Thoroughly Diseased by Sin

[KenH]

"Who forgiveth all thine iniquities;
Who healeth all thy diseases;
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction;
Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies" - Psalms 103:3-4

Some people are full of disease, like the man spoken of in the gospel, “full of leprosy” (Luke 5:12); their whole system and constitution thoroughly vitiated by hereditary complaints. So sin has thoroughly diseased us, poisoned our very blood. It has diseased our understanding, so as to disable it from receiving the truth; it has diseased our conscience, so as to make it dull and heavy, and undiscerning of right and wrong; it has diseased our imagination, polluting it with every idle, foolish, and licentious fancy; it has diseased our memory, making it swift to retain what is evil, slow to retain what is good; it has diseased our affections, perverting them from all that is heavenly and holy, and fixing them on all that is earthly and vile.

- excerpt from a sermon preached by J.C. Philpot on June 13, 1865, at Providence Chapel, Oakham

 

[KenH]

More from Philpot's sermon:

"But how does he heal these diseases? He heals them chiefly by subduing them; for in this life they are never thoroughly healed. The promise runs—”He will subdue our iniquities.” (Micah 6:7.) To subdue them is to restrain their power. Thus he sees one suffering under the power of unbelief. He gives him faith; this subdues his unbelief. Here is another poor languid patient, dying of exhaustion—he gives him strength. Here is a third mourning under his corruptions—he gives a drop of his blood to purge his conscience, and a taste of his love to warm his heart. He sees a fourth crying under the strong assaults of Satan—with one look Satan flies and the soul is set free. Thus with infinite wisdom blended with infinite love and power, he passes on from bed to bed of every sick patient, administering health wherever he goes.

O what a blessed thing it is to know something of having our diseases healed; that there is one who can sympathize with his poor afflicted people, who can stretch forth his hand to heal, or apply a word suitable to their case! With infinite skill and power, this blessed physician has a remedy for every disease, and the remedy is always felt to be exactly suitable to the urgency of the case."

 

[Dr. Bob]

The woman who touched the hem of Jesus' garment had tried everything and spent all on doctors (sounds familiar). It was just a drop of Jesus' blood that was needed.