The Truth and Nothing but the Truth

The Truth and Nothing but the Truth

Luke 11: 11-12

11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?

12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 

(This a long devotional, but please stick with me to the end)

   This message falls under the category of what I call “Wrong Theology.”  The question is this:  Does God Make You Sick?  There are Christians who would say “yes” to this question.  Does God bring sickness on us as a trial we go through that He uses to test our faith and make us better people, to teach us to trust Him more.  In a word: No! 

   First, one of the names God reveals Himself to us is Jehovah Rapha which means The LORD Who Heals.  In Exodus 15:26 He literally told Moses, I am the Lord Who is healing you.  So the question is:  Would the Lord Who Heals make you sick?

   Some say God sends illness to teach us something.  This is not just wrong but borders on blasphemy.  To think you can do anything to improve your standing with God is to say that the work of Christ on the cross was incomplete.  You have room to grow and mature in Christ but you don’t need to do anything to improve your standing with God.  You’re forgiven, washed clean, made righteous in Him, joint-heir with Christ – just how much more a child of God do you need to get?  And here’s the thing you need to get into your mind and heart; God is not mad at you and He’s not disappointed in you.  He’s Omniscient, so He knows what you are and knows everything about you.  Nothing you do or think surprises Him.

    I Peter 2:24 tells us that Christ bore our sins on the cross but also took stripes to heal us.  It says that by the stripes of Jesus we were healed - past tense.  If God makes you sick, He is actively working against the finished work of Christ.  He would be undoing what Jesus suffered and died to do.  If God makes you carry something Jesus died carrying on your behalf, then Jesus died and was beaten for nothing. 

   Matthew 12:25 But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.

If God is healing and at the same time making you sick then His Will is divided against itself.  But Brother Steve, what about when I sin?  Sickness is as a result of sin and sickness is one way God uses to teach us not to sin. Another lie I used to listen to.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 

16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

God teaches us through His Word.

1 John 2:27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

God anoints us and teaches us through the anointing.

John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things

The Holy Spirit teaches us.

   With three powerful ways of teaching us, why does God need another way to teach us that causes us harm?  Are you saying the Word, the Anointing and the Holy Spirit are not enough to teach you?

   And then a practical question to ask.  If God makes us sick, why do you sin against Him and go to a doctor to get well?  Just stay sick and die and bring glory to God.  If God wants you sick, but you are running to the doctor to make you well, you are in rebellion against His Will.  You should be praying to let the sickness run its full course so you can really learn what God wants to show you.

   You can probably figure out here I’m being a little bit sarcastic.  But I really am NOT trying to hurt your feelings.  I’ve been there but thankfully I’ve been taught the truth. 

Romans 4:8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.

2 Corinthians 5:19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them,

Hebrews 8:12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.

If God is making you sick because of sin, then God is lying in all three these verses.  If He makes you sick because of sin it would mean He is keeping score of your sin, He hasn’t blotted them out of His memory and Jesus didn’t carry all sin.  Again, this flies in the face of Scripture.

(If you’re still with me thank you for staying to the end.)

Acts 10:38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

Jesus went around doing good by healing people who were oppressed by the devil.  Jesus was healing people who the devil was making sick.  From this verse I conclude that God is NOT making you sick, the devil is the one bringing sickness to you.  He is trying to make you carry something Jesus died to free you from.  And he’s trying to get you to doubt the goodness of God.  Our God is a good God and wants what’s best you.     

   When you pray, rebuke that sickness.  It’s not there for your good but to oppress you.  I pray you will be healed and enjoy good health in Jesus’ Name.

Stephen Cram                                                             December 29, 2013                    

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, following the tradition of men according to the rudiments of the world, and not in accordance with Christ.  Colossians 2:8

Visit my pastor’s blog at http://pastorjonrhinehart.blogspot.com/.

Unless otherwise noted all Scripture is from the New King James Version of the Bible.