Sickness and Salvation.
Salvation comes to many with compassionate words of love and the sincerity of words but with others it may take fear, fear of Hell fire and eternal separation from God. We see in scripture that we are to use both to convert the lost, not hating them but loving them enough to use whatever means necessary to show them that without Jesus there is no salvation from the world to come. “And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”
We also see that we as believers in Christ must become all things to all men that by some means we might save some, simply meaning that not all men shall be saved, for many shall harden their hearts to the truth and will choose the darkness of Satan over the light of Christ and God. We must remember that we are not fighting against the flesh of men but against the spirits that have corrupted men, the spirits of unrighteousness and the spirit of anti-Christ. It’s these evil spirits that control men, their words and actions. That is why when a child of God mentions salvation through Christ many will attack them and try to degrade the message of truth, it’s not the man but the spirit that controls them.
Sickness comes to all men; for we are all still in this body of flesh but sometimes sickness comes to some for their enlightenment into God’s grace and mercy. God will allow sickness at times to convert or save the lost, we see this also in scripture. “To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” This destruction of the flesh can take many paths, sickness, imprisonment and even mutilation of the body.
Considering our eternal future it is better to destroy this flesh that the soul might be saved. Simply meaning, that this body began dying the moment we were conceived but our soul (spirit which was given to us by God) will never die. For our lives on this earth are set at approximately 70 years, some more and some less, this is also proven in scripture. “The days of our years are threescore years and ten (70 years.); and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years (80 years.), yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.” Meaning that even if we live 80 years or so, all of our labour and sorrow will still be met by our death, this is one fact that is inescapable.
Knowing that we all, saved or lost, will die should give us our motivation to live as Christ desired us to live. Every man shall know of God and His Christ, for there will be no excuse when judgment comes to all men, every man would have had an opportunity to accept or reject Christ as their Saviour.
Sickness brings about the weakness of the body, which brings about the dependence upon others to care for the individual. This also happens when we age, for even if sickness doesn’t strike us, we will all soon be dependent upon others as we will all age.
God will allow sickness to introduce His Son to many that beforehand would not listen, to open eyes and ears that were once closed and blind to the truth, for we must remember God is a loving God and His will is that no man should perish.
“To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” Sickness comes to the children of God along with the lost, in God’s children it causes the faith to increase, and it manifests God’s grace and mercy. The blindness of man brings about sickness that could otherwise be avoided. Many times sickness will come through unrighteous lifestyles, lifestyles that God declares to be an abomination.
For a man’s eyes to be open to the truth, a man must be willing to see and accept the truth. Satan has no power over man unless a man allows him to have it. Satan was defeated by Christ and the only power Satan has is deception and lies.
When we become sick we must still praise the Lord for we, as believers have Him to turn to and the Holy Spirit to aid us in all of our infirmities, this is the promise of Jesus.
Webster, TSK, KJV.
Jude 1:22-23, 1Co 5:5, Act 26:18, Psa 90:10
