I am a doctor. I am not an evangelical/charismatic, but I am a Christian.
I had my early training at a cancer hospital, and have had plenty of exposure to people and families at the end of life since then.
The very worst heresy, in my opinion, is to accuse the afflicted of lacking saving faith, to tell them, in effect, that if you were REALLY a follower of Our Lord that you wouldn't have cancer, or that your cancer would go away, and so on.
This is a direct contradiction of Matthew 5:45 and Luke 13:4. His ways are not our ways.
If I believed that illness (which is very common) and death (which is universal) falling on so many faithful Christians that I have cared for was a sign of unbelief or of judgement, I could not function.
AMEN!
I’m not a medical professional, but have sen enough people who are godly Christians who have died from awful things and I agree with you.
And as one who is dealing with one of those said awful diseases, thank you for your comments because I’ve heard all the other awful things people have said, virtually accusing me of the same thing.
As a Christian and a physician I totally agree with you. I have seen precious saints die of horrible diseases. Their disease is in no way a lack of faith. But I have seen beautiful witness to their Risen Lord in the way the faithful respond to their illness. Faith is illustrated by the response to any trial. The trial is not due to a lack of faith. We must trust in the One who died to save us no matter our circumstances. A strong witness sometimes shines the brightest when circumstances are the darkest. I think the most cruel thing those who claim to be Christian can do to one suffering a terrible or fatal illness is to accuse them of a lack of faith s the cause of their trouble.