Lutheran Church Missouri Synod

Paralyzed Christians

By Dr. Richard P. Bucher

"He said to the paralytic, 'I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.' He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, 'We have never seen anything like this!'" (Mark 2:10b-12)

The Christian community has begun to wake up to behaviors that addict. Much literature has poured forth about drug & alcohol addiction, sexual addiction, and gambling addiction. But what about attitudes that paralyze?

In my years of Ministry I have discovered both in myself and those I have been called to serve that there are certain attitudes that paralyze the Christian, that render the Christian unwilling to attempt anything that has risk attached to it. This kind of paralysis can attack both the individual and the congregation. This is a problem because the normal Christian life is an inherently risky proposition. The Christian is called to a life of adventurous outward motion, of life of entering into uncharted territory. In the Great Commission our Lord sends us out with the word "Go," with the wonderful assurance that He will be with us (Matthew 28:18-20). As Luther reminds us in the preface to his Romans commentary, faith, by definition, "is a living, daring confidence in God's grace, so sure and certain that a man would stake his life on it a thousand times." Faith is a daring confidence that says, "Lord, use me as You desire, even if I must go somewhere where I do not want to go and do something I do not want to do. By myself I can do nothing (John 15:5); but I can do all things through You who strengthen me (Philippians 4:13)."

That is normal Christianity. But there are attitudes that paralyze the Christian, that prevent him from going and growing or from moving into uncharted territory. Fear is one such attitude. We all know about phobias, excessive fears that render a person unable to do the thing that they are afraid of. But there are other fears that paralyze that are not always diagnosed as a phobia. The fear of failure or the fear of rejection, for example, has paralyzed many a Christian. How tragic when gifted Christians with great potential refuse to attempt something new because they are afraid they will fail or be rejected. Opportunities arise but the Christian frozen to the spot by fear doesn't take them. Such paralyzing fear keeps many Christians from sharing their faith, serving in a new position at church, entering into full time ministry, taking a new job or position, going back to school, asking someone out on a date, etc.

Fatalism is another attitude that can paralyze. Failures and disappointments are a normal part of life. When these occur it is quite normal to feel temporarily discouraged. But discouragement turns into paralysis when it becomes fatalism. Fatalism is an attitude that says, "Why bother? Why even try? Nothing I do will change anything! Nothing will ever change." You know you are a fatalist (and paralyzed) if repeated failures in any area of your life have caused you to stop trying. "Share my faith? Why bother? Nothing good ever came from it! Try for a new job? Why bother? Nothing good will come from it! Serve the Lord in a new way? Why bother? It won't change anything for the better! Try out for something new at school? Why bother? I'll fail again anyway." You get the idea!

Thankfully, the same wonderful Jesus who had the power to heal the paralytic has the power to heal our paralysis. Just as He set the paralytic free by His powerful Word, so He can set the paralyzed Christian free with the same powerful Word. What is this Word? It is the Gospel, found everywhere in Scripture, that tells us, "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you" (Isaiah 43:1b-2); "If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things" (Rom. 8:31-32); "Everything is possible for him who believes" (Mark 9:23); "Nothing is too difficult for the Lord" (Genesis 18:14; Jeremiah 32:17); "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor. 12:9); "I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete" (John 16:23-24); "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).

Paralysis doesn't stand a chance when these words are heard and believed!

February 1999