Affordable Care Act

Well, the election is over and for several reasons I’m happy that it is.  There were a lot of issues brought up and discussed (ad infinitum) during the campaign.  One of which serves as the inspiration for my editorial lesson today.

The issue of which I speak is the “Affordable Care Act”, otherwise known as “Obama Care.”   And, not just this policy alone, but really all of the man-made insurance policies.  We’re going to look at man’s plans versus God’s insurance plan.

When you look at man’s insurance plans we see that all of them have faults.  For example, the costs (premiums) are always changing, as in, going up.  What you pay now will increase later.  One thing is constant about this - they never decrease.  I once heard a very learned man say something that, the longer I live the more I come to understand his words.  He said that “the insurance companies own this country.”

As evidenced by the woes of the ACA, the insurance companies are not in the business to lose money.  I certainly haven’t discovered anything benevolent about them.  That’s why we see and hear the reports of many of the companies dropping out of the ACA. 

Plus, the coverage is “limited” and becomes even more so as the costs go up.  Funny how that works, isn’t it?   There’s really no such thing as “full coverage.”  Somewhere there are limits, usually hidden deep in the fine print.  And, besides the premium costs constantly rising, so is their close relative - “Co-Pays.”  Just remember this mantra - the insurance companies are not in business  to lose money.

Well, that’s a thumbnail sketch of the man-made insurance industry according to Covey.  Now, I’d like to talk a little bit about God’s Insurance Plan.  Basically it’s called “The Gospel Plan” which is the culmination of God’s plan that began with the promises made to Abraham that progressed to the first “written” policy called “The Mosaical Plan.”

As we know from our studies of the Old Testament, this was a “limited” plan.  And, it was designed to be so until the final and perfect plan came into being.  The “Gospel Plan.”  Should we be happy to see this plan?  You betcha!  Because the word “Gospel” means the “Good News.”

You know what else?  The Church is the “agency” established to promote the Gospel Plan and Christians are the “agents.”  Mark 16:15 says (paraphrasing) for all “agents” to go everywhere and tell everyone the “Good News” about “The Plan.”

Remember how man’s plans are, in some way, all limited?  The “Gospel Plan” has no limits as to who is eligible to enroll.  And, as Paul says in Rom. 3:23, everyone is in need of this “Plan.”  He says there that “All have sinned and come short of the Glory of God.”  The hard part is in convincing people that they need it.

And, in support of my assertion that this is the final plan (not going to be anymore plans available, read Heb. 10:26) and that it supercedes and is superior to the limited “Mosaical Plan” read Hebrews 7:22 with me.  “By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament, IE: “Plan.”  Look who the “surety,” the guarantor is - The Son of God Himself, Jesus Christ.

That also tells me that this “Plan” will never change.  Will never be dropped, because the highest premium has already been paid for it.  And that those who sign up (enroll) IE: obey the conditions of “The Plan” (repent, confess, be baptized and remain faithful) will enjoy the “eternal” benefits of it.

In Rev. 2:7 we read these words: “.... To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”  Why is that such “Good News?”  When we turn to Rev. 22:2 we find our answer.  Because if we have access to the tree of life, we have the “healing of the nations.”  

In other words, no more sickness, sadness nor sorrow.  No more debilitating disease of infirmities.  With God’s Insurance Plan, in essence, just pick a leaf off of the tree and everything is “healed.”  I’d say that’s not only “Good News,” it’s “wonderful news.”

And the crowning benefit of God’s Plan is seen in Rev. 22:14.  “Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the city.” The “right to the tree of life” means we’re in heaven where the tree is located. 

In that “city” with God’s Insurance Plan, the premium is eternally paid therefor, no cost increases.  There are no “limits” on our policy there.  “Full coverage” with God’s Plan means exactly that - “Full coverage.”

However, we can’t forget the “Co-Pay.”  If one is not a member of God’s Health Care Plan I’m afraid you’re going to find your “Co-Pay” hard to bear.

Respectfully submitted,

Ron Covey