Sickness & Death

Post by **_Allen** » Mon Nov 08, 2004 9:50 am

Does God ever cause sickness and death to serve His purposes. Or does He only permit sickness and death as a result of sin and the working of Satan.

Post by **_Aussie Pentecostal** » Mon Nov 08, 2004 8:32 pm

HEALING

I. Some Biblical references to healing

A. Hebrew word rapha - "to heal"
Lev. 13:18,37; 14:3 - "it has healed...the scale has healed"
Deut. 28:27,35 - "the itch from which you cannot be healed"
Ps. 41:4 - "Heal my soul, for I have sinned"
Isa. 6:10 - "repent and be healed"
Isa. 53:5 - "by His scourging we are healed"
B. Greek word therapeuo - "to heal, cure, serve"
Matt. 9:35 - "healing every kind of disease and sickness"
Matt. 14:14 - "healed their sick"
Luke 13:14 - "healed on the Sabbath"
C. Greek word iaomai - "to heal"
Luke 6:18 - "healed of their diseases"
James 5:16 - "pray for one another, so that you may be healed"
I Pet. 2:24 - "by His wounds you were healed"
D. Greek word hygies - "whole, healthy"
Luke 6:10 - "his hand was restored"
John 5:4,9,11,14 - "made well"

II. The problem of sickness and evil

A. Why is there sickness and disease in the world?
B. Is sickness and disease just a result of natural causes?
C. Is sickness and disease a result of man's sin?
II Chron. 26:19 - "Uzziah enraged...leprosy broke out"
Jn. 5:14 - "do not sin, so that nothing worse may befall you"
D. Is sickness and disease therefore a divine punishment upon man?
Jn. 9:2,3 - "who sinned? Neither this man nor his parents"
Rev. 16:2 - "wrath of God...malignant sores"
E. Is such punishment collective or individual?
F. Does God use sickness and disease as means of developing patience?
G. Is sickness and disease a result of the devil's evil and destructive work?
Job 2:6 - "God to Job, "He is in your power..."
Matt. 12:22-28 - "cast out Satan"
Lk. 8:2 - "evil spirits and sicknesses"
Lk. 13:11 - "a sickness caused by a spirit"
II Cor. 12:7 - "a messenger of Satan"
H. Is sickness and disease contrary to God's intent and will for man?
I. Is sickness and disease in the body of a Christian a result of personal sin?
II Cor. 11:30 - "for this reason many are weak and sick"

III. Healing and the Will of God

A. Is sickness and disease ever within the will of God?
B. Does God ever will that people are ill?
Ex. 4:11 - "Who makes man dumb, deaf or blind? I, the Lord?"
II Cor. 12:7 - "there was given to me a thorn in the flesh"
C. Does God use illness for His own glory?
Jn. 9:3 - "that the works of God may be displayed"
Jn. 11:4 - "this sickness is for the glory of God"
D. Does God intend for all sickness to be healed in Christians?
Gal. 4:13-15 - Paul - "bodily illness"
Phil. 2:25-30 - Epaphroditus was sick
I Tim. 5:23 - "take a little wine for stomach"
II Tim. 4:20 - Trophimus sick at Miletus

IV. Healing and the atonement

A. Is physical healing inherent in the effects and benefits of the atonement?
Matt. 8:17 -"He took our infirmities and carried away our diseases"
Isa. 53:4,5 - "Took our griefs, carried our sorrows...By His scourgings we are healed."
B. Does such teaching necessarily posit the immorality of physical bodies?
C. Can it be said that the ultimate healing is physical death?
Rev. 21:4 - "no more crying, pain or death"

V. Healing and faith

A. Is God's healing predicated on the sick persons's faith?
1. Instances where healing linked with faith
Matt. 9:29 - "according to your faith"
Mk. 5:34 - "your faith has made you well"
Lk. 7:9 - "such great faith"
Lk. 17:19 - "your faith has made you well"
2. Instances where healing not linked with faith
Lk. 13:11-13 - "you are freed from your sickness"
Lk. 14:4 - "healed them and sent him away"
Lk. 22:51 - "healed him"
B. Uses and abuses of faith-healing
Matt. 7:22 - "I never knew you"
II Cor. 11:13 - "deceitful workers, disguising themselves"
Rev. 13:11-14 - "beast performs great signs"
Many fraudulent counterfeits of healing, as people of the world seek the supernatural
and conclude that anything that appears supernatural must be of God.

VI. Healing as a spiritual gift

A. Does God give to some Christians His divine power to be the vessels through whom
He heals supernaturally?
I Cor. 12:9 - "gifts of healing"
I Cor. 12:28 - "gifts of healins"
I Cor. 12:30 - "All do not have gifts of healings, do they?"
B. Does this preempt natural medical healing? Ex. Christian Science
Mk. 2:17 - "the sick have need of a physician"
Lk. 10:34 - "bandaged his wounds, pouring oil andwine on them"
I Tim. 5:23 - "take a little wine for your stomach"

Every Blessing
John

Post by **_Benjamin Ho** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 7:48 am

Dear Allen,

John 9:1-7 (English Standard Version)
As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Having said these things, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.

The above passage suggest that God sometimes use disease to show his glory.

Also remember that death being the ultimate penalty for sin (Romans 6:23) also serves as a purpose of God. It demonstrates the justice and judgement of God.

Post by **_love the logos** » Fri Nov 19, 2004 8:00 am

I am not entirely sure of this answer.

Not to criticize the previous post.

When moses said he was not a good speaker, God said

Exodus 4:11
The LORD said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD ?

But then again the bible also gives evidence that shows how sickness and disease is a result of our sinful acts.

Sin coming into the world literally manifested sickness in a physical form which only gets worse.

Leprosy for example Jesus healed on many ocasions and the bible explicitly tells us how to remove it and as far as i know Leprosy was used in the bible to mean "sin" in alot of cases.

Leprosy starts small and grows and then it starts to lose parts of the body and desinegrates and you begin to lose yourself. similar to sin.

so i'm not sure if leprosy and [sickness from birth] "As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth" which was quoted earlier are exactly the same thing.

Another instance that might help you is EPAPHRODITUS who was an apostle who served with Paul who was very sick

25But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. 26For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. 27Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. 28Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. 29Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor men like him, 30because he almost died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for the help you could not give me.

I won't comment on this but read it for yourself.

Does God use death to serve his purpose? Well I think Paul had a different view of death "For me to live is christ to die is gain" phil 1:21

I know this sorta avoids your question directly but I hope this may give you some guidance and discernment in figuring it out for yourself

In Christ,
Steven.