Murphy on Wilt thou be healed

When Jesus saw him lying, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith to him, Wilt thou be healed? Joh 5:6 

 

 

"Wilt thou be made whole?"

 

Do you think it a strange question? Do you take it for granted that a man must long to be freed from the tyranny of sin. Ah! I would to God it were so. But it is not.

1. One desires to be saved only from the consequences of sin, and from the eternal death which is the bitter wages of sin; but not—not to "be made whole!" No! To be made whole would mean giving up some practice which has become second nature. It would mean making new rules of life which would stand in the way of present prosperity.

2. If this one were to say straight out what is in his heart, he would answer the question, "Wilt thou be made whole?"—thus, "Ah, Lord Jesus, leave me as I am! Only—in the hour of death, and in the day of judgment, good Lord, deliver me!"

3. Another, does desire to be released from his sin. But this one is so slothful that he cannot rouse himself and look that sin in the face, like a man, and close with it, determined to overcome it once and for all And so he gets into a way of taking his state for granted. He uses prayer, and the means of grace, in a limp, perfunctory manner, hoping for nothing, expecting nothing, in fact believing nothing, and so getting nothing. His answer would be something like this—"It is no use now. It might have been once. I am too far gone." My brethren, if we do not desire it, then our blood be on our own heads. God does not save men against their wills, and in spite of their wills. But if we are in earnest, let us arise at Christ's bidding and do His commands. (I. B. C. Murphy, B. A.)