Does God allow disease because of sin?
 

I was listening to a well known UPC preacher preach on CD this morning and this is what he said verbatim.

“This lady is dying, there is a malignancy in her body, and it is there because of her attitude toward her husband.”

Doctors diagnosed two terminal diseases. The preacher told her to repent to her husband and work things out with him.

Later she went back to the doctors and they said that she was misdiagnosed.

What I wonder about is does God allow people to have disease because of sin or in this case the ladies attitude toward her husband?

Might I suggest you read Job 33:14-22? I think you might find it quite enlightening with regards to this issue.

I dont know about dying over an attitude toward her husband (meaning this particular situation) as I dont know any of the particulars

but clearly the bible says that sin can and does cause sickness.

If this pastor is one whos fruit is known, who is one who truely walks with God, then I would personally tend to believe the report.

I agree with Ferd here.

I believe that all imbalances, in health, environment, society, wildlife, etc. are there, ultimately because man sinned and brought sin into the world.

I believe that in some cases illness can be a trial, or it could be punishment from God, but more often than not, it's just a symptom of our imperfect world, and not necessarily the sin of one person, as much as the sins of all of us.

Further, God sometimes has a purpose above what we can understand, and we aren't ill because we "deserve" it, or for any other reason, except that for some reason its in His plan.

Joh 9:1 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
Joh 9:2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
Joh 9:3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

Bratperson,

This is a wonderful answer and right on the money! Good job.

I do not personally know the man but my father had him preach for him and thinks very highly of him, so I would tend to believe he is a true man of God and has fruits to show it.

I am curious as how this is backed up bibically that a disease could come upon someone because of sin.

Miss B said it as well as it can be said.

But to answer your question, yes, there is Biblical backing for disease coming on someone because of sin.

I could share some true stories, but I don't really thing the environment here is appropriate.

Remember Miram?

It's scientific fact that attitude can affect our health, both positively and negatively.

I also believe God can send us a 'wake up call' in regard to our health also.

I hesistate validating someone who would suggest that someone is sick because of what they believe to be true, but like others have said, if his fruit is known, then he might be on the mark.

I think that too many ministers have used it (illness) as a scare tactic, resulting in our cynicism, BUT, as H1 said, attitude can affect health, so I would think leading a sinful life would do just the same, maybe worse. There are just as many natural consequences of sin as spiritual, although the natural consequences are much less serious.

It can be said, across the board, "If someone is sick, they must have sinned.", BUT I believe sometimes it is the case, and there is nothing to say that God can't speak such a thing to a minister.

In my opinion, this would especially apply to believers who have either left the faith, or are living in sin secretly, or something similar.

I fully agree with Miss Brattfield as I said earlier but would like to add that I would be very careful about judging whether or not a sickness is sent from God.

The scripture also says it rains on the just and unjust. I know plenty of heatherns who are incredibly healthy and some wonderful saints of God who have endured tremendous trials regarding their health.

I think some sins have consequences, such as being gay can and often result in AIDS.

What amazes me, is how some will commit the same sin with no indications of negative results, while another one time sin can result in negative ramifications.

Amen.

That ticks me off. If it was because of an attitude I'm sure that God would tell HER, not a preacher to broadcast it to everyone.

Maybe she wasn't listening.

I'm so doomed.

Sin can bring down sickness as judgement.

14: Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. John 5:14

27: Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
28: But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
29: For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
30: For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
31: For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 1 Cor. 11:27-31

Not just sickness but death also as in verse 30.

Dont forget the immediate judgement unto death of Anannias and Saphira.

Yet this does not mean ALL sickness is due to sin.

How can we know? Have we sinned? If we have not its not chastisment. Its either a trial or simply as already stated we live in a fallen world things happen.

Trust in this:

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all. Psalms 34:19

well, at least we agree about that!

now go home and fluff those pillows on the couch for your husband!

You might be sure, but the Scripture seems to indicate that your opinion needs a little revision.

Why, using your logic, didn't God whisper a little something in the ears of Ananias and Saphira, instead of having that mean old Apostle broadcast their sin to everybody?

And then there was Elymas the sorcerer:



Using your logic, again, God sure messed up when He didn't just quietly nudge Elymas instead of once again, having another hard nosed Apostolic preacher blurt out his sin before everybody.

And then there was poor Gehazi back in the Old Testament.

I mean, after all, Naaman could well afford that little love offering Gehazi talked him out of, against the advice of Elisha.

But instead of God pulling Gehazi off to one side and having a little chat with him, he spoke through the man of God, and leprousy was the proce he paid.

I realize that unscrupulous men have abused and manipulated people through fear when God wasn't speaking and wasn't in it.

But there are thousands of doctors that get in hot water for all kinds of malpractice, too, but that doesn't mean all doctors are charlatans.

I don't believe the kind of judgment mentioned here is necessarily commonplace, but it is undeniably Scriptural, and it is easy to sit back and judge a man of God when you have NO knowledge of the situation...and when your reasoning process is patently unscriptural and without biblical foundation.

That got me too, but I wasn't sure if he'd announced it to the church or just to someone in private.

CS, I think your examples above aren't quite the same. Of course, they also might be. There isn't enough info given as to why the preacher said what he did about the woman.

It's one thing to call out someone who is stirring up strife and giving them a word, but it's another to openly humiliate someone based on what might not be accurate.

I'll give you an example of something that happened to me. When I was a teen, I was going through the things that teens tend to go through, but I was in church and even played in the orchestra.

One night, I had a headache and went to get prayed for. The assistant pastor put his hand on my head and loudly prayed for.............my rebellious spirit.

He never asked why I was getting prayed for and said nothing else about healing for my body. Needless to say, I never again got prayed for in that church....one that I had attended since the age of 5.

I can admit that rebellion was in my heart, but I don't think it's any different than many teenagers. I certainly didn't cause trouble or strife, and being a member of the orchestra, I followed the standards of the church.

But if praying for my rebellion was necessary, there was a time and place to do that, and in front of the church during prayer service wasn't the time nor the place.

Again, we don't know under what circumstances the preacher above said what he did, but he could have been wrong as much as he could have been right. Without more info, I don't feel it's accurate to compare it to stories in the Bible.

The principle is established in the Word.

ILG seemed to be saying, "No way."

I am not defending the preacher specifically, just the principle.

Amazingly enough, you folks want to fuss over whether the preacher should have called out this lady and spoke openly of the condition of her heart, yet the results tell all. She went back to the doctor and found the issue GONE!

For the Naysayers
 

Are we already changing the topic to how Ministers should minister?

what he said...and what MrsBratt said too.

well there is a faithful group here who think the roll of the preacher is to stand up and smile and tell everyone that Gawd loves them.

I understand, but the principle would apply if the circumstances were the same.

I'm not sure there is a way to know the circumstances without having been there to hear it for myself. Hopefully, the preacher was right in what he did.

No, it wasn't gone, just misdiagnosed.

I think it would be a good idea to post scripture in context.

Jesus rebuked the naysayers and accusers more so than He did sinners.

I'm confused here. Why would He not tell a preacher?

So they say??????

The context of the scriptures are that Paul is speaking to the ministry as to what they should do. The minister has the authority to rebuke openly them that sin. Whether you or I like that or not, they have scripute to do this. I do understand that there is a time and season for everything. Maybe this woman would not have got her heart right unless it was an open rebuke? All I know is that she was diagnosed with a problem that was life threatening to her, and given the cause. She responded by repenting and getting her heart right with her husband, and with God, and when she returned to the doctor, the issue was no more. I say Glory to God!!!

Again, I think it is funny that some take issue over how something was done, when the woman responded positively, and was declared by the doctors as being OK.

I think the word IF in James 5:15 would inticate that at times the sickness is BECAUSE of SIN.

Not every time, but some of the time.

Also verse 16 tells us (the Church) how to get healed.

James 5:14-16
14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
KJV

Yes, He does, John Wimber one of the most proficient healers of our time, said that 40% of illnesses that he prayed for were related to sinful habits, unforgivingness, bitterness or inward things.

There seems to be a real connection between emotional problems, sin, and sickness. This is not a blanket in every case thing, but there definitely is a connection.

There are sicknesses onto death, chastisement and the glory of God.

Are you saying you'd believe them if they said everything was gone that was there previously, but you don't believe them when they say she was misdiagnosed?

I would love to know how he came up with that 40% figure.

For one thing, no post on this thread said anything about her being ok, only that she was misdiagnosed.

For another, we all sin. Do you think your pastor should openly rebuke you in front of the church everytime you sin? Do you think many people would come to church in that was taking place? Would any preaching even get done?

In addition, when putting scripture in context, we see that Paul was speaking of rebuking ELDERS that sinned, not the saints.

1 Tim 5:19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.

20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.

IOW, if two or three witnesses come forward with an accusation, the accused are to be rebuked before everyone because the sin has come to light.

As for your other verses, rebuking in a general sense is acceptable. Those verses say nothing about rebuking an individual in front of others.

Context, context, context. It's quite obvious what Paul was saying when you read ALL the scripture.

Stress is know to cause all kinds of trouble physically. Every notice getting a cold sore when you're really stressed out? Mental attitude does effect the human body. So yes sin can be the cause illness.