The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1906-03-08


was; and when they had broken 1t
up, they let down the bed wherein the
sick Of the palsy lay. When Jesus
saw their faith. He said unto the sick
Of the palsy: Son, thy sins be for
given thee. But there were certain
of the scri0es sitting there. and rea
soning in their hearts: Why doth
this man thus speak blasphemies? ?
Who can forgive sins but God only.
And Immediately when Jesus perceived
in His spirit that they so reasoned
with themselves, He said unto them:
Why reason ye these things in your
hearts7 Whether is IL 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? But that
ye may know that the Son of Man
hath power on earth to forgive sins.
tHe saith to the sick Of the palsy
Arise, and take up thy bed, and go
thy way into thine house. And i'm.
mediately he arose. took up the bed,
and went forth before them ALL"
Sickness a type of Sin.
Throughout the Scripture there is
recognized a very intimate connection
between sickness ard sin. Leprosy
IL typical OF sin in its beginnings,
growth and contamination. Palsy,
like sin, paralyzes the faculties OF
man; natural blindness is symbolic OF
the spiritual blindness caused by sin.
In spiritual sense people may "have
eyes and see not; ears and hear not"
The Palsied Man Is Typo of the
Sinner.
The sinner has certain faculties
which cannot be used until he is cured
Of tho disease Of sin. Sin bllghts the
spiritual eyesight. deafens spiritual
hearing; darkens the understanding
so that 1t cannot grasp nor under
stand divine things. Sin paralyzes
the faculties Of the soul. The sinner
is as helpless to walk in the way OF
Gods commandments as this palsied
man was to walk the streets Of Pales-
tine. Paul. that deep student OF hu.
man nature. said: 81 know that in
me dwelleth no good things; for to
will Is present with me. but how to
perform that which is good I find not.
The good that | would, do not.
What confession of human inability.
Sin and Sickness Closely Conn ected.
While II is not true that in every
case sickness is the direct result of a
special sin committed by the one af-
flicted yet the Bible distinctly teaches
that ofttimes such is the case. Jesus
taught His disciples in the case of the
man born blind (John 81 that this |
sore affiiction came not because Of any
special sin ON the part of the blind .
man. Nevertheless by addressing his .
spiritual before his physical condition
by saving first. Thy sins be for
given thee" and afterward: Rise,
take up thy bed and walk" the Master
distinctly taught us that in this case
at least (as well as in John 81 the af.
Fiction was the result Of some par.
ticular sin. "Sln no more lest a worse
thing come upon thee, words like
these emphatically set forth the close
relation between sin and disease.
How Can Sin Be Forgivenp
How can punishment fof sin be
averted? II has been said that there
are three ways. First, inasmuch as
suffering and punishment is the result
Of sin, let us stop SHINING, and then
we shall cease suffering. That sounds
well. But II is cold. comfortless logic
Who can stop SHINING; where is the
man in all the earth that doeth good
and sinneth not. This is law without
ove. Secondly, II is acknowledged
hat there is sin and there is punish
nent for sin, but then God Is kind,
owing, and compassionate that He will
iay TO us at last: well, Il Is true.
7ou have been pretty bad, but will
ook over II; come right into Heaven.
That is love without law II this were
he real status Of the case, Heaven
would not be place long secure from
he attacks OF sin. Unless holiness
md righteousness be the center of
jods throne. safety and security can
leger be its circumference.
Forgiveness Through Christ.
There remains Just one other way
II forgiveness. and that is the true
way. There is sin. and there is pun.
shment and condemnation for sin
But God has laid all our sins on Christ.
Who bore them in His own body on the
roe. Forgiveness then is by faith in
he redeeming sacrifice OF Christ We
rave forgiveness through His shed
Hood Here is law and love combined,
hus allowing God to be Just and the
ustifier OF the sinner who believes In
esus.
Sin Must Needs Be Forgiven.
Man must be forgiven or else he
viii be lost. II there is such a thing
IS sin in the world then there Is such
thing as punishment and condemna.
ion for sin. II there be no sin, then
We need have no worry with regard
o the thought Of punishment Jesus
,hrist taught very definitely that sin
vas real, and II unforgiven was the
means Of bringing down wrath upon
he head Of the sinner. He said to the
Jews: III ye die in your
tins where am ye cannot come" We
must deal definitely with God about H.