Suffering, Sickness, Sin & Healing

1. James: Hands-On Christianity…. Suffering, Sickness, Sin & Healing James 5:13-16

2. MAIN POINT 1. Foundational Facts To Remember

3. A) 2 Classifications Of Sin: ORIGINAL & PERSONAL

4. "Original Sin" refers to the sin nature we inherited from Adam.

5. James 5:12…. “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned ….” [TNIV]

6. "Personal Sin" is the daily disobedience that is spawned by our Adamic nature.

7. Romans 7:14-23 “Original Sin” is the root. “Personal Sin” is the fruit.

8. B) Original Sin Introduces Sickness & Death To The Human Race

9. James 5:12…. “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned ….” [TNIV]

10. C) Sometimes There Is A Direct Relationship Between Personal Sin & Sickness

11. The story of David and Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11 & 12….

12. Psalm 32:3-4…. “3 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.”[TNIV]

13. D) Sometimes There Is No Relationship Between Personal Sin & Sickness

14. John 9:2,3…. “2 …. ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ 3‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.’ ”[TNIV]

15. E) It is Not God's Will For Everyone Be Healed On Earth Here

16. Examples.... Trophimus was sick in Miletus(2 Timothy 4:20). Epaphroditus almost diedwhile ministering to Paul (Philippians 2:25-27).

17. Timothy, Paul’s spiritual son, had astomach problem and “frequent illnesses” (1 Timothy 5:23).

18. Paul asked God 3 times to remove his own “thorn in the flesh,” but God said, “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Corinthians 12:9) – in other words… “NOT ALL HEALED!”

19. Those who claim that “it is God’s will for everyone to be healed” base their belief upon the last phrase of Isaiah 53:5 that says, “…. And by his wounds we are healed.”[TNIV]

20. However, the context of this verse refers to…. “spiritual sickness and healing, not physical.”

21. 1 Peter 2:24…. “ ‘He himself bore our sins’ in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ‘by his wounds you have been healed.’ ” [TNIV]

22. 2. Scriptural Steps To Employ

23. James’ prescription for those who are suffering,cheerful or sick.

24. Suffering A. When We Are James 5:13a…. “Is anyone among you in trouble(suffering)? Let them pray.…” [TNIV]

25. "TROUBLE" Greek, kakopatheo means “in distress” or “to suffer trouble” …. can mean mental illness, anxiety, or some affliction from which there is no immediate relief.

26. PRAY! James is exhorting us to pray for “endurance!”

27. John 17:15…. “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.” [TNIV]

28. Cheerful B. When We Are James 5:13b…. “Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.” [TNIV]

29. Don’t feel guilty because you’re not experiencing the hardships of others.

30. Joyful? James says…. “Let it out! Sing praises and thank God for the blessings He has given.”

31. C. When We Are Sick James 5:14…. “Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint (aleipho) them with oil in the name of the Lord.” [TNIV]

32. "SICK" Greek, astheneo means “without strength, weak” … is the idea of being totally incapacitated.

33. What does James recommend in this situation?

34. The One Who Is Sick Should Take Initiative & Summon The Elders Of The Church #1

35. #2 The Elders Are To Carry Out Two Functions: Anoint & Pray!

36. points out in his book Jay Adams "Competent To Counsel" .... “James did not write about ceremonial anointing at all. …. The ordinary word for a ceremonial anointing was chrio (a cognate of christos [Christ] the “anointed One”). ….

37. …. The word James used (aleipho), in contrast to the word chrio(“to anoint”), usually means “to rub” or simply “apply.” The word aleipho was used to describe the personal application of salves, lotions, and perfumes, which usually had an oil base. …

38. …. It was even used to speak of plastering walls. …. An aleiptes was a “trainer” who rubbed down athletes in gymnastic school. Aleipho was used frequently in medical treatises. And so it turns out that what James required by the use of oil was the use of the best medical means of the day.

39. ... James simply say to rub oil … on the body, and pray. …. In this passage he urged the treating of sickness by medical means accompanied by prayer.

40. ….. The two are to be used together; neither to the exclusion of the other. So instead of teaching faith healing apart from the use of medicine, the passage teaches the opposite.”

41. The Sick Should Leave The Results In God's Hands #3

42. Prayer of faithleads to 3 specific results found in James 5:15 …. “And the prayer offered in faith will make them well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, theywill be forgiven.” [TNIV]

43. Restoration Raising Up Forgiveness The context clearly indicates a person who is suffering physically as a direct result of personal sin.

44. Restoration .... means “saved” [sozo] James 5:20…. “Remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the way of error will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” [TNIV]

45. 3. Practical Principles To Claim 4 Practical measures....

46. James 5:16…. “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” .” [TNIV]

47. A. Confession Of Sin Is Healthy ... EMPLOY IT! Don’t let sins build up in your life to the point that they make you physically ill!

48. William Barclay writes…. “In a very real sense it is easier to confess sins to God than it is to confess them to men; and yet in sin there are two barriers to be removed – the barrier it sets up between us and God, ….

49. …. and the barrier it sets up between us and our fellow-men. If both these barriers are to be removed, both kinds of confession must be made.”

50. B. Praying For One Another Is Essential ... PRACTICE IT! Appropriate response to your friends’ confessions would be to lift them up to the Lord in prayer.