Friday 3 October 2008

Discussing Assurance - Health

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This week begins our discussion on issues that may cause us to struggle with a lack of assurance. [For mored details see here].

Our first topic of discussion is how sometimes ill health may bring us to feel abandoned by God & to lack assurance in Him.
Lets pray that as we enter this Christ will use it to strengthen us against doubts caused by any future health problems. To build our faith in Him as all soveriegn Lord and to Glorify Himself as He leads some through physical illnesses.

Here's what William J. Patton says in the book 'Pardon & Assurance' on this:

1. Want of health.
"I have known a good many earnest Christians who had no doubt of their salvation when they were in health, and whose godliness was not doubted by others, yet, when they became weak in body, believed that they were not Christians at all.

The poor weak body acts on the mind; and it is some¬times very difficult for persons with lung or liver disease, or heart or nervous disease, to have assurance.

Old Dr. Archibald Alexander of Princeton was once asked if he had always assurance. "Nearly always;” he replied, "except when there is an east wind."
I remember well meeting one day on the road a young man, one of the most godly and useful young men I ever knew. He was spitting blood at the time, and he told me he thought that he had never been converted at all, that all his past religion was a piece of formality. He thought that God had forgotten him, and completely forsaken him.

Poor fellow! No one ever doubted his conversion but himself.
I told him that God had neither forgotten nor forsaken him, that it was just want of health, and that God loved him as much as ever.

Oh, my Christian reader, who once had God's face shining upon you, but are now in delicate health, and think that God has forgotten you, remember His promise:

"I will never leave thee; nor forsake thee.” (Hebrews 13: 5)

"Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God." (Isaiah 1: 10)"
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Although Patton doesn't go to much detail, I think he brings us to a very real issue, warning us that we may struggle with assurance as we suffer ill health. How often we hear people ask 'why me?' and question what they have done to deserve illness. How often a sick body afflicts our minds, hearts & souls with a sickness that causes doubt & worry.

Generally when I've met some Christians who are 'rejoicing' through their illness it is because they have grounded themselves deeply on the Word & promises of God & on the person & work of Christ before the suffering. They have so much Scripture to rest their minds on while they are suffering that the Word & Spirit helps them through.

That would be my advice - and as I've thought more about this discussion I've been considering how difficult it is to see answers when you are in the midst of it without preparation. Hence I think that it is important that before illness, we drink deeply from the Word, grounding ourselves & building a firm foundation on the Rock that is Christ, so that when suffering comes, the foundation holds us steady.

Over to you
On 'The Want of Health' bringing a lack of assurance of peace with God, what would you say? Are there any sermons, books etc that you'd advise & what Bible passages would you point to on this issue?
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About Boaly
Gary has been involved in printing the Scriptures for 20 years, enjoys photography and rambling online

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I spoke on this very theme a little on Wednesday night at our prayer meeting, not health per se but on living through adversity and hardship.

Your point about being prepared before it happens is crucial for spiritual health, it is not a cure all but it will help.

My counsel over and above what you have said would be at a basic level to remind the person of God's Sovereignty in every situation and of his good will towards every Christian - he is doing a good thing with them (Romans 8:28)...he will never leave them nor forsake them (Heb 13:5 and also Ps 23,

Psalms 23:4-6 “4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.”


...however since those texts is so familiar to us that it may loose some of its impact I would also point them to Psalm 119:67 & 71,75,76

Psalms 119 “67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word. ......... 71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.”

Psalms 119:75, 76 “75 I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are right, And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me. 76 Let, I pray, Your merciful kindness be for my comfort, According to Your word to Your servant.”

Also,

2 Corinthians 1:9, 10 “9 Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, 10 who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us,”

These texts show that adversity ALWAYS has a positive purpose in the Christian - preservation from sin, chastisement out of sin, decrease of self-dependence and increase of faith in God.

Also no matter how deep the valley it is good to remember,

1 Corinthians 10:13 “13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

Also worth meditating upon - Psalm 77 and James 1:2-4.

Importantly when sick or when encouraging one who is sick we must remind them of the eternal perspective....we are all alike perishing, but those who are in Christ can rest on the assurance that no matter the nature or mode of perishing.....

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 “.......the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

Boaly said...

Reformed - great advice! Thankyou!
Coming back time & again to God's sovereignty over illness is definately a key aspect!

And the filling of the mind with Scriptures related- as you have mentioned is also key.

As I read the verses you quoted I was thinking of how often (and how prominent a teaching it is in some circles) we just want to see God's glory through miraculous healing (eg so called 'florida outpouring').

Though we see that some illnesses such as the blind manin the temple, do come so that Christ may display is glory in His healing power, we tend to neglect the understand from scripture that in His sovereignty Christ also permits illness, disability or whatever, for greater, eternal glory & for our furtherance in our walk with Him without healing.

Anonymous said...

That's exactly right - we are sanctified by the difficulties as much as by the "blessings".

Paul

Anonymous said...

Hi Boaly. Just thought I'd leave comment on the topic of health and assurance since I seem to be more often than not in bad health. I great passage of the Bible is Romans 3. Espeacilly from verese three to the end. Everytime i feel discouraged in my faith I remember this passage. V26 says the words "at this time.." and it always at this time that we need assurance. There is no reason for us to ever be discouraged or have lack of assurance of our faith. When we are discouraged because fo certain things like illness, we are using teh worlds wisdom and not Gods. God allows situations and circumstances in our lives for a reason, the reason is always to strengthen our relationship with our Father God. God does not look at us to judge us on how useful we can be or how successful our ministries appear to be. Its all about being conformed to the image of Christ. God does not need us to help Him do any work, He has granted us the priviliege to be part of it.

I think to often we reily on the periods of blessing in our lives, but God will draw back a little, from fully protecting us with His grace to show us that we can do nothing by ourselves and that everything depends on Him. God allows us to fail sometimes, whether that be in our health, ministry, whatever. It is only so we reach the point were we say God who in heaven do i have but you? who in earth do i have but you. Then we remember it is all about the work of God in us. Draw all from Christ and remember God doesnt need us to be anything but a creation He loves and a creation that Loves Him back.

I once heard someone say the greatest act of faith is to look at the ible like a mirror, see all our faults, shame, sin, short comings etc, and KNOW, that God truely loves us, exactly how we are.

So though we may all face illness and ill health in our lives, thought we know we are unholy, unrighteous, and so ignorant to the things of God. Our comfort, our joy, our peace, our assurance comes from the finished work of Christ. My advice to anyone feeling unsure fo their salvation is the pray to God and ask Him to help them understand more about the finished work of Christ. To believe IT IS DONE. is to believe IT IS ALL DONE.

Anonymous said...

"To believe IT IS DONE. is to believe IT IS ALL DONE."

That's an excellent way to put it Alison.

Paul

Boaly said...

A HUGE AMEN to - "To believe IT IS DONE. is to believe IT IS ALL DONE."

Anonymous said...

"I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation, and an assurance was given me that He had taken my sin, even mine." - from John Wesley's Journal

Found this wee quote about assurance earlier just thought i'd share it with you. Glad you liked my wee saying. Thank God it is ALL done.

Anonymous said...

here is a wee clip from J c Ryle Faith and assurance. Hope it is interesting to you for you discussion this week.

alison

Faith is that poor trembling woman who came behind Jesus in the press and touched the hem of His garment (Mark 5:27). Assurance is Stephen standing calmly in the midst of his murderers, and saving, “I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God!”

Faith is the penitent thief, crying, “Lord, remember me” (Luke 23:42). Assurance is Job, sitting in the dust, covered with sores, and saying, “I know that my Redeemer liveth” (Job 19:25). “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him” (Job 13:15).

Faith is Peter’s drowning cry, as he began to sink: Lord, save me” (Matt 14:30). Assurance is that same Peter declaring before the Council in after times, “This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved”(Acts 4:11-12).

Faith is the anxious, trembling voice, “Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief” (Mark 9:24). Assurance is the confident challenge, Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? . . . Who is he that condemneth?” (Rom 8:33,34). Faith is Saul praying in the house of Judas at Damascus, sorrowful, blind, and alone (Acts 9:11). Assurance is Paul, the aged prisoner, looking calmly into the grave, and saying, “I know whom I have believed . . . There is a crown laid up for me” (2 Tim 1:12, 4:8).

Faith is life. How great the blessing! Who can tell the gulf between life and death? And yet life may be weak, sickly, unhealthy, painful, trying, anxious, worn, burdensome, joyless, smileless to the very end.

Assurance is more than life. It is health, strength, power, vigor, activity, energy, manliness, beauty.

Reader, it is not a question of saved or not saved that lies before us, but of privilege or no privilege. It is not a question of peace or no peace, but of great peace or little peace. It is not a question between the wanderers of this world and the school of Christ: it is one that belongs only to the school: — it is between the first form and the last.

He that has faith does well. Happy should I be, if I thought all readers of this article had it. Blessed, thrice blessed are they that believe. They are safe. They are washed. They are justified. They are beyond the power of hell. Satan, with all his malice, shall never pluck them out of Christ’s hand.

But he that has assurance does far better, — sees more, feels more, knows more, enjoys more, has more days like those spoken of in Deuteronomy 11:21, even “as the days of heaven upon the earth.

Boaly said...

ALison thanks for those classy comments- its so hard to beat advice that has been written down by those who've walked this path before us.
Praise our Lord for Ryle & Wesley etc.