AUTHORITY TO FORGIVE SINS,
Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained (John 20:23).
In Mark 2, the Bible tells us how a crowd gathered unto Jesus in a house, jamming the entrance that no one could get in or out. Four men, who weren’t able to get in, because of the crowd, removed a part of the roof, and lowered their friend, a paralyzed man, on a stretcher down to Jesus, expecting a healing-touch from the Master.
Jesus didn’t touch him or even say anything about the man’s sickness or his physical condition. However, He dealt with the man’s spiritual condition first, because his physical condition was created by his spiritual condition. Jesus said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” Some religious scholars present became indignant, and murmured, “Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?” (Mark 2:7). You see, they knew that Jesus had power to heal, but they didn’t know He also had power to forgive sins. So, He explained to them that He, the Son of man, had power on earth to forgive sins.
Glory to God! And you know what? He’s given us the same Authority that He had to dispense good things. He said in John 20:23, “whose soever sins you remit, they’re remitted, and whose soever sins you retain, they’re retained.” Therefore, we can pronounce healing and other blessings on, and for others, in the Name of Jesus, the same way we pronounce forgiveness. He’s sent us as bearers of His Gospel, to unveil the Father’s heart of love and compassion to the nations of the world. What a blessing!
Further Study:
1 John 4:17;
Luke 9:1;
Luke 10:19