How deep is His Love?
People can talk about feelings, people can talk about the miracles.
But no one can overcome the joy of a man who has been forgiven all of his sins!
David wrote of this blessed state, one which he did not receive in his earthly lifetime.
"Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile." (Psalm 32:2)
Which Paul quoted in his epistle to the Romans:
"Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
"Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
"Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." (Romans 4: 6-8)
Jessu magnified this most glorious part of His mission, for He was born to die for us and as us, removing from us forever the stain of sin and making us one with Him in righteousness before the Father.
When His ministry took off, making great news in Capernaum, he was confronted with the great faith on one man stricken with the palsy
"When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
"But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,
"Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?" (Mark 2: 5-7)
Granted, the skepticism of the scribes watching were unpleasantly perturbed — who indeed can forgive sins? God can, but only through the Finished Work of the Cross! Yet until such time as He would die once and for, Jesus declared the forgiveness of sins.
"And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?
"Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?" (Mark 2: 8-9)
Obviously, to Jesus Christ, the greater work, the more difficult task, would be the forgiveness of sins, as it would cost God His own Son, who would suffer every ignominy, pain, hurt, loss, sickness, and disease the afflicts humanity, from the beginning of time and for all eternity. Jesus then explained the significance of healing the man:
"But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)
"I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.
"And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion." (Mark 2:10-12)
Healing is a demonstration of the greater miracle at work, that this man's sins were forgiven by Jesus Christ!
Before anyone talks about healing, about prosperity, about freedom from depression or any other illness of hardship, we all need to be released from the greatest plague, the greatest scandal — condemnation, the guilt which every human being labors under!
Jesus made plain his goal for all of us:
"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."
How did He do this, exactly? Paul spells it out at length:
"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
"{Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
"And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
"That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
"Not of works, lest any man should boast.
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:4-10)
God the Father has redeemed us, placed us in Christ at His right hand, above all principality and power (cf Colossians 2: 10-15), and with Christ, He promises to provide us all things, freely given! (cf Romans 8: 31-32)
But the power of God's grace through His Son Jesus Christ, the remission of sins, is the highest calling, the greatest gift, the one which engenders all other blessings!