Lesson Two

Separation

In order to answer that question we need to look back at just what happened that fateful day. Before the fruit eating party, what was life like for the first humans? First of all, mankind is made in the image of God. We are spirit beings. Our bodies are not who we are, that’s just our house. Second, there were no barriers between Adam, Eve and our Heavenly Father. They met face to face. They communed together. They walked together in the garden. They weren’t afraid of God. Third, they knew they were perfect in God’s eyes. They weren’t embarrassed to walk around nude in front of each other or God. They had no self-image problems. They were at peace. Their bodies worked perfectly, just the way our Heavenly Father designed them to. That all changed the day they sinned.

When Adam chose to sin, mankind experienced separation: separation from God, separation from self, and separation from others. Genesis says, Eve "also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked" (Genesis 3:6-7). Why did they choose to do what God had clearly told them not to do? Genesis chapter 3 gives us the answer. Doubt about God’s Word was planted in their minds. They did not trust the Lord. He might be keeping something good from them. The second they put that doubt into action, they were separated from God, His Word, and His love. Ever since that day, people have been questioning whether God really loves them. Nothing has changed. Even though the Bible clearly teaches that God loves each and every one of us, (that means you), many people still doubt that God loves them.

Immediately upon eating the forbidden fruit their eyes were open. Adam and Eve noticed they were naked. Being naked had never bothered them before but now it did. They quickly got some fig leaves and started making some clothes for themselves. Why? The answer is they felt guilty. They were separated from themselves.

"Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?" So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself."" (Genesis 3:9-10) Adam had never known fear before, but he was very much aware of it now. He was afraid of God.

What was Adam’s response when God asked him if he had eaten from the tree he had been told not to eat from? Adam blamed Eve. Again, that same behavior is still occurring today. It is so easy to point the finger at someone else instead of taking responsibility for our own actions. When Adam blamed Eve for his own actions, a third form of separation occurred, separation from others.

Disease is the result of separation: separation from God, separation from self, and separation from others.

The next question we need to answer is how can separation from God, self, and others cause disease? Disease is caused when our bodies simply stop working properly. Separation causes fear, anxiety, anger, self-rejection, guilt, etc. When we are not living a life in harmony with God, self and others, then our hypothalamus takes those emotions and translates them into chemical messages that cause every organ in our body to start over or under producing hormones and neurotransmitters. We can handle this over or under production for a short period of time, but when it happens on a chronic basis our body is damaged and we get disease.

There is another way that separation leads to disease. When we harbor anger or bitterness against someone, we are sinning. When fear and anxiety rule our lives, we do not trust God and that is a sin. Sin opens the door to demonic forces. Many diseases are spiritual in nature and must be dealt with on a spiritual level. That is why the medical profession doesn’t know what causes most diseases. We not only have to repent of our sins and change; we must also deal with the spiritual forces that are behind our medical problems.

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