John 5:1-18 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.… Pardon is an essential stage in the subjugation of sin. 1. There are those who place it last, but this is counter to Romans 7. where forgiveness is assumed, and yet the conflict is maintained. 2. Others, again, make pardon to cover all future delinquencies, which contradicts St. John (1 John 1.). But pardon goes a great way to the conquest of sin. I. THE CONDEMNATION OF SIN CANNOT GO WITHOUT SOMETHING OF THE SIN GOING TOO. "The Lamb of God taketh away" not the punishment, but the "sin of the world." "The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin," actual sin. What would it avail us that results were taken away while the first cause remained in its strength? II. THE MAN WHO HAS TASTED OF GOD'S FORGIVENESS IS IN WHICH BETTER CONDITION TO OVERCOME THE CORRUPTIONS OF HIS OWN HEART. His weakness is linked on to God's omnipotence. III. A SPRING OF ACTION IS SET AT WORK IN THE HEART WITH WHICH NOTHING ELSE CAN COMPARE. The love of Christ. We can all see what a difference it is to fight in the light of a smile or to fight in the darkness of a frown. The Saviour's method with the impotent man was analogous; pardon was a part of expulsion; and having for. given him, connected his first calamity with his sin, and his future happiness with his future goodness. This gave him a reason, a capacity for good. (J. Vaughan, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.WEB: After these things, there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. |
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