SPIRITUAL AUTOPSY
If you watch any television at all you can’t miss, in crime scene investigation shows, an autopsy. We have seen so many that most of us could almost perform one. Have you ever thought about a spiritual autopsy? In Matthew 13 Jesus gives a parable about a sower who went forth to sow and as he sowed some seed fell. Some by the wayside (the birds came and got it), some on stony places (sun came up and they were scorched), some fell among the thorns (thorns choked it) and then some on good (produced fruit).
What about a spiritual autopsy? An autopsy is performed by a medical examiner to determine the cause of death. As a Bible examiner let’s do a spiritual autopsy on a soul that once obeyed the gospel and served the Lord for a while but died spiritually.
This article won’t have space to cover the entire body but hit a few important spots. Maybe a first look at the body might reveal something without a minute investigation. We are only going to examine the head.
A quick look at the brain may reveal the person deceased for a lack of knowledge. Hosea said, “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge…” (Hos. 4:6). It takes knowledge of the word of God to grow (1 Pet. 2:2). These are folks who never attend Bible school, gospel meetings or any activity that will expand their knowledge of the word of God.
A survey of the ears may reveal they have been listening to the wrong people. We are to be swift to hear (James 1:19). Faith comes by hearing (Rom. 10:17) but since they don’t hear much teaching and preaching their faith doesn’t grow. “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly…” (Ps. 1:1). Listening to false doctrine will cause spiritual death.
An examination of the eyes reveals that they have been looking at the wrong things. Maybe they have been watching “R—rated” movies or looking at pornography on the internet. They may have been blinded to the truth by a desire to be popular. The god of this world has blinded them (2 Cor. 4:4).
A close look at the tongue reveals speech that is not uplifting for a child of God (Mt. 12:36). “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned” (Mt. 12:37). We are taught to control our tongue (Jam. 3:2) and be slow to speak (Jam. 1:19). When the tongue is examined and found that gossip and profanity have proceeded out of the mouth, these things ought not so to be (Jam.3:10).
Why not do an examination before spiritual death occurs and correct those things that need to be corrected. Paul wrote, “But let a man examine himself…” (1 Cor. 11:28).