Jesus Unites Forgiveness and Healing
It is in and through Jesus of Nazareth that we have the forgiveness of sins: “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” “Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.” But the one who forgives our sins is the one who heals our diseases. “Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases.” When He “gave himself for our sins,” He gave himself for our diseases. He “bare our sins in His own body,” and “himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.” These were not two separate experiences, but were both involved in the one experience of appearing in the flesh as “the Lamb of God, which beareth the sin of the world.” In His work Jesus therefore united preaching and healing. “And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.” Matt. 9:35.