H-5. THE BIBLE MEANING OF INFIRMITY! DOWNLOAD to SAVE as a PDF Doc to read OFFLINE. H-5. THE BIBLE MEANING OF INFIRMITY! Infirmities, What does it mean, according to the Bible itself?
Now, the American Heritage Dictionary defines the word “infirmity” as lacking power, disability, bodily disability, frailty, or moral weakness. But the Bible itself does not always use the word “infirmity” to mean SICKNESS and disease. The word “infirmities” is found 12 times in the Bible in the New Testament. The word “infirmity” in the singular form is found 10 times in the Bible, 7 times in the New Testament, and 3 times in the Old Testament. So there are just 22 Scripture references, in total, with the words infirmity and infirmities found in the King James Version of the Bible. And they are as follows.
#1. Matthew 8:17b.
“…Himself took our INFIRMITIES and bare our sickness.”
#2. Luke 5:15b.
“…multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their INFIRMITIES”
#3. Luke 7:21.
“And in the same hour, he cured many of their INFIRMITIES, and plagues, and of evil spirits.”
#4. Luke 8:2b.
“…which had been healed of evil spirits and INFIRMITIES.”
#5. Romans 8:26.
“Likewise the Spirit helps our INFIRMITIES: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought.”
#6. Romans 15:1.
“We then that are strong ought to bear the INFIRMITIES of the weak, and not to please ourselves.”
#7. 2 Corinthians 11:30.
“If I need to glory, I will glory in the things which concern my INFIRMITIES.”
#8. 2 Corinthians 12:5b.
“…yet of myself I will not glory, but in my INFIRMITIES.”
#9. 2 Corinthians 12:9b.
“…My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness, Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my INFIRMITIES, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
#10. 2 Corinthians 12:10.
“Therefore, I take pleasure in INFIRMITIES, (Could possibly refer to either just weakness or sickness and disease) in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”
#11. I Timothy 5:23.
“Drink no more water, but use a little wine for your stomach's sake and your often INFIRMITIES.” (Speaks of a natural remedy for an upset stomach probably due to impure water)
#12. Hebrews 4:15.
“For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our INFIRMITIES: but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”
#13. Hebrews 5:2b.
“…himself also is compassed with INFIRMITY.”
#14. Hebrews 7:2.
“For the law makes men high priests who have INFIRMITY.” (Weaknesses)
#15. Luke 13:11.
“And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of INFIRMITY (Speaking of an evil spirit that oppresses people with sickness and disease such as arthritis) eighteen years, and was bowed over together, and could in no wise lift up herself.”
#16. Luke 13:12.
“And when Jesus saw her he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman you are loosened from your INFIRMITY.” (Sickness or disease from Satan. Perhaps crippling arthritis)
#17. John 5:5a.
“And a certain man was there who had an INFIRMITY (A crippling sickness or disease) thirty and eight years…”
#18. Romans 6:19a.
“I speak the manner of men, because of the INFIRMITY (Or weakness) of your flesh;...”
#19. Galatians 4:13.
“You know how through INFIRMITY (Could be either just weakness or sickness) of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.”
#20. Leviticus 12:2.
“Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman has conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her INFIRMITY (Or weakness) shall she be unclean.”
#21. Psalm 77:10.
“And I said, This is my INFIRMITY: (Or weakness in faith) but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most-High.”
#22. Proverbs 18:14.
“The spirit of a man will sustain his INFIRMITY; (Or weakness) but a wounded spirit who can bear ?”
Notice in Galatians 4:13 at #19 the phrase “at the first”. This refers to Paul when he himself FIRST became a Christian. And at that time in his life Paul did not have an eloquent speaking ability as perhaps he thought that he needed to have. Yet Paul still had the confidence to boldly speak the gospel even though he felt “weak” in his “speaking ability”. Now, perhaps this verse can be INTERPRETED either as having a WEAKNESS in his speaking ability or as having some sort of sickness or disease AT THE FIRST when he first began to preach the gospel. Either way, this verse does NOT prove that God places sickness or disease upon his children to teach them something nor to keep them humble as some teach. Yes, it is true that at the brightness of the vision that Paul was blinded, but Jesus sent Paul to Ananias to be HEALED of his blindness. And when Paul OBEYED the Lord he was HEALED immediately. Please read Acts 9:1-18 which tells us the conversion of Saul from being a sinner who persecuted the church to become a Christian who was named Paul and he served the Lord all the days of his life.
Acts 9:1-18.
“And Saul, yet breathing out threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2. And desired of him, letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. 3. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4. And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? 5. And he said, Who are you, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom you persecute: it is hard for you to kick against the pricks. 6. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what will you have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told you what you must do. 7. And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. 8. And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. 9. And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink. 10. And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. 11. And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he PRAYS, 12. And has seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. 13. Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem: 14. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on your name. 15. But the Lord said unto him, Go your way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16. For, I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. 17. And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto you in the way as you came, has sent me, that you might receive your sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. 18. And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized .”
Now, as for me, I personally believe Galatians 4:13 is referring to Paul's WEAKNESS in his ability to speak as eloquently as he thought he should, and NOT some dreaded eye disease as some FALSELY teach. And I base my belief upon the following verses of Scripture. Please read Acts 18:1-1. I will only quote verse 9.
Acts 18:9.
“Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, be not AFRAID, but speak, and hold not your peace.”
Then in 1 Corinthians 2:1-3 in verse 3, we read.
“I was with you in weakness and in fear, and in much trembling.”
To me, at first, Paul was in fear of speaking publicly or before a crowd of people. And in 2 Corinthians 11:5,8 in verse 6a it says.
“But though I am rude in speech…”
Also, in 2 Corinthians 10:1,2 in verse 2a we read.
“…in presence I am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you.”
So, again, Paul’s weakness in speaking in the presence of an audience. But when Paul teaches in LETTERS, then he is BOLD. Then verse 10 in 2 Corinthians 1:10 goes on to say.
“For his letters say they are weighty and powerful: but his bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible.”
So you see my dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, Paul at the first was WEAK, in that, Paul had an infirmity or WEAKNESS in speaking before people. He was bold or powerful in his letters, but being present in a crowd of people, his speech was infirm or weak. Now, this does not prove that Paul was NEVER sick, but it is CERTAIN that Galatians 4:13 does NOT mean that Paul suffered from an incurable eye disease that God supposedly placed on Paul as some FALSELY teach. For you see, this verse PLAINLY states AT THE FIRST which means that later on WHATEVER this INFIRMITY was that Paul had at the FIRST, Paul no longer had it. So then, IF it was sickness, then Paul was HEALED. But I do NOT believe that the infirmity of Paul was any type of sickness or disease. But rather, Paul was simply afraid to speak in the presence of a lot of people. Now, from some verses of Scripture, it is clear that AT TIMES, infirmity or infirmities may mean sickness in the body. But at other times infirmity and infirmities definitely mean moral weakness in the flesh and lack of ability. And at other times, infirmity means a “spiritual” weakness. So the meaning of these words may go either way. But for the most part, the words infirmity and infirmities refer to the moral and spiritual weakness of mankind. And in every other instance where these words do indeed refer to sickness and disease, we can CLEARLY see that it was ALWAYS the WILL of Almighty God to HEAL these people from the oppression of the enemy, Satan, the devil. So do NOT let the enemy DECEIVE you into accepting an infirmity in your body just because you may find a few verses of Scripture that say that someone in the Bible had an infirmity. And, therefore, you become deceived to wrongly believe that it is not God's will to heal you. This is a lie from the devil that is SEEKING to devour you. And if you do NOT resist him, then he will overcome you. You see, even though there are a few instances in the Bible where it states that someone was sick or left sick does not mean that it was God's WILL for that person to ever be healed. And thus, some WRONGLY conclude that God’s will is for them to remain sick. We all know that it is God's WILL to save all of mankind, but at the same time, we also know that this is not going to happen just because it is God's WILL. It requires the FAITH of EACH and every individual to BELIEVE for themselves in order to be saved. The SAME is ALSO true of RECEIVING healing from sickness or disease. YOU must BELIEVE unto the end UNTIL healing is fully manifested in your body. Please read the studies called E-13. SAVED by GRACE THROUGH FAITH!, and E-12. WHAT DOES BEING SAVED TRULY MEAN? Thanks for reading, and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the TRUTH of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. And to me, the truth concerning who Jesus TRULY is, according to the Bible ITSELF, is the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus. So, for ALL of the studies on the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus, please click on the subject heading >>>D-0. THE BIBLICAL UNITARIAN VIEW of JESUS!<<< And for the SUBJECT on the true foundation of the church, please click on the subject heading >>>C-0. THE TRUE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH!<<< This way you can just send ONE link to those who you want to share the TRUE sound Biblical FOUNDATIONAL teachings of the church that Jesus and his Apostles taught in the first century church.
Your brother in our Lord Jesus Christ, Brother Mark.
My heartfelt prayer is that all Christians RETURN to the TRUE FOUNDATION of the church that is taught by the very Apostles of Jesus in the first century. So let us all come into the UNITY of the faith and return to what Jesus and his Apostles taught us in SIMPLICITY in the New Testament.
To learn more TRUTH, then please return to
VERSES USED TO TEACH THAT JESUS PREEXISTED!
To me, the best way to know the ONE true God in ONE person is to know who Jesus TRULY is according to the WHOLE word of Almighty God. So please read ALL of the studies under the heading >>>N-0. WHO is JESUS ACCORDING to the BIBLE?<<< and you will see that the Bible itself teaches us that Jesus was CREATED by his God and Father. And if you have any questions related to the correct meaning of certain verses of Scripture on this subject of who Jesus is please read all the studies under the two headings >>>U-0. VERSES used for THE TRINITY!<<< and >>>V-0. VERSES used to TEACH that Jesus PRE-EXISTED!<<< These two headings have ALL of the studies that I have on who Jesus truly is according to what the Bible itself teaches us in simplicity. I compiled these three headings to make it easy for my readers to send just one, two, or three links to those you desire to help understand what the Bible itself teaches concerning who Jesus is in the LIGHT of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. If you have any questions, please feel free to write to me. My contact email is MarkatAMatterOfTruth@Gmail .com. Thanks again for reading and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the truth of the whole word of Almighty God.
Your Brother in our Lord Jesus Christ, Brother Mark.
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