I can't remember how many times I have been anesthetized-in the dentist's chair, in the operating room, and the dreaded colonoscopy. I for one can say I'm happy I was anesthetized in all of these cases. After the initial poke with the needle, I felt no pain-no sensation at all. I'm thankful that there are such drugs available for people like me who don't relish pain.

The Bible also warns about those who wrongly self-anesthetize . . . with alcohol or drugs. They become insensitive to their surroundings. Read the numbing result to the alcoholic: "They have struck me, but I was not hurt; They have beaten me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?" (Prov. 23:35) This sort of desensitization is sinful.

The Bible also speaks of another lack of sensitivity, which is even more serious and invasive. What some drugs do for our benefit, sin does for our misery. This desensitization came through the fall. But the irony is, it is very selective. We become insensitive to the things that are pure, and, on the other hand, evil things are often sensational for us. Look at what the Apostle Paul says in Eph. 4:17-19, "This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to licentiousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness." Being beyond feeling does not refer to physical pain, but to the pain that should be felt over our sin. The unregenerate person sins with impunity-without the fear of punishment. Sin has deadened the heart to the pain that should be felt over sin.

Unbelievers are extremely sensitive to the use of the word "God," Jesus," or "Christ" when it is used by Christians. They just can't tolerate that! Profanity and pornography is OK because they suffer from selective sensitivity of the wrong kind.

Here's the problem we face. Sin has a way of creeping into our lives incrementally. The use of vulgarity, profanity, and blasphemous language can be heard in the grocery store as well as in the saloon. Many TV programs regularly abuse the name of our holy God with no restraint (i.e. "Oh my God!"). The problem with this repeated and ubiquitous use is that we gradually become insensitive to it. What people once gasped at, is now just a rolling of our eyes, or worse, ignored and accepted. The "everybody does it" syndrome.

Along with the trash-mouth society that we live in, there is another problem that undermines the very truth of God's Word. When doctrines and morals that once were defended with life-blood are now regarded as acceptable by Christians, we know we are becoming desensitized to the pure Word of God. False doctrine is no less sinful than profanity. Paul writes to Timothy: "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron." (1 Tim. 4:1, 2) A "seared conscience" is one that no longer has feeling for what is true or right.

We have heard that "familiarity breeds contempt." Instead of highly esteeming the doctrines of our Christian confessions, many are longing to hear some new thing (cf. Acts 17:21). I wonder if that is not what has happened to some of the most precious doctrines of the Reformed faith. Departures no longer make us gasp in horror. Sensitivity to the absolute Truth of the Bible or the absolute holiness of God is slowly waning in the lives of many who are allowing themselves to become desensitized to the Bible and sensitive to anything new. Paul warns about those who will eventually no longer endure sound doctrine, but have "itching ears" for fables and false doctrine (2 Tim. 4:3-4).

Only God can give us the right kind of sensitivity. Only God, by the regeneration and sanctification of the Holy Spirit can give us a new heart and a heart that is sensitive to the presence of a holy God and His holy Word. Joseph, son of Jacob, lived in a heathen land and could have gone with the flow, but he was so sensitive to the will of a holy God, that when tempted to commit adultery said, "How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God." (Gen. 39:9)

Inborn sin has universally deadened the heart and the feelings for anything pure. Dead in sin means dead to sin. Alive in Christ is living to Christ and His glory. Only by the grace of God does the Christian have a new heart, and a new life filled with the knowledge of a holy God. Feelings never replace faith, but faith does produce the feeling or sensitivity of wanting all things to glorify and praise God.

As Christians, being anesthetized, in some instances, may be good for the body. It is not good for the soul.