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February 1 Daily Devotional

The Cause Removed

Frans Bakker

When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.—Mark 2:5

Bible Reading

Mark 2:1–12

Devotional

The word “radix” means root. When the Lord saves a sinner, He removes the root of man’s problem. That root is sin. The blood of Christ removes sin, the cause of all misery. When the Lord Jesus begins to work, He works in a radical manner. What does that mean? The word “radical” is derived from that word “radix” or “root.” “Radical” means affecting the root. Where Christ works, the root or the cause of one’s misery is taken away. Our sins are removed!

You find this in the well-known history of the man who was sick of the palsy. The man’s dear friends brought him to where Jesus was and let him down through the roof. This man could not walk or stand but was lovingly placed at the feet of the Lord Jesus. We would expect the outcome to be a miraculous physical healing. He had come desiring to be healed; he desired to stand and to walk because of the Lord’s touch.

The first thing the Lord did, however, was not to cure him of his lameness, but to heal him of his spiritual illness. The Lord said, “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.” The forgiveness of sins is a far greater gift than a mere physical healing. Only God can give such a gift! Even though he would be lame his entire life, the deepest cause of the man’s misery is taken away.

Whoever comes in contact with Christ and His precious blood is cleansed to the core of his inner being. The Lord Jesus atones, suffers, and pays for the root of man’s problem. Remember the root is sin. It is recorded in Scripture that He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities (Isa. 53:5).

Do you understand this? All the misery in the world has a cause. The relationship between God and man is disturbed because of that cause. Because of sin, we are separated from a holy God. The Lord has everything against us, as long as we are outside of Christ. Therefore the only comfort for those who are in grief, misery, or need, is the precious blood of Christ. We need to be comforted with the Lord Himself.

A sick person should not ask in the first place for recovery. Of course, you may do so and you cannot do it enough, for the Lord says, “In everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God” (Phil. 4:6). But ask in the first place for saving grace, for that is better; that is deeper; that removes the cause.

 

From The Everlasting Word by Frans Bakker, compiled and translated by Gerald R. Procee. Reformation Heritage Books and Free Reformed Publications, 2007. Used by permission. For further information, click here.

 

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