Extraordinary Forgiveness

And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today” (Luke 5: 21-26).

The scribes and Pharisees were provoked by Christ’s declaration to the paralytic… “Man, your sins are forgiven you” (Luke 5:20). Their preoccupation with denouncing the claims of Christ and protecting their religious tradition blinded them to the extraordinary truth Jesus was revealing here. If we’re not careful we can become just as imprisoned by slavery to doctrine as they were, or we can become so entrapped by a desperate desire for a particular answer to our prayers that we cannot see or receive Christ’s better answer. The scribes and Pharisees did not get it, but the paralytic joyfully experienced Christ’s best answer, and today we can learn more about His life transforming extraordinary forgiveness.

Jesus Christ offers divine forgiveness. Christ’s forgiveness comes from God and leads to peace with God. The Holy Spirit teaches through the pen of the apostle Paul that true disciples can and should forgive sins… “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32). But we notice here that motivation to forgive is found in our relationship with Christ. Jesus taught His disciples that the forgiveness we have experienced is to be expressed to others… “If you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14-15). That’s because, as the Spirit compelled David to declare, all sin is ultimately sin against God, our Father… “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight” (Psalm 51:4). Therefore, only God can forgive sin that is against God… “If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared” (Psalm 130:3-4). The Spirit teaches through the words of the prophet Isaiah that Messiah would be Immanuel (Hebrew: God is with us)… “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). Isaiah went on to teach that Messiah would pay for our sins and offer us peace with God… “He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace” (Isaiah 53:5). Christ had authority to forgive and a mission to pay for sins… “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2).

Jesus Christ offers complete forgiveness. He gave the paralytic a healing as evidence of His authority to forgive sins. This added confirmation that Jesus is the Messiah prophesied by Isaiah… “Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). In His commandment to the healed paralytic to get up and go home we hear an exhortation to walk and live in Christ’s forgiveness every day until we get to Heaven, our eternal home… “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him” (Colossians 2:6).

Jesus Christ offers amazing forgiveness. The forgiveness and healing that the former paralytic walked in after his encounter with Christ had a powerful impact on others. They were amazed by the extraordinary forgiveness and healing they had seen and they glorified God. When truly transformed disciples live in and proclaim the forgiveness and healing of Christ to others, souls are saved and communities are transformed… “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem” (Luke 24:46-47).

As we grow up into Christ we are increasingly overflowing with the transforming power of…

Extraordinary Forgiveness.