Faith or Presumption
Today I must address a very difficult topic. What do we do with all the verses that promise protection and healing for disease and illness?There are a number of verses being circulated on social media which promise that God will protect us from illness and pestilence.
(There are even some churches refusing to close services because they believe that God will supernaturally protect the faithful. Sadly, there is a suggestion that 60% of the Covid19 infections in South Korea originated from people who attended a church that refused to close services. Not only did the worshippers get sick, but they infected others down the line. They increased the curve instead of flattening it.)
Some of the most circulated passages come from Psalm 91.
- v.3 "Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence."
- v.5-6 "You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday." - v.7 " A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you."
- There are other passages of Scripture that "balance" the promises we have here.
Jesus tells us "In this world you will have trouble." (John16:33) and Paul (one of the most devoted servants of God I know) describes his hardships (flogged, beaten, imprisoned, shipwrecked, flooded, threatened, etc (all in 1Cor.11)). Paul also talks about his "thorn in the flesh" (which we think was a recurring eye infection) that God didn't take away but he was given grace to get through his trouble.
This is important: Scripture often balances difficult concepts by giving us both ends of the spectrum.
To give another example: We have passages that describe God's utter holiness and other passages that describe His endless mercy. These "opposites" are not "mutually exclusive" but paint the breadth of the matter at hand.
So, holiness and grace are the full extent of God's character.
And deliverance-from-trouble and grace-in-trouble are the full extent of our experience of life on earth.
In life we will experience hardship but we will also experience rescue, protection and deliverance. Psalm 91 expresses one end of the spectrum and Paul's life the other. At various times in our journey through life we will have experiences somewhere between these two ends of this creative tension.
- If we insist that Psalm 91 is a guarantee, then we have two practical problems:
- If all sickness, disaster and war is overcome, then what will we die from?
And how do we explain the pain that's in our world - even among Christians.
It is simply not feasible to make this universally applicable to all believers.
- If I do trust in Ps.91 and I get sick or go through a disaster, then who failed? Did God fail? (We're in trouble if He did!) Or did I breach my contract and therefore nullify its benefits? Did I sin? Did I not have enough faith? And can we then argue that everyone who gets sick or has a disaster lacks faith? I think Paul would beg to differ!
- If all sickness, disaster and war is overcome, then what will we die from?
- There is a fine-line between Faith and Presumption.
Faith trusts in God without treating Him like a vending machine. Faith believes that God can do incredible things, but that God's ways are not our ways. Faith accepts that God sees the "bigger picture" even when we are limited by our smaller one. Faith recognises that the smaller picture may be a bumpy ride to a better bigger picture.
Presumption makes God a servant of my interpretation of His promises. Presumption makes the current smaller picture (what we can see) all important. It can't see the bigger picture. Presumption insists that God must while Faith believes that God can.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had faith without presumption
"If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able (faith) to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, (avoiding presumption) we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods" (Dan3:17-18)
Interestingly enough, this very Psalm 91 was used by Satan to tempt Jesus. Satan brought Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple and quoted v.11-12 for Jesus to presume on God's protection.
Jesus responded very clearly: "Do not put the Lord your God to the test." He refused to presume.
If Jesus, the Son of God, refused to use this passage as a guarantee, then surely we should be very circumspect about "naming and claiming" it?
Another Shepherd image is in Psalm 23 which also affirms the goodness of the Shepherd but also reminds us that we may "walk through the valley of the shadow of death" and may have to "eat at a table in the presence of our enemies."
Psalm 91 reminds us that God can and often does provide for and protect the faithful who stay near Him and trust Him and take refuge under His wings. (I've underlined every expression of devotion and trust I saw in the Psalm.) I trust in Him, but I don't get to "dictate terms". Jesus didn't and I shouldn't either.
I also think that this Psalm points us to a reality that is even bigger than this life and this world. While not "relegating" Psalm 91 as being only about heaven, I think it does point in that direction. When I shelter in Him in death, I find His ultimate refuge.
So... I pray daily that God will help us make a vaccine or that He will provide a solar flare or something that will supernaturally kill the Corona virus - I believe He can. I will also reach out my hands to help others wherever I can. But I'm also going to wash my hands and follow all reasonable precautions. I have faith, but I won't presume. I'm not God - He is.
| He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." 3 Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. 4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. 5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. 8 You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. 9 If you make the Most High your dwelling-- even the LORD, who is my refuge-- 10 then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. 11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; 12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. 13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. 14 "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. 15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honour him. 16 With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation." (Psalms91:1-16) |
