While the analogy of the six blind men’s description of the elephant has been used to justify various views and descriptions of God by various false religions and atheists, it will not work for that purpose for several reasons. God is not an elephant, these men were blind, they all came up with false descriptions and they were all still blind and in error when they had finished their descriptions.
But it may well fit many of us, though well-meaning and sincere believing persons who, apart from the Spirit’s continuing work of revelation are still blind to a degree. If we are not careful, when describing the doctrines of God our Savior, we describe them in such a way as to set them against each other and contrary to each other. It has to be “either or” with us when both are true and set side by side in scripture. Only our blindness could keep us from seeing them as such. Thus it becomes a dividing controversy like that of the Mudites and the NonMudites concerning whether or not spittle and clay was necessary when Christ heals a blind person. Some men taking the position in John 9:6 where we find “he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam…” But others, also using scripture, say “oh no… that’s not the way it’s done and emphasize the opposite as found in Luke 18:46 where no spittle or clay is used for it says that Jesus simply “said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.” Hence the Mudite controversy and the necessity of being on one side or the other. I am being facetious of course but the controversies of men are often silly though quite important in their own minds.
The work of God the Father to us in choosing us, the work of God the Son for us in redeeming us by His blood and the work of God the Spirit in us regenerating us to life and faith are not contrary to each other, nor against each other but make up the whole of that one salvation which is “of the Lord.” Every work is “of God.” God, in the tri-unity of these sacred Persons, sets Himself forth to His people in scripture, reveals Himself as such and is praised as such by the objects of His grace and mercy.
So I’ll give you the little poem of the blind men again written by the poet over 100 years ago and pray that God might open our eyes to see the fullness of His glorious grace. What a reminder these things are that the salvation of poor and ignorant sinners as we are is all of grace! No offense to any intended, just indulge me in my old age!