Forgiveness and Healing

Forgiveness and Healing Forgiveness is related to sin Healing is related to sickness

Forgiveness and Healing Common themes in the gospels Jesus is frequently presented as the one who forgives (sins) and heals (sickness)

Forgiveness and Healing The public ministry of Jesus is the beginning of the promised restoration The ‘in-breaking’ of the kingdom (the ‘already’) It is a glimpse of what is to come (the ‘not yet’)

Forgiveness and Healing Why is there a need for forgiveness and healing?

Forgiveness and Healing Dysfunctions due to sin Disorder (creation is broken) Discord (broken relationships) Disease (our bodies and minds suffer)

Forgiveness and Healing How should we view the connection between sin and sickness? One common view is to ‘Blame the victim’ If one is ill (e.g. physically, emotionally, mentally), it is due to personal sin

Forgiveness and Healing How should we view the connection between sin and sickness? Biblical ‘proof’ (texts like Deuteronomy 28) Pestilence (v 21; cf. Lev 26:25) Wasting disease and fever (v 22; cf. Lev 26:16) Madness, blindness, confusion of mind (vv 28, 34) Every sickness and every affliction (v 61)

Forgiveness and Healing How should we view the connection between sin and sickness? Since we find here that disobedience and sin result in all types of sickness, it is assumed that this explains all sickness

Forgiveness and Healing How should we view the connection between sin and sickness? We see this view expressed by the disciples in John 9:1-2 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

Forgiveness and Healing How should we view the connection between sin and sickness? Yet this sounds like Job’s three friends Eliphaz (Job 4; 15; 22) Bildad (Job 8; 18; 25) Zophar (Job 11; 20)

Forgiveness and Healing How should we view the connection between sin and sickness? We need to think carefully and clearly about this issue It is true that sickness is in the world because of sin (the fall) But it does not follow that every sickness is the result of personal (and unconfessed) sin (cf. Job; John 9:3)

Forgiveness and Healing How should we view the connection between sin and sickness? We need to think carefully and clearly about this issue There are times when personal sin is the cause of sickness (cf. 1 Cor 11:30; John 5:14) But it does not follow that sickness is always the result of personal sin

Forgiveness and Healing How should we view the connection between sin and sickness? We need to think carefully and clearly about this issue A brief lesson in logic (the box of opposition)

All sickness is the result of personal sin No sickness is the result of personal sin Some sickness is the result of personal sin Some sickness is not the result of personal sin

both can be false All sickness is the result of personal sin No sickness is the result of personal sin

both can be true Some sickness is the result of personal sin Some sickness is not the result of personal sin

Forgiveness and Healing How should we view the connection between sin and sickness? We need to think carefully and clearly about this issue Some sickness is the result of personal sin Thus we should confess our sins and pray for forgiveness

Forgiveness and Healing How should we view the connection between sin and sickness? We need to think carefully and clearly about this issue Some sickness is NOT the result of personal sin Thus we should pray for wisdom in dealing with the sickness as we pray for healing