Matthew 9:1-8

Unlike forgiveness, healing can be tested, proven, and verified. With forgiveness, it’s not so clear. Even after hearing a word of forgiveness, there is often the suspicion that past mistakes will come back to haunt us. In the gospels forgiveness and healing are not connected to prevent us from thinking that sickness is punishment for our sins. Instead, forgiveness and healing are closely linked today and throughout Jesus’ ministry because restored health, something that can be proven as true, is intended to deepen our trust that forgiveness, not so easily proven, is equally true.