At the House of Mercy

The heart of man likes to imagine that he has somehow contributed or is contributing to his own salvation; men love works based religion. The freedom of men to contribute to their own salvation was lost in the garden with Adam's sin.

The invalid waiting at the pool of Bethesda is an illustration of man's attempts to find mercy in systems and devices incapable of delivering mercy. In contrast to the pool, Christ's work is full, rich and effectual in providing mercy. The healing at the pool raised the anger of a corrupted religious establishment that based much of its doctrine on the ability of man to make himself righteous.