Jesus does not play games.  When the paralysed man was lowered through the roof by his friends, they were serious about getting the sick man to Jesus (Luke 5:17-19).  They would not have taken all the trouble to remove a large piece of roofing, risking the anger of the house owner, if they believed that Jesus would not heal their friend.  Faith, as always, is not just a pious thought but a total confidence in God which leads to practical actions - not letting anything get in the way of coming to Jesus.

But the religious leaders and lawyers were not pleased, especially when Jesus saw faith in action and pronounced forgiveness of sins.  They did not even need to speak - Jesus knew their critical thoughts.  Although they rightly believed that only God can forgive sins (Psalm 79:9), they had seriously underestimated Jesus.  They could not believe that He was God in a human body and so they assumed that He was speaking blasphemously – taking honour from God.  Instead, Jesus was drawing honour to God.

As so often, Jesus set the clever people a riddle: ‘Which is easier: to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Get up and walk”?’  Their legal brains would have thought - anybody can claim to forgive sins, words are easy, but only God can make a paralysed man walk.  Jesus was about to prove His divine identity and validate His words (Luke 11:20).  

You will find critical thinking in every workplace and community.  In one way it is right to question to find out the truth.  However, an evil spirit of criticism lurks within each of us.  It is not objective but objectional – to God.  It wants to disbelieve (and disobey) any authority, especially the authority of Jesus.  We do not even have to say a word because the Lord knows if we really trust Him, or not (Psalm 139:4).  He sees those who deliberately or negligently let things get in the way of trusting Him.  He easily distinguishes between those who want to score cheap religious points, from those who are earnest in seeking Him.  As 2 Timothy 2:19 says, ‘The Lord knows those who are his,’ and, ‘Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.’  Our faith must shape our lifestyle, or it is not faith in Jesus at all.