A Theology of Disability

July, 2003

by: Jeff Jones

It is an undeniable truth that all people are distinguished by certain categories we ourselves have designed. We put people in categories such as children, youth, singles, young married, adults, seniors, etc. Ministries to these specific groups all of course have their place, but one category of individuals that is often overlooked in the church is those with disabilities. It is not a stretch to say that the disabled are frequently thought of and treated as a separate class from the rest. There is however no “they” in the church, only “us.” Thus, for the church to rightly minister to the disabled, we must have a Biblical view of disability.

God's Role In Disability

First we must understand that God is sovereign and responsible for disability. In Exodus 4:11, the Lord said to Moses, “Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?” People who happen to be disabled are so by God's design, not because they are inferior humans. Second, we must understand that God has sovereign plans (both in the past and in the future) for the disabled. For example, Matthew 15:31 teaches that Jesus brought glory to God by healing the disabled. John 9:1-5 teaches that Jesus demonstrated his deity by healing the disabled. Also, Micah 4:6-7 and Zephaniah 3:19 explain that the Lord will restore the fortunes of the disabled in his future kingdom. In short, God has and He will use the disabled to bring glory to his name.

Our Role To The Disabled

Our role toward the disabled as believers is simply to demonstrate love and compassion toward them. We must remember that Jesus himself had compassion on the disabled (cf. Matt 20:34). We must also remember that Jesus promised reward to those who show kindness and fairness to people with disabilities (cf. Luke 14:12-14). In the church today and always, the disabled should be considered part of the assembly like anyone else, they should be offered assistance when needed, and they should be given the opportunity to minister with the rest.