Your Sins Are Forgiven You

Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.” - Matthew 9:2

It is interesting that while the Bible did not record that the paralytic put his faith in Christ, Jesus declared, "Your sins are forgiven you."

Does that mean that you don't have to put your faith in Jesus for your sins to be forgiven?

It is interesting that Jesus saw faith in the paralytic's friends, and yet He declared to the paralytic, "Your sins are forgiven you."

Does that mean that others can represent you to believe in Jesus for your sins to be forgiven?

How could Jesus declare the forgiveness of sins so easily to the paralytic man who didn't even declare his trust in Jesus?

Jesus was God in the flesh. And God lives outside of time. He is not in the box that we tend to put Him in. He sees the end from the beginning.

"...your sins are FORGIVEN you." The word 'forgiven' is in perfect tense. It is viewed as done and completed in the past once and for all, not needing to be repeated.

The One who is the same yesterday, today and forever; the One who saw the past, the present and the future; the One who is the Beginning and the End...

He already saw the Cross.

He already saw the forgiveness of sins.

He already saw redemption.

Therefore, He could declare to the paralytic, "Your sins are forgiven you."

That doesn't mean that the paralytic is saved. It means that he is forgiven and thus, he is free to receive the life of Christ by believing in the goodness that he has received.

This is the message of the Cross - the goodness of God leads you to repentance. Jesus!

...whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. - Rom 3:25-26

...that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them... - 2 Cor 5:19