Dear Church Family,
Science is seeking a cure for the Covid-19 virus. The number of people infected continue to grow, though the ‘experts’ believe the curve has flattened in most of our country. The infection rate world-wide is a fraction of one percent and in Buncombe County it remains much smaller. That is good news. Sadly, the virus does prove fatal – mostly to people with pre-existing conditions. However, less than two per cent of people infected by the virus have died. Certainly we should be praying for a cure and for the coronavirus to stop spreading.
In time the threat of the virus will lessen as have other causes of pandemics throughout the history of the world. There is one “virus” that has infected every human. Many people deny there is such a virus and live without giving it a second thought until they at last succumb to it. A cure for this ‘virus’ was found about two thousand years ago. It has been tried by many and found to give lasting, eternal, positive results. Every one of us has been born in sin. The Bible clearly teaches this. There is hope.
Back in 1775 an Anglican priest wrote a poem about this cure. Here is the first stanza:
Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in thee;
Let the water and the blood, From Thy wounded side which flowed;
Be of sin the double cure, Save from wrath and make me pure.
No doubt these are familiar words. Augustus Toplady (his real name) penned this hymn that one called “the best known, best loved, and most widely useful hymn in the English language,” Just the title speaks volumes of our Savior who is our Rock and Refuge – in whom we are safe and secure.
Toplady does not hesitate to point out the problem that besets every human. All people are sinners. Only one hope is available for sinners. The second stanza confesses that anything he does in his own strength “these for sin could not atone.” The gospel message proclaims, “Thou must save and Thou alone…Simply to Thy cross I cling.” Salvation is by grace alone and faith alone.
Now what is this double cure? The first cure refers to justification by faith alone. God redeems His people by faith in Christ alone. It saves from wrath. The second cure focuses on sanctification as our Lord grows in grace and we become holier day by day. It makes us pure.
To call sin a disease or ‘virus’ falls short of pointing out the deadly nature of sin. Outside of faith in Jesus, sin leads to eternal death and punishment. We find the only cure in the saving work of Jesus on the cross and the victory over sin and death shown by the empty tomb. I hope you can sing of the double cure that only faith in Jesus provides.
In great hope,
Pastor Gillikin