[Faith-talk] {Spam?} Sickness and Disability, Part Two by Pastor Robert Rathbun

[Paul Smith]

Today we present Part Two of this article.  Here Pastor Rathbun reveals 
why God allows sickness in a believer's life.  Now I know that there 
might be some disagreement on what he has to say, but just read his 
article with the accompanying Bible verses before you come to a snap 
decision or judgment against what he wrote some twelve years ago.

Why does God permit sickness? We may not know all the reasons, but some 
reasons are set forth in the Bible.  First, He sometimes allows 
sickness to come on those of His children who are not living as they 
should.  "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.  But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, 
and drink of that cup.  For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, 
eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's 
body.  For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many 
sleep" (I Corinthians 11:27-30).  Such punishment on Christians is the 
chastening of a loving heavenly Father on His careless, disobedient 
children (I Corinthians 11:31-32; see also Hebrews 12:5-13).  Miriam's 
leprosy in Old Testament times was a similar chastening (Numbers, 
chapter 12).  God also judges the sins of unbelievers, sometimes 
bringing upon them sickness or disability.  Elymas, the sorcerer, is a 
case in point (see Acts :13:6-11).

Jesus' disciples understood this, and they thought that all sickness 
and disability was the result of sin.  "And as Jesus passed by, he saw 
a man which was blind from his birth.  And His disciples asked Him, 
saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born 
blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents:  
but that the works of God should be made manifest in him" (John 9:1-3). 
Jesus was not here teaching that this man and his parents were sinless, 
but rather that this man's blindness was not a result of this man's sin 
nor that of his parents.  Instead, this man was born blind so that one 
day in his life Jesus might show forth His mighty power by giving him 
sight.  If there were no sick or handicapped persons, God's healing 
power would not be known among His people.  Therefore, a second reason 
for God permitting sickness is that His healing power might be made known.

Yet a third reason God allows sickness is that His sustaining power 
might be seen working in us.  This is not healing power, which removes 
the ailment, but sustaining power, which allows us to live victoriously 
with the ailment.  This is a gift of God's grace, and as such, the 
recipient is humbled, for his strength is not his, but his Savior's.  
Paul's "thorn in the flesh" was this kind of ailment.  Three times Paul 
prayed for deliverance, and God said, No, Paul, you are going to have 
to live with this ailment.  But the Lord assured Paul, "My grace is 
sufficient for thee:  for My strength is made perfect in weakness" (II 
Corinthians 12:9).  This promise did not change Paul's physical 
situation, but it sure changed his outlook on the matter.  "Most gladly 
therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of 
Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in 
distresses for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then am I strong" (II 
Corinthians 12:9-10).  What a testimony unto the Lord is the sick or 
handicapped person who, upheld by His strength, is able to go through 
life with a smile, a kind word for others, and a genuine love for the Lord!

Yet a fourth reason why God allows sickness is that those who have gone 
through such sickness might be a comfort and encouragement to those 
currently going through such distress.  "Blessed be God, even the 
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of 
all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be 
able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith 
we ourselves are comforted of God" (II Corinthians 1:3-4).  Who better 
to comfort a handicapped person than a Christian bearing the same handicap.

Finally, in the case of Job, God permitted sickness to demonstrate that 
Job loved God for Himself, and not for what he could get from God.  To 
suffer sickness or disability for this purpose is a great honor! "Now 
there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before 
the Lord, and Satan came also among them.  And the Lord said unto 
Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From 
going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.  And 
the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that 
there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one 
that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the Lord, and 
said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hath Thou not made an hedge about 
him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? 
Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased 
in the land.  But put forth Thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, 
and he will curse Thee to Thy face.  And the Lord said unto Satan, 
Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon him put not forth 
thy hand.  So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord" (Job 1:6-12).

Job was Exhibit A of a man who loved God for Himself.  He was being 
tested, and how did he do? After losing his ten children and all of his 
possessions in a single day, he said, "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath 
taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job 1:21b).  "In all this 
Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly" (Job 1:22).  Job had passed 
the test with flying colors!

"Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves 
before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself 
before the Lord.  And the Lord said unto Satan, From whence comest 
thou? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in 
the earth, and from walking up and down in it.  And the Lord said unto 
Satan, Hast thou considered My Servant Job, that there is none like him 
in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and 
escheweth evil? And still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou 
movedest Me against him, to destroy him without cause? And Satan 
answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath 
will he give for his life.  But put forth Thine hand now, and touch his 
bone and his flesh, and he will curse Thee to Thy face.  And the Lord 
said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.  So 
went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore 
boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown" (Job 2:1-7).

Again, Job found himself Exhibit A of a man who loved God for Himself, 
not from what he could get from Him.  Job's wife counseled, "Curse God 
and die" (Job 2:9).  "But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the 
foolish women speaketh.  What? Shall we receive good at the hand of 
God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with 
his lips" (Job 2:10).  Again, Job passed the test with flying colors.  
It may be that some of the trials that have come your way are given you 
that it may be demonstrated to Satan and his followers that you are a 
person who truly loves God--no matter what!

The question may rightly be asked, from whence does sickness come? 
Apparently, it comes from Satan.  Paul's thorn in the flesh was "the 
messenger of Satan to buffet me" (II Corinthians 12:7).  In Luke 
13:10-17, we read of a woman being healed, and Jesus declared that she 
had been bound by the devil (Luke 13:16).  Job's boils were given him 
by Satan (Job 2:7), and the destruction of Job's property was also the 
work of Satan (Job 1:12-19).  Satan could only do this, however, with 
God's permission (Job 1:10-12, 2:5-6).  In each of these two cases, God 
set up restraints or "hedges" beyond which Satan could not go.  In Job, 
chapter 1, Satan was not to touch Job's body (Job 1:12), while in Job, 
chapter 2, Satan was not to take Job's life (Job 2:6).  Nothing can be 
done to us by Satan without God's consent; and if God permits it, He 
will also give the sustaining grace to get us through the trial.  
"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man:  but 
God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye 
are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that 
ye may be able to bear it" (I Corinthians 10:13).  "My grace is 
sufficient for thee" (II Corinthians 12:9).  And God's children live in 
the confidence that "All things work together for good to them that 
love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).

When we consider the above promises, why should God's children fear 
sickness or disability? Granted it is not pleasant, but God has a 
purpose in allowing Satan to thus afflict us.  If we are looking for 
God's purpose instead of complaining about our discomfort, we might 
find much more blessing in illness.  God may be trying to teach you 
patience through your sickness; He may be teaching you to have more 
compassion for the sick, or He may just be slowing you down a bit.  It 
may be that He wishes to remind you of the frailty of life, that you 
would use your days more carefully to glorify Him.  Some folks are 
hospitalized that they may win their roommates for Christ.

Yes, there are many reasons why God allows sickness and disability to 
come upon His people, but always it is a good and loving purpose.  Then 
why should we fear?

And there you have it for today.  Until tomorrow when, Lord willing a 
much shorter contribution will be posted, may the God of Abraham, Isaac 
and Jacob just keep us safe, individually and collectively, in these 
last days in which we live.  Your Christian friend and brother, Paul