Today's post is by guest writer Keith Ward.
A few questions:
Why did Jesus so often say, “Thy sins be forgiven thee,” instead of, “Your disease be healed?” Why not heal everyone? Not only did he leave many for the apostles to heal, there is no indication they cleaned up all the rest.
Of course, one of the reasons he said “sins…forgiven” is to emphasize to the scribes and Pharisees that if he could do one, he could do the other. Certainly, since he healed one leper, he had the power with a word to heal all lepers, or to heal all blind. The power was there. The compassion that moved him to heal had to also tug at his heart in relation to all the un-healed lame and sick.
The questions bring our focus to the simple truth that sickness/infirmity was not the problem, sin was. The compassion was moved within him to bypass these small things and focus on healing the root, the cause of all the misery that comes on man. Healing the few he did was a pledge toward the healing of sin.
Sickness is really a part of death. Healing is life triumphant, but Lazarus, the blind man, the 10 lepers, all still died. Now, because he is the great physician, death is destroyed and we are all healed of death, not merely of a symptom like disease, and we will be raised (1 Cor 15:50ff).
So, the last question, "What occupies the bulk of your prayer time?" A list of sick church members and friends? Or, a list of sins and sin-sick souls? I think my answer leaves me on the wrong side here.
Yes, I know the prayer of faith will heal the sick and I am by no means suggesting that any of us diminish that part of our prayer life. I am thinking that I will greatly increase the part of mine that focuses on sin and the healing of sin and death.
"I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places," (Eph 1:16-20).
"And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God." (Phil 1:9-11).
Keith Ward
A few questions:
Why did Jesus so often say, “Thy sins be forgiven thee,” instead of, “Your disease be healed?” Why not heal everyone? Not only did he leave many for the apostles to heal, there is no indication they cleaned up all the rest.
Of course, one of the reasons he said “sins…forgiven” is to emphasize to the scribes and Pharisees that if he could do one, he could do the other. Certainly, since he healed one leper, he had the power with a word to heal all lepers, or to heal all blind. The power was there. The compassion that moved him to heal had to also tug at his heart in relation to all the un-healed lame and sick.
The questions bring our focus to the simple truth that sickness/infirmity was not the problem, sin was. The compassion was moved within him to bypass these small things and focus on healing the root, the cause of all the misery that comes on man. Healing the few he did was a pledge toward the healing of sin.
Sickness is really a part of death. Healing is life triumphant, but Lazarus, the blind man, the 10 lepers, all still died. Now, because he is the great physician, death is destroyed and we are all healed of death, not merely of a symptom like disease, and we will be raised (1 Cor 15:50ff).
So, the last question, "What occupies the bulk of your prayer time?" A list of sick church members and friends? Or, a list of sins and sin-sick souls? I think my answer leaves me on the wrong side here.
Yes, I know the prayer of faith will heal the sick and I am by no means suggesting that any of us diminish that part of our prayer life. I am thinking that I will greatly increase the part of mine that focuses on sin and the healing of sin and death.
"I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places," (Eph 1:16-20).
"And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God." (Phil 1:9-11).
Keith Ward
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