Hungry for God: The Sin Forgiver

"Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"—Mark 2:7

Without knowing we are sinners, we have no need for a Savior. Without knowing that we are lost, we have no need to be found. Forgiveness is one of the most precious things we so desperately need, and Philip Yancey, in his book, What’s So Amazing About Grace?, captures it perfectly:

“A story by Ernest Hemingway reveals this truth. A Spanish father decides to reconcile with his son who had run away to Madrid. Now remorseful, the father takes out this ad in El Liberal newspaper: ‘PACO MEET ME AT HOTEL MONTANA NOON TUESDAY ALL IS FORGIVEN PAPA.’ Paco is a common name in Spain, and when the father goes to the square he finds eight hundred young men named Paco waiting for their fathers.”—Philip Yancey, What’s So Amazing Grace?

We all need forgiveness and there is only one who is able to grant it—God. Jesus profoundly illustrated His ability to forgive sin when He healed the paralytic who was lowered down to Him though the roof while He was teaching in a house. When He sees the man, and his friends who helped him, He says, “Son, your sins are forgiven” (Mark 2:5). It was strange that He would say his sins were forgiven. One would much more expect, “You are healed, go in peace.” But He says, “Your sins are forgiven.” Perhaps it was because sin caused this man’s condition. Or it could have been that Jesus was trying to illustrate something even more profound. 

No sooner had Jesus said the paralytic’s sins were forgiven than the scribes said, “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Jesus perceived their question and then asked another question:

“Why do you question these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’?”—Mark 2:8.

Which was easier to do? It was easy for Him to say their sins were forgiven, but who could prove it? Who could see their sins being washed away? No one. So to illustrate His ability to forgive sins, He said, “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home”—Mark 2:11. 

And before them all, the paralytic stood up, and “they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, ‘We never saw anything like this!’”—Mark 2:11. If Jesus was to do the latter, which was visible, then He was able to do the former, which was invisible. The truth of the scribe’s words were validated that day; only God alone could forgive sins, and God was standing right in their midst. 



Jesus is the only one who can forgive sins. There is no amount of counseling we can receive, no amount of money we could give, or acts of penance that we could perform, that would take away the stain of sin upon our soul. Only Jesus can. 

Jesus secured our forgiveness by His death on the cross. On the cross He paid for your sin and mine, enabling all who come to Him in repentance and faith to trust in Him, and appropriate His death for their sins, as well as claim the promise:

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”—1 John 1:9.

Have you asked Jesus to forgive your sin? Have you asked Him to cleanse your conscience? Have you asked Him to give you the peace afforded by His passion? If not, do it now. Forgiveness is promised to all who come to Him in repentance and faith. And all who come to Him will experience the wondrous joy of forgiveness and life eternal with Him. Amen.