14 – Suffering Through Sickness

 

The specific type of suffering the apostle Peter was addressing in his first letter was persecution from an anti-Christ culture.  We can expect the same as time goes on, but in the mean time, from time to time we all suffer in various other ways.  I believe Peter's wisdom and counsel can benefit us in the midst of any kind of suffering we're experiencing.    

 

One particular type of suffering that hits us all is sickness.  The apostle Paul addresses sickness in 1 Corinthians 11:29-32.  He said, "Many among you are week and sick … when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world".  I understand that Paul is addressing sickness in this passage as it relates to one particular situation, but nonetheless, he does say that this sickness should be thought of as God's discipline. 

 

The writer of Hebrews speaks of  God's discipline as well.  "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes everyone He accepts as sons.  Endure hardship as discipline; God is training you as sons.  For what son is not disciplined by His father?  If you are not disciplined (and everyone goes through discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons". (Hebrews 12:5-10)  This is one Bible passage that doesn't get much press in our hyper faith prosperity gospel Christianity these days. 

 

The writer of Hebrews tells us that suffering through hardship can be a form of discipline from our heavenly Father.  That would include sickness.  The Greek word "paideoo" is translated as "discipline" in this passage.  "Paideoo" means "to instruct".  There are many ways in which we as Christians can be instructed, but the specific kind of instruction here is directly related to the word "punishes". 

 

The Greek word "mastigoo" is translated as "punishes" in the NIV.  I prefer the KJV's translation because it better reflects the meaning of "mastigoo".  The KJV translates "mastigoo" as "scourges".  The noun form of this Greek word means "a whip".  The verb form means "to whip", thus the reason why I like the KJV's translation.  Pilate had Jesus "flogged" prior to His execution. (John 19:1)  The word "flogged" in the NIV, or "scourged" in the KJV, is translated from "mastigoo".  Thus, the discipline or instruction spoken of here in Hebrews is not a classroom type of instruction.  It's a whipping.

 

The writer of Hebrews tells us "not to lose heart" during the disciplining process, but to endure to the end.  This tells us that instructive punishment can be painful at times, something Peter himself said in 1 Peter 4:12.  The author of Hebrews also says that "no discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.  Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who are trained by it". (Hebrews 12:11)   

 

The reason for God's discipline is simple.  We are his beloved children, and as children, one way in which He trains us is through instructive discipline.    

 

I know some people take this message of discipline to an extreme.  They'd be the first to tell you that God is punishing you with sickness because you've been a bad believer.  Despite this abuse, we can't rule out that suffering, whether it is sickness or anything else, might be a form of instructive punishment. 

 

It's clear that not all suffering, not all sickness, is God's discipline.  We get sick from time to time because we live in a sick fallen world.  We get sick because of our own bad choices.  I hate to say it, but some of us get sick because we're getting older.  Even the apostle Paul, a man of great faith, said that "outwardly we are wasting away, but inwardly we are being renewed". (2 Corinthians 4:16)  There are many reasons why people, including Christians, suffer with sickness and other hardships.  Whatever the reason, when we do suffer, we should seriously seek Jesus to see why we are suffering and what we can learn.  Instructive punishment is meant to teach us something.  What that something is, is important to know.  I admit, finding the reason why is easier said than done, and maybe at time we'll never know the reason.  Whether we are suffering from an anti-Christ culture, from God's discipline, from living in a sick fallen world, or from growing old, Peter's first letter gives us much good counsel on how to survive suffering and eventually benefit from it.  It's worth our time and effort to read, study, and then apply Peter's counsel to our lives.