Page 54 - The Marriage Covenant

Equally troubling is that chlamydia sometimes causes few outward symptoms,
especially in women, so people may have no idea they have it until the disease is
in an advanced stage. Even if they do, they may not realize that the bacteria, if
unchecked, can spread to the joints. Once it does, it can cause excruciating pain
and, in some cases, permanent joint damage and deformity.
[Source: Website - A Healthy Me]

Reading the words above, I am reminded of the words of the apostle Paul to the
Christians in Corinth.

I Corinthians 11:27-30
Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy
manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord... For he who eats and
drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he does not judge the body rightly.
For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep.

The apostle Paul declares that among the saints at Corinth were a number who were
partaking of the body and blood of Christ in an unworthy manner. We should not think that
Paul was merely speaking of people acting as gluttons and drunkards while participating
in their love feasts, although this was occurring. The wider understanding of the apostle’s
words is that those who had become partakers of the life of Christ, symbolized in the bread
and the wine, were living in an ungodly manner. Consequently, many were sick and some
had even died.
Reading the same epistle to the Corinthian church we find that there were a number
who were fornicating, and even having sex with temple prostitutes. Without a doubt, some
of these Christians were sick, and some had died. Sin has consequences, though many
people very often do not make any connection to their sin and the consequences in their
body.
How many Christians today, upon receiving a diagnosis of sickness in their body
would begin rebuking the devil, praying for healing, or standing upon some Scriptural verse
to claim their healing? Few take the time to discern the reason for the sickness. Oftentimes,
sickness is the result of past, or present, sin.

James 5:14-16
Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let
them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer
offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and
if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess
your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be
healed.

There is a great amount of sickness among the body of Christ today. There is also
much sin in the body that has not been repented of, nor confessed. Knowing that those in
the church have practiced fornication and adultery to practically the same degree as those
outside, it should be no surprise that much of the sickness among Christians is the result
of rampant sexual transgression. How many are experiencing sickness in their bodies while
not understanding its link to sins in their life?