Description: In this lesson, we continue with Christ’s display of deity by manifesting the power and authority to forgive sins.  Consider how Jesus responds to those he healed:  Under the law, no man had the freedom to choose not to continue in it.  After all it wasn’t vain, it was their righteousness and life (Deu6:25; 32:47).  Since Jesus came not to destroy but fulfill the law, we should not assume that his forgiving of sins during Israel’s OT (Matthew is an OT book – Heb9:15-17), nor according to their NT (both old and new are Israel’s – Jer31:31-34; Heb8:8-10) ever implied them being complete in the body of Christ (Jn5:14).  Peter preaches a future blotting of their sins, not a present possession of salvation for Israel (Ac3:19-21) – this prophesied “since the world began”.

But now, according to the revelation of the mystery of Christ’s own heavenly body given to the apostle Paul (Rom16:25; Eph3:1-12), we learn of forgiveness through faith in the blood (Eph1:7), salvation freely by God’s grace (Rom3:24), by way of possessing reconciliation and the atonement now (Rom5:6-11), being complete in Christ (Col2:9-10) – this “kept secret since the world began”.  Praise God for forgiving us for Christ’s sake (Eph4:32; Col2:13)!