In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, He saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? The impotent man answered Him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the Sabbath. The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the Sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. Then asked they him, What Man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? And he that was healed wist not Who it was: for Jesus had conveyed Himself away, a multitude being in that place. Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. John, Chapter 5, verses 3-14.
Something that impresses me about this passage is that Jesus asked the handicapped man, “Wilt thou be made whole?” Now, it would seem any handicapped person in their right mind would say, “Sure I will. I would do anything to be made whole!” But I don’t think we always do that as Christians. When Jesus gave His life for us and rose again to gain us Salvation, He is asking all of us, “Wilt thou be made whole?” What would we reply?
Would it be, “Yes, as long as my friends don’t know that I’m a Christian”? “Yes, as long as I can still cheat on my spouse every now and then. It really doesn’t mean a thing!” “Yes, as long as I can still stab my co-workers in the back to get another wrung up the ladder of success.” “Yes, just as long as I can party every now and then. You know it doesn’t really hurt anything. Besides, I need to relax now and then.” When Jesus asks us if we will be made whole, all we have to do is believe in Him as our Lord and Savior. The other part of being Whole Christians is trying to live as examples of how He works in our lives. I don’t think any of the responses above reflect that. What will you say to the question Jesus poses in our lives, “Wilt thou be made whole?”
Since this is an example of the positive influence God has made on my walk with Christ, this may not reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verses.
