For the past several years, I have been burdened to seek out the truth about some of the extreme teachings on healing and faith that I have heard - particularly those coming from the Word of Faith movement. Perhaps you have heard a phrase like this a few times in your own Christian walk -
“Just believe, by faith, that you will be healed and YOU WILL BE HEALED!”
Now before I get much further... let me just say that nothing I write, in any way, denies the truth that God can and sometimes does choose to heal – sometimes in seemingly miraculous ways. Only an utter fool would argue that He can't or won't. What I want to talk about is not whether He heals, but whether He promises that He will always do so in response to our faith. In other words, was divine healing promised to all believers in the atonement?
Now, the most immediate answer to that question is – Yes. Of course there is healing in the atonement – every Christian knows that Jesus defeated death on that cross and every Christian knows that someday we will be receiving glorified bodies which will be free from pain and suffering.
BUT (and this is a BIG but)... is the promise of divine healing for the here and now? Perhaps the simplest way to phrase the question would be – Can we expect, on the basis of our faith, that we WILL ALWAYS be healed of our sickness and disease? Or better yet - Did Jesus die for our good health?
I'm going to follow up in the next few days. May we all approach this question with a heart and mind willing to be open and submissive to the Word of God. As always, I welcome your comments and emails (actually I love getting them) - whether you agree with me or not.
In the mean time – God's peace be upon you.
14 comments:
You know I am really curious to see where you go with this. For this has been one of the things I have struggled so much with lately. Thinking that being back here has somehow happened because my faith simply wasn't strong enough.
Deanna
I'm interested in this too! I had a hard time hearing (when my back was messed up) that if you just have enough faith you will be healed. Made me have a major crisis of faith.
I do not believe that healing is in the atonement, if it were, then every time someone invited Jesus into their hearts then all of their sicknesses would leave instantly. The WOF also teaches that Jesus redeemed us from poverty through the Atonement. If that were the case, Everytime some poor African got saved, he would instantly have some money! (:
This is a great post Cristine. This afternoon I was thinking about my post for today and I thought "What if someone reads that who lost their child?" I hoped that I wasn't sending the message that God always heals because that was not my intent. It was just to glorify Him for what He had done in this situation.
I do remember your circumstances, and I know that God was arranging those circumstances as well. My grandaughter is here for a longer time on earth. Your grandaughter is alive in the arms of Jesus. I am sorry, I do hope my post didn't cause you any grief.
Love you.
Cristine,
I read this and then took a couple of days to think and pray about how to respond or how God would have me respond.
While I believe that God can perform miracles and can heal...I don't believe that it is as you say it happens in this movement. I think it is also called the name it and claim it. Not that you can't name something and beckon God for it...because He is so wanting to hear from us.
But I would like to tell you my story and I hope that is ok. I have a heart condition. And it's pretty serious. About 8 months ago, at one point, I was so out of rhythm and my T waves were so abnormal that the specialists told me to "get my affairs in order".
This all began almost 17 years ago when I became pregnant with my son, Joshua. I had a very hard time carrying him and had to be hospitalized several times to not lose him. And when it came down to giving birth to him they lost my heartbeat 3 times. It came down to "who do we save?" My husband knew the answer to that question...save my son. But my family was hysterical and begging the doctors to save me. The choice was made to save my son BUT GOD in his infinite mercy saved us both. I was left with a heart condition but it rarely gave me trouble. That has somewhat changed now. Other factors have set in and it has become more problematic. I know this has nothing to do with my faith. I know God can do anything. He can heal me tomorrow. I want to be a shining beacon of His love while I'm here. When I'm ill, I try to not be disrespectful or short tempered with others. I try to show Jesus to medical personnel I come into contact with, etc. I am praying harder each day for my daughter to come home to the Lord.
So, I know this is a long answer. But I hope I have conveyed my heart properly. I love that you asked the question.
((hugs))
Cristine,
I strongly lean towards our healing is in the spiritual with the blood of Christ. Our healing is that we are not doomed for eternity in hell. I, for one, will take that healing any day over a physical healing. But I do believe with all of my heart, that God is sovereign, and something I can't even begin to wrap my human fleshly mind around...but sometimes He heals completely here and sometimes He chooses to heal completely in Heaven.
I don't know why, but I do know that I trust Him.
Lovingly,
Yolanda
Hey! Thanks for your nice comment at my blog. I always enjoy meeting new people. This is a very thought provoking post. I tend to agree with Yolanda. I think that God can do anything, but it's not always in His will to do so. Sometimes our illnesses are tests and trials to strengthen our faith and how we handle them with His help is a witness and ministry to others. Sometimes that is more important than the healing. I can't wait to see how this developes and the comments to follow. I love deep discussions like this. It strengthens the faith. ~Blessings!
That is a good question... and I have my own opinion, I think it will probably agree with yours, but I look forward to coming back to see what you have to say on this topic.
Blessings!
Cristine, I believe that many are being led astray by the belief that they will be healed, or get rich, if they "have enough faith." What happens when that doesn't happen? Their faith falters. Perhaps they turn form God. Or maybe they try more works in order to get God to bless them.
Our blessing is eternal life. At some point those who believe on Jesus Christ will be healed - whether it's here on earth or when we get to heaven.
If we think we can have healing just through our faith (without taking into consideration God's will), then we are bound to feel angry, guilty, worthless, etc. because our faith isn't big enough.
I am doing a Bible study in James. If we go through life with no trials or troubles, or illness, then we will not grow as a Christian and our relationship with our heavenly Father will be shallow. I believe God allows troubles to test our faith and to build our character so we can show forth the fruits of the Spirit..
Who are we relying on - Him or what we can do for ourselves? I hope this makes sense!
Thanks for your sweet comment on my blog. I appreciate it and hope the post was encouraging to you! I think you found my blog from Quiet Reflections?
As we've had sick kids in our house this past week, this is something I am easy reminded of...the whole sickness and good health thing.
The point comes down to- not DID Jesus die to make us physically well- as much as- He CAN make us well. Apart from God, there is no healing of any kind. The physical realm is a direct parallel to the spiritual. We cannot heal ourselves. Physically or spiritually. There is nothing we can do right enough, well enough, in order to heal ourselves. It is a gift from God. The point of the physical realm is to point us to the spiritual. If we cannot heal ourselves physically, we cannot do it spiritually either. It helps us see our need for Christ.
And what we often miss is that life isn't about us. Life isn't about us getting everything we want, not ever being uncomfortable- so sickness is also a blessing in disguise, pointing us to Christ.
According to John 3:16, God sent Jesus to die for those who believe in Him to have eternal life. John 17:3 says eternal life is knowing God and Jesus Christ. Eternal life begins the moment we are regenerate believers. We don't have to wait til heaven for eternal life to begin- it begins when we know Jesus- and is complete, fully consummated, when we get to heaven. If our treasure is knowing God- eternal life- then we will live out James 1- we WILL embrace suffering and consider it joy. And in Hebrews 12 we're reminded that God disciplines those He loves, HIS CHILDREN, and it produces holiness. It also talks about later in that chapter that without holiness we cannot see God. So it is a loving thing to be disciplined- because then we get to SEE GOD! And think of Job, who was a righteous man and enduring all kinds of suffering, health included. At the end of Job, he says that he had heard of God's goodness by the hearing of the ear, but now he SEES God. Because of all the suffering (which his friends even questioned if he had any sin to confess) he was able to be refined to the point of not only hearing with his ears of God but to SEE HIM. What more could we want than to see Him?!
Oh, there is SO MUCH here! Obviously, I'm thinking through all this, thus the extensive comment. (sorry!) We really need to be encouraged to think through it all biblically. And really think.
Thanks!
Lynette
I just blogged about healing on my blog, check it out at http://excharismania.blogspot.com/.
Maybe it can help. I hope it can. God bless you on the search for biblical truth.
Bro. Jeff Ray
Peace, God's grace, and joy to you. As I travel the universe through blogging for the very first time, I am amazed and inspired by all that I have found.
Angel Blessings
Hi Christine,,, I am hoping that you will soon be writing some more on this subject. Thanks
Linked here from another site. Took a quick look and this post caught my eye.
Very well done. I think you raise some good questions. I too believe that God heals. Why he chooses to heal some and not others (like my mother a few years ago) I have no idea. But I don't need the answers now. I trust God has his purpose.
I don't think eternal salvation means we will also have divine healing of physical affirmities. Two reasons:
1) The apostles died. They had the power to heal, so why didn't they continue to heal each other when they became ill or raise each other when they died? "It is appointed unto every man once to die." Heb. 9:27
2) The story of the 10 healed of leprosy (Luke 17:11-19. This is an incredible story. Three terms for "wellness" were used here. V.14 - they were cleansed. That is, they were ceremonially whole again and could enter the synagogue and temple. V.15 - healed. Their bodies were healed of the disease so their skin was healthy. V.19 - Saved. The NIV says "well", but the Greek word here is from "saved." In this story, 10 men were cleansed and healed, but only one was announced as saved. Perhaps the other 9 were as well, but we don't know. Jesus specifically told the one leper who returned to say "thank you" that his faith saved him. So, here it looks possible that Jesus could heal someone physically but if they didn't have faith (the other nine), they might not be spiritually saved.
This is a deep subject and I am glad you have opened it for discussion. Please let me know if you post again so I can link back and read.
WB
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