Authority on Earth to Forgive Sins
Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven."
At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, "This fellow is blaspheming!"
Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, `Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins..." Then he said to the paralytic, "Get up, take your mat and go home." And the man got up and went home. When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men.
Matthew 9:2-8
Today in reverence for the death of Jesus, we believe that the power of redemption lies in the cross, but this is not the whole picture. What we have to understand is that while redemption is, of course, available through one's faith in the cross, if people had believed in and lived according to the words Jesus spoke while he was alive, salvation would have taken place there and then.
What can Jesus first take pride in after coming to this earth? Adam and Eve could not substantiate the words of God because of the Fall. They failed to believe in his words. Although man fell and the dispensational history was prolonged for 4,000 years because they did not believe in God's words, Jesus established faith over against Satan as the one center. In other words, Jesus emerged as the king of faith on this earth.
Jesus Christ, the Pride of God
May 16, 1956
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