing about how to quickly discern a prophetic word I wrote: "as with all truth, what is needful to understand or assimilate it, is a sincere heart and mind. Jesus expressed this as having a single eye."

The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.

Matthew 6:22

Yes, I did say 'single'. Here it is in the Authorised Version (KJV).

The light of the body is the eye: If therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

Matthew 6:22 KJV

The Greek word for 'good' is agathos. Here the Greek word in the sentence is haploos, found here in its declension haplous. It is only found twice in the New Testament; the other text which contains it is the parallel passage in Luke 11:34. The word is related to haplotés and haplós which mean 'simplicity', 'sincerity', 'purity' and the latter, 'simply', 'sincerely'. I suppose not dissimilarly to apistos the Greek word for 'unbelieving', 'unfaithful' which is in contrast to pistos for 'believing', 'faithful', so haploos can be contrasted to plousios which means 'rich', 'abounding in', 'full' (could plousios be a source of the word 'plus'?).

So, haploos in contrast is to be 'single', 'alone' or clearly seeing only one thing - in that sense - to be with only one 'simple' view of what one sees: Hence the fact of its translation as 'single' of eye in the Authorised Version. Not therefore double-minded as James puts it.

. . . a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

James 1:8

As James mentions the liberality of God in sharing his thoughts with those who ask, he goes on to say how to receive such wisdom.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him . . .

James 1:5

James goes on to say that if you ask, make sure you do so in faith, not doubting and not being double-minded.

. . . But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

James 1:6-8

So then, with simpleness of mind, sincerity of heart, you can receive and understand what God gives by his Spirit. Then, you can be full of light.

. . . therefore if your eye is single, your whole body will be full of light.

Matthew 6:22 JM

It is this kind of heart and mind that enables the person to see and hear what God means, what the parables are about, what is truth versus error. In the prophetic, dreams, pictures, short words are often given. It is the single eyed who see faster by recognising the elements of the message. That mindset is not seeking its own pleasure or with any malice, but instead honestly curious of the meaning of a message. This honest and sincere approach allows light as Jesus expressed it, to come in un-diffused and clear, thus enlightening the whole inside by the clean entry point.

The theme in Jesus' teaching is the same as when he encourages us to be like little children.

Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 18:3

To humble oneself and recognise one's inability to know or understand by means of honestly and cleanly enquiring the truth of a matter without pre-conceived influence is to be single of eye. Just like a little child. Just like the Bereans who, though having a ready set of beliefs, when given fresh input, rather than refer to those beliefs and thoughts, honestly and sincerely went on to search the scripture to see if what Paul was teaching them could be true.

These [of Berea] were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed . . .

Acts 17:11-12

So that if it is a person's practise to evaluate what they hear in this way, their life being full of light, they will also go on to practise what is good. Their openness to light is also revealed by their practise of righteousness: Which is why Jesus also said,

For everyone practising evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed, but he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.

John 3:20-21

So,
The way one receives or processes new information is dependent on how we treat it as to whether it will go on to help us or not. If we think we know it all or something about the matter before fully listening, then we are not single of eye. In such cases we add - from our own store - to what we hear and thereby miss out on what God would impart to us. We are thereby not helped and go on in our current state. This is also why Jesus said on numerous occasions,

He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

Matthew 13:9

So, be careful how you hear, how you see, how you process in your mind and heart the new things put before you. To help you in this I add here the prayer I first wrote at the end of my article on The Characteristics of Deception adapting it to suit the present need. But, remember this way of receiving truth is an ongoing and living matter. To remain single of eye requires regular heart searching and regular humbling of oneself before God, so if in doubt just do it and wait on Him. You'll be amazed at the new things you will learn. You'll be thrilled at seeing what was previously hidden from you. You will be released to learn truth that sets you free. Your single eye will make your body full of light. Hallelujah!

Dear Father,

Thank you that you are Light and in you is no darkness at all.

I ask that you shine your light in me and reveal all the beliefs and thoughts which I have taken on board as if from you, but in reality are not of you. I want to believe what is from you and nothing from the enemy. Just as you asked the church at Laodicea to anoint their eyes with eye salve that they may see, so I ask that you anoint my eyes that I may see. I thank you that the Holy Spirit will guide into all truth.

I ask that you help me to receive fresh input by being teachable, but not gullible: By being discerning, but not so full of myself that I cannot receive and see the truth from you in this new input. Teach me to be single of eye that my life would be full of light.

Thank you that you give wisdom freely to those who ask.

Father I ask all this in Jesus' Name,

Amen

(1 John 1:5; Revelation 3:18; John 16:13; James 1:5-8; John 16:23)

Another helpful article here is Pride is a killer

Ref. S.065

Unless otherwise stated Bible quotes are from
the New King James Version.

© copyright Thomas Nelson Inc. 1979,1980,1982.

© copyright Jacques More 2007. All Rights Reserved.

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