More widespread than the common cold. More dreaded than
leprosy, AIDS and cancer combined. The cause of thousands and thousands of other
disorders and illnesses of individuals, families and whole nations. Always fatal
unless treated. So insidious that most people are unconscious that it is the
cause of their problems. So deceptive that minds affected by it are often
lead to deny its existence. Can you imagine how horrible this disease must
be? It is real. It affects your life.
It is the cause of the health crisis coming upon the
world. It is so contagious that only one human has ever escaped infection. It is
what the Bible calls "sin". It is a disease characterised by
selfishness, pride and lack of genuine love. There is only one cure that really
works.
At this point you will be either conscious that you have
been infected by this illness or in a state of denial or confusion about the
problem. If you belong to the latter group you can clarify the presence of the
illness by using the Bible's spiritual "stethoscope". When used to
"listen" to your spiritual "heart", this
"instrument" will enable you to appreciate the state of your
"heart". Unless you have applied the cure you should immediately
notice problems.
Let us now use the spiritual stethoscope. This is what the
Bible says we should be like:
" With all gentle and quiet behaviour, taking
whatever comes, putting up with one another in love… And so, putting away
false words, let everyone say what is true to his neighbour... Be angry without
doing wrong; let not the sun go down on your wrath… Let him who was a thief be
so no longer, but let him do good work with his hands, so that he may have
something to give to him who is in need. Let no evil talk come out of your
mouth, but only what is good for giving necessary teaching, and for grace to
those who give ear… Let all bitter, sharp and angry feeling, and noise, and
evil words, be put away from you, with all unkind acts; And be kind to one
another, full of pity, having forgiveness for one another, even as God in Christ
had forgiveness for you… And let there be no low behaviour, or foolish talk,
or words said in sport, which are not right, but in place of them the giving of
praise… Making good use of the time, because the days are evil."
(Ephesians chapters 4 and 5, Bible in Basic English, BBE).
" Love is never tired of waiting; love is kind; love
has no envy; love has no high opinion of itself, love has no pride;
Love's ways are ever fair, it takes no thought for itself; it is not quickly
made angry, it takes no account of evil;
It takes no pleasure in wrongdoing, but has joy in what is true;
Love has the power of undergoing all things, having faith in all things, hoping
all things." (1Co. 13:4-7, BBE).
"Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory
[empty pride]; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than
themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the
things of others." (Phil. 2:3,4)
Now let us read what the Bible says we are like --
unless we have applied the cure. Reading this can be an upsetting experience,
like being told you've been diagnosed with cancer. So be prepared. This is what
it says:
"the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.
From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but
wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither
bound up, neither mollified [softened] with ointment." (Is. 1:5,6).
"The heart is deceitful above all things, and
desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Je. 17:9).
"For the invisible things of Him from the creation of
the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even
His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that,
when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but
became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of
the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds,
and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to
uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies
between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and
served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For
this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did
change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the
men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward
another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in
themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did
not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate
mind, to do those things which are not convenient; being filled with all
unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of
envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God,
despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable,
unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things
are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do
them." (Ro.1:20-32)
Auschwitz
concentration camp, July 1941.
About 3 p.m. one afternoon, as prisoners dug gravel outside the compound,
sirens began to wail. A prisoner had escaped.
After work the entire camp was forced to stand to attention in the yard. They
were then sent to their bunks with no meal. The following day Block 14 was
commanded to stand all day in the sun. This was the Block from whom the
prisoner had escaped. Several fainted and were left lying on the ground.
At 7 p.m. Lagerfuhrer Fritsch barked "The fugitive has not been found. In
reprisal for your comrade's escape, ten of you will die of starvation. Next
time, it will be twenty."
The terrifying selection began immediately. Fritsch drew out the process by
moving slowly amongst the ranks and every so often indicating his victims.
When the grisly selection had been completed and they were checking the
secretary's list against the numbers on the prisoners, one of them, Francis
Gajowniczek, was sobbing "My wife and my children!" The prison
officers ignored him.
Then suddenly the SS guards watching the Block raised their automatic rifles.
A prisoner in the rear had broken ranks and was moving forward. It was Father
Maximillian Kolbe. Miraculously he was not shot on the spot. He stood at a
respectful distance from Fritsch and looking the commander straight in the eye
said in perfect German, "Herr Kommandant, I wish to make a request
please" "What do you want?" "I want to die in place of
this prisoner," Kolbe said, pointing to Gajowniczek. Fritsch was
speechless and stepped a pace back. Kolbe continued, "I have no wife or
children. Besides, I'm old and not good for anything. He's in better
condition." "Who are you?" Said Fritsch. "A Catholic
priest."
Fritsch was silent then snapped "Request granted." He kicked
Gajowniczek saying, "Back to ranks, you."
Gajowniczek later said, "I was stunned and could hardly grasp what was
going on. The immensity of it, I, the condemned, am to live and someone else
willingly and voluntarily offers his life for me..."6
Gajowniczek's words, and Father Kolbe's actions can help us understand better
the infinitely greater sacrifice made by Christ. The Son of God willingly gave
Himself to suffer and die for the human race -- bearing the guilt of all.
Referring to Christ, the Bible says:
"for our sins He was wounded, and for our evil doings He was crushed: He
took the punishment by which we have peace, and by His wounds we are made
well. We all went wandering like sheep; going every one of us after his
desire; and the Lord put on Him the punishment of us all."
"He took our sins on Himself, giving His body to be
nailed on the tree, so that we, being dead to sin, might have a new life in
righteousness, and by His wounds we have been made well."
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
(Is. 53: 5,6; 1 Pe. 2: 24.BBE; Jn. 3: 16) Why not put your trust in Him today?
Can you see that you have been infected by the illness of
sin? If not, you may have "wax" blocking your spiritual
"ears". This can be removed by sincerely praying to God and
asking Him to show you what you are like. Also, reading Matthew chapters 26 and
27 and Isaiah chapter 53 should help. Then you can try using the spiritual
"stethoscope" again. Depending on how much there is, it can sometimes
take a while for the "wax" to clear. I know it took some time for the
"wax" to clear from my own "ears" when I first started
studying the Bible. I suspect that I had a fair bit that needed removing!
As I said, there is only one cure for this illness. The
illness is so bad, so humanly incurable, that only God
could provide the remedy. This He has willingly done. It can be obtained from
Him free of charge. However, it requires complete dedication and commitment. It
involves a lifelong programme of application and God's instructions need to be
followed carefully.
Jesus Christ is the cure. When He lives and reigns in our
hearts we are, by His grace, set free from the slavery of sin. He enables us to
be kind and loving. Though we may still often make mistakes, our lives have been
turned around from self-centredness to kindness and purity. We are able, day by
day, to grow more like Christ's character. In addition to this, Christ is able
to heal the wounds that sin has caused in our lives. He removes the guilt 1
and bitterness of our past sins. He does all this by virtue of who He is and
what He has done. He lived a perfect life which he offers to us to replace our
own miserable record. He died on the cross to pay the penalty for our
wrong-doings. He rose again from the dead to offer us His presence and power in
our lives and the hope of an eternal, perfect life with Him.
He took our sin-sickness upon Himself and offers us His
sin-free character as a gift. He "took our infirmities, and bare [carried]
our sicknesses." (Mt. 8:17). "He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him;
and with His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have
turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of
us all." (Is. 53:5,6). As one writer has touchingly expressed it: "The
spotless Son of God hung upon the cross, His flesh lacerated with stripes; those
hands so often reached out in blessing, nailed to the wooden bars; those feet so
tireless on ministries of love, spiked to the tree; that royal head pierced by
the crown of thorns; those quivering lips shaped to the cry of woe. And all that
He endured -- the blood drops that flowed from His head, His hands, His feet,
the agony that racked His frame, and the unutterable anguish that filled His
soul at the hiding of His Father's face -- speaks to each child of humanity
declaring, It is for thee that the Son of God consents to bare this burden of
guilt; for thee He spoils the domain of death, and opens the gates of Paradise.
He who stilled the angry waves and walked the foam-capped billows, who made
devils tremble and disease flee, who opened blind eyes and called forth the dead
to life offers Himself upon the cross as a sacrifice, and this from love to
thee. He, the sin-bearer, endures the wrath of Divine justice, and for thy sake
becomes sin itself."2
But the cure must be applied personally and sincerely. Is
Jesus abiding in your heart? Have you been healed and set free from sin? If not,
or you are not sure, why not come to Christ right now, just as you are? You can
pray to Him saying "Lord Jesus I surrender all to You. Thank you for
dying for me. Please cleanse and heal me from sin. Please live in my heart and
strengthen me to do Your will. Please be my Saviour and my Lord now and always.
Thank you". Jesus says: "I have seen his ways, and I will make him
well: I will give him rest, comforting him and his people who are sad... Peace,
peace, to him who is near and to him who is far off, says the Lord; and I will
make him well." (Is. 57:18,19, BBE).
Jesus reaches out His hand to you. He will lead you safely
amid life's problems. You can trust that hand. It was nailed to the cross for
you. No hand is more powerful, more secure. Jesus promises "I will not
send away anyone who comes to me." "Come to me, all you who are
troubled and weighted down with care, and I will give you rest." "For
I, the Lord your God, have taken your right hand in mine, saying to you, Have no
fear; I will be your helper." (Jn. 6: 37; Mt. 11: 28; Is. 41: 13, BBE). His
promises have never failed; they never can fail. Do not depend upon your
feelings but believe His promises and you will experience His presence in your
life and healing from the worst disease on Earth -- sin. Can you hear Him
calling you?
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