John 5:9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.

The day on which this took place was a Sabbath,When the invalid believed Jesus, he responded by faith in obedience. The healing did not occur until the man obeyed.  Faith is not only believing it and receiving it, but acting upon it. It involves action on our part where we respond to what has been promised.    

Romans 5:19 tells us that “just as the result of one man’s disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of the one man the many will be righteous.”  God almost always calls for some outward action to our faith. It is not uncommon to involve some risk.  Look at some of the calls from God; “If you will confess with your mouth, you will be saved.”  “Stretch forth your hand.”  “Take up you bed and walk.”  “Peter, come to me walking on the water.  “Repent and be baptized.”  “Give and it shall be given unto you.”  Indeed, to do the will of God is the only way to peace and happiness and power.    

Having faith in Christ is trusting His word to live out His commands. We all fall short of how we should live, but to believe in Him is also to desire to obey and live for His glory.  There are many who claim the name of Christ, but are dishonest in their business dealing, cheaters or unjust. Many are out for what they can get, people who are trying to beat the system, get out of paying their bills, or not reporting income on taxes.  I do not know how you can claim true faith and be purposely dishonest and immoral with the laws of God.

Faith is obeying.  We see later in the story the man discovered it was Jesus who healed him. I am assuming that the lame man was saved in addition to obeying.  He indeed got up and walked and leaped and praised God.  He went to the temple maybe to thank God, be examined, cleared by the priest to enter the temple for worship and give witness of the healing. Jesus then tells him “to stop sinning or something worse may happen”.  I am assuming that the faith the man demonstrated in obedience is also leading him to the conclusion, Jesus is the Son of God, but it may not be so.  

Obedience is an essential factor in faith. We must obey Jesus.  That is saving faith. Yet there are many who obey the teachings of Jesus but have not trusted Him for their own need of salvation.  People can and do obey many of the words of Jesus but not receive Him as their Lord and Savior.       

Christ cured the bodies in order to cure souls.  “Go and sin no more” was Jesus new command.  No cure is complete unless the soul is cured of the disease of sin and self-righteousness, pride, and self-sufficiency.  To keep away from sin is better than to be delivered from it.   

The implications of the call to believers is also put in the poem form of Vernon Bittner -

“Lord, I want to be healed…
   But I want it to happen on my terms. 
Lord I want to be healed…
   But I don’t want to admit I’m out of control. 
Lord, I want to be healed…
   But I want to manage my own life. 
Lord, I want to be healed…
   But I don’t want to accept the limitations of my humanity.  
Lord, I want to be healed. 
   Help me to accept …
       my powerlessness,
       my unmanageability,
       my isolation and
       my humanity,
   So that healing can begin. 
Lord let it begin with me NOW!
Let me say: “Lord I want to be healed.”

Dale