Signposts on the Road to Forgiveness

Everyone is talking about forgiveness these days! Pick up any magazine and you’re likely to find something that someone has said about it. Saved and unsaved alike are discussing the importance of forgiving those who have wronged them. They say this not for the benefit of the one who has done them wrong, but for their own sakes.

It seems that everyone has seen the affects of bitterness buried deep within the hearts of men; for it eats like a cancer within the fibers of the soul, bringing only destruction and death. Some of the results are immediate. Most, however, linger for years under the surface until the host dies a slow and painful death. Some eventually explode in vehement anger, taking others with them. Any of these results is a tragic loss for the people of God, for it falls very short of God’s magnificent plan for men and women on this earth.

And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. (Matthew 9:2–7)

With all the talk about forgiveness, you’d think we’d understand it better. But the truth is that we don’t understand the true principles of forgiveness at all. In fact, most of us could learn a thing or two from the scribes of Jesus’ day!

What? Learn from the scribes? Jesus had to correct the scribes all the time! In the scriptures above, the scribes accused Jesus of blasphemy again. Jesus pointed out the evil in their hearts. What could we possibly learn from them?

Well, I am in no way suggesting that we mirror our lives after the scribes or the Pharisees. But I do hope to point out something that they clearly understood that our generation seems to have lost. That is: No one can truly forgive but God Himself! All true forgiveness comes from God alone!

If we look at forgiveness in the same way we look at physical healing, it will help us understand these things. All healing ultimately comes from God. It was His healing that Jesus taught His disciples to minister to others.

Of course, there are things everyone can do to contribute to healing. We need to eat right, exercise, and get plenty of sleep. There are times we might go to a doctor who can prescribe medicine or even surgically repair something. But a good doctor knows that he cannot really heal anyone. He will use the knowledge that the medical field offers to cooperate with the principles of healing that God established. A good doctor will admit that there are many, many times that his knowledge falls short.

The man who was sick of the palsy understood that too. No amount of eating right or medicine could help him. He didn’t need someone to talk about healing. He didn’t need someone to say, “I heal you.” He needed someone who truly walked in God’s healing power!

In the same way, people don’t need those who merely go around saying, “I forgive you.” It is not our forgiveness they need. People need those who will truly walk in God’s forgiving power and minister His healing and forgiveness to a lost and dying world!

The scribes knew and understood that forgiveness is a holy thing. That’s what made them so angry when Jesus offered forgiveness to the man sick of the palsy. Jesus was doing something that only God could do! The high priests had to follow strict guidelines regarding how and when this forgiveness could be obtained and then offered unto others. No wonder the scribes accused Jesus of blasphemy. Who did He think He was to speak of such holy things?

Jesus is the Son of God, the High Priest, and the Mediator of a new and better covenant! He was and is the Great I AM. He has every right to offer the forgiveness paid for by His own blood! But that is not how He answered the scribes that day. Instead He said something very powerful about forgiveness which I have asked the Lord to etch clearly in our hearts as we learn to walk on this road to forgiveness.

Jesus asked, "Which is easier?"

Let’s consider the same today. Is it easier to forgive others or to heal them of their sicknesses? Is it easier to forgive or to make the blind man see? Is it easier to forgive or to make the lame man walk? If we accurately discern the scriptures, we will clearly see that neither is easier than the other.

To truly heal or to truly forgive both require the power of God. They are miracles which cannot be accomplished by the attempts of the flesh. Good intentions or superfluous words cannot heal a broken body, nor can they bring forgiveness to a sin-laden soul. Let us understand this well. To truly forgive another is not merely difficult. To truly forgive is impossible without God!!

The power to forgive comes to us because God has forgiven us and made us His sons, kings, and priests. We’ve lightly read the scriptures and flippantly quoted its words without realizing the weight of the responsibility therein. Jesus gave His followers power to remit or to retain sins. To handle these holy things according to the flesh really is to blaspheme. To think that we can decide in ourselves who and when to forgive is great sacrilege indeed!

But where our flesh failed, Jesus prevailed! He has called us to walk in higher places with Him. We can learn the principles whereby we are truly made free. We can receive His forgiveness and minister the same to others. We can follow Him, recognizing His signposts along the way.

This journey is one of forgiveness. But it’s more than that. It’s a walk in the spirit as God intended from before the earth began. It’s a journey whereby relationship with one another and with Him can be truly found.