Matthew 8:16-17 tells us that Jesus healed all that were sick, to fulfil that which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet saying, ‘Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.’ So even at the time of the actual ministry of Jesus, the Bible says that Christ’s atonement for our sin is also His atonement for sickness and disease, that the cross He carried was our healing. Why not carry that cross of healing (1 Peter 2:24; Isaiah 53)? Sin and sickness are not from God, both come from the devil. The purpose of the first coming of Jesus was to make a way of escape from the evil which Satan and ultimately man, by his disobedience, brought into the world: ‘For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, to destroy the works of the devil!’ (1 John 3:8). However, this is only in part today, none of us is perfect in ourselves, we live in a world of sin and sickness and are surrounded by them. When Christ returns we shall be taken out of this world into the Kingdom of Heaven, then there will be no more sin, sickness or death. Until then, walking by faith, we must overcome sin – and temptation – and sickness.
Q. Is my sickness God’s punishment for my sin? Perhaps He is teaching me something?
A. If you think like that, you will not be healed. No, just as God forgives sin, instantly, He wants to heal you, NOW!
What the Bible Says About Sin, Sickness, and Divine Healing
Is Sickness a Punishment for Sin or a Lesson From God?
No, sickness is not God’s punishment for your sin, nor is it a lesson He inflicts upon you. According to biblical theology, both sin and sickness are works of the devil brought into the world through human disobedience. Just as God forgives sin instantly through the atonement of Jesus Christ, He provides immediate access to divine healing. Holding onto the idea that God wants you to be sick can block you from receiving your healing through faith.
The Biblical Foundation for Divine Healing in the Atonement
The provision for physical healing is fundamentally tied to Christ’s sacrificial work. The scriptures establish this through three specific pillars:
Prophetic Fulfilment (Matthew 8:16-17): During His earthly ministry, Jesus healed all who were sick to directly fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah, which states, "Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses."
The Purpose of Christ's Manifestation (1 John 3:8): The Bible explicitly states that the Son of God came into the world to destroy the works of the devil—which include both spiritual sin and physical disease.
The Finished Work of the Cross (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24): Christ carried the cross not just for spiritual redemption, but as our physical healing. Believers are encouraged to actively "carry that cross of healing" by faith today.
We should pray boldly for healing (James 5:14-15), while simultaneously resting in the peace of Romans 8:28: that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, using even our physical weaknesses to draw us closer to Him.