The Disease of Sin

There are many deadly diseases in the world. Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) is one of more than 100 non-polio enteroviruses. This virus was first identified in California in 1962. What are the symptoms of EV-D68 infection? EV-D68 can cause mild to severe respiratory illness. Mild symptoms may include fever, runny nose, sneezing, cough, and body and muscle aches. Severe symptoms may include wheezing and difficulty breathing. Who is at risk? In general, infants, children, and teenagers are most likely to get infected with enteroviruses and become ill. That's because they do not yet have immunity (protection) from previous exposures to these viruses. Ebola. The 2014 Ebola outbreak is the largest in history and the first Ebola epidemic the world has ever known — affecting multiple countries in West Africa. Although the risk of an Ebola outbreak in the United States is very low, CDC and partners are taking precautions to prevent this from happening. On 9/30/2014, CDC confirmed, the first travel-associated case of Ebola to be diagnosed in the United States. Symptoms of Ebola include, Fever (greater than 101.5°F), Severe headache, Muscle pain, Weakness, Diarrhea, Vomiting, Abdominal (stomach) pain, Unexplained hemorrhage (bleeding or bruising). Symptoms may appear anywhere from 2 to 21 days after exposure to Ebola, but the average is 8 to 10 days. Recovery from Ebola depends on the patient’s immune response. People who recover from Ebola infection develop antibodies that last for at least 10 years. Dengue Fever which Kills: 25,000 per Year. Dengue Fever is a mosquito-carried tropical disease with no vaccine or treatment, and kills about 25,000 people a year. . It is also one of the fastest growing diseases in the world with the number of recorded outbreaks jumping from 9 to 100 in the last 40 years. Despite this disease having an estimated 2.5 billion people at risk, Dengue is usually not fatal. Leishmaniasis which Kills: 20,000-30,000 per Year. Like Dengue, Leishmaniasis has no vaccine or cure and is a growing threat with 1.3 million new cases each year. Currently it kills between 20,000 to 30,000 people per year. Unlike Dengue, Leishmaniasis is slightly more widespread as it prospers in conditions usually found among the poorest in the world with most hotspots in Africa, India and Brazil, although it is growing in the Mediterranean areas. Cholera which Kills: 100,000 Per Year. Cholera is a diarrhoeal disease which can kill with amazing rapidity (sometimes within hours). Although it kills far fewer than African Sleeping Disease (about 100,000 a year), Cholera is less discriminant in where it can hit. Spread by tainted water or food, it presents about three to five million cases each year.

There are many other deadly diseases such as:

• Malaria which Kills: 650,000-1.2 Million per Year.

• Pneumonia kills: 1.1 million Children Per Year.

• Lung Cancer Kills: 1.6 million Per Year.

• Tuberculosis kills: 1.3 million Per Year.

• AIDS Kills: 1.6 million Per Year.

• Ischemic Heart Disease. kills: 7.4 million Per Year. This disease is by far the largest killer on this list, with roughly 7.4 million people killed in 2012. Caused by high blood pressure, smoking, and obesity, among other factors, ischemic heart disease results in the cutting off of blood to the heart, often resulting in heart attacks. It is the number one killer in western countries and remains a scourge all over the world.

But the number one silent and deadly killer disease that affects each and every person is SIN. (Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23). How does one get sin? We do so by knowingly living outside the Body of Christ. Sin came into existence when Adam & Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden and were cast out. Sin began killing because mankind from that point on and sin looks good. 2 Corinthians 11:14, “And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. “Satan makes sin look appealing just like he did to Adam and Eve in the Garden.”

Just like the deadly disease’s we spoke about, we have to ask ourselves is this sin. James 4:17 “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” If it is sin, then we must stay away from it. I Thessalonians 5:22, “Abstain from every form of evil.” How can I know if something is sinful? If you find yourself infected with this deadly disease, take heart, you can be washed clean. You can give your life to God through Jesus Christ. Follow God’s plan of salvation. Hear His Word, Believe His Word, Repent of your sins, Confess Christ as your Savior and be baptized into Christ’s death. Are you a child of God? There is a chance you can become infected again. I John 1:8-10, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” You should also know that the things you’re going through are common. I Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” Escape the deadly the disease of sin only through Christ.