Divine Healing

And other related lectures

 

-five-

 

Sickness, suffering & the saints

 

 

Misconceptions abound concerning biblical suffering & there are many believers who may have endured unnecessary illnesses, believing that they were suffering for The Lord, when they could have received deliverance or relief through prayer for their physical healing or proper medical treatment. The purpose of this article is to show the reader that while suffering is a definite part of their christian life, it does not necessarily include sickness or disease. This is not an exhaustive coverage of the subject of suffering; we are dealing with the question of suffering in relation to sickness, disease & the biblical experience of believers. 

While it is true that an illness, prolonged or otherwise, will often allow an individual time for reflection & or even repentance, it is not necessarily true that God originated or allowed their condition. This is a common assumption. Sometimes things just happen. We cannot fight thermodynamics. Either way, the believer ought always to seek The Lord & make Him their first priority & port of call. It is also surprising to me that those who promote suffering sickness & disease as a vehicle of instruction, will seek medical attention to alleviate themselves of it. Surely, they ought to remain sick & in God’s will Just saying.

This begs several questions. Does the type of sickness the individual has, reflect the particular type of lesson they are to learn? More importantly, if a person were to die from their malady, would this mean that they had failed to learn the lesson that The Lord had been trying to teach them? It’s quite a thing, but let’s look, beginning with The Lord Jesus Christ as our chief example.  

⁹ But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. ¹⁰ For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. ¹¹ For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren (Hebrews 2:9-11). 

Here, the writer quotes Psalm 8 & places Christ centre stage in His role as the suffering servant. The sufferings of Christ were for the purpose of bringing us salvation. 

⁸ though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; ⁹ and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; (Hebrews 5:8-9). 

He learned obedience. Notice that it does not say that He was taught obedience. There is no suggestion of insubordination on the part of Christ. The blessed truth revealed here is that suffering is a vehicle which directs us to God. The sufferings of Christ allowed Him to exercise the obedience possessed by Him.

¹⁹ For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. ²⁰ For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. ²¹ For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: ²² Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: ²³ Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: (1^st Peter 2:19-23).

The writer is not talking about experiencing the same sufferings for salvation that Jesus did, they were unique to Him. None of us are going to the cross to bear the sins of the world. What he is telling us is that in the midst of our sufferings we are to do the same thing that The Lord did; we are to learn obedience. It is very important that we understand this. There is a suffering that is according to the pattern of Christ & the will of God, but does it involve sickness & disease? Does God use this as a tool to teach us, even though we may cry out to him in the midst of it?  

¹ Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; ¹² Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: ¹³ but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. ¹⁴ If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. ¹⁵ But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. ¹⁶ Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf (1^st Peter 4:1 & 12-16). 

The writer reveals that the same pattern of comportment demonstrated by The Lord in the midst of His suffering should be enacted by us. He learned obedience through the things that He suffered (Hebrews 5:8) & committed Himself to Him that judges righteously (1^st Peter 2:23). The example that He has left for us to follow is not one of suffering the same things, but rather one of reacting & behaving in the same manner. Our response to suffering is to “..commit the keeping of our souls to Him in well doing..” (1^st Peter 4:19); this parallels the committal of Christ to the righteous judgement of God. In that place of commitment, we are able to learn obedience through the things that we suffer. If we maintain this principle throughout our experiences, we will see great results wrought both in our lives & circumstances. However, if we view sickness & disease as suffering dispensed by The Hand of The Lord, we may endure unnecessary affliction, contrary to the will of God. The believer may well encounter sickness & disease in their life, but this is not partaking of Christ’s sufferings; neither is it suffering according to the will or The Word of God. 

There are those who interpret their experience of sickness & disease as being part of the chastening of The Lord & as such they endure their devilish conditions, believing that they are suffering for Jesus.  There is no evidence to support that idea in this passage of scripture, or in any other part of The Word of God. We are told, “..My son, despise not thou the chastening of The Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him: For whom The Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.” (Hebrews 12:5-6). Those in opposition to the ministry of healing will accept sickness & disease as coming from the chastening hand of God, yet they will seek medical attention to alleviate their suffering; this is a gross contradiction. According to the scriptures, chastisement is a sign of God’s love & acceptance & as such it should be embraced. This is preposterous. The presence of God’s correction in our lives is a sign of our sonship & as such it is designed to train and develop us, not hurt, injure, or kill us. He scourges every son He receives, therefore we should all be sick! 

The writer continues, “...we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits and live.” (Hebrews 12:9). Our earthly fathers discipline us according to the flesh, but our heavenly Father disciplines us according to His Word; God uses spiritual tools to bring about spiritual correction. Not with the haphazardness of frustrated parents who “..chastened us after their own pleasure..”, but with an exact calculation “..for our profit..” (Hebrews 12:10). The correction of parents is usually punishment for something that a child has done wrong, but the chastening hand of God comes to us as part of our development, enabling us to partake of His holiness (Hebrews 12:11). While in subjection to the Father of spirits, we can learn obedience through the things which we suffer. 

If sickness & disease were corrective measures sent from the hand of our Father, the efforts of medical practise in relieving suffering would be useless. Furthermore, once the correction was completed, The Lord would be obligated to remove the said disease from us. When Christ or the apostles ministered to the sick, why was no one ever refused healing on the grounds that they were being disciplined & chastened by The Lord? 

¹⁰ Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. ¹¹ Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy (James 5:10-11). 

The Word of God outlines the believer’s experience of suffering; sickness & disease are never part of it. In Romans chapter eight, the apostle Paul asserts “...if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (vs.17-18). If sickness & disease were included here, Christ would have to be sick also because Paul speaks of suffering with Him & the believer would have to experience sickness & disease in order to experience glory; we know that this is not the case at all. 

⁵ For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. ⁶ And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. ⁷ And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation (2^nd Corinthians 1:5-7).  

Do the abundant sufferings of Christ include sickness & disease? If they did, we would have to conclude that The Lord suffered sickness while He was on the earth, if indeed we are partaking in His suffering. We would also have to believe that the only way to experience the consolation & salvation of Christ would be to experience sickness & disease. Paul said that these things are “..effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which [they] also suffer:..” (2^nd Corinthians 1:6). In Philippians 1, the apostle says, “For unto you it is given on the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake; Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.” (Philippians 1:29-30). Is Paul speaking of their suffering sickness & disease on the behalf of Christ? No! Is he talking about them bearing the same ailment as he? No! He is saying the same thing that he said to the Corinthians; having the same conflict is tantamount to the enduring of the same sufferings. They were not sick, neither was the apostle Paul. He continues, “..that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;” (Philippians 3:10).  

⁴ so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: ⁵ which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: (2^nd Thessalonians 1:4-5). 

Were these saints suffering sickness & disease? If they were, we would have to conclude that only those who are afflicted could be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God. These believers were enduring persecution for their faith in Christ. 

⁸ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: ⁹ whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. ¹⁰ But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you (1^st Peter 5:8-10). 

Sickness & disease are not designed to make you perfect, they will not establish, strengthen & settle you; they may kill you. It is the onslaught of persecution that believers suffered, not sickness & disease.

When The Lord Jesus appeared to Ananias concerning Saul (Paul), He told him, “..Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.” (Acts 9:15-16). Throughout the book of Acts and The Church epistles, we have a record of Paul’s ministry & suffering; there is no indication that he became sick for the name of Jesus. He endured many horrible things for the Christ’s sake but not once did he experience any illness from the hand of God for the furtherance of the Gospel. He may very well have had health issues, but they were not given to him by God in order to teach him something. 

There are those who would argue that Luke travelled with Paul as his personal physician & consequently treated the apostle’s illnesses, never bothering to record them; this is not an unreasonable assumption, but it’s an assumption nevertheless. Even if this were true, there would be no connection between any sickness Paul had suffered & the Gospel he preached. He endured persecution for the message of Christ. 

Not once was Paul struck down with sickness or disease as part of the suffering that he encountered for preaching the Gospel; there would have been no purpose in that. Instead, because of the unique nature of his apostolic ministry, Paul faced a severe & unrelenting onslaught of persecution, suffering & affliction wherever he went but this did not include sickness & disease. On the contrary, healing would have been an ever present reality to him. It would not be unreasonable to suggest that Paul, who had ministered healing to so many others, would also have received healing himself from Christ, as well as possible medical attention from Luke, whom he described as the beloved physician (Colossians 4:14). 

 ²³ Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. ²⁴ Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. ²⁵ Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; ²⁶ in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; ²⁷ in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. ²⁸ Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches (2^nd Corinthians 11:23-28).  

Nowhere does Paul allude to sickness & disease being part of his suffering according to the will of God; whether he was sick or not is another matter. Although the believer may encounter sickness & disease in their life, it is never part of their suffering for the sake of the Gospel of Christ & as such, their claim to desire for healing is a valid one. Beloved, you may very well have times in your life when you’re afflicted but sickness & disease are not instruments that God uses to make us suffer for Him. 

¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

 

 

 

 

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