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of Jesus |
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Who has the power to forgive sin?
Mark 2:6-12...[6] Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts,
[7] "Why does this man speak thus? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
[8] And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, Why do you question thus in your hearts?
[9] Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, `Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, `Rise, take up your pallet and walk'?
[10] But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins" -- he said to the paralytic --
[11] "I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home."
[12] And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"Do we children of the Father also have the authority to forgive sins? Jesus does state to Peter that whatever he binds on earth is bound in heaven and vise versa. I guess what I'm getting at is this...is Jesus showing us here that not only did he have authority at this time to forgive sins on earth, but that we all have the power of forgiveness? I know we are "capable" of forgiving...but is this power of forgiveness different from that of our Lord?
MY ANSWER
Thank you for asking! Your question has enlightened me because it is a question that I never dared ask before, and I realize now that it has only been my long ago Baptist indoctrination still at work!
Do we all (God's children) have the power of forgiveness?
Of course! When God's children forgive sins on earth, they are forgiven in heaven because, in Jesus, the children are one with the Father and the son.
John.17
[20] I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word,
Being thus one with the Father and with Jesus, even as the Father and Jesus are one, strongly implies that when we forgive someone, they are also forgiven by the Father. This also means that when one sins against, or offends God's children in this world, that one also offends God, or sins against God. It is impossible for anyone, even God, to forgive sins without repentance, but when we forgive anyone who repents of having offended us, surely they are forgiven by the Father in heaven, with whom we are one in Jesus the Son, our elder brother.
[21] that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
[22] The glory which thou hast given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one,
[23] I in them and thou in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them even as thou hast loved me.
I have heretofore assumed that Peter was given this power because he was a special disciple; he was special but now I see that the gift was not unique to him -- it belongs to all of God's children in this world because of the unity that binds the children and the Father into one.
Peace to you,
Brother Ed