Lately I have been pondering more about us being the Body of Christ. That’s really an amazing concept. We are His hands, His feet, His voice here on earth. But here’s an angle I had never before considered.
In Mark 2, Jesus healed a man who was paralyzed. He declared to the man that his sins were forgiven. The scribes, looking on, asked among themselves, “Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Mark 2:7).
On the one hand, they were right. Sin, at its essence, is against God. After David took Bathsheba to himself and had her husband killed, he declared to God, “Against you, you only, have I sinned…” (Psalm 51:4). Actually, there were other people involved, but David was right. Sin, at its core, is rebellion against God and His commands. So the scribes were correct in saying that only God can forgive sins.
Yet, Jesus announced to His followers, “If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld” (John 20:23). How can we, mere human beings, grant forgiveness to those who rebel against God?
Because we are the Body of Christ.
Does this mean we’re perfect? No, but we are forgiven and holy in His sight. Even in the midst of our gross imperfections, God still works in and through us as His Body, offering love, comfort, and even forgiveness to the world.
To Make You Think 