The answer to this question can be found in the news
that is aired over the media. We hear of earthquakes, floods, and other
terrible events without any let up. We hear of suicide bombings,
terrorist attacks, wars and conflicts. Weapons of mass destruction have
been developed and multiplied to such an extent that the threat of total
annihilation has become real today. There are also the usual daily
reports of crimes like robberies, murders, embezzlement and fraud.
What the media does not tell you is that the root
cause of all these things is SIN. Although people do not like to talk
about sin, there is no subject that we need to be more concerned about
than this one. The world we live in is a world of sin, and all the
problems of life in it are really the horrible effects of sin. Broken
relationships, broken families, lives that are wrecked by pain, sickness
and the grim reality of death - all these would not exist if sin had not
come into this world.
Those of us who know someone who has suffered from
cancer would understand that it is an extremely debilitating disease.
Millions are still being spent on medical research to find a cure for
cancer. Although there has been some success from chemotherapy or
radiotherapy for certain types of cancers, no definitive affordable cure
has been found yet. And so for the vast majority, a diagnosis of cancer
is a most frightening prospect.
The Spiritual Cancer Called Sin
As terrible as cancer is, SIN is a far more serious
and more debilitating disease for which no man-made cure can ever been
found. It has destroyed billions of lives and brought a far worse end
than physical death. It has in fact sent countless souls to an eternity
in endless torment and suffering.
The symptoms of this disease can easily be seen in
daily life, in the common attitudes of hatred, anger, jealousy, greed,
pride and lust. Some have tried to find ways to suppress these attitudes
or at least, to limit their expression. Some thought that education is
the answer, but alas, even the best educated person can commit the worst
crimes! Some years ago there was a kidnapping case in the local news and
the mastermind was found to have several academic degrees! Some believe
that thorough rehabilitation of delinquents and criminals can deliver
society from the evils of sin. But after years of implementing this, the
success rate is not encouraging – many go right back to their old sins
and crimes again.
Whatever methods man has tried to remove sin
eventually fail because they only treat the problem superficially. They
do not deal with the root of the problem: the malignant spiritual cancer
of sin that resides deep within the heart of every person. Everyone who
has this spiritual cancer will meet an end that is much worse than the
pain and suffering of cancer patients in hospitals. The sinner suffers
alone for ever in the eternal flames of hell. The horrible suffering
endured in hell will convince anyone who knows about it to do everything
he can, and give everything he has, to find the cure for sin.
Jesus Died to Give The Cure for Sin
This is the reason why Jesus gave His life for you:
to give you the effective cure for your sin. Only His cure can deal
completely with the spiritual cancer of sin. His treatment is most
comprehensive: He removes the cancer and replaces it with His own
righteousness. His blood cleanses the sinner completely from all sin, so
that he will stand faultless under the close scrutiny of God. He takes
away the turmoil and fears that sin produces, and replaces them with the
peace that passes all understanding. The cure that Jesus gives is so
effective to deal with the spiritual cancer of sin, that those who
receive it have full remission!
Dear Reader, if you have not availed yourself of this
cure yet, we most heartily recommend it for you. You have the guarantee
of God Himself that it will work most effectively to deal with your
spiritual cancer. There is no better cure for sin than this. In fact
there is no other cure beside this one. This is because the only way
that a cure for sin can be made, is through death, and not the death of
any ordinary person. The one who dies must be totally sinless, and not
infected with sin at all. The one who dies must also have infinite
worth, in order to make sufficient atonement for the sins of the world.
Jesus is the only One who has met both of these
conditions. Because He is God, and because He is perfectly sinless, He
is able to die for all of us. And this is what He did about two thousand
years ago on the cross at Calvary. He endured the whole ordeal of being
tried, whipped, beaten and nailed to the cross. He was wrongfully
treated as a condemned criminal and unjustly killed for claiming to be
the Son of God – the truth that was substantiated by the many miracles
He performed.
Those who crucified Jesus were clearly manifesting
their spiritual cancer of sin. It was the root of all their hatred,
dishonesty, lies, and cruelty toward Him. Thus, Jesus became a victim of
man’s sin. But the wonder of it all is that by becoming the victim
of man’s sin, Jesus became the cure for man’s sin. All that He
suffered at the hands of men was designed to be OUR punishment for sin.
This is why the Bible says in Isaiah 53:4,5, "He hath borne our
griefs, and carried our sorrows… He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was
upon Him." Jesus died on our behalf. His suffering and death paid
the full penalty for our sins, giving us now the perfect cure for sin.
How do we know that this cure actually works? Because
God set His seal of approval on it by resurrecting Jesus from the dead.
The Bible tells us of this miraculous event: After being dead for three
days, Jesus came back to life, never to die again. He appeared to many
people in His resurrected state: According to 1 Corinthians 15:5, he was
seen by Peter and by the twelve disciples, and then by more than 500
people at one time. They not only saw Him, but heard Him, touched Him
and ate with Him as well. The evidence of the empty tomb and all of
these appearances leave no doubt that Jesus is now alive and well!
Jesus Lives to Apply The Cure for Sin
The fact that Jesus lives is most important for the
application of the cure for sin. What would be the use of the cure, if
Jesus is still dead? How will sinners obtain the cure they need, if
there is none to apply it to them? A Saviour who is dead cannot save!
But because He is a living Saviour Jesus is now able to apply the cure
for sin effectively to all who turn to Him in repentance.
When we turn to Jesus, all our sins are removed
because He has already paid the penalty for them by His death. But after
that, He also works in our life to transform us from within, because He
lives right within us. Galatians 2:20 tells us: "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."
Dear Reader, Jesus not only died to save you from
dying of spiritual cancer. He now lives forever to apply His salvation
to you! He loves you, and wants you to turn to Him. Turn to Him now, if
you have not done this yet. If you turn to Jesus now with all your
heart, He will not only give you life, but abundant life: "I am come
that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."
(John 10:10) This is a life that is filled to overflowing with
spiritual blessings because it is life with Jesus Himself who lives
within you, a life that continues into eternity, when you will be
forever with Him in heaven.
Do Not Delay to Be Cured of Sin
There is absolutely nothing better in life than to be
saved from your sins and live with Jesus in your life. And the best part
of salvation is that it is free. You do not need to pay anything for it.
The Bible tells us that there is nothing we can do to earn salvation.
All your good works avail nothing, because they cannot meet God’s
righteous standards of goodness. We are all unworthy sinners, with
nothing good in us to merit God’s regard for us. Salvation can never be
purchased. It can only be received as a free gift from God.
Do you know that God had every right to let you
remain in your state of sin, and do nothing at all to save you? But the
Bible tells us that He loved us so much that He was moved to save us.
"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." (John 3:16).
How should you respond to this? If you are a sinner
and you realize that you need the cure for your spiritual cancer, then
there can be only one appropriate response: Come to the Lord Jesus
Christ without delay and ask Him to save you now. Do not wait any
further to do this, because there may not be much time left for you.
Death can overtake you at any time. It would be a mistake to think that
you still have plenty of time left to turn to Jesus – you may not!
Please regard your salvation as a very urgent matter.
If you were to die right now without turning to Jesus, you are certain
to suffer eternal death in hell. There is no way out of this end once
you are there. But if you turn to Jesus now, and ask Him to save you by
His death on the cross, you will immediately be saved. Listen to the
words of Jesus who said: "All that the Father giveth Me shall come to
Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.... Come to Me,
all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
(John 6:37; Matthew 11:28). Will you come to Him now? –CS
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