“Who sinned?” has become one of the accusatory mainstays of media. Whether in politics, business, or key social issues, everyone wants to know, “Whose fault is it?” Not that sin isn’t a big deal and usually causes a whole lot of pain, but does getting to the bottom of everything really bring healing? Is that the way to true freedom?
The Glorious Works of God
Jesus walked by a man born blind when His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2, NKJV). Imagine assigning a reason to explain everything wrong or awful that happens to someone, to the point that blindness is the result of a parent’s sin, or worse, an unborn child’s sin? Imagine the hopelessness, blame, and shame heaped on someone just because he or she was blind?
Sin is like that: It wants all the attention. Plus, people love to find fault! Jesus answered and said, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.” (John 9:3, NKJV). Jesus came as the light of the world, not as “the sin finder”. He came as the liberator, not the accuser. He came to do the works of God, not critique the plight of man. Jesus is the light of the world, and we now can walk in His light in loving one another, agreeing and believing God to reveal His glorious works through and to us!. When we say we walk in the light but hate our brother through blame, accusation and fault-finding, we are in darkness: “Darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining”. (See 1 John 2:8-11). It was so when Jesus walked the earth; it is even more so now.
Jesus: Giving Love and Healing All!
The world looking for sin is a world walking in darkness, and religion can be the cruelest manifestation of all. Religion demands perfection from imperfection, wholeness from brokenness, and insists we heal ourselves rather than return to the Healer. Jesus came to give light in His love and liberate humanity in its suffering. He did not come to withhold love, but to give love and heal ALL. While the religious pontificated about where blame should land, Jesus simply healed the man born blind. He made some mud out of dirt and His saliva, pasted it over his eyes, and sent him to wash in the pool of Siloam. The man went, washed, and came back seeing! Oh, but wait! It was Saturday– that was bad. As all “good” religious people knew, the Sabbath was a day to rest, not a day to heal.
Instead of rejoicing, the leaders found fault. Sin was again on the throne, but this time, in their estimation, it was this deliberate disrespect for the law. It made Jesus a sinner, or so they said. (See John 9:24). They couldn’t see how blind they were, only that this man Jesus was a sinner! I’ve been there. So fixated on some technicality or minutiae that I can’t see. . . I can’t see the camel as I’m busy straining out the gnats. (See Matthew 23:24). I can fixate on loss and not see the gain in Christ. I can fixate on sin and not see the work of God ready to be revealed. I can become an expert in finding false apostles and prophets, but have no time to give a greeting, a hug, or show love. (See Revelation 2:2; Luke 7:45).
Imagine. . . Our Liberator, Healer, Deliverer!
Jesus was moved with compassion and healed multitudes. He was not concerned how someone got there, nor content to leave them there because of their sin. He was a liberator, a healer, a deliverer. Jesus was busy about the Father’s business, doing the works of God, destroying the works of the devil.
Imagine seeing every awful thing as a door for the Lord to reveal His works! Imagine a God so great that He swallows up death so that death is no more! Imagine a God so good that He gave His only begotten Son: Love personified, love illuminating, and love overcoming darkness, death, and the devil! I worship Jesus for this! I thank the Father for Jesus. I praise Jesus for His ability to walk into our world, filled with such hostility of sinners against Him, and love instead. Our world needs Jesus. I need Jesus. We all need Jesus, that the works of God might be gloriously revealed in us.
