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An important topic for Christians is the relationship between sin and sickness. Another is the connection between forgiveness of sins and mercy. There are many thoughts here, so this will likely be Part one of a series.
The first question is whether there is a connection between sin and sickness. The answer is “yes” to the general question. By the general question, I mean that there was no sickness before Adam’s fall. The entrance of sin brought sickness in tow. Notice also that in the Atonement, God introduced the solution to sin and sickness, i.e.,
Isaiah 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
Psalm 103:2-3 Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits- who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases
So that shows the link between sin and sickness in the general causative sense. The fallen state of humanity is the background to all sickness. However, we see that healing and the forgiveness of sins became available through the second Adam—Jesus Christ. I say “became available”, because they are not automatic. The new currency of exchange with God has become faith, and forgiveness and healing are available through faith.
Now, let’s look at the individual level. Can sin bring about sickness? Yes it can. The sin of worry can bring about many stress-related diseases. Fornication can lead to sexual diseases. Anger and violence can lead to physical harm. Illegal drugs destroy the whole person. Thus, many types of sin can lead to sickness and harm to the mind and body. The best authority here is Jesus, who, after healing the disabled man at the Pool of Bethesda, found him and said;
John 5:14 Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.
Jesus warns the man that further sin can lead to sickness. Some may then conclude that all sin leads to sickness or that all sickness is the result of the sick person’s sin. However, these would be erroneous assumptions. I’ll explain why in the next post…stay tuned…
I think its also important to understand why god allows people to have disabilities and why God does not heal the disabled sometimes.
Hi Zach,
I don’t think the issue is God allowing anything, the issue is why the church is so ineffective in the area of healing. God has done all He’s going to do about sickness. He gave Jesus for our sins and for our sicknesses and He gave us the Holy Spirit to help us and to anoint us as we minister. Our ineffectiveness is because we’re more interested in church movie nights, pizza nights, game nights, dance, mime, and politics; we have little interest in preaching, teaching, praying or ministering in power (including healing). The more we minister as the early church did, the more we’ll have the same types of results as they did, as in Philip’s visit to Samaria or Stephen’s ministry in power (both in Acts). The spiritual rule is you can only reap what you sow – we are simply (corporately) sowing the wrong seed.
Blessings, brother.
Amen!!!!!!!!!
WE do not make anything happen….. EVER. period.
However, these would be erroneous assumptions. I’ll explain why in the next post…stay tuned…
Where can I find the answer to the question “Is all sickness the result of the sick person’s sin or sin of their family”?
How do I get on the email list. The email link doesn’t work.
God makes all things work together for the good of those who love Him. What is illness compared to the power of learning to love, of learning to be humble, of learning to serve, of learning our place, in line behind Christ himself. Real love means that we are free. Real love overcomes fear and it is the truth that will set and keep us free. We are the product of what we allow, what we accept and what we believe.
when I have a real sense of what mercy has been poured out on my behalf, I begin to have a sense of what it is that God sees when He looks at all others around me. He adores each and every person, so much so that the very last drop of His blood was the only way to pay for that love.
When we become enveloped in a larger sense of His plan, we begin to see that nothing is impossible for our God WHEN we have given Him first place in our hearts. My heart aches with the mercy He has given me that I have kept selfishly to myself. Let’s follow our leader for real, lets give out the mercy He has given us, and then the blind will see and the lame will walk. He said, “These things and MORE you will do in my name”. That is a day I hunger for.