Problems As A Way of Life?

In John 5, there is the story of a man who had been disabled for 38 years. Jesus ran across this man and asked him if he wanted to get well. What a strange question to ask! Then Jesus told the man to get up and pick up his mat and walk. (He had just been healed.) Now when the man did get up and realized he'd been healed, Jesus told him, "See, you are well again. Stop sinning ..." Again, what a strange thing for Jesus to say. Or is it?

After 38 years, the man's problem had become a way of life. No one had ever helped him. He had no hope of ever being healed. So when God actually did heal him - what was his predisposition? He only knew one way to live. Jesus told him not to live it. Sometimes God's healing doesn't actually change our behaviors. We have to change them apart from the healing.