“Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins’—He said to the man who was paralyzed, ‘I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.’
Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.” [1]
People could not SEE that the man’s sins were forgiven, but they could SEE that his body was healed. JESUS said that his physical healing was a sign that GOD had forgiven his sin as well.
When some complained to JESUS that they saw Him eating with “sinners” (which of course everyone has sinned), JESUS said to them... “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” [2]
I am so glad that the JESUS CHRIST forgives sin when we believe in HIM and ask Him to forgive us.
The LORD speaks to us at the place of forgiveness of sin. This can be SEEN in the Old Testament...
“Now when Moses went into the tabernacle of meeting to speak with Him, he heard the voice of One speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the Testimony, from between the two cherubim; thus He spoke to him.” [3]
The mercy seat was where the high priest poured the blood of sacrificed animals for the forgiveness of the people's sin. And from this place, Moses heard God's voice.
“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” [4]
God explains to us in the Book of Hebrews that His SON JESUS CHRIST has replaced the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament. He is now the One who takes away our sin and give us a clean conscious. He gives us peace with God!
“Therefore, having been justified [before God] by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” [5]
Instant healing from illness is a miracle. But an even greater miracle is God’s forgiveness of our sins. It is through our repentance of sin and His forgiveness of our sin that we enjoy a relationship with GOD!
People could not SEE that the man’s sins were forgiven, but they could SEE that his body was healed. JESUS said that his physical healing was a sign that GOD had forgiven his sin as well.
When some complained to JESUS that they saw Him eating with “sinners” (which of course everyone has sinned), JESUS said to them... “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” [2]
I am so glad that the JESUS CHRIST forgives sin when we believe in HIM and ask Him to forgive us.
The LORD speaks to us at the place of forgiveness of sin. This can be SEEN in the Old Testament...
“Now when Moses went into the tabernacle of meeting to speak with Him, he heard the voice of One speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the Testimony, from between the two cherubim; thus He spoke to him.” [3]
The mercy seat was where the high priest poured the blood of sacrificed animals for the forgiveness of the people's sin. And from this place, Moses heard God's voice.
“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” [4]
God explains to us in the Book of Hebrews that His SON JESUS CHRIST has replaced the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament. He is now the One who takes away our sin and give us a clean conscious. He gives us peace with God!
“Therefore, having been justified [before God] by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” [5]
Instant healing from illness is a miracle. But an even greater miracle is God’s forgiveness of our sins. It is through our repentance of sin and His forgiveness of our sin that we enjoy a relationship with GOD!
[1] Luke 5:23-25
[2] Luke 5:32
[3] Numbers 7:89
[4] Hebrews 9:14
[5] Romans 5:1
[3] Numbers 7:89
[4] Hebrews 9:14
[5] Romans 5:1
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