Our sermon this past Sunday was on the topic of Christ our Healer. In the sermon, we attempted to give a broad outline of what Scripture has to say about Jesus taking up our infirmities and diseases on the cross. We talked about how Jesus doesn't just save us from the penalty of sin (as our Savior) but that He also saves us from the power of sin (as our Sanctifier) and from the effects of sin (as our Healer).
However, one area that still is hanging out there is what about the psychological and/or emotional ailments. Does Jesus' ministry of healing cover these aspects of our life as well?
The simple answer is, Yes!! Most importantly because the Gospel covers every aspect of our being. Jesus, through His death and resurrection, saves the whole aspect of our being. Though it is to be culminated when we are in His presence forever, it has begun in this life. To state that there are aspects of our being-psychological or emotional-that are not impacted by the Gospel is to speak of an incomplete Gospel. To state that certain aspects of our salvation-for instance our physiological salvation-is only a future event also discounts the impact of the full Gospel for today. Scripture does promise a magnificent, majestic, and awesome culmination to our salvation when one day we will have spirits strong enough to be fully faithful to God and bodies that are no longer weakened by sin. We will be like Jesus. But simply because Scripture promises this culmination for the future does not negate its beginning effects in our life today. And, there is no reason to believe that only certain components of the Gospel are effective today-for instance spiritual salvation is effective today but physiological salvation awaits our new bodies. Scripture never insinuates this and this thought develops out of the false belief that somehow our bodies embody sin.
And so, the teaching of Christ Our Healer brings great hope not only for those who wrestle with physical ailments but also those who wrestle at a pyschological and emotional level as well. We know that pyschological and emotional issues can and often do have a physiological component. Now, I'm not saying that there is no sin inherent in some of these struggles. But nor am I saying that everyone struggling pyschologically or emotionally necessarily have a sin(s) at its root.
We do a disservice to people at times thinking only in terms of the spiritual. We are complete beings-body, soul, and spirit. Each have an impact on the other. If I'm sick, I will be more likely to be spiritually weak. If I am spiritually weak, I am more likely to be sick. It is all tied together.
But that's where the Gospel truly is Good News. Jesus has died and risen again! And because of His work, I need not fear sickness because I don't fear death because I don't fear sin because Jesus is my Savior, Sanctifier, and Healer.