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Reaching Out

I Hate to Tell You This, But You Have Cancer

I will never forget when my doctor told me: “I hate to tell you this, but you have cancer.” Although I suspected that might be the case due to the multiple tests they were putting me through, it was still a shock to me when he said it. I immediately thought about my two brothers who have experienced cancer, the suffering they endured, and the impacts on their families. My oldest brother even lost an entire year from work while he was recovering from surgery and radiation.
Fortunately for me, they caught it in time, and with their competent treatments, I am now cancer free, thank the Lord.
Now some bad news. I hate to tell you this, but you too have cancer. But it is a cancer of the soul, not the body. It is the cancer of sin. Cancer causes cells to divide uncontrollably, taking over healthy cells and misdirecting them to some unhealthy purpose. In like manner, the cancer of sin, if untreated, spreads uncontrollably throughout our souls, and misdirects us to some unhealthy purpose, such as alcoholism, drug abuse, divorce, child or spousal abuse, or crime. Like cancer of the body, the cancer of sin must be treated or it will take over and cause death – for all eternity.
The good news is that we have caught it in time before it does more damage. The treatment for sin is to repent of our sins and receive Christ as our savior (surgery to remove the sin cancer), followed up by sanctification (radiation). For only then can we be truly free – for now and into eternity.
When we look at all of the corruption and crime taking place in our nation, we see that the cancer of sin is ravaging our nation. Let us pray that our leaders and citizens will return to our Lord.
And when we interact with others – family, friends, acquaintances, and strangers, we are encountering people who have the cancer of sin, and are often experiencing the ravages of this terrible sin. Let us be kind and compassionate, and point them to the true healer of souls, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
To God be the glory
Board of Evangelism