We Need Healed

I know many people who have cancer, had cancer, or have died from cancer. Cancer is probably the most dreaded word in the world. It's the last word you want to hear from your doctor after having an exam. Just the very mention of the word cancer literally scares us to death. It sends shocks of dread and fear through us. If we are diagnosed with cancer we do everything in our power to try to find a cure for it. We will go to great lengths and expense to be healed. We will travel across the country or even around the world to any treatment center we think will give us hope. We try a host of regimes and techniques; chemotherapy, radiation treatments, pills, experimental drugs, whatever we can try we will try to rid ourselves of this deadly disease.

While preaching a message at Church last night I was reading from 1 Peter 2:21-25. The subject of the message was "because Christ." Because Christ died for us and took our punishment, we can be free from the penalty and bondage of sin. Verse 24 of our text says: "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." As I read those words the last part of that verse ("by whose stripes ye were healed") really jumped out at me and for the first time I realized the deep implications that it had for us.

Whether you realize it or not every man and woman on the face of this earth is stricken with a deadly disease. This disease is much more dangerous than even cancer. It is a blackness inside of us eating away day by day. We all need to be healed from this disease. This terrible disease that I'm speaking of is the disease of sin. Ever since the fall of Adam in the Garden of Eden when man first rebelled against God and sin entered into man's existence, we have all inherited the disease of sin.

The Bible says in Romans 5:12: "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" Therefore we have a real problem. Just like cancer, the disease of sin has to be removed from our bodies. But how are we to rid ourselves of sin? How can we be healed of this terrible disease? Well, that's where the message I preached last night comes into play. Look at the verse again: 1 Peter 2:24:  "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."

There is a remedy already out there for us. A cure like no other cure has been prepared for us. The only way we can be healed from the black canker of sin is through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is through his stripes, his death, his blood, that we are healed. Romans 6:23 says: "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

So, how do we accept this free gift of eternal life and rid ourselves of the ugly disease of sin?
First we must clearly understand that the only way to be saved is through Jesus Christ.
The Bible says in John 14:6: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Jesus is the exclusive way to be saved and go to Heaven. You cannot get there any other way, it must be through Him.

 We must repent of our sins: The Bible says in Acts 3:19: Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Jesus said in Luke 5:32: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Repentance is not just a feeling of guilt or shame. Feeling guilty of sin may terrify you but being terrified is not repenting. A man can feel guilty and terrified of his sin but go right along sinning. True repentance comes from your heart, it is much more than just being sorry, it is a brokenness and a sickness over the fact that you are a sinner and a overwhelming desire to not sin anymore. So repentance is turning from sin and to the loving Savior, Jesus Christ.

We must believe that Jesus died on the cross to save us from our sins and by faith trust Him as our Savior.
The Bible says in John 3:16-17: 16. 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. 17. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
The Bible says in Ephesians 2:8-9: 8. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Finally, the Bible says in Romans 10:9-11: 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Just use your own words and speak to God just like you would to anyone. An example prayer could be: “Dear God, I repent of my sins, I believe in my heart that Jesus died on the cross to save me from my sins. By faith I trust you as my Savior. Amen."