Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and take 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 say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home.”
Mark 2:10-11
Everyone on Planet Earth is in need of forgiveness. We have all sinned at one time or another. Sin is the true root of our sickness.
This story in Mark 2, tells of a healing on both a physical and spiritual level. The man was paralyzed physically, but he had the sin nature that made him spiritually sick. We do not know the faith of the paralyzed man, but the faith of the four men who cut a hole in the ceiling played a part. There are other healings in the Bible however, in which faith was not always a factor.
Later in Mark 5, we see the healing/forgiveness to Legion. This was a man, possessed by so many demons, in which he could not be restrained. When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed down before him; and he shouted at the top of his voice, ‘What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.’” (Mark 5:6-7) The man was not speaking for himself; Satan spoke through him. He was not bowing down in faith before the Lord seeking forgiveness, yet Jesus in His mercy forgave and cleansed this man.
Some people were healed from afar. In Mark 7, we see a mother who implored Jesus to heal her demon possessed daughter who was at home. Here we see Jesus performing a forgiving/healing by the prayers of someone else, not necessarily by the faith of the daughter. Also in John 11, the raising of Lazarus, where was the faith? In Luke 22 the ear of Malchus was restored. Where was the faith? Who exactly had the power to heal and forgive?
We really do not know exactly why Jesus healed some, and not others. The healings simultaneously with forgiveness, were sometimes attached to faith, but sometimes not. Some of the healings were performed by the intercessory pleas of others, and some may have been performed to show an example.
Do we really understand the mind of God? Only God has the right to judge. God is truth. God is love. God is holy. Is His gift of healing/forgiveness something we obtain by our actions, or by Him and His infinite wisdom? Is it about us, or Him? God the creator of all will have the final say in all judgement, because only He is worthy to complete the task. When God started His good work, we can trust the He will be able to complete it, with or without our help. God will receive His due glory; If need be, He will use the rocks. Luke 19:40
Thank you Father God, for who you are and who you will be. Holy is your name. Amen
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