Perhaps prostitutes, tax collectors, and other known sinners responded to Jesus so readily because at some level they knew they were wrong and to them God’s forgiveness looked very appealing. As C. S. Lewis has said, “Prostitutes are in no danger of finding their present life so satisfactory that they cannot turn to God: the proud, the avaricious, the self-righteous, are in that danger.”
–Philip Yancey
Just as with physical healing, we can’t get better if we don’t admit to the doctor that we have pain and need treatment. If we refuse to admit our sickness and refuse medication and treatment, we might die if the illness is serious enough.
And sin is serious… eternally serious. Deadly serious.
Where are you on the spectrum?
Have you admitted that you are a person who realizes you are a sinner in need of salvation with no power to save yourself? And therefore God’s forgiveness looks very appealing?
Or do you think, “I’m good enough,” and therefore refuse to admit your need and turn to God?
Jesus said that the only ones who were able to receive His healing were those who admitted their need for Him.
The other problem with the proud and self-righteous is that when they work their way into the church, we find that legalism creeps in as well, and it is no longer OK to not be OK in the church. And the church is the one place where allowing someone to be broken and ask for healing is desperately needed.