Matt 9:2, Matt 9:6; Luke 7:47-48; Mark 2:7
Sometimes people get so full of their own
self-importance that they think they can do some things that only God can do.
One of those areas is forgiveness. There are things for which forgiveness is
needed, but the person offended by the forgivable action is unavailable or
global. Let me see if I can explain this.
If we were to meet today, and I walked up to
you and punched you in the face, you would say, “Hey, what did you do that
for?” I might respond, “I just felt like it.” If in the future I wanted
forgiveness for punching you, I would have to ask you for that forgiveness. You
are the one I offended. You are the one who can offer forgiveness.
But there is someone else who was offended.
God, friends, relatives, society, and perhaps others, are also offended. There
is no such thing as a “private” sin. All sin affects others. That affect might not be easily seen, but it
is there.
If I am offended, I have the right to
forgive. But who rightfully offers forgiveness when there is an offended
unknown exists? I would suggest only God can offer forgiveness in specific
“objectless” sins. When we mar the image of God in ourselves by living in a
manner that is less than God designed and intended us to live, we offend God.
God must then offer the forgiveness.
Jesus offers forgiveness for some of these
“objectless” sins. In the Gospels we read that Jesus offered this kind of
forgiveness to those around Him. It is not simply that He offers it, but that
He demonstrates His ability to do it by healing the paralyzed man. We don’t know
why this man was paralyzed. We don’t know what sin or sins Jesus forgave. We do
know the man got up from the mat and walked away. Unseen sins are easy to claim
power over; paralysis isn’t. Jesus did the seen one to prove He could do the
unseen on.
Jesus provided forgiveness for the unknown
offended person. So what does that have to do with me? Perhaps there is someone
who has offended you, but they cannot or will not ask for forgiveness. Perhaps
you have offended someone, but they can’t be asked to forgive you. Maybe you
have sinned against an unknown person. Jesus can offer forgiveness when the
other person can’t.
And when our sin is against God, Jesus is
the One to ask.