Skip to content Why Does God Allow Sickness_Tyler Gaulden Aug 10 · 39 min ...more
Why Does God Allow Sickness_Tyler Gaulden
August 10, 2026 · 39 min
A pastor's reflection on how the Fall brought sickness, why sin produces death, and where God meets us amid illness and frailty.
Series Table Talks With Pastor Tyler Gaulden August 10, 2026 · 39 min · Table Talks With Pastor Tyler Gaulden
A pastor's reflection on how the Fall brought sickness, why sin produces death, and where God meets us amid illness and frailty. ...more Show the full description Show less A pastor's reflection on how the Fall brought sickness, why sin produces death, and where God meets us amid illness and frailty.
Series Table Talks With Pastor Tyler Gaulden Support this leader Liking this video? Support this ministry.
Support this leader
Liking this video? Support this ministry.
Give
Support this leader Liking this video? Support this ministry.
75.6K followers
Unspeakable Joy with Tyler Gaulden is fulfilling the Great Commission by using every platform to proclaim the Gospel and bring the light of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth.
75.6K followers
Comments No comments yet. Start the conversation.
Sickness Entered Through Sin 0:00 Alright. Today, we're gonna be talking about health problems. There's all kinds of sicknesses, diseases, cancers, things that go along, with that. The main question is why does God allow health0:12 problems, especially in Christians? I know that's a very broad question.0:15 But Right. So why does God allow health problems in Christians? God does not allow them. Man asked0:27 for them. That's a harsh thought. Okay. The lord said in the book of Genesis chapter number 2 and chapter number 3, he creates Adam and Eve, and Adam and Eve are perfect. They0:39 are sinless. They are whole. They have no sickness in their body. They have no death in their body. They have life. They are living, breathing, thriving creatures.0:51 They sin in chapter 3 and through sin, death enters to the human bloodline. James tells us when sin is conceived,1:03 it brings forth death. Sin brings sickness. Sickness brings death. Therefore, sickness is not god's fault. Sickness is man's fault. And that's1:15 where we get messed up. Now, does god have the ability to take all sin and sickness and disease and death away? Yes.1:27 Does he do that? Obviously not. So I'm sure you're gonna ask this and we'll answer it a little bit later on. Why does god not take it? So we need to ask. To answer1:39 the 1st question, god does not allow it. It's not like god chose you to give this sickness to because I'm so mad at you versus being mad at them. No.1:51 God says you sinned. Sin brings sickness. Sickness brings death. That's what that's all about.1:58 Yeah. That's1:59 the answer to that.2:00 So last week, for those of you who are listening on, Spotify and Apple Podcast, we talked about death being used as chastisement.2:07 Can shout out right quick. Where can they listen all these things, by the way?2:11 So you can listen here on YouTube if you're watching or on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Spotify has a podcast as well. Just search2:18 We're on Spotify?2:19 Unspeakable we are. We are on Spotify.2:21 Unspeakable joy.2:22 Yes. Unspeakable joy or Tyler Golden. Yep. They both kinda pop up. Hey. Good2:25 job. I didn't know that. Yes. There2:26 you go. You didn't even know we had a platform.2:28 No idea.2:29 Okay. So, anyway, so we talked about death can be used as chastisement. Can health issues or sicknesses or disease also be used as chastisement? An example that came to my mind when I was researching this was, king2:41 Uzziah.2:42 Actually, absolutely. Not actually. Absolutely. There were actually more kings that were punished with sickness, than you would think. King Asa,2:54 the bible's and king Asa, if I if my genealogy is correct, king Asa would have been the great grandson of king David. Asa, the Bible3:06 says, is diseased in his feet, and he does not seek the lord. Uzziah, he is stricken with leprosy. Moses. Alright?3:17 Moses, go back to the book of Exodus. Moses is at the burning bush. God tells him to go deliver the people. Moses does not believe god. God says, reach your hand inside of your cloak,3:29 pulls it out, and it's lepros. It's diseased. God says, you don't believe me. K? Miriam. Miriam is struck with leprosy as a punishment for,3:41 her sin and rebellion against Moses. And so, alright. Keep on going. These are coming to me now. Do you remember King David and Abigail? Abigail had a husband3:53 and David tried to be kind to that husband. That husband rebelled against David. He had a massive heart. His heart literally turns to stone, the Bible says. Yeah. And so,Sickness as Chastisement vs Consequence 4:05 yeah, god does use sickness as punishment. We especially see that in the Old Testament. Now in the New Testament, book of Acts, Herod, the Bible says that he he4:17 stands up on a platform to, show his glory and he's dressed in this array and it's shining in the sun. I don't know what it probably was. It was probably covered with gold or mirrors or something like that. He shine and4:29 people say it is a god. The Bible says that worms literally eat him.4:35 Yeah.4:35 So, yes, sickness is used by god as a punishment.4:41 Yeah.4:41 Caveat. Question for you then. What's how do you know that? How do you know what is a punishment for sin, what is not a punishment for sin?4:51 Yeah. That's That's actually what I was getting ready to ask you because it's it's hard to know that. I mean, are you are you struggling with just a health issue that has come of, I don't wanna say natural causes, but5:02 because of that's not chastisement. Yeah. Or is it chastisement? I mean, nobody's perfect. So5:08 Well, we have to use the definition. Okay. Let's give 2 different words, chastisement and consequence.5:16 Yeah.5:16 Okay. We need to understand these 2 words. Alright? Chastisement is something god does to get your attention. Consequence is5:28 something that comes because of an action.5:31 Yeah.5:32 So for instance, let's say that I'm riding down the road and I'm rebelling against god and I'm I'm, you know, whatever. And all of a sudden, I have a car5:44 accident. I would say that that would be a chastisement. God trying to get my attention to get me to change, to shift. Yeah. That's not a consequence. That's a chastisement. Does that5:55 make sense? Yeah. Okay. So a consequence would be and I I mean, I grew up in tobacco country, so I can say what I'm gonna say. Somebody that smoked for 50 years and they get lung cancer.6:06 Yeah.6:07 I don't know that that's god punishing you. I think that's Yeah. Consequence. Okay?6:11 Exactly.6:11 Alright. Somebody that drinks for 50 years and they get cirrhosis of the liver. Is that god punishing them, chastising them? I think that that's a consequence that god uses.6:23 Yeah.6:24 Okay. I have Crohn's disease. You know, I've I've talked about that. That's not that's common knowledge. Every now and again, it flares up. I try to live right.6:36 I try to live holy. I'm not perfect at all. But listen. That flares up. I don't think that's god chastising me.6:42 Yeah.6:42 I don't think that's god giving me a consequence. I think that that's just a sickness that god has given me probably for, thorn in the flesh. So there's all these different things. So6:54 let me ask you just thinking off the cuff here. How would you define the difference between chastisement and then god using it as a as something coming as a consequence?7:06 Yeah. Well, from your definition there, I would wonder if the suddenness of the event has That's absolutely7:12 what I was just thinking.7:13 Has a, you know, relevance in this in this matter. Because if it gets your attention, I mean, like you said, there are consequence and then there's chastisement. 1 question I was gonna ask you I mean,7:25 that wasn't really an answer, but 1 question I was gonna7:28 You're absolutely right. I was gonna go with it's the suddenness of it, and that would be my deal.7:33 Do you think that God gives you holy spirit discernment? Because I have heard some people that thoroughly believe the reason they may be going through cancer or something is because of their failure to get rid of sin in7:44 their life. Do you think god gives you discernment to know that? Or7:49 Well, I've absolutely, god does give you discernment. I mean, even James said, if any man lack wisdom, let him ask of god, and he'll give to all men. And he gives all men liberally, and he'll brave if not. So God can. I8:00 think the danger with that, Avery, is people the devil confusing you. The problem with sickness, I had an old mentor that said this, and I I don't know that I8:12 had fully comprehended it. It's very difficult when you're sick to think clearly, especially spiritually. That's a valley.8:23 Yeah.8:24 Very hard in the valley to think clearly. Lot of lot of distractions, a lot of issues, a lot of problems. And so, yes, the holy spirit will give you discernment. The holy spirit will give you8:35 understanding, but I think you gotta be really careful. I would be very, very, very nervous to differentiate the 2 unless you just had absolute clear8:47 cut under I I'd be careful about that.8:50 Yeah.8:51 I I would. You know, let's use this. I mean, you know, you can go into a alright. Here's 1, and this is a touchy subject. I don't know the answer to this. What about9:03 someone that struggles with their weight because of a chemical imbalance, a hormonal imbalance? You know, some a lot of people do, men and women.9:12 Yeah.9:14 And they've struggled since they were children. You know, that's they've done everything they can to lose weight.9:20 Yeah.9:20 Is that god punishing them? I I don't know. I I think it's a I I I don't think it is. You know, I'm not we're not talking about people that, have no self control. I'm talking about people that genuinely struggle,9:32 and they're doing everything they can. They've struggled forever for their whole life. And is that god punishing them? I doubt it. Is that a consequence? I doubt it. Is, I honestly think there are9:44 just some things that we are going to deal with because we live in a sin9:48 Exactly. Earth. Yeah.9:50 Okay? You and I hate to I'm not being funny. I'm being serious. Losing your hair.9:54 Yeah.9:54 You know? I mean, man, who's their hair? Is that god punishing somebody? Is that god, is that a con I think that's just a part of being in a sin cursed, fallen world.10:05 Yeah.10:06 I think those are just just ramifications. Yeah. So maybe10:10 I think it's very hard to remember that it's hard to differentiate between did God do this and then remembering, like, we are in a cursed world.10:18 Yeah.10:18 Things happen, and sin is here.10:21 I think we need to use I think we need to talk about sorry to move.10:24 No. Yeah. You're good. You're good.10:25 Upset when I move.10:26 I do. He's got10:26 the cameras set. So, anyways, I think we need to remember if you're going to know that something is brought to you because it's from god. I think there's gonna be such clarity. We take10:38 that. I would take that scripture from 2nd Corinthians chapter 12 where Paul said, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh. He said, I have no doubt this was given to me, handed over to me, laid in my10:50 lap by god. I beg god to take it from me. The lord specifically told me, I will not do this. It's given to you for this reason. So I do believePaul's Thorn and God's Purpose in Weakness 11:02 god will give you clarity. But when god gives you clarity, there will be no confusion.11:07 Yeah.11:08 And until you have real clarity, I would not try to walk that path. Yeah. That's my answer.11:13 Oh, is there any way you can check yourself on that, though? Because, like, say say I have something that's bothering me, and I really feel like it's God chastising me.11:21 Yeah.11:22 But I have is there any way you can check other than just your daily talks with God and just11:27 1 or 2 things just came to my mind. Number 1, I'm always I'm a big proponent of how does God speak to you through the word. You know? Has the Lord shown you something that you are absolutely11:39 certain about? Alright? That's number 1. Number 2, at the mouth of 2 or 3 witnesses shall a matter be established. Do you have godly people in your life that you can go ask? This is what I'm11:51 thinking. This is where my heart's at. This is what I'm processing. What do you think? Now I wouldn't go ask you you jack legged friends. You know? Don't don't go ask, you know, uncle Eddie or cousin Tom12:03 or, you know, Susie or whatever that are living like the devil.12:08 Yeah.12:08 Do not ask people that are gonna tell you what you wanna hear. And here's the deal. We know who to ask. We know what they're I'm talking godly counsel, your pastor, you know, a a friend12:20 that is always gonna be honest with you. If you really wanna know, then you'll find the answer.12:26 Yeah.12:27 So I think at the mouth of 2 or 3 witnesses, yes. I think that matter can be established.12:30 Very good thought. Gotcha.12:33 I'm just kidding.12:33 While while we're on the topic actually of, Paul in 2nd Corinthians, this is a very, very popular chapter and verses that are used, to talk about sickness. When Paul says there12:45 was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the message messenger of Satan to buffet me. Yeah. I've researched that word buffet is debated amongst different studies and different12:57 translations. Some say, to humble. Others say to humiliate. You taught me how to how to kinda study the with the blue letter Bible and the Hebrew. The blue letter seems13:09 to the letter Bible.13:09 Yes. Yes. Exactly. We take sponsorships.13:12 That's right.13:12 Kidding. Doctor Pepper. Yes. But, anyways, the, blue letter seems to say more of a a physical torment slash hit or, you know, something like that. What does that actually mean when he says buffet?13:23 So the way that they get their definitions and the way that Bible scholars get their definitions is they consider not just the word but the word in the context. That was most certainly something that humbled Paul, that13:35 caused him to need something. We know that that it was probably something in his body as an ailment, a sickness, or something like that because he goes on and he says, in13:47 verse number 7 when he keeps on going, he says, it was in the flesh. You see what I'm saying?13:54 Yeah.13:55 The flesh, the the the the heat the Greek word is sarks, is that word. It was in his flesh, his physical body.14:04 Yeah.14:05 So we know that that buffeting was a humbling of the flesh. Okay. So what was it? Now here is what some people believe it was. We don't know this. He never tells us.14:17 We think, they think, they believe that it was some sort of eye ailment, physical that could have come14:29 from his experience with the lord on the Damascus road. The light shines out of heaven, and we know that Paul was blind for 3 days because Ananias has to come to him and restore his14:41 sight.14:42 Yeah.14:43 So, that's what some people believe and the reason that was such an issue for him, Paul was saying, god, if I did not have this blindness, I could do so much more. Could it be? I don't know. The14:55 point of that, the point of that passage is Paul was certain what it was, and that's what you need to take from it. When it comes to discerning the sickness, the disease, if it's from god, is15:06 it there to punish me? Is it there to humble me? Is it there to whatever. It was clear. He knew exactly what it was. He knew exactly why it was15:18 there.15:19 Yeah.15:20 So that's what you need to know about that.15:22 1 question. Well, actually, 2 questions I have. So if it if we go along with that line of thinking that it's from the lights, he goes on to say, there was given to me a thorn into the flesh, the messenger of Satan.15:34 Yeah. So does that what can that mean in that context?15:38 Well, Satan, you need to understand it's it's a name for the devil, but it's also a title. The word Satanos, if I'm not mistaken okay. I wanna make sure that I'm right15:50 here. The word Satanos, it literally means the accuser. It's what that word means. So I don't believe that it was a person.16:02 Yeah.16:02 Could've been. But I don't think he would have used the word flesh. Could have been, though. I mean, I'm not gonna I'm not I wouldn't argue that if somebody said I know it was. It16:14 very well could have been. If it was a person, Paul, in his previous letters, was not shy about16:26 naming people that were irritating him.16:29 Yeah.16:30 He said, Alexander the Coppersmith had done me much evil. The lord reward him. Demas had forsaken me. I think if there was a person, he would have said it. I think it was a disease. I think it was16:42 a disease. I think it was a a weakness, a, something that caused him to struggle. That if he did not have it, he would not struggle.16:51 Yep.16:51 So that's what I believe.16:52 So when he says Satan here, just so I'm just to make sure I'm understanding, he's not referring to the devil.16:56 It could be. No. I mean, he obviously is because it's capitalized. So the s is capitalized.17:01 Yeah.17:01 No. I mean, he is, but I don't think he is saying that this is 1 of Satan's people.17:07 Yeah.17:08 I think what he is generalizing is this thing is the messenger, speaker. It's a constantly there telling me I'm weak. Yeah. I'm weak.17:19 You're weak. You're weak. It's the messenger of Satan.17:23 So this is a a kind of a maybe not necessarily confusing, but something that I think could lead to god can even use what the devil does, if I'm correct in my understanding. So he says if we go along17:35 with the word buffet, it means humble, to humble or to be, you know, to think Less of yourself. Uh-huh. Satan causes the buffeting. But then later on, if you go down the same chapter,17:47 it talks about and I wanna make sure I get this correct. Therefore, I therefore, I will I will rather boast about my weakness so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. How can you interpret17:59 that? Does that mean that god uses even what Satan like, he works even through the Satan's attacks? Or,18:07 What does Paul say in verse 9? He says god told him in verse 8. He said, I beg god 3 times to let this depart from me. But the lord told me it's not happening. Why, lord?18:19 Because my strength is made perfect through your weakness. So, absolutely, god uses the humbling, the attacks of the enemy. And we18:31 know that god turns good things from bad things. We know that. But he says, you are gonna be humbled and beat down, and I'm going to be18:43 strengthened. Now how can we explain that? I got something in my eye. I keep messing with it, Adrian. Forget. I'm not crying.18:50 There you go.18:50 I'm just got something in my eye. How can we explain that? Well, I think the only thing that I could explain it like is a child and a father.19:02 If you've got a a a a toy or something you gotta put together and the child can't do it, he's weak, he's unable, if the father can put it together, the weakness19:14 of the child is not what's on display. What is on display? The wisdom of the father. God doesn't send us these things to make us look bad. He sends us19:26 these things so that he gets the credit. Okay. So, for instance, Paul says, let's you let's just say that it was Paul's eyesight. But Paul writes a letter.19:39 Right? You're not gonna look at Paul and say, what great handwriting. You're gonna look at the letter and say, what a great message.19:46 Yeah.19:46 That's that's kinda what that means. The the purpose of buffeting, the purpose the purpose of sickness and and problems, it's not so that we're less. It's so that we see Christ19:58 more. So that would be my that would be my example. Let's use let's use you. Okay? Alright. I'll use you. So20:10 let's say this. Where have you gone to school? Where where did you go to college?20:15 I was homeschooled.20:16 Correct. K. I'm going somewhere. So you didn't get a a 4 year degree? And you would say, well, no. In yourself, that might make you feel what?20:28 Yeah. Insecure, rough.20:29 Yeah. Look at what god's done.20:31 True.20:31 That's what you see what I'm saying? Yeah. It's not to make you feel bad. It's not to make you feel inferior. But it's so that you look and say, god, you did this.20:41 Yeah. That's very good.20:42 You know, I I was, I'm gonna I'm gonna put myself, out there a little bit. So when I started coming to this when I was looking to come to Hillcrest here,20:55 I got a little overwhelmed. You know, I'm looking at all this, and I'm looking at the church and all these people. And, you know, I thought, I need to get a doctorate degree. I need to go get my doctorate degree. That's21:05 what's gonna make me look successful. And the holy spirit so dealt with me. Now there's nothing wrong with education. I'm not, you know, I'm not against education. I I think people need to get education and diplomas and21:15 all that stuff, and I'm I'm I'm for it.21:17 Yeah.21:19 But I was praying 1 day and I said, lord, I do I need to go get that? And the holy spirit was so clear to me. He said, why do you want it? And I said, it's I guess, you know, so people think21:30 I'm educated and the lord said that's the wrong reason Yeah. You wanna get something.21:36 Oh, yeah.21:37 And so I just I dropped it. I said, oh, you're right, lord. Everything I become, it's gonna have to be because of you. That's the point of this passage. That's the point of sickness. The point of sickness, Avery, is not21:46 so that somebody can't walk or so that somebody it's so that whatever you do, you realize it was god that did it through you.21:54 So another question I have. So we talked about chastisement, and once again, it's difficult to identify that. But if you are for something, you know, let's say you're given a sickness or or disease or something, canShow more In this video 0:00 Sickness Entered Through Sin4:00 Sickness as Chastisement vs Consequence11:00 Paul's Thorn and God's Purpose in Weakness22:00 Divine Healing: Sometimes Yes, Sometimes No36:00 Medicine, Prayer, and Final Encouragement
Comments
Keep it kind. Comments are public.