When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Mark 2: 17.
 

For the time will come when they shall not endure sound teaching...and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 2 Timothy 4:3-4
 

In the scripture text shown above, we have a most important practical truth brought to our attention by the Holy Spirit of God. With all due respect to the doctors of medicine who are bringing credit to their chosen profession, nevertheless, even they themselves have to admit that a few of their colleagues are "quacks" whose practices make a person wonder why they ever chose such a noble profession. I thank God for every truly inspired and dedicated doctor / surgeon / physician who maintains, practices and defends the high principles of their profession. And I am especially thankful for those professionals who are not only devoted to the practice of medicine, but who are also consecrated children of God through faith in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Furthermore, I can think of no greater privilege for a Christian doctor than to be a faithful witness and testimony to the patients who obviously have confidence in that doctor's ability to meet their physical needs. He can also point them to the only One Who can meet their spiritual needs.

Today, I'd like to direct your attention to the physicians who specialize in spiritual matters -- those who seek to give spiritual prescriptions to poor souls who have entrusted them with their spiritual understanding and well-being. Unfortunately, it can be said of many of these spiritual doctors that they are "forgers of lies ... physicians of no value."

Now let's just take a brief look at the spiritual "quacks" and see the type of spiritual prescriptions they are dispensing to their terminally sin-sick patients.

First of all, we'll scan the philosophy and activity of "Dr. Atheist". He doesn't believe in a divine or supernatural supreme being called "GOD." He believes that everything just happens without any supernatural cause or influence whatsoever. He doesn't believe that the Bible is the word of God. He is satisfied to believe that a group of men got together and decided to write a book, and the resulting piece of "literature" was called the Bible -- for want of a better title. Dr. Atheist doesn't believe in the Genesis account of creation, nor the great flood of Noah's day, nor anything else found in the scriptures, even though subsequent history has proven these facts to be so; and even though every new discovery of science is a further revelation of God.

In Psalms 14:1 we read that "the fool hath said in his heart that there is no God". And I feel sorry for the patients of Dr. Atheist because in all liklihood they'll go on in their spiritual blindness, and ignorance of the truth, until they pass out of time into eternity, there to meet the One Who created the universe; the One Who upholds all things by the word of His power; the One Who sent His Son to die on the cross for our sin; yes, the One Who will judge the poor, lost sinners who would rather believe Dr. Atheist than to believe a loving God and Creator. Well, there is one thing certain -- there are no atheists in Hell -- because they changed their minds 5 seconds after they died !

Another "physician of no value" is "Dr. False Peace". He has one of the largest practices in town. His patients come to him because he makes them feel good. He tells them what they want to hear, that there is nothing to worry about -- they're in good spiritual health. Afterall, they've been baptized, confirmed and dedicated; they're church members ; they sing in the choir; they give of their finances for every worthy cause; they try to keep the "ten commandments" and they practice the "golden rule"; they don't drink alcoholic beverages or smoke tobacco; they don't use harmful drugs; they're not promiscuous; they're community-minded and good neighbors -- surely if anyone gets to Heaven, they will -- but will they?

Ah no, my friend! Dr. False Peace is leading them astray! The Bible says in Romans 3:12 that "there is none that doeth good, no, not one." In Ephesians 2:8,9 we read "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast". Sinner Friend, the next time you visit the crowded waiting room of Dr. False Peace, you ask him to read Isaiah 64:6 where God says that "we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags". No, my friend, we can't do anything to save our own souls, because if we could -- then logic itself, apart from scripture, tells us that there would have been no need for the Lord Jesus Christ to die for our sins on Calvary's cross. But thank God , He did die, the Just for the unjust so that He could bring us back to a new and proper relationship with our Creator-God. So friend, I'd advise you to read the Bible instead of listening to Dr. False Peace. Afterall, you wouldn't want to go down to Hell with him, would you?

Well that leads us to another spiritual "quack" called "Dr. No Hell". He's got all the answers, and do you know where he got them? -- from his microscopic brain which yields his infinitesimal understanding of God-given truth. He tells all his patients that a loving God would never cast a creature of His into a "Lake of Fire". Friend, Dr. No Hell preaches from an unusual Bible -- it's much thinner than mine because he has torn out all the pages which tell about the wrath of God. He tore out the pages in II Peter Chapter 2 which tell about the sinning angels which God cast out of Heaven and down to Hell. He tore out the pages in Genesis Chapter 7 which tell how God destroyed all but 8 souls in the great worldwide flood of Noah's day. He tore out the pages in Genesis Chapter 19 which tell how God rained fire and brimstone down from Heaven upon the sinful cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. He tore out the pages in Luke Chapter 16 which describes the unending torment of the man who died and awoke in the place that Jesus Christ called Hell. Yes, and Dr. No Hell tore out all the many pages which tell about the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ, and other doctrinal truths, with which he disagrees. Yes, Dr. No Hell truly is a "forger of lies and a physician of no value."

Friend, if there was no Hell and Lake of Fire awaiting the Christ-rejector, then why would God, the Father, pour forth at Calvary His terrible wrath upon His dearly well-beloved Son -- the Lord Jesus Christ? Yes, over 1900 years ago the Lord Jesus Christ, He Who knew no sin, was made sin for us so that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. He was our Substitute and He bare our sins in His own body on the tree so that we might never know the torments of an eternity of separation from God in the place called Hell.

In John 3:36 we read, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." Again in Isaiah 33:14 we read these solemn questions, "Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?" And yet again we read in Job 36:18, "Because there is wrath, beware, lest He take thee away with His stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee". Friend, please don't listen to Dr. No Hell, but rather listen to the word of God which clearly and repeatedly tells us that there really is a Heaven to gain and a Hell to shun!

Now let's take a look at another spiritual "quack", or "physician of no value" and his name is "Dr. Do Better". He tells his congregation that no one is perfect but if they ever expect to be in Heaven they will have to "do better." They will have to "turn over a new leaf", or "reform." His office is especially crowded on New Year's Eve when many people are concerned about a better start for the New Year. He tells them to forget about the past and to try harder to live a commendable life before their family, their friends, and God, in that order. He convinces them to put more money into the collection plate. Yes, and he will coax and badger them to come forward to the altar to make a lip confession of Jesus Christ as their Saviour so that everything will turn out alright in the end -- but will it? In Ecclesiastes 3:15 we read, "God requireth that which is past."

Friend, beware of Dr. Do Better -- he's a tool in the hands of the Devil, he's a "forger of lies", and he's peddling his diabolical prescription of reformation as a generic substitute for the regeneration brought about by the Holy Spirit of God from above. The Bible tells us that "in the flesh dwelleth no good thing", and if it was possible for our sinful and carnal nature to be improved upon then there would be no need for the "new birth" of which we read in John Chapter 3.

There, the Lord Jesus Christ told that most religious man named Nicodemus that "except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Why? "Because that which is born of the flesh is flesh." In other words, a sinful nature can only produce sin, and as far as God is concerned, an unsaved sinner is nothing but sin covered with skin. All the reformation in the world will never take one sinner into God's Heaven. Over in Titus 3:5 we read that it is "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us." Friend, it's about time that you changed your spiritual doctor because Dr. Do Better is a "physician of no value" and he is robbing you of the truth of God's word that makes it quite clear and emphatic that "except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."

Now friend, if you quit going to Dr. Do Better then make sure you don't go to that other cunning "quack" named "Dr. Procrastination." Of all the spiritual "physicians of no value"-- he is, by far,the worse! He tells you that there is a God. He tells you that God loved you so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to be the Saviour of your soul. He tells you that Jesus Christ, in love for your soul, shed His precious sin-cleansing blood at Calvary's cross. He tells you that you can be saved, or "born again", through faith in Jesus Christ alone. He tells you that a flaming Hell awaits every Christ-rejecter. But he also tells you not to be too hasty about getting "saved". He tells many of you that you are young and full of life, with many more years ahead of you. He tells you to "live it up", "have a good time", "go where you want to go and do what you want to do", and "see what you want to see", and "enjoy yourself; then just before you die; just before you pass from time into eternity -- then you can trust the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour -- but not today!"

In Ecclesiastes 11:9 we're reminded, "Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things, God will bring thee into judgment." Then God follows up with these words in Ecclesiastes 12:1, "Remember NOW thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them."

Friend, please don't listen to this spiritual "quack" for even one minute---he's an emissary of the Devil, and there are countless millions of souls down in Hell today who were his patients while they were here on earth. They, too, thought that they had plenty of time to get saved---and now it's too late---they're down in Hell, weeping and wailing and gnashing their teeth. The word of God is very, very clear on the matter of when to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your own and personal Saviour. It is NOW! There is no guarantee that you'll ever see the light of another day. In Proverbs 27:1 we're told, "Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." Again in II Corinthians 6:2 we read, "Behold NOW is the accepted time; Behold NOW is the day of salvation". There are many other similar scriptures that warn against procrastination but I'll only mention two more. In Acts 17:30 we read, "God NOW commandeth all men everywhere to repent -- ". And in Hebrews 4:7 we're told, "TODAY if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts."

I believe that some of you who are reading this message have been basking in the sunshine of God's love, mercy and grace for many years. You've enjoyed the luxury of hearing the true Gospel and being convicted by the Holy Spirit of God through His Book, the Bible. Perhaps you've been fortunate enough to have been raised in a Christian home and have parents who are even now in Heaven, but you're still on your way to Hell because you've been procrastinating, or "putting it off" till later on in life. To you, God has a special warning in Proverbs 29:1 -- "He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy."

Well friend, you can't say that you haven't been warned. Sure you expect to get saved someday, but "Remember that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions !" No, don't be like Governor Felix in Acts Chapter 24 who trembled , yet said after the Apostle Paul preached the Gospel to him,--"Go thy way for this time, when I have a convenient season I will call for thee". We never read where he ever had a "convenient season". Again in Acts Chapter 26 we read of King Agrippa who was under such deep conviction of sin that he actually told the Apostle Paul,---"ALMOST thou persuadest me to be a Christian". We never read where either Governor Felix or King Agrippa ever trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour. They were like so many people down in Hell today who were almost saved---BUT COMPLETELY LOST !

Today I've been bringing before you some of the spiritual doctors that are propagating their diabolical doctrines to their patients, or congregations, and according to the Bible they are "physicians of no value." Yes, even though they may have spent many years in a so-called "theological seminary", and may have the initials "D.D." after their names, for "Doctor of Divinity", yet those initials will mean "Doomed and Damned" unless they, too, trust the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour.

Two very important factors to remember when you visit the offices of the afore-mentioned "forgers of lies ... and physicians of no value" are that you usually enjoy what you hear so you schedule subsequent appointments, and the spiritual fees you pay have adverse eternal consequences. In Mark 8:36,37 the Lord says, "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul."

In contrast, when a repentant sinner visits Dr. Jesus Christ, in believing faith, there is never a need for a return visit, nor is there a fee to be paid for the eternal salvation which they immediately receive from the "Great Physician." The Apostle Peter tells us in I Peter 1:18,19 that we are "not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver or gold ... but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." In Isaiah 55:1 we're told that God's salvation is "without money and without price." In Verse 3 of that same Chapter, God says, "Incline your ear and come unto Me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you."

It is also important that you know that regardless of how sin-sick you may be; or how many gross sins you have committed, there is no such thing as an incurable disease with the "Great Physician". He is able to save from the "guttermost to the uttermost", those that come unto God through faith in Him. The Lord makes it quite clear in John 14:6 when He says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me."

Friends, why not admit that you are spiritually sick and that the only physician who has the only real remedy for your sin-sick soul is the Great Physician -- the Lord Jesus Christ? The remedy, or prescription for your sin, and my sin too, is the "precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ" which flowed at Calvary's cross. In I John 1:7 we read that "the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from ALL sin." And Friend, if you'll come by faith to Dr. Jesus Christ right now, you'll be instantly healed -- you'll be made every whit whole--- you'll be as sure of being in Heaven as though you were already walking the street of gold.

So whoever you are, and wherever you may be, just acknowledge your sinful condition in God's sight, repent of your sin, and simply trust Jesus Christ as your own and personal Saviour -- and friend, if you do, according to God Who cannot lie, you'll be saved for time---and thank God, you'll be saved for all eternity! And REMEMBER, MY FRIEND, THIS IS FOR ETERNITY!