The news in the US has been dominated in the last few weeks, if not over the last few years by the issue of healthcare. With a rallying cry of “health care for all”, the Obama administration celebrated this week, having pushed through and signed into law, sweeping changes to healthcare legislation. However, the plain truth of the matter is that man will never resolve the underlying problems of sin, disease and death. The true solution, provided by the Almighty Himself, has been outlined in His holy oracles.
Welcome to the March 26th, 2010 edition of Bible in the News. This is Glenn Abel with you.
As a political candidate for the Presidency, Barack Obama made many extravagant campaign promises, including this one: “As President, I will sign a Universal Health Care plan into law by the end of my first term in office.”
The topic of universal health care in the United States has been a contentious one, where partisan rhetoric has heated up the debate. All sides of the issue have the same goal - to ensure high-quality health care for all Americans as an “inalienable right.”
And so, with the passing of the health care reform bill, President Obama seemingly fulfilled this vague campaign promise and celebrated in triumph. One Senator summed up their perspective: “What this bill does is we finally take that step. As our leader said earlier, we take that step from healthcare as a privilege to health care as an inalienable right...”
The root problem not addressed
The lofty voice of pride cannot mask the fact that universal health care is really a band-aid that (to use the medical expression) only “treats the symptoms.” To claim it as an “inalienable right” ignores the Biblical truth that man’s only inalienable right is the right to die as a result of sin. For “the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23)
The root problems of sin, disease, and death, which are rampant upon the earth, cannot be solved by man and certainly are not solved by universal health care. Perhaps better health care may prolong our life for a time, but the inevitable will come upon all.
As we read in Job 14:1-2: “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. [2] He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.”
The need to develop Godly trust
It can be tempting to follow the logic and emotions of entitlement which permeates our society: that health care, jobs, homes, and public services are our “inalienable right” and that we can trust in our governments to provide for all our needs.
Trusting in the arm of flesh however is a fools gameand cursed by the Almighty. Jeremiah 17:5: “Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.”
Rather than trusting in man, we need to develop Godly trust - the kind of trust that was demonstrated and taught by the Lord Jesus Christ.
Remember his example? Matt. 8:20: “... the foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head”
Remember his teachings? Matthew 6:31-34: “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we dring? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? [32] (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. [33] But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. [43] Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Suffcient unto the day is the evil thereof.”
Psalm 37:3 says: “Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.”
God’s universal solution
The root problems of sin, disease, and death do have a solution - provided by God Himself. Our situation is expressed in Romans 8:20-23:
Rom 8:20-23: “For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, [21] Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. [22] For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. [23] And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.”Even the Apostles in the first century, who were given Holy Spirit gifts for the establishment of the gospel, including the gift of healing, realized that there is only one solution “the redemption of our body.” What is that all about? We find the answer in 1 Corinthians 15:45-50:
1 Cor. 15:45-50: “And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. [46] Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. [47] The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. [48] And is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. [49] And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. [50] Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.”The kingdom of God on earth is the hope of true Bible students, and followers of Christ. This is the “eternal inheritance” that the holy men of faith looked for. As we read in Hebrews 11:13: “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” But the reality is, that without a change of nature, there can be no inheritance in the kingdom of God. How does this work? Let’s continue in 1 Corinthians 15:
1 Cor. 15:51-54: “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, [52] In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. [53] For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. [54] So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory..”When is this “last trump”? The Apostle Paul speaks of it being at the return of Jesus Christ to the earth. 1 Thessalonians 4:16: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.”
This was prophesied by Daniel in chapter 12., which speaks of this time as a time of judgment. Not all who are raised will be granted a change of nature:
Daniel 12:2-3: “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. [3] And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”And so, it is the hope of Bible students to be accounted as “they that be wise” in that day. How can we be counted such? By understanding, and being obedient to, the counsel of God’s holy oracles, now - in this life. As the proverb goes in Proverbs 12:15: “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.”
The final state of God’s solution is depicted in Revelation 21:3-4:
Revelation 21:3-4: “... Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. [4] And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”Let us not put our trust in the pathetic attempts of intransigent man to find his own solutions, when God has freely provided so much more - a plan with no limits. We will draw our remarks to a close with the comforting words of 1 Corinthians 15:55-58.
1 Corinthians 15:55-58: “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? [56] The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. [57] But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. [58] Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” Join us again next week, God willing, for another edition of Bible in the News.
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