Relationship between sin and sickness
The Relationship Between Sin and Sickness in the Bible
I have been dealing with Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia for the past three years. I have cried out, questioned God, asked Him why, what did I do? I have been angry, frustrated and annoyed. Earlier in the year, I came to the point, after spending many days before God, of accepting it. Christians have advised me against accepting it; They have stated, this is not what God wants. He wants to heal you. That may be true. For me, God wants to teach me something that I have not seen yet. I am still working, asking God about it. He leaves crumbs, so I continue to depend utterly on Him. Saying this, I realised that receiving healing is not my miracle at this moment. Prior to the illness, I was very active. Running 10km, exercising regularly, with added cardio and high-intensity program. I have gone to every doctor and specialised physicians for answers for three years.
Reflecting on my story and Job's story makes me realise that sin and sickness in the Bible are not straightforward. The Scriptures give us insights into how our current life relates to the eternal, physical, and spiritual.
Old Testament Insights: A Covenant of Consequences and Comfort
In the Old Testament, we see moments where sin and sickness link each other, like a domino effect. In Deuteronomy 28:58-61, God warns Israel of the consequences of disobedience:
"If you do not carefully observe all the words of this law... then the Lord will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary plagues—great and prolonged plagues—and serious and prolonged sicknesses... every sickness and every plague, which is not written in this Book of the Law, will the Lord bring upon you until you are destroyed."
This passage reflects the covenant relationship between God and Israel, where blessings come with obedience, and curses, including sickness, come with disobedience. But this is not the complete story. In the Book of Job, a man known for his integrity, suffering enters his life without cause or sin. He was a prosperous man who feared God. The Bible describes Job as righteous with a profound faith in God, who shuns evil. Satan challenges God, believing Job's faithfulness is because of his prosperity. God permits Satan to test Job without taking his life. Jobs' family dies, his wealth is gone and inflicted with painful sores. Despite all that, Job remains faithful, refusing to speak against God. Job's story shows that sickness and suffering can touch even the righteous, not as punishment, but as part of a greater, unseen purpose.
New Testament: A Revelation of Grace and Redemption
In the New Testament, Jesus offers a fresh perspective on this question. Jesus, alongside of His disciples, they meet a man born blind. The disciples ask if his own sin caused his blindness or that of his parents. Jesus responds in John 9:1-3:
"Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him."
Here, Jesus dismisses the idea that suffering is always a direct result of sin. Instead, He points to a heavenly purpose, shifting the focus from blame to the glory of God, from cause to redemption. Yet, Jesus also acknowledges that sin can lead to suffering. After healing a man who had been ill for thirty-eight years, He says in John 5:14:
"See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you."
This shows a blend of mercy and a call to holiness, suggesting that sin can cause both physical and spiritual suffering. Healing, therefore, involves not just the body but the soul.
A Broader Understanding: Sin, Sickness, and the Fallen World
The wider biblical narrative reveals a world broken by sin from the very beginning. When sin entered through Adam and Eve, it brought death, decay, and disease into all of creation (Romans 5:12). Yet, during brokenness, there is the promise of healing and redemption through Jesus. As Isaiah 53:5 states:
"But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed."
This verse captures the core of the Gospel—the healing of humanity's deepest sickness, which is sin, through the suffering of Christ.
Personal Story
This morning as I was cleaning out the kitchen cupboard of the foods I cannot eat, I broke down and cried. I asked God, why am I sick? Food is to share around the table with friends. I spoke with my wife what happened the words; it is wrong that Christians have lied and cheated to become pastors and leaders within the church, came out with a deep, gut-wrenching cry. The cry came from past hurt. As I continue to seek God through this stage of my life, God continues to reveal different aspects of my life that still need healing. I also know at this point in my life it is a chance for God's power to be revealed, for His grace to overflow, and for His redemptive story to unfold in my life. Even though my body hasn't healed, my heart and soul continue to be healed.
Navigating the Conflict
I have gone through stages asking God if sin caused my sickness in my life. Considering the last nine years have been breaking the clay jar and rebuilding it for His glory. The sin that was in my life, God, has already restored and forgiven. The question still stands: How should we understand the conflict between sin and sickness? It teaches that suffering can have various causes, including personal sin, but not all suffering results from personal wrongdoing. Through my three-year journey I realise, the Bible calls us to look deeper: to see illness not just as punishment, but as a chance for God's power to be revealed, for His grace to overflow, and for His redemptive story to unfold in our lives.
We live in a world where both sin and sickness are real, but we also live in the hope of a Saviour who heals, restores, and redeems—not just our bodies, but our souls.
