HEALING
Does God want everyone to be healed? Are we sick because we sin? Is it a sign of a lack of faith when we have a cold? People who teach such things also get sick and go to the doctor’s office or hospital when the need arises. The often-quoted verse Isaiah 53:5 says, in reference to Christ, “With his stripes we are healed.” And the argument is that if Christ died for all, then He wants all to be healed. But this verse was not speaking about the healing of our body but the healing of our soul, the forgiveness of sins. “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Peter 2:24).
Does God still heal every Christian who prays for healing? The Bible says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13), but there is no verse that says “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be healed.” Paul had a “thorn” in his “flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7). Timothy not only had “often infirmities” but a “stomach” problem (1 Timothy 5:23). Are those who say a Christian should not be sick more spiritual than Timothy? And have they more faith than the apostle Paul? It is simply not always God’s will to heal.
Is it wrong for a Christian to go to a hospital, call a doctor, or use medicine? Luke in the Bible was a doctor (Colossians 4:14), and medicine, though limited in that day, was prescribed in the Bible (1 Timothy 5:23; Luke 10:34,; Jeremiah 8:22, 51:8). Healing was not always based upon the faith of the one who wanted to be healed as dead people were raised from the grave (Luke 7:22; see also Mark 2:4–5). Again, few Christians are as godly or have as much faith as the apostle Paul and Timothy did, but both of them had medical problems (2 Corinthians 12:7; 1 Timothy 5:23).
But though Christians can be sick and not healed, as Paul or Timothy were not, we should still ask for healing in hopes that God will be gracious and heal us. “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick” (James 5:14–16). When the Bible says we are to pray for the sick, it also says, “if he have committed sins,” the word “if” showing that sin may or may not be connected to his sickness. But there are people who are sick because of their sins: “Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee” (John 5:5–14; see also 1 Corinthians 11:27–30). But “if” because of sin a person is sick, then those who are sick are to “confess” their faults “that ye may be healed” (James 5:15–16). There are also people who are sick but not because of their sins or their parents’ sins (John 9:2–3).
Does God want everyone to be healed? Are we sick because we sin? Is it a sign of a lack of faith when we have a cold? People who teach such things also get sick and go to the doctor’s office or hospital when the need arises. The often-quoted verse Isaiah 53:5 says, in reference to Christ, “With his stripes we are healed.” And the argument is that if Christ died for all, then He wants all to be healed. But this verse was not speaking about the healing of our body but the healing of our soul, the forgiveness of sins. “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Peter 2:24).
Does God still heal every Christian who prays for healing? The Bible says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13), but there is no verse that says “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be healed.” Paul had a “thorn” in his “flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7). Timothy not only had “often infirmities” but a “stomach” problem (1 Timothy 5:23). Are those who say a Christian should not be sick more spiritual than Timothy? And have they more faith than the apostle Paul? It is simply not always God’s will to heal.
Is it wrong for a Christian to go to a hospital, call a doctor, or use medicine? Luke in the Bible was a doctor (Colossians 4:14), and medicine, though limited in that day, was prescribed in the Bible (1 Timothy 5:23; Luke 10:34,; Jeremiah 8:22, 51:8). Healing was not always based upon the faith of the one who wanted to be healed as dead people were raised from the grave (Luke 7:22; see also Mark 2:4–5). Again, few Christians are as godly or have as much faith as the apostle Paul and Timothy did, but both of them had medical problems (2 Corinthians 12:7; 1 Timothy 5:23).
But though Christians can be sick and not healed, as Paul or Timothy were not, we should still ask for healing in hopes that God will be gracious and heal us. “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick” (James 5:14–16). When the Bible says we are to pray for the sick, it also says, “if he have committed sins,” the word “if” showing that sin may or may not be connected to his sickness. But there are people who are sick because of their sins: “Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee” (John 5:5–14; see also 1 Corinthians 11:27–30). But “if” because of sin a person is sick, then those who are sick are to “confess” their faults “that ye may be healed” (James 5:15–16). There are also people who are sick but not because of their sins or their parents’ sins (John 9:2–3).
