HEALING FROM WITHIN-
CANCER, SIN, REPENTANCE and SPIRITUAL REMISSION

A friend said he had recently heard a podcaster comparing cancer and sin. My friend said it was interesting and provoked a lot of thought. I never found this podcast. I have successfully gone through treatment for stage 3 throat cancer and was inspired to ponder the topic.  Putting my thoughts on paper was quite an introspective few days for me.
 
In 2018 when my wife and I received my throat cancer diagnosis, she asked, "What about you and our business, Honey?" My response was bold and emphatic, "Please don't worry, we tithe, God will take care of us and the business!"

SIN: THE CANCER OF THE SOUL
CANCER is one of the most feared diagnoses in mortality. WHY? Because it is internal, progressive, and—if untreated—fatal.
SIN is remarkably similar.
 
BOTH CANCER and SIN often begin small and unnoticed, spread quietly if ignored, and
require intervention, not denial.

CANCER weakens our entire physical body while SIN weakens our spiritual relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ separating us from the Holy Spirit.
The scriptures repeatedly teach that God is the Master Healer and Jesus Christ possesses His great healing powers. While CANCER and SIN can both be deadly, complete healing is possible through complex treatment provided by a team of medical doctors, not through denial and avoidance. Similarly, one's soul can be spiritually cleansed, healed and redeemed through sincere repentance. The treatment plan for our souls was given to us by the Atoning Sacrifice of the Savior, and the Power of the Gospel- all provided by our loving God. He is the master physician who cares for our souls!
 
CANCER IS A DISEASE TO OUR BODIES. SIN IS A SPIRITUAL CANCER.

CANCER begins at the cellular level, changes and corrupts healthy tissue, multiplies and spreads if untreated eventually overtaking the body causing our physical death.

SIN: 
Begins in our mind and soul corrupting our righteous desires; then, through repetition, it grows and corrupts our thinking, happiness and joy eventually separating us from God, Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit. Sin is not merely bad behavior; it is a progressive, self-defeating, lethal condition of the soul. Without turning to and Having Faith In Christ thereby repenting, the sin is left untreated and allowed to permeate our souls eventually damaging ourselves and everything we care about.

Old Testament
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
— Jeremiah 17:9
Book of Mormon
“For the natural man is an enemy to God… unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit.”
— Mosiah 3:19

DENIAL and AVOIDANCE vs. DIAGNOSIS 
A CANCER patient who refuses diagnosis does not avoid disease—
he or she simply delays healing allowing the cancer to progress.
Likewise, SPIRITUAL HEALING requires honest self-assessment.
Old Testament
“Search me, O God, and know my heart… and see if there be any wicked way in me.”
— Psalm 139:23–24
Book of Mormon
“Ye shall search yourselves, and if ye do not repent ye must perish.”
— Alma 5:31
Both passages require us to surrender to God and Jesus Christ. Repentance begins with honesty and truth, not shame. Surrendering to Him is not weakness of character but strength in one’s faith and the realization that repentance nurtures and strengthens our relationship with Heavenly Father.
 
The Treatment — Chemotherapy and Repentance
Chemotherapy and radiation are aggressive and sometimes painful. They target the cancer that has invaded and is trying to take over and kill our body. No one enjoys chemotherapy and radiation, but no one doubts its purpose. Successful cancer treatment requires a strong desire to live, consistency of treatment and trust in the competence of your medical team. 
Repentance is very humbling, can be emotionally painful, and requires obedience and endurance. Repentance is cathartic to the soul! However, it requires honesty, being openminded and willing to change. Repentance destroys sin at the root of our being. Just as chemotherapy attacks cancer cells, repentance targets our sins, pride, addiction, resentment, and rebellion. Repentance is not punishment; it is Heavenly Father’s treatment for our souls.
Old Testament
“Come now, and let us reason together… though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.”
— Isaiah 1:18
Book of Mormon
“By the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.”
— Moroni 10:5

The Physician — Christ as the Master Healer
A patient does not heal themselves.
They submit to a physician who knows more than they do.
Old Testament
“I am the Lord that healeth thee.”
— Exodus 15:26
Book of Mormon
“He shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind… that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people.”
— Alma 7:11–12
Christ does not merely prescribe repentance; for us, he absorbed the pain of it.

The Outcome — Remission and Being Born Again
When cancer is in remission, it is no longer flourishing, thriving and dominating us.
Our bodies regain strength, and life continues with gratitude and vigilance.
When we repent, our souls are cleansed of the stains of sin. The repented sin lives no longer, and our spiritual rebirth begins. Sin no longer rules, and our heart is changed. Life continues with humility and faith.

New Testament
We are redeemed by the blood of the lamb, the word of our testimony, (Revelation 12:11) and our works (The Epistle of James).
Old Testament
“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you.”
— Ezekiel 36:26
Book of Mormon
“Have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances?”
— Alma 5:14

Repentance is not cosmetic change. It is deep transformative change that encompasses our personality, motivations and soul. I testify that only the Power of the Restored Gospel can change us in these ways.

Cancer untreated leads to death. Sin untreated leads to spiritual death. However, both are treatable. Diagnosis of both cancer and sin brings hope.
Through Jesus Christ, faith brings new life. Repentance brings cleansing. Endurance brings healing.

In John 5:6 of the New Testament, John asks, “…fulfilled in power through the Restoration… Wilt thou be made whole?”
 
I testify that repentance works, that Christ heals, and that through Him we can experience true spiritual remission from the inevitable self-destruction caused by sin. Through our honesty and contrition, we are not just forgiven of our sin, our soul is transformed and our relationship with Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are renewed and strengthened. Amen

SELF-REFLECTION
Since I prepared the above talk, self-reflection has inspired me to develop these personal questions that relate in order directly to each section above.
 
Recognizing the Disease (Self-Awareness)
What sins or spiritual weaknesses in my life tend to hide quietly rather than announce themselves?
Have I mistaken “functioning” for being spiritually healthy?
What patterns in my thoughts or behaviors suggest something is spreading rather than healing?
“Search me, O God, and know my heart…” — Psalm 139:23

Willingness to Be Diagnosed (Honesty Before God)
Am I willing to ask the Lord to show me what needs healing—even if the answer is uncomfortable?
What am I avoiding confessing because I fear pain, embarrassment, or change?
Do I confuse guilt (which paralyzes) with godly sorrow (which motivates)?
“If ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love…” — Alma 5:26

Submitting to Treatment (Repentance in Action)
What part of repentance feels most like “chemotherapy” to me—confession, restitution, abandonment, or endurance?
Have I tried to reduce the dosage of repentance rather than follow it fully?
Do I trust the Lord enough to stay the course even when repentance feels painful?
“For I, the Lord, cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance.” — D&C 1:31

Trusting the Physician (Reliance on Christ)
Do I truly believe Christ understands my specific struggle, or do I treat my sin as an exception?
When healing feels slow, do I blame the Physician—or do I continue to trust Him?
How often do I turn first to Christ rather than to self-justification or distraction?
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden…” — Matthew 11:28

Living in Remission (Conversion and Vigilance)
After past forgiveness, have I returned to old habits that invite relapse?
What daily spiritual disciplines help me remain spiritually cancer-free?
Does my life reflect someone who has been healed—or someone still flirting with the disease?
“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.” — Matthew 26:41

Evidence of Rebirth (Change of Heart)
Has my relationship with sin changed, not just my behavior?
Do others see Christ’s image more clearly in my countenance?
Am I more humble, teachable, and loving than I was before?
“And the Lord said unto him: Marvel not that all mankind… must be born again.” — Moses 6:59
If the Lord were to ask you today, “Wilt thou be made whole?”—what would your honest answer be?