Balm in Gilead
Jeremiah 8:22
Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?


I. THE ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF THE SALVATION PROVIDED FOR OUR PERISHING SOULS.

1. The glorious constitution of His person as God and Man in one Christ. He, who has undertaken the office of our great Physician, is "Lord of lords, and King of kings." "All the angels of God worship Him." He is Himself "God over all, blessed for evermore." Yet, wonderful to tell, He is also Man, bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh, and made in all things, sin only excepted, like unto us; whom He is therefore not ashamed to call His brethren.

2. The wonderful way which He has taken to save us from sin. This way was by giving up to death this Person so gloriously constituted, that by thus dying He might atone for our sins.

II. THE REASON WHY SO MANY PERSONS, NOTWITHSTANDING, CONTINUE IN A PERISHING CONDITION.

1. Some are altogether insensible of their disease. Engrossed with worldly business, sunk in sensual pleasures, they give no thought at all, or no serious thought, to the state of their soul. As to their sin, it gives them no concern. They regard it as light and trifling.

2. Some are too proud to accept or use the proffered medicine. They think that they can heal and cure themselves. The proposition of being saved wholly through the blood and sacrifice of another is too humbling for them. They cannot submit to be thus indebted to grace.

3. Others there are who use not the remedy prescribed because of its holy tendency. They know that, while it brings them to the Cross of Christ, it requires them to take up their cross, to crucify the flesh, and to be crucified to the world. But to these things, these acts of self-denial and godliness, they have no mind; therefore they go not to the Physician to heal them.

(E. Cooper, M. A.)



Parallel Verses
KJV: Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?

WEB: Is there no balm in Gilead? is there no physician there? why then isn't the health of the daughter of my people recovered?




A Cure for Diseased Souls
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