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Forgiveness and Healing
Forgiveness and Healing
Forgiveness is related to sinHealing 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 9:1-2As 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)
Forgiveness and Healing
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 falseAll 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
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
Forgiveness and Healing
