Matthew 9:2
And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.
It is easy to see in this account, that the purpose of the Lord was the forgiving of sin.
The faith of this man's friends caused them to bring him to Jesus and brought Christ to forgive his sin. Any other blessing, any other work the Lord would do was secondary to that work and was meant only as a sign that He had done this work.
If the chief characteristic of Divine life in us is love and its work of blessing men then the chief blessing is to bring to them, not the message of healing, or prosperity or of peace with others; but to bring to them the message of peace with God because of forgiven sins.
And this work is meant of the Lord to bring good cheer. Jesus did not say, "be of good cheer, you will walk again." but "be of good cheer your sins are forgiven."
I note that the multitudes were impressed with the healing and not the forgiving of sins. But the multitude also forsook Jesus over His hard sayings. It is the forgiveness of sins and the word of eternal life that will keep us next to Christ. It is that message that we must bless men with.
And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.
It is easy to see in this account, that the purpose of the Lord was the forgiving of sin.
The faith of this man's friends caused them to bring him to Jesus and brought Christ to forgive his sin. Any other blessing, any other work the Lord would do was secondary to that work and was meant only as a sign that He had done this work.
If the chief characteristic of Divine life in us is love and its work of blessing men then the chief blessing is to bring to them, not the message of healing, or prosperity or of peace with others; but to bring to them the message of peace with God because of forgiven sins.
And this work is meant of the Lord to bring good cheer. Jesus did not say, "be of good cheer, you will walk again." but "be of good cheer your sins are forgiven."
I note that the multitudes were impressed with the healing and not the forgiving of sins. But the multitude also forsook Jesus over His hard sayings. It is the forgiveness of sins and the word of eternal life that will keep us next to Christ. It is that message that we must bless men with.
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