LightGrams
December 10, 2020
Volume 24, Number 45
The hopes of hundreds of millions of people was lifted a few days ago when two different pharmaceutical companies announced they were ready to submit their vaccines for approval. The COVID-19 pandemic has dropped a heavy fog on our lives all year, and we so much want to see that fog lift. One of these vaccines is already being administered in England, and will soon be in a couple of other countries.
Details provided by these two companies were especially encouraging when it was announced that their vaccines were 90-95% effective. This was far better than public health authorities had dared to dream; 70% effectiveness would have been wonderful.
But – I couldn’t help but wonder “What if I was in that 5% the vaccines wouldn’t help?” All around me people would be removing their masks and resuming a more normal lifestyle. Those 5%, however, would have to continue waiting for another vaccine that might be effective for us. Or would there ever be one for us?
Going through this pandemic has caused me to think a great deal more about man’s most lethal enemy, something far worse than COVID-19. The spiritual virus called “sin” appeared on this globe near the beginning of man’s sojourn here, and it has been wreaking havoc ever since.
Many who have COVID-19 will have few, if any, symptoms. Most will recover from it (though we recognize that more than a million and a half lives have already been lost). That’s not the case with sin. Consider these two sobering Scriptures: “For the wages of sin is death …” (Romans 6:23); “For all have sinned …” (Romans 3:23). Without a “vaccine”, everyone who has lived to maturity (i.e. have sinned), will succumb to sin.
Jesus entered the world to provide the life-saving cure: “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). By shedding His innocent blood on the cross of Calvary He provided the antidote to sin. John noted that “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
But how effective is this antidote? Is it as effective as the vaccines for the coronavirus? Oh, no; it’s more effective! “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). “Whoever” means that it will save 100% of those who receive it.
So how do we get this vaccine? The words of Annanias, a man sent with a message to Saul of Tarsus, are what we need to hear: “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16).
A vaccine for humanity’s greatest disease is available now, and it’s free to all who come. Why in the world would anyone wait?!
Come to the light God offers! Study His word, the Bible. Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.
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Copyright, 2020, Timothy D. Hall. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the New King James Version (Copyright, 1990, Thomas Nelson, Inc.).
“LightGrams” is produced by the Central Church of Christ, 2722 Oakland Avenue, Johnson City, Tennessee, 37601, and is written by Tim Hall, minister. It is sent free of charge every Thursday to all who request it. To subscribe or to receive more information, write to “[email protected]” (our E-mail address), to the U.S. mail address above, or call (423) 282-1571.
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