A Disease Much Worse than Coronavirus

There is a disease that is more deadly than any disease the earth has ever known. It has killed more people than every virus combined, and yet I rarely hear it spoken of. The news media regularly updates the public on the latest Coronavirus statistics, and the virus has become a part of our conversations with friends, family, and strangers at the grocery store. And yet, the most deadly disease of all receives little of our attention.

The symptoms of this disease are varied and horrifying. They include but are not limited to:

• Hatred of other people, even to the point of murder
• The desire to lie, steal, and commit adultery
• Children infected with this disease may bully other children, lie to their parents, and display rebelliousness toward their parents’ instruction.

Some people display extremely mild symptoms, which makes it easy to ignore this disease. But if left untreated, everyone affected, no matter how mild their symptoms appear to be, will die.

Every human on earth is infected with this disease. It is passed from the parents to every child ever born, and it has been this way since the birth of the first children on earth.

Many treatment options have been tried, but all fail except for one. The mortality rate of this disease, no matter what treatment is applied, is 100%. But when the one successful treatment is applied, 100% of those who receive it not only live, but they live forever.

I’m sure you’ve figured out by now that the disease I’m referring to is sin. We are all infected with it. (1)  It causes all manner of death and destruction here on earth, and for those who do not receive the only Cure, it results in eternal death. (2)

Many do not pay any heed to the seriousness of this disease because they do not seem to be affected in such terrible ways as others. They have never been driven to murder, steal, or commit adultery, and so they fail to recognize that even the less obvious symptoms like pride, covetousness, or using God’s name in vain are still sin and still will result in eternal death. (3)

Many try to cure this disease themselves by “turning over a new leaf,” by spending time with others who have been cured and assuming the cure will apply to them too, or by assuming that their symptoms have not been bad enough to warrant death. (4)

But the truth is that there is only one cure for this disease, and that is to be cleansed from its filthiness. Complete cleansing only comes when one is washed in the blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. (5)

Everyone who will be washed, will be made clean and will be cured from this disease.  (6)

The disease of sin has left death and destruction in its wake all around the world. Even the diseases about which we are currently so concerned are a result of sin’s influence on this earth.

People are rushing to prepare themselves for the possibility of the Coronavirus hitting their area. Where is the rush to prepare for the coming judgment of God?

Courageous doctors and nurses risk their health to care for those infected with deadly diseases around the world. Do we have the same concern for those who are infected with the disease of sin?

As a domestic violence advocate, I see and hear about the horrific effects of sin on a regular basis. I see the cruelty that a sinful heart is willing to inflict upon another human being. I’m all for the law holding accountable anyone who would harm another person in any way. But I also realize that better laws and accountability will not ultimately stop hatred, abuse, assault, and murder. Those things come from the heart, and while a perpetrator may sit behind bars, if his heart is not cleansed from its filthiness he will never change.

The only hope for abusers and their victims is the Gospel. The only hope for thieves and their victims is the Gospel. The only hope for liars and their victims is the Gospel. The only hope for any of us is the Gospel!

Should we acknowledge and prepare for worldwide diseases? Should we take action on behalf of the 6 women who are killed by a partner or family member every single hour? Should we insist that people who would sexually assault another individual be removed from the streets?

Absolutely, yes! But the root of all these terrible things is sin, and the only remedy is Jesus! Through him, murderers, pedophiles, thieves and liars can be cleansed from their filthiness. Through him, people who are moral but can never attain the standard of perfection God requires can be cleansed from their sin. In him, the victims of heinous crimes and abuses can find unconditional, healing love.

So while we speak of diseases, crimes, and abuses and brainstorm solutions to these problems, let us not forget to speak of Jesus. Let us not lose Him in the midst of these important conversations, for He is the most important solution of all.

(1) Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Romans 3:10-12 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

(2) John 3:18-19 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

(3) James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

(4) Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

(5) John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

(6) John 11:25-26 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?