Amen Brother Jim. We are to take the gospel of grace to the whole world. What a message we have to share. If we will surrender the whole heart to Christ, He will cleanse it whiter than fresh fallen snow. His righteousness not only stands in place of our past sins and unknown sins, He will impart His character to all repentant sinners. The power of Christ in healing the body from disease and sin is in the world today as it was when He healed the paralytic at Capernaum.
In some instances of healing, Jesus did not at once grant the blessing sought. But in the case of leprosy, no sooner was the appeal made than it was granted. When we pray for earthly blessings, the answer to our prayer may be delayed, or God may give us something other than we ask, but not so when we ask for deliverance from sin. It is His will to cleanse us from sin, to make us His children, and to enable us to live a holy life. Christ "gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father." Galatians 1:4. And "this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us: and if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him." 1 John 5:14, 15. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9.
An example of this immediate transformation can be seen in the life of Saul of Tarsus who on his way to Damascus to round up Christians was converted when asking "who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Conversion is the end of a long process of wooing by the Holy Spirit. Saul had come to the end of his sinful life, he would do anything to be set free from sin. He found that it was impossible for him to be set free from the captivity of sin which was within his flesh. He saw that he was miserable and wretched. He was no longer blind to his lost condition. In answer to his prayer as to who would deliver him from his sin, Jesus revealed Himself and renewed his heart. He found Him who was the King of Kings and the Savior of all who seek to be set free from the law of sin and death.
