The Gospel of Matthew records a time when a paralytic was brought to Jesus. Rather than speaking to the man about physical healing Jesus said, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you” (9:2).
When onlookers assailed Jesus for daring to pronounce spiritual forgiveness rather than physical healing, He responded with a question: “For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’?” (9:5). In answer to His own question, Jesus added, “‘That you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins’ — He said to the paralytic, ‘Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house’” (9:6–7).
Heart of the gospel
At the heart of the good news of the gospel is the power or authority of Christ to forgive sins. A notable example of His exercising this power occurred in the house of a Pharisee, when Jesus encountered a sinful woman who began to wash His feet with her tears and dry them with her hair. When religious leaders took exception to His allowing this to happen, Jesus rebuked them before announcing to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven” (Luke 7:48). Jesus demonstrated not only His healing power but also His forgiving authority.
The Apostle Paul, in writing to Colossian believers, reminded them, “And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross” (Col. 2:13–14).
Wonderful promise
In 1 John 1, the Apostle John gave sinful humanity that wonderful promise about God:
“If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Christ His Son cleanses us from all unrighteousness” (v. 7), to which he added, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (v. 9).
The basis for Christ’s authority to forgive sins is His own atoning death, by which He took upon Himself the sins of all humanity in order to pay the divinely appointed penalty for human sinfulness. Even the worst of sinners cannot out-sin Christ’s power and authority to forgive them if they repent and call upon Him in faith.
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