I’m a Good Christian. So Why Am I Sick and Poor?

BY WAYNE JACKSON

A gentleman who professed an identification with the Lord, became quite disenchanted with Christianity. When an interested friend inquired as to the nature of his problem, he replied:

“According to the Bible, God promised that those who follow him will be blessed with health and prosperity. As I observe Christian people, I see vast numbers who are sick and poor. I can no longer believe, therefore, in the promises of God.”

What response should be made to this troubled man? There are three possible ways to evaluate the “argument” stated above.

1. God has failed in his promises. Either he is unable to complete his pledge (in which case he is impotent), or else he had no intention of fulfilling his bargain (which would make him deceptive). In either event, the fault would lie with God.
2. God is both willing and able to bless humanity with physical/material health and wealth, and, invariably, he does. Those who enjoy wholeness and prosperity are the righteous; those who do not are flawed in character. Any lack, therefore, is with man.
3. The third possibility is that the assumptions of the argument cited above are grounded in a misunderstanding of certain passages relating to physical and material well-being. In this case, the problem would be with the critic’s misinterpretation of certain passages.

Let us give consideration to each of these possibilities.

The Skeptical Theory

The first of the above-listed propositions partakes of the nature of that ancient argument employed so often by skeptics. If God cannot do it, he is powerless, hence, not God. If the Creator will not do it, he is malevolent, thus, not God. If he has both the power and the will, whence the circumstance?

The assumption in this position, of course, is that ignorant man is qualified to pass judgment upon divine actions. And, if the Maker of men is not operating consistent with how “we” might do it, he is faulted as lacking either ability, or will. But the “ways” of Heaven are beyond human analysis (Job 9:12b; Isaiah 55:8; Romans 11:33).

The fact of the matter is, God, in real history, has demonstrated both his ability and integrity in keeping his promises.

Twenty centuries before the birth of Christ, Jehovah promised Abraham that through his “seed” all nations of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 22:18). The prophecy pointed to the coming of Christ (Galatians 3:16). Even though Abraham and Sarah were aged, and without offspring at the time, the patriarch never wavered concerning the promise, for he knew that “what [God] had promised, he was able to perform” (Romans 4:21). Too, God’s integrity was never suspect, for, as the writer of Hebrews noted (in discussing this very circumstance), it is an immutable proposition that it is impossible for God to lie (Hebrews 6:13-18).

The messianic prophecies of the Old Testament, combined with the facts relative to Jesus of Nazareth, confirm both the integrity and ability of the Almighty.

The Character Argument

The idea that one’s character can be determined by his physical well-being, and/or his material prosperity, though widespread, reflects an erroneous generalization. While it occasionally is the case that the Bible provides some examples of prosperity as a result of righteousness, that is far from the rule. Consider two cases from the Old Testament.

Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar insisted that Job’s plight (during which he lost all his material resources, and his health) was a result of his lack of spirituality. The patriarch supposedly had committed grievous sins; if he would only repent, God would restore his well-being. The truth was otherwise. Job’s losses were the result of his goodness; he was Jehovah’s unique servant (1:8; 2:3). The Lord permitted Job’s deprivation because he was proud of him, and knew he could maintain his integrity (13:15).

Or consider the case of Asaph (Psalm 73). He surveyed society and noted the “prosperity of the wicked” (v. 3). He almost abandoned his faith at this seeming inequity — until Jehovah showed him the “latter end” of evil people (v. 17), and he learned the lesson that godliness cannot be judged by material status.

And what of this?

1. Jesus’ circumstances during his earthly sojourn were those of the impoverished (2 Corinthians 8:9); the Son of man did not even have a place to lay his head (Matthew 8:20). Did these meager conditions reflect God’s lack of fidelity?
2. Paul frequently was in situations where he lacked material prosperity (2 Corinthians 11:27); in addition, he was afflicted with a terrible physical malady (2 Corinthians 12:7). Surely it will not be suggested that these difficulties were the result of the apostle’s evil way of life.

Misunderstood Texts

Without doubt, there are biblical passages that promise prosperity/well-being, insome sense, to those who are faithful to God.

When the nation of Israel left Egypt, Jehovah informed them: “. . . I will put on you none of the diseases which I have put on the Egyptians: for I am Jehovah who heals you” (Exodus 15:26). And Isaiah declared that “by [Christ’s] stripes we are healed” (53:5).

Solomon affirmed that the one who honors God with his substance, with his firstfruits, will have overflowing prosperity (Proverbs 3:9-10), and Malachi described the Lord as opening the “windows of heaven” and pouring out a blessing too bountiful to receive (3:10).

How are these passages to be explained? There are a number of scriptural truths that will help bring balance to this oft misunderstood subject.

Principles of Well-Being

Death was visited upon man because of his transgression of divine law (Genesis 2:17; Romans 5:12). In this earthly environment, therefore, humanity will never be exempt from sickness and death. Be that as it may, there are principles within sacred Scripture that will enhance longevity as a general rule.

There were many sound principles in the Mosaic code that facilitated the good health that Israel generally enjoyed. Dr. S.I. McMillen has discussed this theme in his book, None of These Diseases (Revell, 1963). See also our chapter, “The God Who Heals,” in {glossSub (“Courier Publications”,“The Human Body — Accident or Design?”)}

As a rule, it is assumed that parental love will motivate mothers and fathers to train their children in sound health principles, so that it “may be well” with them, and that they “may live long upon the earth” (Ephesians 6:3). This certainly does not mean, though, that the Christian’s children are immune to illness, or will never die prematurely. This is a principle — not an inflexible law.

The proverb cited above (3:9-10) contains a secluded truth supplied by the subsequent context. Derek Kidner has observed that generously giving to God, of one’s first and best, in “the face of material pressures” is, in truth, a test of faith, and is a vivid commentary on a man’s character (Proverbs, 1964, Tyndale Press). Such a person, who so selflessly serves God, will be honor-bound to treat his fellows fairly. The practice of noble ethics in business (discussed in vv. 27ff) will generate respect, and rebound to the righteous man’s personal prosperity.

Again, though, this is not an iron-solid rule; obviously there will be times when the generous and honest Christian becomes the victim of those who take advantage of him. Such cases, however, do not invalidate the principle.

The Use of Figurative Language

The Bible abounds with figures of speech. Hyperbole (exaggeration for emphasis) is common (cf. John 21:25), and metonymy (one thing put for another) is a frequent teachinal device. In his classic book, Hermeneutics, D.R. Dungan consumed more than forty pages in discussing this latter figure alone. How does an understanding of this type of expression fit into our discussion?

There are occasions in scripture when spiritual concepts are conveyed in physical or material terms. A failure to recognize this teaching mode can result in the misinterpretation of important biblical texts.

1. When Isaiah declared that “healing” would result from the benefits of Jesus’ death, he was not speaking of physical healing, but a healing (forgiveness) from sin, as the immediate context reveals (53:5-6 – note “transgressions,” “iniquities”), and as was confirmed by Peter (see 1 Peter 2:24-25).
2. The prophet Joel spoke of “those days” when Jehovah would pour out his Spirit, and supernatural phenomena would result (2:28-30). In Acts 2, Peter informed his Hebrew auditors that the events of that day (the apostles being overwhelmed by the Spirit’s power – v. 4; cf. 1:5) were a fulfillment of Joel’s oracle (2:16). This was the commencement of the Christian age. In connection with this wonderful era, Joel announced that “the mountains shall drop down sweet wine and the hills shall flow with milk,” etc. (3:18ff). The prosperity here described is not an agricultural boon; rather, the material is used to depict thespiritual. Those who attempt to literalize all the prosperity passages should take note of this idiom.

A survey of the terms “rich” and “riches,” as used in the New Testament, will demonstrate that these words are employed far more frequently of spiritual prosperity than they are of material wealth.

The Mysteries of Providence

We do not deny that God can, and does, bless his people in a physical/material way, consistent with his own will, by means of his providential activity upon the earth (see our material on “Providence,” in {glossSub (“Courier Publications”,“The Book of Job”)}.

God had mercy on Epaphroditus, who had been “sick to the point of death” (Philippians 2:25-27) — with apparently no miracle involved. This does not mean, though, that every child of God will recover from terminal conditions. To draw general conclusions from isolated Bible examples can lead to a variety of errors.

The Lord providentially directed his ravens to provide Elijah with bread (1 Kings 17:4,6), and he has urged us to petition him for our daily sustenance (Matthew 6:11), but that does not mean that the child of God will never be bereft of food. He may be in need due to self-sacrifice, persecution, natural disaster, or plain laziness (see: 2 Corinthians 11:27; Acts 11:28; 27:21; 2 Thessalonians 3:10).

One’s level of physical/material well-being, or lack thereof, is:

1. Not a reflection upon God’s ability or his concern;
2. And such is not the measure of a person’s standing before the Lord.

A Concluding Point

There is a strong argument that may be made against the position being reviewed, that almost seems too obvious to mention. If it were the case that an inflexible rule obtains, in the divine order of things, that spirtuality produces health and wealth, the following would clearly result.

1. Little children, the purest of earth’s society, would never get sick and die; yet, in many third-world nations, sweet childret starve, their bodies are racked with disease and they prematurely go to God.
2. The wicked of the earth generally are more prosperous than the godly, and the righteous do not significantly outlive the non-Christian population.
3. If wealth was the direct result of becoming a Christian, men would be prone to accept the gospel, not because of their convictions regarding God’s Son, but merely out of materialistic self-interest. Such would bring no honor to either the Creator or the creature. The Almighty expects motives nobler than this.

One should never allow life’s difficulties to distort his view of God.