Forgiveness is something we must accept, or so we are taught. There are, however very different perspectives that are depicted in the Word. Jesus teaches us that forgiveness comes as grace, and is not something that we decide to accept or not.
So how do we obtain forgiveness if at all? Do we earn it? Or is it only given at the discretion of God?
Luke 5:17-26 says:
17One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick. 18Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. 19When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.
20When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
21The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
22Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? 23Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins….” He said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 25Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. 26Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”
This goes to show me that sins and healing are closely related, and although the emphasis is on the healing, there is yet another part of this story that goes unnoticed. The determination of the people seeking healing is what gave testimony to the desire for Jesus.
How many people does it take to make up a “crowd”? How many people in our lives stand in the way of our healing or forgiveness, and we do not persist, but turn away without our inheritance? These three men not only faced a crowd of people standing between them and their inheritance, but also climbed up to the roof with a paralyzed man on a stretcher in essence. How possible does that seem to you? How much effort did it take for those three men to carry their friend up to that roof? And why did they not give up?
Ephesians 1:3-14 gives yet another perspective of forgiveness, and how it comes to us.
Spiritual Blessings in Christ
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he[c] predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9And he[d] made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
11In him we were also chosen,[e] having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
So to me, forgiveness is twofold, first it is given, but the power of that forgiveness does us no good without understanding the truth of it. Forgiveness doesn’t mean we won’t face issues, and it doesn’t even mean things will be easy, it just means we have an inheritance to join Jesus in what we were originally created to be, His perfection. That which we can understand has to be deep enough for us to put aside obstacles and push through difficulties to see the healing and forgiveness on the other side. I firmly believe that all in all, it is our determination and ability to reach for Jesus that brings us closer to Him.
