To Heal the Sin-Sick Soul.

There is a spiritual pandemic at work in darkened human souls that has raged for centuries, and extended to all nations of the world. The spiritual vaccine was provided by our Creator from the blood of the perfect Man. That curative balm is available in sufficient doses. For the vaccine to restore life to those infected by the moral disease requires only two things: (1) Those that distribute it freely (Evangelists), and (2) those who hear about this divine provision, believe the report, and choose to receive it. (John 1:11-13)

This analogy may be useful to remind us of our role in providing life-giving grace and truth to people lost in sin. Biblically, here is the “spiritual pathology” and symptoms of the sin-sick soul.

Jeremiah 17:9-10 NIV. 9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? 10 "I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve."

Mark 7:21-23. 21 "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, 22 deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. 23 All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man."

Ephesians 4:17-20 NIV. 17 So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; 19 and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. 20 But you did not learn Christ in this way.

Romans 1:28-32. 28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; 32 and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

Vaccine for the Sin-sick Soul: The only remedy for the malignancy of the human soul is transformation.

2 Corinthians 4:3-4, 6. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. . . . 6 For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

1 John 5:11-12. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Sin-sick people need a Savior. People injured by the sins of others need healing. They need truth that can set them free. Not merely reformation, they need supernatural transformation. Jesus Christ is called the “Savior.” When He is welcomed into the core of one’s heart by faith, He gives them forgiveness, healing, a new identity, empowerment, and eternal life. He saves our sin-sick souls.

Postscript: I have often thought about how the contemporary disciplines of psychology seem better at description than prescription. They can observe symptomatic behaviors and classify various dysfunctions, yet if they do not understand or disregard the spiritual nature of the darkened human heart, they will not be able to provide the essential, spiritual remedy. The moral malignancy of the human “soul” requires spiritual transformation. Whether for a victim or a villain, spiritual healing or restoration requires the work of the Holy Spirit of Truth. The good news is that the spiritual vaccine is readily available to all who request it.