Chronic Disease: Two Worldviews
In reading this, please keep in mind that these thoughts are preliminary and not decided on my part. I'm raising questions that I think need answers, and I only suggest some possibilities. In future postings I will explore more the historical and Scriptural evidence on both sides - and other sides - of this issues in hopes of coming to some conviction, whatever that might be.
The belief of most of the modern church is that chronic disease, whether cancer or asthma or arthritis or acid reflux, is just a part of living in a fallen world. Medical science and other voices tell us the causes are genetic, poor nutrition, chemical impurities in our food and water, etc. Furthermore, God has given us the abilities to take advantage of plants and chemicals He's placed in this world to get some measure of relief, if not cure, these diseases. In most cases, there is no cure - that's why they're called chronic - and perpetual medication is the only relief and modern medicine is pretty good at managing many chronic diseases. Even more, God has a perfect purpose in chronic disease to refine His people. Some have even likened suffering under a disease with suffering for Christ, as one who is persecuted.
There's a catch in this. None of it is in the Bible. Every mention of suffering I've looked at is in the context of persecution and there is no mention or context of illness. There is also a pesky little word in Galatians 5:19-21 that is translated as witchcraft. The word in Greek is pharmakeia, the same Greek word from which we get our word pharmacy. The Greek word, per Strong's 5331, means "medication ('pharmacy'), i.e. (by extens.) magic (lit. or fig.)." Every place in the KJV Bible it is translated as either witchcraft or sorcery. It comes from Strong's 5332, pharmakeus "from pharmacon, (a drug, i.e. a spell-giving potion); a druggist ('pharmacist') or poisoner, i.e. (be extens.) a magician." (Italics from Strong's) This word is always translated as sorcerer in the KJV.
I've seen some commentators respond to this saying that clearly what is being talked about is hallucinogenic drugs used by witches. Actually, the definitions would seem to indicate some sort of poisons given to others unawares - I would assume - not many people would volunteer to take poison, knowing it is poison. But I'm not sure this fits with the definitions properly.
I've been looking into the history of medicine and haven't come up with much, except that chemical medications don't seem to have been used until Paracelsus (16th century) introduced the idea from his application of alchemy to physiology - creating the concept of biochemistry. He was considered by much of the church as a conjurer and a necromancer at the time, thus perhaps prompting the KJV translators to render the word as witchcraft or sorcery. Early medications, however, seem to be what we could call strictly natural - teas, infusions, etc. A reading of Hippocrates indicates this.
Furthermore, I have yet to come across the word medicine or medication in the New Testament, and only twice in the Old Testament. Hippocrates, however, uses the word, too, yet in the sense I mentioned early - teas, infusions, etc.
Let me propose another worldview. Chronic illness may be a sign of a problem that God wants to remedy and not a necessary part of living in this fallen world. In the scriptures, chronic illness was often (not always) the result of sin. Epidemics (plagues) had a spiritual root cause. In no case did Jesus turn away a person saying that He had a better plan for them that entailed their leprosy or handicap or whatever the disease was. There was a blind man who was blind from birth to glorify the Lord through Jesus' healing of him (John 9:3), but he was healed without asking Jesus for it. On the other hand, Jesus said, "Go and sin no more" to someone He'd just healed (not all). I don't want to go on too long now, but I believe that healing is God's way, not disease.
If you want more information about this, go to the website of Pleasant Valley Church. They have a much better presentation. I would also be willing to interact with anyone on this and post discussions.
Now consider that medication and medical science in general, when it comes to the treatment of chronic disease, may be hindering the purposes of God. It allows us to live with spiritual root causes of disease and the consequences, when God has a solution to the root cause and the consequences. It may be man telling God he won't accept God's solution, that he'll work one out on his own, just like he wants to do with salvation.
If this is true, and I'm still working through it, then there's one big problem: most of the Western church today has almost no power at all to appropriate God's solution. I contend that, in part, we have chosen modern science over God and believed a distorted view of the scriptures. Until the church deals with these problems, medical science is all we have. But consider that "they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:21) Those who practice pharmakeia shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
I haven't concluded what I believe about this, but it really needs serious, prayerful thought by every believer. What does this mean? Have we bought into a pagan, if not occultic, worldview?
Blessings to all,
Rob
The belief of most of the modern church is that chronic disease, whether cancer or asthma or arthritis or acid reflux, is just a part of living in a fallen world. Medical science and other voices tell us the causes are genetic, poor nutrition, chemical impurities in our food and water, etc. Furthermore, God has given us the abilities to take advantage of plants and chemicals He's placed in this world to get some measure of relief, if not cure, these diseases. In most cases, there is no cure - that's why they're called chronic - and perpetual medication is the only relief and modern medicine is pretty good at managing many chronic diseases. Even more, God has a perfect purpose in chronic disease to refine His people. Some have even likened suffering under a disease with suffering for Christ, as one who is persecuted.
There's a catch in this. None of it is in the Bible. Every mention of suffering I've looked at is in the context of persecution and there is no mention or context of illness. There is also a pesky little word in Galatians 5:19-21 that is translated as witchcraft. The word in Greek is pharmakeia, the same Greek word from which we get our word pharmacy. The Greek word, per Strong's 5331, means "medication ('pharmacy'), i.e. (by extens.) magic (lit. or fig.)." Every place in the KJV Bible it is translated as either witchcraft or sorcery. It comes from Strong's 5332, pharmakeus "from pharmacon, (a drug, i.e. a spell-giving potion); a druggist ('pharmacist') or poisoner, i.e. (be extens.) a magician." (Italics from Strong's) This word is always translated as sorcerer in the KJV.
I've seen some commentators respond to this saying that clearly what is being talked about is hallucinogenic drugs used by witches. Actually, the definitions would seem to indicate some sort of poisons given to others unawares - I would assume - not many people would volunteer to take poison, knowing it is poison. But I'm not sure this fits with the definitions properly.
I've been looking into the history of medicine and haven't come up with much, except that chemical medications don't seem to have been used until Paracelsus (16th century) introduced the idea from his application of alchemy to physiology - creating the concept of biochemistry. He was considered by much of the church as a conjurer and a necromancer at the time, thus perhaps prompting the KJV translators to render the word as witchcraft or sorcery. Early medications, however, seem to be what we could call strictly natural - teas, infusions, etc. A reading of Hippocrates indicates this.
Furthermore, I have yet to come across the word medicine or medication in the New Testament, and only twice in the Old Testament. Hippocrates, however, uses the word, too, yet in the sense I mentioned early - teas, infusions, etc.
Let me propose another worldview. Chronic illness may be a sign of a problem that God wants to remedy and not a necessary part of living in this fallen world. In the scriptures, chronic illness was often (not always) the result of sin. Epidemics (plagues) had a spiritual root cause. In no case did Jesus turn away a person saying that He had a better plan for them that entailed their leprosy or handicap or whatever the disease was. There was a blind man who was blind from birth to glorify the Lord through Jesus' healing of him (John 9:3), but he was healed without asking Jesus for it. On the other hand, Jesus said, "Go and sin no more" to someone He'd just healed (not all). I don't want to go on too long now, but I believe that healing is God's way, not disease.
If you want more information about this, go to the website of Pleasant Valley Church. They have a much better presentation. I would also be willing to interact with anyone on this and post discussions.
Now consider that medication and medical science in general, when it comes to the treatment of chronic disease, may be hindering the purposes of God. It allows us to live with spiritual root causes of disease and the consequences, when God has a solution to the root cause and the consequences. It may be man telling God he won't accept God's solution, that he'll work one out on his own, just like he wants to do with salvation.
If this is true, and I'm still working through it, then there's one big problem: most of the Western church today has almost no power at all to appropriate God's solution. I contend that, in part, we have chosen modern science over God and believed a distorted view of the scriptures. Until the church deals with these problems, medical science is all we have. But consider that "they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:21) Those who practice pharmakeia shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
I haven't concluded what I believe about this, but it really needs serious, prayerful thought by every believer. What does this mean? Have we bought into a pagan, if not occultic, worldview?
Blessings to all,
Rob
posted by Rob Walsman | 4:42 PM
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