LUKE 5:20

 And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you."

TO PONDER

This part of this story has always been interesting to me for a number of reasons. It seems that Jesus forgives this man's sin, not because of the Man's own faith, but rather, the faith of the man's friends (who lowered him down through the roof to get him to Jesus).

Even more interesting to me, is the fact that no one asked Jesus to forgive his sin. I think it's pretty obvious that these friends of the paralysed man, and everyone else in the crowd, expected Jesus to restore and heal the mans legs, not forgive his sins. There is no request for forgiveness, no act of contrition or repentance, no confession of wrongdoing and Jesus looks this paralysed man in the eye and says to him, "your sins are forgiven."

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting that confession of sins or repentance have no place in the life of a follower of Jesus, of course they do. However, I sometimes think we can be guilty of believing that our acts of contrition, repentance, or confession are prerequisites for god's forgiveness. I don't think that's what this story tells us. And I think Jesus tells another story to illustrate the same point.

The parable of the prodigal son is one of a young man who disrespectfully demands his share of the family estate while his father is still alive and then takes of galavanting all over world squandering his fathers wealth. When the son eventually runs out of money and hits rock bottom, he decides he'd be better off back home as a slave in his father's household. However, before he has the opportunity to utter an apology or explanation, his Father sees him approaching and races off down the road to embrace him. The father has already forgiven the son before any act of confession or repentance as been offered. The father is simply glad to see the son he had lost finally returned to him.

Your sins were forgiven the moment Jesus laid down his life in your place. Confession and repentance have a place in reminding us of our utter dependence on Christ, but forgiveness is a completely free gift of God and it does not require you to recall every little sin or wrong thought or attitude in confession. it simply requires a willingness to come before Jesus and accept the reality of those same words he spoke to the paralysed man, "your sins are forgiven"

PRAYER: Thank you that you came to this world from God the Father, as God the Son with the authority and power to forgive my sin. Please help me to learn more each day of what the reality of my forgiven status actually means for the way I live and see others, who you have also freely forgiven. Help me also to forgive as you have forgiven me. Amen.

Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay