Sin and Health
Psalm 31:10 For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away.
Do sinful actions affect our health? The unpopular answer in today’s woke, soft culture is… Yes. We fundamentally know this but in general, we do not want to admit it or take responsibility. Pick your vice. Alcohol abuse can lead to a variety of issues including cirrhosis of the liver. A swinger’s lifestyle can lead to ramifications of sexually transmitted diseases. The list is endless. You get the point.
This is a simple truth from God’s word. …my strength fails because of my iniquity… Because of sin, our bodies decline and ultimately die.
my strength fails… One’s ability and strength to complete a task fails or kashal in the Hebrew. The word could be associated with a drunken stupor; to stumble, stagger, totter (Strong’s Concordance). Coordination of tasks goes as well.
The Hebrew word for iniquity is avon. The word defined assumes guilt and a consequence for the action. Definition as stated per Strong’s: iniquity, guilt, punishment for iniquity. There is no question. The action is wrong and justice is coming.
Psalm 32:3 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
The body’s condition continues to deteriorate if one does not confess their sin. A lack of confession can be an exacerbation and quickening of the process. The context of the verse from Psalms is iniquity or sin.
For when I kept silent… This personality is not about to admit their short comings. It is probably somebody else’s fault.
Look at the attitude exhibited. There is grumbling and complaining about one’s aches and pains. There is no responsibility assumed for the condition or state one is in. It would appear this is a long term condition. This chronic whining, all day long.
The result, my bones wasted away. This could be both literally and figuratively. One’s literal body deteriorates. The essence of the individual pines and withers away. Body and soul wear out and decay.
Admit you are wrong. You made mistakes (plural). Welcome to the club.
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James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
The verse from James implies sickness of an individual. There is an antidote to consequences of sin on the body in the here and now this side of eternity.
Confess or ἐξομολογέω/exomologeó in the original Greek. Per Strong’s Concordance, I consent fully, agree out and out; I confess, admit, acknowledge (early Hellenistic sense of the middle: acknowledge a debt). Thayer’s Greek Lexicon states: from the heart, freely, or publicly, openly, to profess.
In other words, get your sin out there for all to hear about it. Don’t hold back.
There is a result from confession of sins, …that you may be healed.
The Greek word for healed is ἰάομαι/iaomai. The term is generally associated with Jesus and His ability to supernaturally heal others. There are multiple examples in the gospel accounts of Christ. People recognized Christ’s ability to heal.
Matthew 8:8 But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.
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The good news is someday, all of this will be no more. Admit you are a sinner and join Him in His future.
Revelation 21:4-5 …He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.”
And the One seated on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Then He said, “Write this down, for these words are faithful and true.”
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