There seems to be a good deal of debate and confusion surrounding the passage of Scripture that we take our ministry name from.  Rather than argue with those who would disagree, we would like to simply state what we believe is obvious Biblical truth...

Isaiah 53:4-5 states, “(4)Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.  (5)But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed.”

    In this wonderful Messianic prophecy written several hundred years before Jesus lived, we find an accurate description of the suffering that Jesus endured for our sake. 

    I don’t know any Christians who would argue about whether Jesus was “pierced for our transgressions” or “crushed for our iniquities.”  Transgression means violation of Biblical law, and iniquity has to do with our inner bent towards selfishness and evil.  This is the heartbeat of Christianity –that all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory and that Jesus suffered and died and rose again from the dead taking our sin into Himself and paying the penalty for our rebellion.  Among true Christians, there is no argument about whether Jesus died and rose again or whether His death and resurrection provided forgiveness of sin.

   
    It’s those other two things mentioned in verse 4 that seem to pose a problem.  Did, as the Scriptures here indicate, Jesus’ death and resurrection also provide for healing from infirmities (sickness and disease) and our sorrows (emotional wounds and traumas)?

    Many modern Christians do not like the idea of linking sickness and disease and emotional problems with sin.  Especially considering the New Covenant is a covenant of grace.  The idea of God punishing sin by sending sickness and disease makes God seem mean-spirited and arbitrary instead of kind and loving as the Father Jesus showed us.

    But what if our diseases were linked to sin, but not as punishment.  What if, because of how our bodies were so wonderfully designed, sickness and disease were a consequence of sin and a warning to us that everything is not quite right spiritually?  Let me explain.  We know, for example, because Jesus made it abundantly clear that we are to forgive others as God has forgiven us.  So, unforgiveness and bitterness are sin.  If, instead of forgiving we harbor resentment, our physical bodies actually undergo chemical changes.  Anger (even repressed anger) and resentment cause chemicals and hormones to be released that under the right circumstances actually help us cope with whatever is going on, but over a long term harm our auto-immune system.  Adrenaline and cortisal, for instance, might give us the energy boost we need when threatened by a mugger –but when secreted constantly, even in small doses, they can harm t-cells which fight cancer. 

    Let me give another example.  When we are startled our bodies undergo what is called “fight or flight” syndrome.   A sudden fear causes a gush of chemicals and hormones that give us a burst of energy that enables us to either confront or run.  This is a wonderful gift from God.  But when we live in a constant state of fear and anxiety the same chemicals and hormones get released –more slowly, but constantly.   And the constant presence of these chemicals in our bodies over an extended time causes great physical harm.  We also know that constant fear is not from God.  II Timothy 1:7 tells us that God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind.  To live in a state of constant anxiety is wrong.  It is sin.  And it leads to very real physical problems.

    Now, I am not saying nor do I believe that we can look at someone with a disease –cancer for instance, and jump to the conclusion that he or she must be hiding some big unconfessed sin.  There are other reasons we sometimes get sick.  We can get horrible diseases because of the pollution in our atmosphere –or because of toxic chemicals in our food supply –or contaminated water –or certain insect or animal bites –or infections –or any number of other reasons beyond our control.  The point here is not to judge others, but to examine ourselves.  We cannot assume that because someone has a disease or illness the root is sin; on the other hand, we can assume that sin we hold onto and do not deal with will eventually result in sickness.

    Let’s look for a moment at the last piece of the puzzle from Isaiah 53:4-5.  It says that not only did Jesus provide for our spiritual healing, and our physical healing –but also our emotional healing.   This would imply a link between our negative emotions and sin.  This makes sense.

    Every one of us has both sinned against others, and we have been sinned against by others.  And both types of sin produce in us negative emotions.  When we sin against others, we experience guilt and shame (unless, of course, our hearts are hardened) –and when others sin against us we experience emotions like fear and anger and rejection and bitterness and worthlessness.  In fact, most of the negative emotions that control our lives have roots in sin –either our own sins for which we need to accept forgiveness, or the sins of others for which we need to extend forgiveness and receive truth and healing. 

    Sin is the root of all of our spiritual problems and many of our physical and emotional problems.   Sin always destroys.  Sin always tears down and leaves broken pieces.  Even for we who are born again, saved, and redeemed, we still have some consequence of sin because each of us has both sinned and been sinned against.  All of the hurts and resentments and regrets in our lives are the consequence of one or the other.  Our hurts and regrets are either a product of our sin or the sin of others that has affected us.  Jesus is uniquely qualified to deal with our hurts and regrets because He has already dealt with the problem of sin.

Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection from the grave paid the penalty for sin.  And because He paid for our sin, He alone can forgive sin, and He alone can repair the damage done by sin -both our own sin and the sins of others done against us.  No one else can do this.  No one else can put the broken pieces together again.  And since sin has harmed us spiritually, physically and emotionally, it makes sense that Jesus’ death and resurrection brings healing to all three areas.  By His Stripes (wounds) we are healed –spiritually, physically and emotionally.

-Written by Steve Pennell, By His Stripes Ministries-

Questions To Consider:

If any part of our physical and emotional problems are caused by or rooted in sin, how might  Jesus' death and resurrection bring healing?

Why might some people choose to believe that Jesus death only provided forgiveness of sin and not healing for the consequences of sin? 

What do you believe?  Why?