Christ Can Forgive You

“Which is Easier?”

Mark 2: 1-12

Have you thought about the conversations you will have today? I believe you will find that most people will allow you to bring up the topic of God and to a certain point be happy to discuss it. It is an entirely different scenario when you bring up the Son of God – Jesus Christ. Most will try to avert the subject or attempt to bring Jesus down to a mere man. They will try to undo His deity. Salvation and freedom from sin comes through the name of Jesus – none other!

Jesus is God. The record of His earthly ministry contains many declarations of this. Though men may say that He nowhere claimed to be God manifest in the flesh, today’s text clearly contradicts such foolishness.

Jesus’ ministry was characterized by physical healings. The people throughout Judea had come to expect Him to deliver them from blindness, demonic possession, leprosy, as well as many other afflictions. On this occasion in Capernaum, there was another large crowd gathered to receive healing and to hear the Word of God preached (vv. 1-2). As usual, a man afflicted in his body was brought to the Lord (v. 3-4).

Unlike the other instances recorded in God’s Word, the Lord did not initially heal this man. Instead He, with all authority, made this pronouncement: “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee” (v. 5). There can be no clearer testimony of the person of Jesus, for we read that the religious in attendance perceived Christ’s presentation of Himself as God (vv. 6-7). Who can forgive sins? The scribes were correct, God only. And what had our Lord just done? “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.” Jesus had just done what only God could do.

What follows is an unequivocal statement of Christ’s deity. Jesus perceived that these scribes were accusing Him of blasphemy – in their hearts. Then He posed this question: “Is it easier to tell a palsied man, “Your sins are forgiven,” or “Your body is restored”? By what standard could these acts be compared to determine relative “ease”? Neither is easy. It requires the omnipotence of God to realize either spiritual healing or physical healing. Perhaps these religious leaders thought it was “easier” to perform healings. They did not seem too ruffled at Christ’s work in healing, as long as it wasn’t on the Sabbath.

Gathered was this crowd of seekers and skeptics and one sick of the palsy. So that all present would know that Jesus was God manifest in the flesh, with “power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house” (vv. 10-11). He immediately arose, before them all, and went out in perfect health (v. 12).

This is the Christ of the Bible. Not a social activist, angel, or secondary god. He is Eternal, the Lord Who alone has power to forgive sins. Without this Jesus, we cannot be saved and without this Jesus we cannot be made free. Talk to someone about Jesus today!