Not wanting to hear the truth about our condition

I don't know about you but if I am sick, especially if it seems serious, I would like for the physician to tell me what's wrong and what my options are for treatment. I would rather know the truth about my condition so that I look at the situation realistically and to see what I can do about it.

I am sure most of you agree with me on this. But to hear the truth is not fun especially when the prognosis is not favorable or very optimistic. If there would be a way to avoid hearing the truth and for the condition to somehow go away, that would be great. But without hearing the truth about our condition, how can we get the appropriate help? Ignoring the problem will not make it disappear, unfortunately.

So we usually don't want to hear the truth because:

1. We are afraid of realizing how serious it is and the prognosis might not be favorable
2. The treatment might involve a change in lifestyle which we might not like

• We are afraid of realizing how serious it is and the prognosis might not be favorable

When it comes to physical illnesses, usually the more serious the condition like cancer, the more rigorous the treatment. The treatment like chemotherapy can be hard especially on a body that is already down from the effects of the cancer. But even after the treatment and all that can be done, the prognosis is not always favorable. 

With our disease of the soul, sin, if left untreated we will surely die just like most of the serious physical conditions. The sin disease is terminal and so if left untreated it will result in death as is written;

[23] For the wages of sin is death; Romans 6:23.

For such a serious disease which will surely result in death if left untreated, the prognosis is excellent if we are healed by the Great Physician Christ as is written;

[16] 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.
[17] For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. John 3:16, 17.

The healing procedure is not taxing like the treatments for serious physical conditions and the prognosis is excellent with those that are healed living forever. All that the healing procedure involves is to believe in the Physician's ability to heal us. We can not heal ourselves but He can heal us by His power working in us. All we have to do is:

[29] ...This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. John 6:29.

His work:

[13] For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Philippians 2:13.

If we believe, He works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure. He works in us that our will is according to His will, so that we can do what pleases Him. That's how He heals us and helps us to do His will.

• The treatment might involve a change in lifestyle which we might not like

Treatment usually involves changes to lifestyle because there might be habits which work against the healing process that might be indulged in. The only way for the process to be successful would be stop those habits and thus make lifestyle changes. Without making the changes, the effort to heal the individual will be in vain.

The same is true for our spiritual condition. Our will wants things to work our way but what if our will is working against the efforts of the Physician Christ to heal us? The two are incompatible and one will have to win but both cannot coexist. Either we hold on to our will and thus our sickness, sin, or we allow His will to be done which is to heal us.

Our will indulges in sin which is the very thing Christ is trying to heal us from. The only way is for His will to be done in our lives. But it is a choice we have to make for His will to be done and not ours in our lives. Only when our will dies and His will done in our lives can He work in us to will and to do of His good pleasure. All it takes on our part for Him to work in us is to believe.

But for our will to not be done in our lives, it has to die and the only way for this to be done is by the cross as we see in the following passages:

[24] Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. Matthew 16:24.

To deny ourselves is to deny our will. Our will wants our way so denying it means not having our way. The cross is how the old man dies and is how our will dies. When we follow Him His will is now being done and not ours.

[20] I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20.

Our will dies when we are crucified with Christ but the life we live from then on is Christ living in us. We live life from then on by faith and since we are living by His power, it is not our will also but His that will be done.

So Christ hopes:

[17] That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; Ephesians 3:17

Dwelling in our hearts by faith is how He works in us to will and to do of His good pleasure. When our will is still working in us before we are crucified with Him, it works against Him because:

[21] And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled. Colossians 1:21.

[10] For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. Romans 5:10.

When our will is done:

[7] ... the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Romans 8:7.

Our will is at odds with God and the only way He can heal us is for it to be taken away. We always talk about Gods will but what exactly is it?

[38] For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
[39] And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
[40] And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:38-40.

The Lord's will which works in us to will and to do of His good pleasure works for our healing because Hid desire is that all who believe on Christ will be healed and so raised up when He returns, to Eternal life. His will is our salvation. Our will works against our salvation because it leads us to sin.

His will is our salvation and therefore it is for us to not only be healed from our sins, but also to help us to stop sinning. That is the Lord's will. 

So just as not wanting to let go of darling habits which work against the healing of our physical diseases, hinders the healing process; even holding on to our will hinders our healing from sin. Only when we die with Him and He raises us by His power to a new life can His will be done in our lives which is our salvation.

They that be whole need not a physician but they that are sick pt 3

Healing is for those who are sick not the well. And from the previous post we realized that though Christ said He came to heal the sick, to call the sinners to repentance, we are all in need of healing because we are all sinners. He said that because He knew that there might be some who think otherwise or would not acknowledge that they are sick and in need of healing. 


There are a few things to note about Christ's miracles of healing. Those he healed:

1. They realized their need to be healed
2. Those He healed had heard word about what He was doing and believed that He could heal them
3. He was busy and they realized that if they let Him pass by without healing them, their opportunity to be healed might be lost
4. He told them to sin no more

Let us look at each one in detail

• They realized their need to be healed

“And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.” Mark 1:40

People with the most debilitating conditions sought Christ to be healed. The more debilitating their condition, the more desperate they were for Him to heal them. 

The fact that they were utterly helpless in those days in dealing with most diseases made Christ's work of healing the sick all the more vivid. And He went above and beyond healing everything and even things that can not be dealt with today though we have all this technology and advancement in the medical field. People with all kinds of illnesses like Leprosy and all manner of disabilities sought Him because they recognized that here was someone who had the power to do so.

[25] And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,
[26] And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, Mark 5:25, 26.

The lady with the issue is a good example of desperation. She had spent all her life savings and been to all the physicians she could consult and it did not help anything. She heard about Christ the Great Physician and sought Him.

Just as those who had the worst conditions desperately sought Him to be healed, it is the same for us. He who thinks their condition is terrible and that they are so sinful and unforgivable are the very ones he came to heal. All of us are sinful and so no matter how sinful you think you have been, He can forgive just as He healed all those with conditions which seemed impossible to overcome. It was a miracle for them and so it can be for us. 

There are some who are desperate and in bondage. Maybe it is gambling, sex addiction, pornography, prescription or recreational drugs, alcohol, eating, you name it. Or it could be things that are not taken seriously like gossip, lying, and so on. These are just a few examples of things which are great burdens and those in bondage can not stop indulging in them. Maybe you have tried everything to stop and spent money, gone to rehab, you name it, but are still in bondage.

The greater the burden from which those whom He healed were delivered, the more appreciative they were of what He had done and even it is the same for us as is written;

[47] Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

[48] And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. Luke 7:47, 48.

So, no matter how bad or sinful or terrible you are He can heal you too if you ask Him. If He can heal anything, He can heal you and take away your guilt and carry your burden of sin as is written;

[28] Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
[29] Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Matthew 11:28, 29.

• They had heard about Him

Christ moved from place to place healing people with all manner of disabilities and illnesses. He spent more time healing than He actually did preaching. His healing power in itself was in itself a confirmation of His words, that He came to give us life and that we might have it abundantly.

He did great things and the people He healed or who saw Him perform these miracles told others and soon multitudes would come to him from other towns seeking to be healed as we see in the following verses:

[27] And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.
[28] And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee.

[37] And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee. Mark 1:27, 28 and 37.

[15] But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities. Luke 5:15.

[17] And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;
[18] And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed.
[19] And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all. Luke 6:17-19.

These people realized their need to be healed and in their desperation sought to touch Him. Faith was born in their hearts when they heard about His power to heal any malady. The news from other towns where He had been spread to surrounding cities and the multitudes from all these places sought him.

It is important to note something here. The multitudes where desperate and needed to be healed. When they heard about the miracles Christ the Physician was performing, that He was helping anyone and everyone and healing all manner of diseases, disabilities and even those possesed with demons, faith was born in their hearts. They believed that though they were in bad shape and desperatley needed to be healed, here was one who could heal them. No matter how serious or incurable the problem, people believed based on the news they had heard about Him. The news of what He was doing was good news indeed if one was 

[14] “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” Romans 10:14.

How could they call on Him whom they have not believed? And how could they believe in him whom they had not heard about? And how could they hear unless someone told them about His healing power? Faith was born in their hearts once they heard about His power and they believed that if He healed all those other people, he could heal them also as is written,

[17] So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17.

The word they heard about Him was good news indeed because they had resigned themselves to their conditions. Some of them like the woman with the issue of blood had given up on getting well or having a normal life because of their conditions. To hear of someone who could actually do something about their conditions was good news indeed.

Likewise it is for us. We are sick with sin and the Good News is that there is someone who can heal us and restore us to what He would have us to be. That is why they were miracles for them. They are miracles for us to be delivered from our bondages because we can not deliver ourselves, so it is Good News indeed. But how can we call on Him if we do not even know or realize that we are sick? In the previous post we saw the symptoms of sin and how none of us are exempt from them for we do some of those things at one time or another on a daily basis. 

So when we do acknowledge that we are sick with this sickness of the soul, sin, then can the Physician heal us. And remember, this sickness is terminal unless we are healed because:

[23] For the wages of sin is death; ...Romans 6:23.

We can call on Him only when we have heard about the Great Physician. We have heard the Good News in His Word that:

[15] That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
[16] 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.
[17] For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. John 3:15-17.

Only when we confess that we are sick can He heal us as is written:

[9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9.

There was a condition to their being healed. They had to believe and so it was done unto them as is written;

[28] And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.
[29] Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. Matthew 9:28, 29.

Without faith, they would not be healed. They had to believe and that was the only condition for them to be healed. Without believeing that he would heal them, nothing would change. Only if they believed would they be healed.

It is the same for us. Only if we believe that He can forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness can He do it. The healing takes place when we believe.

• They realized that if they let Him pass by, their chance for Him to heal them might be lost

[37] And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee.
[38] And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth. Mark 1:37, 38.

[42] And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them.
[43] And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent. Luke 4:42, 43.

When Christ healed people, He would sometimes tarry for days in a place because there would be so much work to be done. But He had other places to go and more people to heal and teach also. Everywhere he went there would not only be local people but also people who would come from nearby places who would have heard about Him. He was always busy and many thronged Him to get as close as they could for Him to heal them.

Because He was so busy and had other places to go, there would be a chance that one might not be healed who needed it. It would be a pity to let the only one who can relieve any malady to pass by and not be healed. The chance might be forever lost because the probability that He would pass by those cities again was slim, and even if he did, one might not get the chance to get close again so that He could heal.

It is the same for us. Christ the Great Physician is available today and is within reach for Him to heal us from our sins. So while He is passing by, while he is still within reach, let us ask him to heal us as is written;

[15] While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts Hebrews 3:15.

Harden not your heart when you hear the Word, the Good News that He has come to heal you. You are sick and He would like to heal you, if you let Him. He can not force Himself on us to heal us if we choose not to. While it is today and while He is still within reach, harden not your hearts. He is here today but you might not be here tommorow. If you are not here tommorow, how can He heal you? While it is today and while He is available and we are available, let us not let this opportunity pass us by as is written;

[9] The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9.

While He is passing by, He is giving us time because He is not willing that any should perish but He will not do that forever, and we are not going to be around forver. The opportunity we pass up today, to repent and be healed we might not have tommorow because we might die, anything can happen to hinder us from getting this healing and we are advised not to put off till tommorow what we can do today. While it is today, let us not harden our hearts but let us seek His healing so that we can live, for the illness which we have of the soul is unto death as the wages of sin are death.

• Go and sin no more

When Christ healed, He instructed them to sin no more. This shows how He was pointing to a deeper healing, that of the soul. Through healing of the body, He hoped that the people would realize how it was a type of the healing which he desires for us of the soul. Yes the healing of the body was good, but what profit is it if when we are healed in the body, lose our souls. He was pointing to the healing of the soul, as is written;

[63] It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63.

All these things are more importantly for the soul's benefit. The body He can heal to give us relief but He hopes that in it, we can see that He has power to heal the soul. If He can us of any physical condition, He can do the same for the soul, no matter how sinful one's life has been. He healed incurable, severe conditions and disabilities, and so he can do the same for the soul. No matter how sinful you can think you are or that maybe your sins are unforgivable, He can heal anything and so He can heal you too no matter how incurable you think your soul is.

So the healing of the body gives us temprorary benefit but He would rather have us appreciate the fact that if He can heal any physical malady, He can do the same for the soul. A physical disease can destroy only the body, but the disease of the soul, sin, can lead to destruction of both the body and the soul, as is written;

[28] And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28.

So as much as physical diseases are terrible, even if they kill us, as long as the soul is healed we will be fine when He ressurects us to Eternal life but if we are not healed of the sickness of the soul, then we will surely die as the wages of sin are death.

So when He heals us, He would not want us to return to sin again as is written;

[14] Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. John 5:14.

We will see at another time how when He has made us whole by healing us of our sins and cleansing us from all our unrighteousness, He can help us by His power to stop sinning. Only by His power can we stop sinning.

They that be whole need not a physician but they that are sick pt 2

Last time, we saw that symptoms are our best friend. They show us our condition that we are sick and in need of healing. Those who are sick are the ones who seek a physician not the well. Christ came for those who have the sickness of sin. Those are the ones He came to heal as He is the great and True Physician.

So those who seek Him to heal them are the ones who realize they are sinners as is written;

[12] But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
[13] But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Matthew 9:12, 13.

If sinners are the ones Christ came to heal, that means sin is a disease of the soul so to speak. Since it is a disease, it has symptoms like a physical disease. So, what are the symptoms of the sin disease?

[1] Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem.
[2] And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.
[3] For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.
[4] And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.
[5] Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?...

[14] And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand:
[15] There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.
[16] If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
[17] And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.
[18] And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him;
[19] Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?
[20] And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
[21] For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
[22] Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
[23] All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

These are the symptoms of sin. They manifest our sinful nature. When we see ourselves doing these things, they show that we are sick with the disease of sin. These are the symptoms of our sinful nature. 

[20] ...by the law is the knowledge of sin. Romans 3;20

The Law, the 10 commandments, show us what love is. Breaking the law is sin and so breaking the law is not love for love is the fulfilling of the law.

[36] Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
[37] Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
[38] This is the first and great commandment.
[39] And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
[40] On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

All the commandments hang on these 2 because the first 4 are love for God and the last 6 love for man. But by the commandments or the Law we know what is sin. The law is a reminder as to how we are supposed to relate to God and to our neighbour.

[10] Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Romans 13;10.

So when we do not the symptoms of sin, we are not working ill to our neighbour and so we are fulfilling the Law. The symptoms of sin are a manifestation of our sinful nature which shows how we do not relate to God as we should or to others as He would have us to as we see in the following passages:

[29] Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
[30] Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
[31] Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
[32] 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. Romans 1:29-32.

[19] Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
[20] Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
[21] Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21.

[1] This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
[2] For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
[3] Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
[4] Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
[5] Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 2 Timothy 3:1-5.

Doing all these things is sin because all these things work ill towards another and so is not fulfilling the Law which tells us to love our neighbour.

Christ came for those who are sinners, for those who are sick with the sin disease. He came for those who do the above things and acknowledge that they do these things. Those are the ones He came to heal. In the verse we saw earlier, we saw that Christ came for those who are sinners and not the righteous implying that there are some who are righteous who might not need Him to heal them. But:

[10] ... it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: Romans 3:10

Being the True Physician, He is the only one who can diagnose us and thus treat us. He is the only one who can diagnose us because He can see our hearts and so He is the one who is also worthy to judge us. We judge a book by its cover but He judges based on what he sees in the heart not the outside, as is written;

[7] ...Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7.

I don't know about you but I would like to go to a physician who can help me with a problem provided he/she can figure out what my problem is in the first place. If they can diagnose my problem, then they know exactly what to do to solve the problem. To further illustrate how Christ diagnoses us, let's see the following passage:

[9] And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
[10] Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
[11] The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
[12] I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
[13] And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
[14] I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Luke 18:9-14.

The irony in this parable is interesting. There are two extremes. One is a pharisee and the other a publican (sinner). One is a professor of religion and the other not. One is self righteous and the other realizes that he is far from being righteous. The self righteous puts his trust in his works and thinks that those works will commend him in God's sight. The one who acknowledges his unrighteousness realizes that he is nothing and has nothing to commend him to God, and sees himself unworthy to even ask for forgiveness. The self righteous one because of his works which he thinks can commend him to God sees himself as better than the publican or more worthy than he. And yet the publican was justified and not the pharisee. The publican realized how sick he was with the disease of sin and asked to be healed and he was. The other, because he was self righteous and trusted in his works and even compared himself to the publican being better in his own eyes, did not acknowledge that he was sick. His prayer was all about how better he was than others and how much good he does but nothing about he needs to be healed, and yet his prayer was more than enough evidence to God who reads hearts that he was just as in need of healing as the publican. He did not ask for healing and so his sickness, sin remained. The publican asked to be healed and it was granted him because he went home justified.

If there is none righteous, no not one, that means Christ came for all of us. So when He says He came for the sinners not the righteous, He means that though we are all sinners, there are some who might not acknowledge that they are sinners or that they are sick with the disease of sin but it is written;

[8] If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
[9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
[10] If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 1 John 1:8-10.

Just as for one to be healed from a physical illness, they have to acknowledge that they are sick to begin with. If we are in denial that we have a problem, we will not go to the physician because we think we do not need to. Not going to the physician means no healing and so the disease remains. Denial that we are sick with this disease of sin means that the sickness remains.

The problem is that not being healed from the sin disease means death because;

[23] For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23.

So all humanity has this disease because:

[12] Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: Romans 5:17.

By Adam's offence, sin came upon all of us and death with it because we have all sinned. 

[19] For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Romans 5:19.

If by Adam's disobedience we inherited the sinful nature and are sinners as a result, by Christ's obedience we will be made righteous.

We will see at another time how the healing takes place and how Christ's obedience we can also become righteous.

 So we are all sick with this disease. We all need to be healed. Christ can not heal us unless we realize our true condition and seek Him to heal us. Without acknowledgement on our part, he can not force us to be healed. Only when we realize that we are sick, and feel the need to be healed can he heal us.

They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. pt 1

In one of the earlier posts I talked about symptoms being our best friend.


They show us that there is a compromise in our health, that something is amiss. Without them we would not know that we have a problem. Without symptoms we can die slowly from a disease without realizing it. I don't know about you but I would want to know if I have something serious taking place in my body so that I can deal with it in time and while I still have a chance to possibly stop and maybe even reverse the process.


So if you are well or think you are well, you don't need to see a physician because there is no problem or seems to be no problem. When you start having symptoms of an illness is when you decide to consult a physician. But there are also times when we might have symptoms but not recognize them as symptoms. The symptoms might just come to be accepted as natural or normal, but nevertheless they are still symptoms.


So it is a blessing to be able to realize that we are sick through symptoms or to be able to identify what we might not think to be symptoms as that. In the following passage, we see why symptoms are important.


[10] And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.
[11] And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?
[12] But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
[13] But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Matthew 9:1-13.


Christ sat with publicans and sinners and that offended the pharisees. In their profession of righteousness or self righteousness, they felt that they were better than everyone else. But in God's eyes we are all sinners whether we profess religion or not, and God knows our hearts as is written;


[7] But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7.


Based on outward appearance the pharisee appears righteous compared to the one who professes no religion and lives a life of open sin. The pharisee forgot that 


[23] For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:23.


He was included in the "all" which encompasses all humanity, pharisee and publican alike. 


Christ then says they that are whole need not a physician but they that are sick. The publicans realized their "sick" sinful state and knew that in their presence was one who could heal them of this sickness, even the great Physician Christ himself. They sat with Him because they realized they were sick with sin.


The pharisees on the other hand because they professed religion and were self righteous did not see the need to sit with the Physician Christ. Since they considered themselves righteous, they did not think themselves sick with sin. They felt no need to be healed because they thought themselves to be whole.


So Christ came for the sick, those who like the publicans realize that they are sinful and need to be healed of this sickness of the soul, sin. Those who are sick seek a Physician, but those who are well need not one. The self righteous feel well, spiritually and so do not feel the need to be healed of sin, because they don't realize that they are also sinful, we are all sinful.


So Christ came for the sinners, the sick and not for the righteous or whole spiritually as they have no need for Him. Are you well, or are you sick? We are all sick because we are all sinful whether we acknowledge it or not but to be healed by the True Physician Christ, we have to acknowledge that we are sick like the publicans and need to be healed. He can not force His healing procedures upon us, but we have to acknowledge that we are sick, and ask Him to be healed. 


So Christ came to call the sinners to repentance and not the righteous. He doesn't need to heal the righteous because they are whole already and don't need His service, but we know that:


[10] As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: Romans 3:10.


So we all need to be healed because we have all sinned and fallen short of God's glory. Only when we acknowledge that we are sick with sin can He heal us of our sins.

What scares me about marraige and what I've just learned pt 1

Today as I was going through the usual round of activities, I thought about something. Actually I think about this more often than not. I am realizing more and more everyday that I may actually be a bit paranoid about marriage. But today was different because I realized something which might be a breakthrough in itself for me, hopefully.

My parents divorced when I was young so I did not grow up with an optimistic view on the outcome of marriage.

I will just list my fears of marriage before we go into the things I realized today.

1. Fear of falling out of love
2. Fear to be unfaithful to my spouse.
3. That I might be the one who makes the union difficult
4. That life's challenges may take their toll on marriage and hence end it

I will dissect each fear and hopefully you will see what i have seen also.

1. Fear of falling out of love

I think I am like most people and most if not all of us enjoy the feeling of being in love. I wish it would always be that way but unfortunately that's not how life works in many cases. It's easy to fall in love but it takes work to stay in love. To be able to feel the same about a person ages later, to love them just as much as in the beginning of the relationship seems like something that fades with time. So one of my great fears is to fall out of love. 

Our relationship with God is prone to the same problem. Just as when you meet someone special and are "high" on love, the same goes for when we "meet" God. When we realize what we've been missing and finally give our life to God, it is a great place to be. My experience was like that and I remember learning things about God that I didn't know before. I liken it to this feeling or high of falling in love. It is very intense in the beginning but then as time goes the flame starts burning dimly until it goes out. We start of with Him very zealous and are excited to be His children but as time goes we get used to Him and His Word and start taking Him for granted. The things that used to excite us about Him stop exciting us.

When we fall in love with God so to speak we hope to be with Him forever. Just like a marriage, we say our vows to love Him with all our hearts and to love our neighbour as ourselves.

But somewhere along the way we go from love for Him from the heart to a round of ceremonialism and might even end up going to church not because we truly want to worship Him but to register our attendance, to please the people at church so that they see that we are attending church. We go through the motions but our hearts are not really there. At that juncture we would have fallen out of love with Him, though by our profession we make the world to believe that we are still madly in love with Him. And this seems to happen even in relationships between people. They start to take each other for granted. We become used to God and start taking Him for granted.

Just as easy as it is to fall out of love with another, it is just as easy to fall out of love with God. Since we see here that it is so easy to fall out of love with God and He is love, the power for us to love is in Him, likewise for us to love a spouse we have to stay in love with God. When we fall out of love with Him, we are powerless to love our spouses or any other person in our own strength. It takes work and that work is to remain connected to Him.


If He started our journey of faith He can help us to love Him. We can not love Him in our own strength but by believing in His power, we can love because


[13] For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Philipians 2:13.


[2] Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; Hebrews 12:2. 


So for us to love a spouse and to stay in love is by God's power working in us to will and to do of His good pleasure which is for us to love one another and to love Him. So by abiding in Him we can love for God is love.


It takes work to stay in love with God, but it is not a work we do on our part or in our own strength. It is hard if not impossible for us to love God on our own and likewise for us to love a spouse. We get weary loving one another, how can we love God whom we have not seen as is written:


[20] If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 1 John 4:20


[8] He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
[16] And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 1 John 4:8, 16.

So even though we get weary and we get tired from the labor of "keeping the fire burning", He has promised to give us Rest as is written:

[28] Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

[29] Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Matthew 11:28, 29. 

So for us to stay in love with God and with a spouse seems impossible for us in the flesh but with Him it is possible as is written:

[26] With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. Matthew 19:26.

So we can rest in Him from our labors, our efforts to love Him with all our hearts and to love our spouse, and our neighbor as we love ourselves. Even though it seems impossible, it is when we try in our own strength but if He works in us by our resting in Him, we can love. And when He helps us to love Him whom we have not seen, He will also help us to love the significant other whom we have seen.

• Fear of being unfaithful

[23] Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) Hebrews 10:23.

To be faithful is not easy. Usually we hope that a spouse will not be unfaithful by cheating on us but do we ever take the time to think that we could be the ones to do so? A lot of times we always think of us being the victim but what if we are the ones who cheat and are responsible for the disharmony in the marriage. It is easier to blame someone else but  what if we are the ones to blame. When we are the victim we can hold the other party responsible but what about when we are the ones guilty of being unfaithful?

Well, the same goes for our union with God. The only difference is that He is perfect and He always does His part of keeping the marriage to Him going. It is usually us who fail Him. It is usually us who cheat Him and are unfaithful to Him. In our marriage to Christ we can not blame anyone but ourselves if it fails because He has done all He can to make it work and even bears with us when He is justified to leave us. He remains faithful but we are unfaithful to Him as is written:


[3] But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil. 2 Thessalonians 3:3.

[13] If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself. 2 Timothy 2:13.

• Fear of being the one who makes the union difficult

This one is kind of similar to the previous point. My understanding of marriage is that it is mutual and so it is unhealthy when it's one sided. It's one thing when both sides are being difficult but what if it's one party that is making life difficult? What if you are the one who is making life difficult? I am human and so I'm not immune from being stubborn, selfish, wanting things my way and no other way and so on. All these traits are common to all of us and indulging in them makes marriage difficult not only to the other person but also to God.

Again this happens in our union with God. He is perfect and does His part. When our relationship with Him starts failing it is not because He has failed but because we are failing on our part. We make things difficult and even then He is patient and suffers long with us. He does not give up on us but we give up on our part, and yet we are the difficult party. Are we hurting God by our being stubborn, wanting to have it our way and no other way? He is the epitomy of patience but even He can be grieved and give up if we are stuck in ourselves and only want our way when it comes to Him. 


[6] For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
[7] For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
[8] But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 
[10] For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.Romans 5:6-8, 10.


If God loved us while we were His enemies and rebels against Him, and suffers long with us when we wrong Him, should we continue in rebellion? If we choose not to sin anymore and to follow Him, to give up our will so that not our will but His is done in our lives, can we continue to sin or to have our way? When we are self centered and self willed, unyielding under no circumstances whatsoever but demanding our way and no other way in a marriage, it will definitely suffer. The same will injure our relationship with Christ. If we entertain the same spirit with Christ, we will be responsible for failure of our union to Him. 


If Christ humbled Himself though being God, who are we that we should only have our way, that things should revolve around us and be only about us? 


[3] Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
[4] Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
[5] Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
[6] Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
[7] But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:[8] And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.


If Christ:


[15] Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
[16] For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
[17] And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. Colossians 1:15-17.


  humbled himself, who are we to hold on to pride and to be self willed? By entertaining that spirit we hurt not only a spouse but Christ himself who died for our sins and by being difficult because of this, a marriage whether to the spouse or to God is bound to have problems.

• Fear that life's challenges can take their toll on marriage

[33] These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33.

[4] For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 1 John 5:4.

As I said I am a bachelor but I'm driven to think about all these things because I hope to do my part as God would have me to and to leave the rest to Him. I hear that there are a lot of things that can test a marriage like financial problems and so on. If there are no tests and there seems to be bliss, does that mean that the marriage is good? it is unfortunate that as human beings, our fidelity to anything cannot be proven by words alone but actions. It's one thing for me to say I will do something and it's another for me to actually do what I said I would do. Actions speak louder than words and so enduring trials is different from actually promising to endure them like when people vow that "in sickness or in health, poverty or in wealth, till death do us part." 

Again, we vow to God when we are baptized that we are leaving the old life behind and that we are to live a new life. But we can not do it in our own strength and neither can we overcome trials in our own strength. When we choose to be married to Christ by being crucified to self, we vow to live a new life with Him and by His power, "in sickness or in health, poverty or in wealth, till death do us part." To think that marriage is easy is like thinking that the new life with Christ is going to be easy. He has already told us that there will be trials in our new life but they are to test our faith and make us better individuals as is written:


[6] Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
[7] That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
[8] Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
[9] Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:6-9.


If trials are meant to deepen our trust in God and strengthen our bond to Him, they can do the same for marriages, if we can bear them. Just as the relationship between a man and a woman is, so is that between Christ and us.

I drew comparisons between the 2 things so that both can be better appreciated.

All who love God have a desire to put Him first and to follow Him all the rest of their lives. In our marriage to Him, we desire to endure the trials, and to stay in love with Him. 

• We want to stay in love with Him all the days of our lives
• We want to be faithful to Him no matter what
• We do not want to be responsible for any failure in the relationship
• We do not want the trials of life to separate us from Him but rather to drive us even closer to Him

The same goes for marriages between people. 

• We all want to stay in love all the days of our lives
• We want to be faithful to our spouses no matter what
• We do not want to be the ones causing difficulty in the marriage
• We do not want the trials of life to separate us but rather to strengthen the bond of marriage

Thought I should share this today. It's been burning on my mind all day. It is a breakthrough because now I have optimism about marraige in that I liken it to my own relationship with God. God does His part and I hope to stay in love with Him, to be faithful as a servant in His house, to not be stuck in myself and be stubborn making my relationship with Him difficult and that by His strength I can endure the trials life brings me which are meant to strengthen my faith and thus my bond to Him.

Enough for today. God Bless