It is hard to understand how God looks at things. I think that is why some people who believe they are saved aren’t and some who don’t know if they are saved–are. The bible has several examples of this. Here is one that I found interesting to discuss.
Then a paralytic was brought to Him, carried by four men. Since they were unable to get to Jesus through the crowd, they uncovered the roof above Him, made an opening, and lowered the paralytic on his mat. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
But some of the scribes were sitting there and thinking in their hearts, “Why does this man speak like this? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
At once Jesus knew in His spirit that they were thinking this way within themselves. “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?” He asked. “Which is easier: to say to a paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, pick up your mat, and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…” He said to the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, pick up your mat, and go home.”
And immediately the man got up, picked up his mat, and walked out in front of them all. As a result, they were all astounded and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
In the church today I think many in the pulpit and in the pews aren’t really saved because of the condition of their hearts. Because things are done in secret or in the dark people think that they are getting away with sinful acts. But the truth is God sees everything. The Bible tells us that nothing is hidden from God. He even knows about events in the future that haven’t happened yet.
Back to the scripture and why I thought it interesting. The first is that the men who made an opening in the roof and lowered the paralytic so he could be healed showed complete faith. They believed in Jesus and went through all the trouble to lower their friend down so that he could be healed. They had no doubt that he would be healed or they wouldn’t have gone to all that trouble to carry him to the roof and lower him down to be healed by Jesus.
I can just see Jesus’ face, a big grin, knowing the hearts of these men and how much they must have loved the person they brought to be healed by Him. I would like to have friends or relatives like that!
But what did Jesus say first, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” He was first concerned about the condition of the man’s soul. Eternal life was more important than the healing. He wanted to heal his soul first. Even today, as I was driving around and seeing the homeless around the city, some being fed by a ministry. I thought, “Is God more concerned about their bellies being filled or their souls being nourished.” I guess this scripture answered my question. Take care of their eternal lives first then worry about filling their stomachs.
The other interesting part is that he saw the hearts of the scribes (Scribes were religious scholars, experts in Jewish law, and often functioned as teachers and legal advisors). Jesus asked them why they were thinking in their hearts that he was blaspheming God, when he said that the man’s sins were forgiven. The scribes knew the law by heart and questioned the words and actions of Jesus. He asked them why they were thinking this in their hearts. It seems that knowing and citing the law isn’t what Jesus is impressed with. It is the condition of our hearts. Couldn’t they empathize with the men and the paralytic instead of questioning whether Jesus had the right to forgive the paralytic’s sins. In response to the question in their hearts, Jesus said what is easier to forgive sins or to heal the paralytic. Jesus subsequently told the man to pick up his mat and go home, which he did. To Jesus it was easier to heal the paralytic, yet the crowd was more astonished about the healing rather than the forgiving of sins.
So who do you think had their hearts in the right place in Jesus’ eyes? The scribes or the men who had the audacity to break open the roof and lower the paralytic down in front of Jesus. I think it was the four men and the paralytic, who had such great faith in the fact that Jesus could heal him. So your faith and zeal to believe in the love of Jesus and his power to heal whatever you bring to him, even if you have to break open the roof, is what Jesus is looking for in His followers.
Apply your faith, rather than your knowledge, you may be astounded and God will be glorified. And Jesus can forgive your sins, that’s what He suffered for on the cross. Our sins.
Lord, I pray that the person reading this will know how much you truly love them. You can forgive their sins and heal whatever they bring to you. And that you hear their heart crying out to yours. Amen.
