Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Matthew 9:2 Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you."
CHIEF OF SINNERS THOUGH I BE -- CHRIST FORGIVES ME
One of the hardest things to accept is that we are responsible for the sin that affects our lives. As humans, we use our logic and intuition to determine who is guilty and who is innocent. But God says that the determination of sin rests with Him, not us. And God states that anyone who breaks His Law, even in one point, is guilty of it all (James 2:10).
According to our human intuition, there wouldn't appear to be anything bad about a man who was paralyzed. In fact, many would probably despise you if you told that man he was sinful or deserving of God's righteous wrath. Human reason gasps at how an unfortunate man like this could be compared with murderers, rapists, thieves, or others of unsavory reputation. Yet, when Jesus comes to this man, He talks about the man's sin. Jesus shows you here that preaching the truth of the Law and repentance does not mean that you have to be cruel or hateful about it.
However, those who reject the Bible see no difference. When they hear about sin, they usually think that Christians are saying it out of hate, or as a way to exalt themselves at the expense of others. No matter how eloquent you are, you will never be able to elude this false presumption when you preach the Law to others, because the Law naturally offends mankind's sinful flesh. We know the feelings of defiance and defensiveness well when confronted with our own sins.
But the reason Jesus pointed out the paralyzed man's sin was to prepare the way for the gospel. That's why Jesus connected "good cheer" with the revelation of sinfulness. Only those who are actually aware of their sins will be uplifted with the proclamation of forgiveness. Giving serious thought to your mistakes and failings is certainly not a delightful activity, but that's not where God intends you to remain. He wants you to have "good cheer" that your sins have been forgiven. As you talk to others about the Bible or God, you won't be able to avoid disturbing others with the Law, for it is meant to do that very thing. But don't leave them at that point, reassure them and renew their hearts with the forgiveness found in Jesus.
