Jn.5:14 – Afterward, Jesus *found him in the temple and said to him, “Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you.”
This scripture has the potential of being quite disturbing. First Jesus seems to be connecting this man’s paralytic condition to past sins. Obviously all sickness doesn’t proceed from sin but according to Jesus some of it does. So if we are dealing with sickness, especially the kind that endures (like for 38 years) checking our lives for sin is a good place to start. James even said confess our sin to one another that we may be healed. The even more disturbing part is the warning Jesus gave. He said not to continue in sin least something even worse comes upon you. Worse than being paralyzed for thirty daughters years? Seems like we should listen carefully to what the Lord says. Here is how Chrysostom describes this verse.
“Here we learn in the first place that his disease was the consequence of his sins. Second, we learn that there is really a hell; third, that it is a place of lasting and infinite punishment.… But someone might ask, “Do all diseases proceed from sin?” Not all, but most do. Some proceed from different kinds of loose living, since gluttony, intemperance and sloth produce similar sufferings.… But why is it that in the case of these paralytics Christ mentions their sins?… I know that some slander this paralytic, asserting that he was an accuser of Christ and that therefore this speech was addressed to him. But what about the paralytic in Matthew who heard nearly the same words? For Christ also told him, “Your sins are forgiven you.” And so it is clear that this man was not addressed in this way because of what they allege.… Rather, Jesus was securing him against future sins.”
When the Lord begins a season of renewal a season of repentance is where He often starts. That was obviously the case with the movement started by John the Baptist, he was calling Israel to a time of repentance to prepare for the ministry of Jesus. Our nation stands in need of a great season of repentance and revival. Sexual promiscuity, drunkenness, and perversion seemed to be past the point of being tolerated; we are at the sorry state of sin being celebrated. If you want God’s healing power at work in your life go down to the sheep gate by the pool of Bethesda. Climb into the waters filled with blood and watch what Jesus will do.
But it’s so much easier to attribute sickness and disease to any other number of factors and easily ignore the “S” word. Let us not delude the still small voice of correction with centuries of man’s problem solving labels that deflect the simplicity of our yes and no’s to God.