“Why Then Is Not The Health Of The Daughter Of My People Recovered?”

by Micky Galloway

In Jeremiah 8:18-22, Jeremiah revealed a sad condition in Israel, “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.” Jeremiah asks, “Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?” In spite of all that God had provided for His people, they were still lost. Why? Isaiah spoke of Israel being sick from the top of the head to the sole of their feet (Isaiah 1:5-9). Again, we ask why? Is there no physician?

Attitudes today are very much like they were then. God has done and is doing everything possible for our salvation. Why then “are we not saved?” The apostle Paul said to the Galatians, “Ye were running well, who hindered you that ye should not obey the truth?” (Galatians 5:7). Paul was speaking to those who were Christians who were hindered in their continued obedience to the truth.

There are many things that hinder us in spite of the rich blessings God has offered us. These hindrances may well be the reason we are not saved. What hinders you?

Many remain unsaved because of indifference. Many parents are losing their children by teaching them that the Bible, worship and faithfulness to God are not important. How are we teaching this? Our actions speak louder than our words. It is no small wonder why many sons and daughters of Christians cannot find time to worship and serve God. They are worshiping and serving God, just as their parents taught them! We may as well give up the idea of trying to reach other people and trying to arouse an interest in others until we ourselves wake up and become deeply concerned about the cause of Christ within our own families. We devote ourselves to the people and things we love. Jesus said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matthew 22:37). When we become indifferent toward spiritual things, perhaps it would be good to reflect upon the tremendous blessings God has given unto us. The solution to indifference is within reach, but we must realize the danger, recognize the symptoms and implement the solution. In order for any of this to become effective we must want to change. What about you? Is it your desire to grow to greater service in the Masters vineyard or are you satisfied with a “don’t care” attitude.

Many are not saved because of ignorance. As Jesus hung on the cross, He prayed, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). Of course they knew they were executing Jesus of Nazareth, but they did not understand, they did not know the significance of what they were doing. “God hath made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified” (Acts 2:36). Peter acknowledged, “And now, brethren, I know that in ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers” (Acts 3:17). Paul also acknowledged, “which none of the rulers of this world hath known: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (I Corinthians 2:8). The Jews were “ignorant of God's righteousness” (Romans 10:2-3). There is nothing in this world that compares with being lost eternally because we didn't know (cf. Ephesians 5:17). What a tragedy to stand before the judgment bar of Christ condemned and say, “But if I had only known…”

Many are not saved because of divisions among the people of God. When division occurs, sin has occurred. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Now I beseech you, brethren, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (I Corinthians 1:10). Division is sometimes an unavoidable reality. Paul said, “For there must be also factions among you, that they that are approved may be made manifest among you” (I Corinthians 11:18-19). Truth sometimes even divides families (cf. Matthew 10:34-35). In Caesarea Paul was accused of sedition (Acts 21:38) and in Athens he was accused of turning “the world upside down” (Acts 17:6). Certainly, Paul had “upset or unsettled” the minds of these people, but Paul was not guilty of sedition or division. He had “unsettled” Judaism and the sects of that day, but he did not do so by disseminating religious error. Woe be unto those who divide the Lord’s church by disseminating error. “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them that are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which ye learned: and turn away from them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent” (Romans 16:17-18). R.L. Whiteside comments: “‘Contrary to the doctrine which ye learned’ covers a wide field … The man who causes divisions in the Lord’s church by the introduction of things not taught is an enemy of Christ even though he may not think so. His interest is in self, and not in Christ. ‘They that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly.’” When we build our confidence so much in men that we will follow wherever they lead, danger exists. We may follow them into error and be party to division. Study the Bible for yourself. With confidence we can say, “Not everyone is right, but the Bible is right” (cf. Ephesians 4:2).

Many are not saved because they love the world. There is much materialism running rampant. It is easy to be caught up in being like those round about us. Israel wanted a king regardless of consequences, “That we also may be like all the nations” (I Samuel 8:19-20). John admonishes, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the father is not in him” (I John 2:15). Yet we reason, “Everybody else is doing it.” The fact remains that Christians must do some things that others do not do and Christians must refrain from doing some things that nearly everybody else does.

Indeed, there are many things that hinder salvation, even of the people of God. Satan is a worthy adversary, described as a “roaring lion,” walking about “seeking whom he may devour” (I Peter 5:8). We must be sober and watchful for any hindrances in our way, for these hindrances will rob us of our salvation.