Sickness and suffering are some of the most universal human experiences. As a number of people in our church were struggling with sickness
1. Creation: A World Without Sickness
The story begins in Genesis 1:31, where God looks at everything He made and declares it “very good.”
There was no disease, no pain, no death. Humanity had access to the tree of life (Gen. 2:9), which the requirement to eat from it to live implies that while there was no sinful corruption, mankind always needed something outside of himself/herself to stay strong and healthy. We were always dependent creatures.
2. The Fall: How Suffering Entered the World
In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve disobey God. Though every good and satisfying tree was available to them, they were deceived into wanting to be like God. Their rebellion brought the promised consequence—death—and humanity was cut off from the tree of life.
Paul explains it this way:
“Sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12)
The effects were cosmic. Romans 8 says that all creation was subjected to futility. Natural disasters, disease, and the weaknesses in our own bodies all trace back to this moment.
A vivid picture of how Adam dragged creation into suffering is that of lead climbers tied together: when the first climbers fall, everyone attached to them falls too. P
“sickness, disease, pain, suffering, affliction and death are undeniable evidences of the fall of man. From this point in the storyline of the bible, the desperate need for redemption begins. It is quickly revealed in the narrative that only a sovereign, eternal God can intervene to save creation from this curse. The hope of the gospel, which includes the promise of physical resurrection, there now begins to unfold in a glorious work of redemption that culminates in Jesus’ death and resurrection.”
3. Life of Israel: God Uses Sickness with Purpose
Exodus 15:26- And He said, “If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the LORD, am your healer.”
In Exodus, God sent plagues to compel Egypt to release His people Here He also warned Israel that if they abandned Him, similar diseases would come upon them.
Scripture teaches that God remains sovereign even over disease. Isaiah 45:6–7- That men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun That there is no one besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other, The One forming light and creating darkness, Causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all these. Evil originates not from God but from the fallen creature
This doesn’t mean every sickness is caused by personal sin—but Scripture does show that sometimes our choices contribute. Psalm 32:2–3 “Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.” Think of someone whose unresolved anger or fear leads to serious physical consequences. Instead of working through his anger, his blood pressure skyrockets so when he goes to the doctor, the alarms go off on that little machine and they instantly want him on medication.
Yet even when God brought plagues, He also brought restoration. These moments pointed forward to a greater promise—One who would ultimately heal.
4. The Life of Christ: God Meets Suffering Face‑to‑Face
See John 9:1-7
Jesus Christ, the God-man is born into this sinful, fallen world with all its disease, suffering, and death. Though Scripture doesn’t directly say He became sick, as a full human being He was capable of it.
Christ demonstrated authority over sickness repeatedly.
In Mark 2, He heals the paralytic to prove that He also has the authority to forgive sins.
But in John 9, Jesus makes an important clarification: not all suffering is a result of personal sin. The man born blind was not being punished—his condition existed “that the works of God might be displayed in him.”
Paul echoes this truth in 2 Corinthians 12, where his “thorn in the flesh” becomes a means for God to show that His power is made perfect in weakness.
Therefore, disease and suffering also exists to show God’s power over it, and also through it!
Most importantly, Jesus’ death and resurrection give us the hope of our own future resurrection (Rom. 6:5).
5. Life of the Church: Suffering in the Present Age
Until Christ returns, the church still experiences the effects of sin and sickness:
- Some in the early church suffered consequences for sinful actions
- Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5
- Because some were taking the Lord’s supper in a sinful way, 1 Corinthians 11:30 says That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.
- And yet, James instructs believers to call the elders to pray for healing (James 5:14).
Jesus said in Matthew 25- When I was sick, you visited me…
“And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’” (Matthew 25:40, ESV)
Thus believers are commanded to care for one another in their suffering
6. The New Creation: Where All Suffering Ends
Revelation 21:4 gives us the final word on sickness and suffering:
God “will wipe away every tear,” and death shall be no more. We await the return of Christ where he does not come as a lowly man in the midst of a sinful world,
(1 Cor. 15:26 tells us the last enemy to be defeated will be death itself. The world will be remade into a paradise, and humanity will once again have access to the tree of life, thus will no longer be plagued by sickness (Rev. 22:1–2).
This future hope is designed to make us long for Christ’s return. As John prays at the end of Revelation: “Come, Lord Jesus.”
Pastor Brian Croft beautifully summarizes this hope: in every instance of sickness or affliction, we have the privilege of pointing others to greater realities—reminders of the fall, the need for a Redeemer, and the coming resurrection that will make all things new.
Having a biblical theology is necessary for us to endure sickness. When you are reading a book or watching a movie, you come upon a stressful part of the story. The scene is dark, the heroes may not make it. But you glance at how many pages you have to go, or you look down at your watch. You can sigh in relief… oh, there is plenty of time for the heroes to make it out and turn this around. And isn’t the truth the same when we face the weight of sickness and health problems?
A biblical theology of sickness tells us there is plenty of time for God to work this out, even when it takes a while
So, do you encourage others this way, and do you see your sickness this way?
We are blessed to live in a time with remarkable medical advancements. Many of us enjoy a level of health and recovery that previous generations could hardly imagine. These are good gifts from God.
But we must beware of a subtle and dangerous belief—that if we simply find the right practice, supplement, or medication, we can secure lasting wellness for ourselves. The reality is that perfect health will not exist until humanity once again has access to the tree of life, the tree that Revelation says will heal the nations. Any promise of complete, pain‑free living here and now is ultimately a lie.
So do not look down on those who are constantly getting sick. You may have a helpful suggestion for better health—Paul did when he advised Timothy to drink some wine—but this side of eternity, there is no final remedy. Sickness will come. Weakness will remain. Death will eventually touch every household.
And so, Scripture calls us to “weep with those who weep,” to enter the suffering of others with compassion, patience, and hope. We are not home yet. Let every moment of sickness, every doctor visit, every frustrating setback remind us of that truth. These frailties are not failures of faith—they are reminders that our true healing, our true wholeness, is still ahead.
No comments:
Post a Comment