No Such Thing as Perfectly Healthy

“When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Mr 2:17 AV)

Jesus did not make this statement to intimate there are some who need no repentance unto salvation because they are righteous enough.  He is talking to the Pharisees.  This group of people saw themselves as completely blameless according to the law.  They went so far as to invent additional law that would ensure their innocence before the law.  There was a rule for everything.  They also had the awful habit of comparing themselves against others for the purpose of self-righteous exaltation.  If they were more outwardly righteous than the populace, then they were righteous enough.  In short, they could not see the true nature of their wickedness.  They could not see their true need of salvation.  In short, they saw no need of a physician because they could not see the depth of their illness.

I have been blessed with a wonderful doctor.  I have to admit, at first, I wasn’t all that impressed.  But it was a personality issue.  As I got to know him, and his style of medicine, I really understood this man and his attention to my care.  The more I got to know him, the more I realized that I have been blessed and am in need of a physician just like him.  Back in the start of this year, I had symptoms that concerned my wife enough to spend a few days in the hospital.  Labs were drawn and tests were done.  Nothing conclusive was ascertained.  Then the follow-ups began.  I saw a cardiologist.  One of the best in the city.  I saw a rheumatologist.  Breathing tests followed.  But it was my primary care physician that really understood the nature of the problem and was able to diagnose some of the issues I had been having.  He is a stickler for lab work.  He understands the answer is in the blood.  We are not completely done with our tests, but my wonderful doctor looks at all the lab work and can see trends that others may have missed.  What is of note here is that this all started with a condition that I have had for a bit over a decade.  Former physicians blew it off as normal and nothing to worry about.  So, if it hadn’t been for my wife, when the symptom arose again, I would have ignored it, thinking I had no need of a physician.  Yet, the reality is, I was in great need of a physician.

Whether a soul is lost or saved, he or she must understand we are in constant need of a physician.  We are all fallen and wicked.  We need the saving grace found only in Jesus Christ and His offering on Calvary.  There are no exceptions.  All have sinned.  Even if we cannot see any outward signs of ill health, the blood tells the story.  We are corrupt and need the healing that can only come from Christ.  If we are a child of God, the healing process is a continual process that lasts our entire life time.  No matter how many times I have the blood work drawn, my physician can find a number that needs attention.  Good cholesterol; bad cholesterol; vitamin B, D, C; etc.  They all need a minor adjustment from time to time.  The same is true with our spiritual health.  We are never at a point where we are perfectly whole.  Not until our glorification in eternity will we be without some kind of spiritual illness.  The start of healing is when we admit that we need it.