THE ROOTS OF ILL-HEALTH

“When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your SINS are forgiven you” – Mark 2:5

Perfecting Health and Well-being demands discovering the ROOTS of ILL-HEALTH: “When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your SINS are forgiven you” (Mk.2:5). Ill-health, sickness, and disease are parts of the reality of life on earth. An entire healthcare or medical industry and other related services are driven by the need to attend to humanity’s physical and mental health needs. But, the questions necessarily arise: Why ill-health? Why do people get sick? Do we need spiritual discernment of the root when dealing with disease? We must find answers to these questions if we’ll be perfected in health and well-being. The Bible gives numerous promises of health and healing, yet even Christians suffer from debilitating diseases like cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and depression. Shouldn’t one wonder why?

There seems to be much misunderstanding in both the medical community and the Church about the causes of disease in human beings. Crucial answers to the questions of diseases and health challenges are however provided in the Scriptures, which unfortunately, multitudes of people are ignorant of. Even the medical community is at a loss as to how and why many diseases occur. Medical books list some diseases with “unknown etiology” – unknown origin or root cause. The Bible is not against medical doctors or science. Scripture values medical skills. Medical science has undoubtedly discovered deep facts about the intricate human body that God created. Luke, the writer of one of the gospels was a Physician. The Bible does not discourage medical treatment: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick” (Mt.9:12a).

We should visit doctors when necessary, appreciate their skills, and seek medical help, especially in the face of life-threatening disease. We may not always agree with medicine’s protocols, yet we shall remain grateful for what we have learned from science about disease management, prevention and eradication. However, the typical response of Western medicine to treating sickness is to concentrate on managing the symptoms through the provision of drugs, therapies, and surgeries. In contrast, Eastern medicine focuses on “natural” or alternative treatments, which attempt to manage the pathways that produce the symptoms. Neither of these approaches represents true deliverance from the disease itself.

There are not only natural causes, but also spiritual roots to sickness and disease. It is pertinent to expose these and discover ways to live in wholeness – spirit, soul, and body. The roots of disease are the issues activating the pathways that produce symptoms of ill-health. Discovering these will go a long way in uprooting them. With God’s leading and grace, we can better understand what triggers disease. Dealing with the root will ensure that multitudes can be set free from specific diseases and live the healthy and long lives God has promised us. Freedom from disease can be ours.

The fundamental root of disease is SIN: “Through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin” (Rom.5:12). Before their rebellion, the first couple, Adam and Eve, enjoyed perfect health. They knew that they would die if they withdrew from God’s loving care (Gen.2:16-17). Still, they wilfully severed their friendship with God and lost their perfection. The flawed nature of humanity has been passed on to all. Hence, despite all efforts to eliminate human maladies, people still get sick. The Psalmist also linked disease with sin: “Who forgives all your iniquities; Who heals all your diseases” (Psa.103:3). The whole of Deuteronomy Chapter 28 contains sets of covenant blessings (vv.1-14) and curses (vv.15-68), which directly connect sickness and infirmity and health and prosperity with disobedience or obedience to God's commands.

Related to Sin are the behavioural causes. Scriptures shed light on God’s Mind about the way we treat our bodies through harmful excesses such as drunkenness and gluttony (Pro.23:20). God’s Law code given to ancient Israel included measures to control and in some cases even prevent diseases. It also incorporated specific safety regulations for the prevention of injuries (Dt.22:8).The Bible encourages us to take care of our bodies and take reasonable measures to protect our health.