“Is
there no
balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not
the
health of the daughter of my people recovered?”
(Jeremiah 8:22)
“For
God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all
churches
of the saints.” (I Corinthians 14:33)
“Is
there no
balm in Gilead; is there no physician there?” Israel
had lapsed into sin, in rebuke God had sent judgment after judgment
upon
His chosen people. At the time Jeremiah posed this question, their sin
had become so intense and hateful God was provoked to loosen the
Chaldean
armies against Israel.
Consternation
and desolation prevailed throughout the land, yet, the nation, as a
whole,
continued to rebel against God. The nation was spiritually diseased,
its
remaining health waning, and God was sorely displeased. Jeremiah did
not
ask this question because he did not know the answer. But he was making
entreaty of the people, earnestly imploring them to turn back to God.
Israel
would have no difficulty in understanding the question. They knew the
prophet
was addressing them in figurative language, and that he referred to the
God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the nation’s personal Physician. They
knew he referred to the law of God, and its Passover lamb, whose blood
was a sure stay against the judgments of God.
The
land of Gilead on the other side of Jordon was a part of the country of
Israel, where a peculiar plant grew which yielded a special and
precious
balm for physical healing. The plant, being pierced, issued a resin
which
because of its healing virtue became a valuable commodity. It was used
to cleanse sores, heal deep wounds, as eye salve, as an antidote for
the
bite of poison serpents, it was commonly held by Israel to be
beneficial
in the healing of all manner of disease.
In the literal sense, Jeremiah asks, “Has
God ceased to be God, is He not yet able to forgive our sins, and
restore
our strength?” Many of God’s dealings and dispensations with ancient
Israel
are of great typical value for this present age, and particularly for
the
New Testament Church.
“Now
all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written
for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” (I
Corinthians 10:11). So it is Gilead’s balm may be held as a fit
type
of the shed blood of Christ which is all comprehensive in its curative
powers. The lack of a cure for Israel’s disease was not owing to the
want
of balm, or of a Physician, but to their own unbelief and folly. The
medicine
was in ready and sufficient supply and their Physician able. Another
thing
adding to the peculiarity of the balm is, the plant was indigenous to
Israel
only. God vouchsafed this anti disease balm to Israel, and made other
nations
beholding to them for it.
God
gave the Passover lamb to Israel, and to no other nation. Egypt, which
is a vivid type of the world, had no atoning blood, or soul healing
balm.
The only way an Egyptian could be saved was to own Israel’s God, and
appointed
lamb. The typical blood was shed in Israel every day for 1,500 years,
and
with each sacrifice they were reminded that “It is the blood
that maketh an atonement for the soul” (Leviticus 17:11).
The
lines and treks of God’s elective decree shall ever be a mystery to the
unglorified saint, with hindsight he can see where it has run (I
Thessalonians
1:4), but he cannot tell in a personal way whither it goeth. During
the Mosiac economy some Gentiles were saved, including Rahab the
harlot,
Naaman the Syrian, the widow of Sidon, Ruth the Moabitess, etc.
However,
I have not read of any who were saved independent of the typical gospel
of Israel, or her spiritual balm. I do not mean to imply that every
person
saved beyond the progeny of Israel became a devout proselyte. It would
be illogical to assume this seeing that many native Israelites had
problems
keeping their own ordinances (Acts 15:10). Yet, in Israel only
was
God’s institutional glory vested. Only Israel had divine ordinances,
and
Israel was the only nation God promised to meet with in an
institutional
sense. “And I (God) will dwell among the children of Israel,
and will be their God.” (Exodus 29:45)
As
in ancient times when God restricted His institutional glory to Israel,
He has in this age made the New Testament church the repository of that
same glory, making the church the “pillar and ground of the truth,”
committing to her His ordinances, and promising her His perpetual
presence
(Matthew 28:18-20; I Timothy 3:15 ). Of the
Mosiac
institution we read, “In Judah is God known: His name is
great
in Israel. In Salem also is His tabernacle, and His dwelling place in
Zion.”
(Psalm 76:1-2). The seat of God’s institutional glory was
in Israel, and manifested through the temple worship services in
Jerusalem.
God, in infinite wisdom has chosen the New Testament church to be the
seat
of His institutional glory for this age, and in view of this fact, Paul
says, “Unto Him (God) be glory in the church by
Christ
Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” (Ephesians
3:21). There were other religious institutions in the days of
Israel,
but Israel was the only one instituted by God. There are today sundry
churches
in divers places, but only one (kind) has been divinely instituted, and
all others are false churches. The churches to whom the Lord has
committed
the proclamation of the gospel, all missionary enterprise, and in whom
His institutional glory resides are Sovereign Grace Missionary Baptist
churches. Baptists are not the only people making this claim, but it
seems
they are the only people labeled “bigoted” for doing so. Investigation
will reveal that many denominations make this claim for themselves, and
others which are not so dogmatic in asserting the same for their
church,
yet contend that their particular group is more perfect in degree than
all others. Any church that is not built after the New Testament model
is not merely a false church, but is the antithesis of the true, and
whether
conscious of it or not, every ecclesiastical exercise of an ill-founded
church is an effort to bedim the glory of the true.
New
Testament Baptists hold that the Lord baptized the church in the Holy
Spirit
on the day of Pentecost, and that this baptism was of an institutional
nature. This baptism not only attested to the fact that the church had
superseded the Jewish institution with its typical gospel, but with
this
baptism came the indwelling, and empowering of the already existing
church
by the Spirit. This glorious manifestation of the Divine presence in
the
church was prefigured by the Shechinah glory filling the tabernacle (Exodus
40:34-38), and later the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem (I
Kings 8:10-11). By this baptism the church takes up the
banner
which Israel let fall through harlotry, by this baptism the church
becomes
the exclusive ecclesiastical institution with the favor of the
self-revealing
God. Through the church the Spirit will apply the healing balm of
Gilead,
rather, the blood of Christ to all for whom He was pierced. They are
ever
beholding to the church for the message of redemption, and apart from
this
message there is no healing of the soul. The devil knows it is through
the Lord’s churches that the Spirit calls out the elect of God. He
knows
that the church reflects the glory of God, and to obscure that glory he
afflicts the church with many loathsome diseases.
(A.)
Heresy and error are terrible diseases which spreads like cancer, and
is
a constant threat to every New Testament church. Too often the little
church
must go to the great Physician and plead for the healing balm of Gilead
because of this agonizing sore. This disease, like cancer comes in many
forms and gradations. One of the most deadly being Arminianism. Some of
the symptoms of Arminian carcinoma are:
1.
The lifting up of carnal reason above that of Divine revelation. This
symptom
manifests itself in the doctrine which leaves the eternal issues to be
settled by the volitional power of the creature. It is eternally fatal
to trust the destiny of the soul to human rationalization, rather than
Scripture revelation.
“... Lean not unto thine own
understanding.”
(Proverbs 3:5)
2.
Calling attention to religious performances, rather than high lighting
the work of Christ, and the power of imputed righteousness, is another
sure sign of Arminian carcinoma.
Why
is it churches have the one year, two year, five year and ten year
Sunday
school pen if it is not to impress their peers? In most cases the
disease
is fatal and its terminal nature is made apparent by the efforts of the
church to replace the work of the Holy Spirit with human enthusiasm. No
means to inspire and excite the religious energies of the flesh are
over
looked, and one of the highlights of the Sunday morning service is when
the Pastor asks the “Soul Winner of the Week” to stand up!
Thus
it is the redemption of souls is ascribed to the power of the corrupt
reason
rather than to the efficacious and free grace of God. Such practices
are
not merely unscriptural, but are anti scripture. The church which lets
the Arminian error spread to such an extent described above has turned
from the Great Physician and His healing balm to the great pretender,
and
his soul damning bane Like cancer, early detection of the Arminian
heresy
is absolutely essential. The first symptom should alarm the church, and
cause her to employ the swiftest motion on fleeing to Him Who has the
heavenly
balm. For it is yet true, “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.”
(Galatians 5:9)
(B.)
Schism and division among church members is a loathsome and hurtful
disease.
“... It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto
him,
through whom they come!” (Luke 17:1). “But if ye bite and
devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.”
(Galatians 5:15)
While
the disease which causes sheep to bite and devour one another is
irregular,
it is usually chaotic A hateful and dreadful disease it is which turns
brotherly converse into vain janglings, and begets alienation of
affection.
The malady is all the more grievous when the sheep are in the blood
bought
sheepfold, with the Great Physician and Head present in their assembly.
The spirit of strife and division can only exist where love for the
Lord
and His church have diminished, and when strife comes in, godly
edifying
goes out. What a strange distemper it is that makes church brothers and
sisters renounce communion with one another in whom they once took the
greatest delight. One sad aspect of this disease is that it usually
originates
with issues not vital to the welfare of the church. Such as; who should
sing what parts in the church choir or groups, a plurality of organ and
piano players can give birth to envy and jealousy apart from due
restraint,
an oversight in greeting, thermostat settings on heat and air
conditioners,
etc. We do not mean to imply these things are not important. They
areimportant
but they are not of such magnitude as to cause the first element of
bitterness
in the church. The first schism in the body is the devil’s floodgate
through
which every manner of evil pours into the church. “For where envying
and strife is there is confusion and every evil work.”
(James 3:16)
“Opinions
are like noses, everybody has one,” but woe to the person or party that
would so press their opinion as to expose the church to the scorn and
derision
of her enemies. Schism in the body tends to hinder prayer, demands time
that could otherwise be used for the propagation of the gospel. It
lowers
eternal assets on the scale of values, spiritual interest declines, and
in short time indifference will prevail. 0, how the devil must rejoice
over this calamitous state of the Lord’s church. Jeremiah said to God’s
ancient people, “Thy breach is great, like the sea, who can
heal
thee?” (Lamentations 2:13). Surely none but He that hath the
balm of Gilead. The Great Physician’s prescription calls for preventive
medicine. “There should be no schism in the body; but that
the
members should have the same care one for another ... submitting
yourselves one to another in the fear of God ... And the Lord
make
you to increase and abound in love one toward another ... to
the
end He may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God...”
(I Corinthians 12:25;
Ephesians 5:21; I Thessalonians
3:12-13).
Adherence
to this prescription will keep the church in such state of health that
when offences do come they will be of brief duration, and handled in a
manner that edifies the church and glorifies God. The balm works
negatively
in putting away from the church, “All bitterness, and wrath, and
anger,
and clamor, and evil speaking,” it works positively enabling the
church
to “be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
even
as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven,” the whole church (Ephesians
4:31-32).
(C.)
Unsettledness in doctrine is a grievous disease with which contemporary
Baptists are afflicted.
Many
are filled with the wine of instability, and are “reeling to and fro
like drunken men,” (Isaiah 24:20), first to one side of the
doctrinal street, then to the other side. Paul said to the church at
Ephesus,
“... Henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and
carried
about with every wind of doctrine ...” (Ephesians 4:14).
This
certainly does not mean a person is unalterably bound to his original
concepts,
but it does mean that doctrinal vacillation is a mark of weakness, and
that change in doctrinal position is to be made only after much prayer,
meditation, and laborious study. Eschatology has become a labyrinth,
and
every doctrinal turn seems to demand another. Some have gone from
pre-trib
doctrine of the Lord’s return to a mid-trib view, then on to post-trib,
and finally put their anchor down in the murky waters and shifting
sands
of A-millennialism. All this irresolution has caused so much confusion
that some have given up altogether the study of prophecy and
eschatology.
There is constant traffic between the two schools of thought regarding
the instrumentality of the gospel in regeneration. The result being,
many
have parked their doctrinal vehicle on the plausibility lot, and have
left
it in neutral so as no ill wind can blow against it. This is a worse
state
than being an erring zealot, for they which purge themselves of all
dogmatism
are in love with their disease and cannot see any need whatsoever of
the
healing balm. Like the alcoholic, he is sick, does not know it, and
will
listen to reproof until the first free drink comes along.
The
balm which should be appropriated to cure the spiritual crippling
brought
on by doctrinal unsettledness is found in Hebrews 12:12-13 ,
“Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be
turned
out of the way; but let it rather be healed.” The earlier a
Christian
can formulate doctrine the better, for he will not spend his spiritual
life in a piecemeal way, constantly doing and redoing his doctrinal
structure,
He will become steadfast in his belief, and will be able to contend for
his faith, (Acts 2:42; Jude 3). Paul not only knew Whom
he
believed, he also knew what he believed, and in the benediction of his
life he said, “I have kept the faith” (II Timothy 4:7).
Heresy
and error, schism and division in the church, unsettledness in doctrine
are all devastating diseases, but we need to remember where these
diseases
abound the sovereign balm doth much more abound. It is said of our
gracious
Lord, He “healeth all thy diseases” (Psalm 103:3). The
church
is never afflicted with a sickness which is beyond divine remedy, but
no
cure will be effected until the church owns the cause of the disease to
be their own. The Great Physician cherishes the weakest grace in His
beloved
bride, and when she cries out from a penitent heart for healing, He
makes
a house call with healing in His wings. Our Lord advances the cure by
weakening
and restraining the power of sin. He breaks the bonds and loosens the
fetters
whereby His people are bound to self. He straightens them in duty, and
they “Walk before the Lord in the land of the living” (Psalm
116:9).
Many
are stubborn, determined to have their own way, and will not honor
Christ’s
prescription for healing. They will not drink the liquid of
self-denial,
or of repentance, or of contrition. The pill of personal sacrifice and
mortification in their notion costs too much, so they are left to
languish
in their disease, not knowing it is the mother of utter corruption,
culminating
in the extinguishing of all light.
A
brief word to the unsaved in closing. The world in which you live is a
spiritual leprosarium, and you are a spiritual leper. There is no cure
for you apart from the heavenly balm, the shed blood of Christ. Prayer,
baptism, good works, morality are all wonderful in their place, but
they
contribute absolutely nothing to the healing of the sin sick soul. It
is
the sacrificial blood of Christ, and nothing but His blood that heals
the
eternal soul of its damning disease, and the Great Physician will not
be
satisfied with anything less than full honour for the soul’s cure.