DEATH, HEALTH AND SIN

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

Used by permission. www.Lockman.org

Straitly did the Lord God command them not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Not only did He command them, He also told them what would befall them if they would not give heed to His commandment. Genesis 2:16,17 reads, 

“And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden IN EATING THOU SHALT EAT: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof IN DYING THOU SHALT DIE” (Emphasis added. KJV, Heb.). 

This passage of the scripture supplies us with many revelations especially concerning the topic that is being treated. Respecting the sustenance of Adam, since he had a body, the Lord God gave him a twofold commandment by which his body should be strengthened. He commanded Adam to eat of every tree of the garden, then prohibited him from eating one out of all – the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The result of obeying the positive part of the commandment was that Adam’s body would be strengthened. Now, it is known that the main purpose of eating is to supply the body with materials for its growth and repair, and for keeping the immune system healthy. For this purpose, Adam had to eat. And God did not just tell him to eat but commanded him to eat, for that was the way God chose for his body to be sustained. Disobeying this commandment would not only frustrate his body, it would also frustrate the purpose for which he was created. Thereby going against the will of God for him and committing sin. So Adam should in eating, draw sustenance for his body. 

The consequence of disobeying the other part of the commandment was also spelt out by the Lord to Adam. The Lord God commanded him not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil also for the sake of his body. The statement, “In dying thou shalt die” means if Adam ate from it, the result would be the opposite of what his body required. His body, instead of it to be sustained, would die.

The statement also reveals how his body would die. That is, in a gradual process. Indicating that death is a process, initiated by sin. So the apostle says in James 1:15:

“Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.”

But how is this process accomplished? It is accomplished by sicknesses and diseases. Therefore the end result of sin is death but the intermediary stage is ill-health – the deterioration of the body. 

Adam was to sustain his body by keeping the two sides of the commandment. Breaking any part of it would lead to his death. 

Unfortunately, he ate from the tree he was commanded not to eat. And although he did not die immediately, the process of death was activated in him. Obviously this was what the woman did not know. For when  the tempter told her she would not surely die, she took of the fruits of the tree and ate. When she apparently did not die, she also gave to her husband to eat. But they all later died. Adam who was created to eat of the tree of life and live forever was now struggling to live up to a thousand years. By disobeying God, he committed sin. Through sin death set in. For his body could no longer sustain him. So has the life expectancy of his seeds been reducing since his time. 

Therefore, through sin, sicknesses and diseases find expression on earth as the forerunners of death. And when Jesus Christ came to the earth, He was found most of the times dealing with people’s sin while dealing with their sicknesses. When a paralytic man was brought to Him in Matthew 9, He forgave his sins and then said to him to get up, pick his bed and go home. And the man got up and went home. By removing his sins, his body became healthy. Additionally, after healing the man who had been ill for thirty eight years at the pool of Bethesda, Jesus told him, “Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you” (John 5:14).  Obviously the sin of the man brought him his sickness and Jesus, having taken his sin away by forgiving him, warned him to sin no more lest worse come upon him. Lastly, when His disciples saw a man who was born blind in John 9, they asked Him if it was the man or his parents that sinned for him to be born blind. Indicating the fact that sicknesses and diseases, more or less, are the results of sin. 

To have good health, you must abide by the instructions of your creator. He created your body and knows what can repair or impair it. All His commandments are to enliven your body. John 12:50 says, “And I know that his commandment is life everlasting.” Going against any of His commandments will mean turning away from life to death. His words may not appear to bring you good health if you keep them, but they are given for your health. Proverbs 4:21-22 expressly says you should not let His words “depart from your sight; keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them and health to all their body. It is not sufficient to eat from other trees. You must also not eat from the one God disallowed. Just as God has permitted you to do some things, so has He disallowed you from doing some other things. Refusing to do what he requires of you and doing what he does not permit you are both destructive. Keep His whole word and you will be made whole.