A Singular But Needful Question

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John 5:1-18

After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.…

It seems a strange question. Who would not be made whole? Would the poor man have been lying at the pool had he not been anxious for healing? Yet, as our Lord spake no superfluous words, it may be perceived that the paralysis was mental as well as physical. He had waited until despondency had dried up his spirits, and he scarcely cared whether he was made whole or not. The Saviour touched a chord that needed to vibrate; He aroused a dormant faculty whose exercise was essential to cure. Are there not those here who, through having waited so long, are beginning to get paralyzed in their once earnest desires to come to occupy this seat as a mere matter of custom.

I. This question is needful, because IT IS NOT ALWAYS UNDERSTOOD.

1. It is not the same as "Wilt thou be saved from going to hell?" — every one answers "Aye" to that; but "Wilt thou be saved from sin?"

2. To help you, let me remind you that there never were but two men perfectly whole.

(1)  The first Adam. We should all be willing to be in paradise with him; but are we willing to walk with God as he did?

(2)  The second Adam. "Holy, harmless, undefiled," etc. Whole towards God, man, holiness. Do you wish to be like Him?

3. When a man is whole there are certain evil propensities which are expelled, and Certain moral qualities which he is sure to possess

(1)  Honesty;

(2)  sobriety;

(3)  truthfulness;

(4)  generosity in giving and forgiving.

4. He will have spiritual graces also —

(1)  Humility;

(2)  prayerfulness;

(3)  consecration.

II. THIS QUESTION IS CAPABLE OF A GOOD MANY REPLIES, and therefore it is the more necessary that it should be asked and answered.

1. There are some whose only reply is no answer at all. They don't want to consider anything of the sort.

(1)  "We are young, and have plenty of time."

(2)  "We are business people, and have something else to do."

(3)  "We are wealthy and cultured, and must not be expected to look at these things as coarse-minded people do."

(4)  "We are too ill to trouble about it." But there is another class, who once had a religious concern, whose answer is not very earnest. They have become habituated to unbelieving misery, and persist in carrying a burden of which their Saviour wants to relieve them.

2. Too many give evasive replies to the question —

(1)  "How am I to know whether I am God's elect or not?" That is not the question at this stage. It will be. answered by and by.

(2)  "I have not the power to cease from sin." God will give the power in proportion as He gives the will.

(3)  "I have been so guilty in the past. The question is not, How sick art thou? but Wilt thou be made whole?"

3. There are a good many persons who practically say "No."

(1)  One says, "I would be made whole," and yet when Divine service is over he goes back to his sin.

(2)  Those say "No" who neglect the house of God.

(3)  So do those who hear the Word inattentively; and

(4)  those who fear lest their being made whole would involve the loss of social position, gains, or companions.

III. WHEREVER AN HONEST AFFIRMATIVE ANSWER IS GIVEN TO THIS QUESTION WE MAY CONCLUDE THAT THERE IS A WORK OF GRACE COMMENCED IN THE SOUL.

IV. WHERE THIS QUESTION IS ANSWERED IN THE NEGATIVE IT INVOLVES MOST FEARFUL SIN. You prefer yourself to God, sin to holiness. This is your deliberate choice. When you come to die, and when you live in another state, you will curse yourself for having made such a choice as this.

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