Whether or not sickness is caused by sin has always been a lingering question in the minds of believers. As a result, many are quick to pass judgement when someone gets sick. This attitude is not new in that even the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ had asked, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2). The response of the Lord Jesus Christ gives us enough insight as to whether or not sin can be a cause of sickness. “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:3). Clearly, there are sicknesses that are caused by sin, but not all sicknesses are the result of it. Also, Jesus acknowledged that a sickness can either be caused by the sin of the man himself, or that of his father, when he did not refute the statements of his disciples concerning this.
The fact that a man’s sickness can be caused by sin is evident in the warning that the Lord Jesus gave after the healing of a man that had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. He said, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” (John 5:14). It was implied in Jesus’ words that this man was born healthy, but his sin brought the sickness from which he suffered. Unless sin is completely eradicated, he will suffer more. One of the sins that the Bible clearly mentions as a cause of sickness is sexual immorality. In his epistle, the apostle Paul wrote, “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body” (1 Cor. 6:18).
Is it possible for a person to have been born with physical infirmity as a result of sin? How could he sin when he was yet unborn? Jesus did not dispute the statements of his disciples about whether or not such a possibility existed when they asked, “Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus is known to instantly correct those who are in the wrong, just as he corrected those who thought that there will still be marriage relationships in heaven. He told them then, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?” (Mark 12:24) Therefore, it is possible that sin is the reason for inborn sicknesses. But how can a man sin before birth? These questions can best be answered when we consider the words of King David. He said, “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5). David was acknowledging that he was a sinner from birth because of the sinful nature that he inherited.
Sickness can also be caused by the sins of the parents. When God gave the Ten Commandments, he specifically warned that children could suffer the consequences of their parents’ sins, especially the sin of idolatry. He said, “I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments” (Exodus 20:5-6). This warning should make parents think twice before indulging themselves in sin. We are told that God cannot be mocked and whatever he threatened to do, that he will do. For all other sins, God has a leeway for children who will live righteously. As these children choose to pursue righteousness, they will not suffer the same fate as their parents. This was made clear by the Lord through the prophet Ezekiel. He said, “Everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child—both alike belong to me. The one who sins is the one who will die. But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things…He will not die for his father’s sin; he will surely live.” (Eze. 18:3, 14-17)
Sickness that is passed on to children is like a curse being passed on from generation to generation. For this curse to be stopped, one needs to be born again. The apostle Paul described the standing of a born again believer beautifully when he said, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old is gone, the new has come” (2 Cor. 5:17). He also emphasized that we need not be helpless in dealing with a curse when he said that “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.’” (Gal. 3:13) By the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, he paid the penalty of our sins and redeemed us from the consequence of sin.
Therefore, let us acknowledge his Lordship over our lives and receive our healing and deliverance from the curse of sin and law. Jesus is Lord and he is our Saviour and Healer. Hallelujah!
Whether or not sickness is caused by sin has always been a lingering question in the minds of believers. As a result, many are quick to pass judgement when someone gets sick. This attitude is not new in that even the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ had asked, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2). The response of the Lord Jesus Christ gives us enough insight as to whether or not sin can be a cause of sickness. “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:3). Clearly, there are sicknesses that are caused by sin, but not all sicknesses are the result of it. Also, Jesus acknowledged that a sickness can either be caused by the sin of the man himself, or that of his father, when he did not refute the statements of his disciples concerning this.
The fact that a man’s sickness can be caused by sin is evident in the warning that the Lord Jesus gave after the healing of a man that had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. He said, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” (John 5:14). It was implied in Jesus’ words that this man was born healthy, but his sin brought the sickness from which he suffered. Unless sin is completely eradicated, he will suffer more. One of the sins that the Bible clearly mentions as a cause of sickness is sexual immorality. In his epistle, the apostle Paul wrote, “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body” (1 Cor. 6:18).
Is it possible for a person to have been born with physical infirmity as a result of sin? How could he sin when he was yet unborn? Jesus did not dispute the statements of his disciples about whether or not such a possibility existed when they asked, “Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus is known to instantly correct those who are in the wrong, just as he corrected those who thought that there will still be marriage relationships in heaven. He told them then, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?” (Mark 12:24) Therefore, it is possible that sin is the reason for inborn sicknesses. But how can a man sin before birth? These questions can best be answered when we consider the words of King David. He said, “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5). David was acknowledging that he was a sinner from birth because of the sinful nature that he inherited.
Sickness can also be caused by the sins of the parents. When God gave the Ten Commandments, he specifically warned that children could suffer the consequences of their parents’ sins, especially the sin of idolatry. He said, “I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments” (Exodus 20:5-6). This warning should make parents think twice before indulging themselves in sin. We are told that God cannot be mocked and whatever he threatened to do, that he will do. For all other sins, God has a leeway for children who will live righteously. As these children choose to pursue righteousness, they will not suffer the same fate as their parents. This was made clear by the Lord through the prophet Ezekiel. He said, “Everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child—both alike belong to me. The one who sins is the one who will die. But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things…He will not die for his father’s sin; he will surely live.” (Eze. 18:3, 14-17)
Sickness that is passed on to children is like a curse being passed on from generation to generation. For this curse to be stopped, one needs to be born again. The apostle Paul described the standing of a born again believer beautifully when he said, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old is gone, the new has come” (2 Cor. 5:17). He also emphasized that we need not be helpless in dealing with a curse when he said that “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.’” (Gal. 3:13) By the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, he paid the penalty of our sins and redeemed us from the consequence of sin.
Therefore, let us acknowledge his Lordship over our lives and receive our healing and deliverance from the curse of sin and law. Jesus is Lord and he is our Saviour and Healer. Hallelujah!
