subject: An Accurate Diagnosis Is Crucial
[print this page] My brother had been feeling under the weather for several days, and just didn't seem able to shake whatever was causing it. He didn't really feel sick, just not up to doing what he normally did. Finally, he consulted a doctor to see if he could identify the problem and prescribe something to cure it.
The doctor started with a standard physical examination, weighing him, looking into his eyes and throat and checking his blood pressure. When he placed his stethoscope, he was shocked by the speed at which my brothers heart was beating. The blood pressure was near normal, but the heart was beating at more than twice the normal rate He immediately had my brother taken to the hospital. As he told my brother later, he had never heard anyone's heart beat so fast, would not have been at all surprised for his heart to have stopped at any second.
The doctor had no suspicion of heart problems, believing that there was some minor infection, until he followed the routine procedure. The simple check indicated a serious heart condition that would have been fatal if left untreated. Because the heart condition was so serious, and could have caused the feelings of not being well they didn't woory much about the something else causing the problem.
My brother worked as an electrical lineman, and had competed several times in national competitions for climbing power poles, which he did almost daily. He believed himself to be in good health, and periodically had checkups at work as well. The diagnosis came as a complete surprise. To have tried to climb another pole would have been almost certainly fatal.
Most of us assume we are in fine health unless some thing indicates there is a problem. As long as it doesn't hurt we assume nothing is wrong. If we begin to notice a nagging discomfort, or weakness, it is easy to overlook it for a while. Many people avoid going to the doctor because they fear he will find something wrong. Not going would have almost certainly resulted in my brother not receiving treatment. He would probably have died before he could be diagnosed. Ignorance might have been fatal.
Pain, discomfort, and the sensation of something just not being quite right indicate some kind of a problem. It is usually wise to check whether it is serious. Because symptoms may not be noticed right away, doctors recommend periodic physical exams to check for developing problems. Unfortunately, as in the case of swine flu, it may become easy to ascribe the problem to a particular cause and not do a thorough exam, missing far more serious problems. Some of the deaths ascribed to swine flu are almost certainly a result of just such incomplete testing.
There are thousands of alternative treatments offered for many diseases. Not all of those promising cures are qualified even to make a diagnosis, and many of the cures are ineffectual, and some are more dangerous than the problem they are purported to cure. A wise patient first makes sure the diagnosis is correct. Incorrect diagnoses lead to ineffective and counter productive treatments, sometimes resulting in death.
Guilt, depression, and bitterness all indicate spiritual problems in the same way that pain, discomfort and a feeling of malaise indicate physical problems. To get an idea of the variety of suggested treatments for these problems, one needs only to go to a bookstore and look around. The number of books in the self improvement, religion, and psychology departments is astounding. Recommendations range from witchcraft, magic spells and religious rituals to outright denial that a problem exists. Many offer no clear guidelines as to how to determine whether the problem they treat is the disease or merely a symptom of something worse, leading to inconsistent and sometimes disastrous results.
The doctor spotted my brother's heart problem using a standard, very inspecific test, listening to the heart, It did not tell him exactly what the problem was, but it did indicate the area to check further. Had he skipped that one, which has been a standard for nearly 100 years, he might well have come to a false conclusion, or not discovered the problem soon enough.
The Bible presents some simple, and effective tests to diagnose what is needed for spiritual health. The Old Testament law, of which the ten commandments are a simplified version, clearly indicates an attitude of rebellion and wickedness, causing guilt and depression. This test has become unpopular, and many are consequently misdiagnosed as suffering from other problems. Because it is assumed that sin is not the problem, it is not treated and continues to grow.
The treatments offered may reduce some of the symptoms, but if they do not solve the problem, their effect is only temporary. At some point greater concentration will cease to produce the desired effect. By starting with a broad spectrum test such as the biblical one we can be sure we have correctly diagnosed the basic problem, and then can zero in on the specifics. Failure to use a valid diagnostic approach is unlikely to produce consistence results.
Unfortunately, an accurate diagnosis is of little value if it is not followed by effective treatment. Had my brother not gone to the hospital after the doctor's diagnosis, he would still have died of heart failure. His death would have been his own fault since he knew the danger. Many people hear the biblical diagnosis of their spiritual problem but choose not to take the recommended treatment. That is their right, but now the fault is theirs rather than the doctor's. The Old Testament law was a diagnostic tool, it was not, and is not a cure.
