We become sick of many reasons, not for just one reason. The medical journals are full of examples. But can a spiritual issue make us sick? Let’s look at Scripture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities” (1 Timothy 5:23). In this case, local water seemed to be the issue, so Timothy was encouraged to drink wine instead. Sin had nothing to do with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Paul received a “thorn in the flesh” from “a messenger of Satan” lest he get a big ego. He prayed three times for it to be removed and the Lord denied it. Paul wasn’t sick, but was hurt in some way while the Lord used Satan to keep him humble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Matthew 9:32-34, a man was demon-possessed and mute. When Jesus cast out the demon, the man began speaking. Sin wasn’t the issue; a demon was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finally, we come to something that addresses your question directly. In John 9:1-7, the disciples saw a blind man begging and asked Jesus, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned.” Jesus is not blaming the sin of the man or the parents for the blindness. He used the man’s blindness for the glory of God in some way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Does sin bring on sickness? There are several Old Testament examples of God bringing plagues on the people of God because they disobeyed Him. In the New Testament, 1 Corinthians 11:27-32, we have an example of people in the church dying of sickness because they treated the Lord’s Supper (v. 30). They did not see that by dishonoring their brothers and sisters, they were dishonoring God, and God inflicted them for it. So in this case, sin brought on deadly sickness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In James 5:14-16, it seems to imply that if a sick person was prayed for and confessed his sin, there is a chance of him being healed. The unconfessed sin may have been part of why he felt sick. It isn’t definite, but sickness may be healed along with sins confessed, if sin was an underlying cause.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These are the verses that came to mind while I was pondering your question. I trust this little study helps you understand that sin can influence a sickness in a minority of cases, but without a revelation from God, we just can’t know.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
We become sick of many reasons, not for just one reason. The medical journals are full of examples. But can a spiritual issue make us sick? Let’s look at Scripture. “No longer drink only water, but use a little wine … Continue reading