SPIRITUAL GIFT OF HEALING
(Mark 16:20, Acts 14:3)
Updated 5/1/01
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MIRACLES OF JESUS CHRIST AND THE APOSTLES
PURPOSE - to focus attention on the person and work of Jesus Christ. Alleviation of suffering was a secondary benefit, not the primary reason for healing.
MIRACLE HEALING WAS A TEMPORARY SPIRITUAL GIFT:
1. The purpose of all miracles was to confirm that the apostles were preaching the word of God. Once their authority was confirmed, the gift was no longer necessary.
Mark 16:20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. (NIV)
Acts 14:3 So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders. (NIV)
Romans 15:19 by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. (NIV)
Heb 2:4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. (NIV)
2. Paul had the gift of healing when his ministry began.
Acts 19:11 God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, (NIV)
Acts 19:12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them. (NIV)
3. Later in his ministry, he did not have the gift. It had ended.
a. He could not heal a friend and fellow Christian, Epaphroditus:
Philippians 2:
25 But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. (NIV)
26 For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill.
27 Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. (NIV)
28 Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. (NIV)
29 Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor men like him, (NIV)
30 because he almost died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for the help you could not give me. (NIV)
b. He also could not heal Trophimus, leaving him sick:
2 Tim 4:20 Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus. (NIV)
c. Neither Paul nor anyone else healed Timothy of a stomach ailment:
1 Tim 5:23 Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses. (NIV)
4. The Bible does not promise physical healing to a believer, but rather speaks of healing in a figurative way, of "spiritual healing", referring to healing from sin and spiritual death.
Isaiah 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. (NIV)
Strong’s # 7495 rapha’ (raw-faw’); or raphah (raw-faw’); a primitive root; properly, to mend (by stitching), i.e. (FIGURATIVELY) TO CURE: KJV-- cure, (cause to) heal, physician, repair, X thoroughly, make whole. See 7503. (DIC)
1 Pet. 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. (NIV)
Strong’s # 2390 iaomai (ee-ah’-om-ahee); middle voice of apparently a primary verb; TO CURE (LITERALLY OR FIGURATIVELY): KJV-- heal, make whole. (DIC)
5. The Bible tells us to expect trials and sufferings as the result of being a Christian, to rejoice that we participate in the sufferings of Christ.
1 Peter 4
12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.
13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. (NIV)
DISTINCTIONS IN CHARACTER
The miracles of Jesus and the apostles were vastly distinct in character from all so-called "healing miracles" allegedly performed today. I’m going to make two statements that are absolute and plain to see if you compare the miracles in the Bible with the performances done today:
- NOT ONE MIRACLE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT can be verifiably performed today.
- NOT ONE SO-CALLED "MIRACLE" DONE TODAY was performed in the New Testament.
Today’s "healings" are distinct in character from those done in the Bible. Let’s look at them and compare in several major areas:
1. POWER OVER NATURE:
Jesus and the Apostles performed miracles that reflected God’s power over nature. These included Water Into Wine, Walking On Water, Calming Storms, Multiplication Of Food, Great Catch Of Fish.
Today’s "Healers" cannot perform such miracles in an objectively verifiable and provable manner.
2. HEALING OF OBSERVABLE AND VERIFIABLE ILLNESSES:
Jesus and the Apostles healed observable illnesses, such as a Withered Hand, Congenital Blindness and Deafness, Congenital Paralysis, Severed Ear, Leprosy. They healed sick persons that the observers knew. The people who saw the healings either could see the illness too, or knew the sick person well enough to be certain that he or she had a real illness (in the case of something like deafness).
Today’s "Healers" cannot perform such miracles in an objectively verifiable and provable manner. They can’t provably heal people with HIV and AIDS, or celebrities we know with observable illnesses such as Christopher Reeve, Stevie Wonder, or Joni Erickson.
3. HEALING OF NON-OBSERVABLE ILLNESS:
Jesus and the Apostles did not heal illnesses that no one could see or verify.
Today’s "Healers" deal with nothing but non-observable, alleged illnesses. These include such problems as Arthritis & Rheumatism, "Trouble" Seeing Or Hearing, "Trouble" Walking, One Deaf Ear, Headaches, Cancer, Tumors, Blockages, Kidney And Gall Stones, One "Shorter" Leg, Back And Neck Pain.
4. POWER OVER DEATH:
Jesus and the Apostles’ miracles demonstrated power over death. They could Revive The Dead, and of course Jesus Himself rose from the dead.
Today’s "Healers" can not perform such miracles in an objectively verifiable and provable manner.
5. POWER OVER DEMONS:
Jesus and the Apostles demonstrated power over demons in a way that could not be faked. In one instance, Jesus Cast Demons Into Swine, proving that the person was not mentally ill or faking.
Today’s "Healers" can not perform such miracles in an objectively verifiable and provable manner.
6. PERMANENCY OF HEALINGS
When Jesus and the Apostles performed miracles, the person was healed of that illness permanently.
The permanency of today’s "miracle healings" can not be verified. These performers "cure" people we don’t know, of alleged illnesses we can’t see or verify (including illnesses such as cancer that can go into remission), and who we then never see again. How convenient!
7. MONEY AND OTHER GIFTS
Jesus and the Apostles NEVER took money or gifts when they healed someone. It was never even an issue. In the Old Testament, when the prophet Elisha healed Naaman of leprosy in 2 Kings 5:15-16, Naaman tried to give Elisha gifts in return. Elisha refused the gifts even when Naaman was highly insistent. A servant of Elisha, however, went to Naaman and took the gifts for himself, showing that he might have made a good modern-day "faith healer."
With today’s "healers," money is ALWAYS an issue, sometimes even required! An offering is always taken. People are told that they need to "plant a seed" if they want to be healed, that they have to "give to God" in order to get a healing miracle from him. Such "heals" despicably take advantage of the suffering of ill people in order to line their own coffers. Then they blasphemously point to those very riches as "blessings" from God, which they claim are divine approval of the "hustle" they are in fact running on the sick. Instead of PRAYING FOR the sick, these con men PREY UPON the sick, and increase their bank accounts and celebrityship in the process.
8. PRESENTING THE GOSPEL
Jesus and the Apostles performed miracles primarily to present the gospel. Miracle healings were a divine verification of what they taught, of the claims they were making. Such healings proved that Jesus was God, and that the Apostles represented Him after He returned to Heaven. This was divine proof that their message and teachings were of God. The alleviation of suffering was only secondary. (Mark 16:20; Acts 14:3; Romans 15:19; Hebrews 2:4)
Today, at faith healing services, the gospel is rarely presented. So even if these so-called healers were actually doing miracles, this still raises a serious question. What good would it be, if in fact a person goes into a healing service on crutches, walks out with strong healthy legs, then eventually dies and spends an eternity burning in hell? Would God really give a person the power to do miraculous healings if that person wasn’t primarily using that gift to spread the gospel and leading people to salvation? Any logical person would agree that it is better to go through this physical life seriously ill and then spend eternity in heaven, then to go through this life in the best of health but then to burn forever in the lake of fire.
9. TEACHING GOD’S WORD
Teaching God’s Word was the primary goal. Miracles were done to verify that the message being taught came from God. Physical healing was not the primary purpose of miracles (Mark 16:20, Acts 14:3, Rom. 15:19, Heb. 2:4)
Today’s "healers" do what they do, not to teach God’s word, but to acquire money, power, and celebrityship.
10. USE OF GIMMICKS AND THEATRICS
Jesus and the Apostles NEVER used theatrics or gimmicks when performing miracles.
Today’s "healers" use theatrics and gimmicks as their primary tool. Examples of these include the "mind reading" approach ("there is someone here who has a growth in their abdomen"), the motivational use of music, and using common vegetable oil as an "elixir". Jesus and the Apostles never "put on a show".
11. ADHERENCE TO, OR VIOLATION OF, THE SCRIPTURES
Jesus and the Apostles ALWAYS adhered to the Scriptures and NEVER violated them when performing miracles.
Today’s "healers" engage in numerous unscriptural practices, such as slapping people on the head, knocking people over by waving a suit jacket, selling of merchandise, and the totally non-scriptural concept of being "slain in the spirit."
12. GOD’S WILL
With Jesus and the Apostles’ miracles, God’s will was required.
With today’s "healers", God’s will is not sought. It is decided by the phony healer, who selects which persons are going to be "healed". There is no allowance for the chance that God might say "no" to a healing, but it is assumed that God will just perform on command. Not surprisingly, not one person who the "healer" calls forward is ever told "no" by God, if we are to believe what we see and hear (which rational, open-minded people don’t).
13. WHO GETS THE GLORY?
When Jesus and the Apostles healed someone, God received the credit and the glory.
When today’s "healers" allegedly perform a miracle, they get the primary credit. Yes, they may use the words "God" or "Jesus" occasionally, but they throw God’s name around blasphemously as if He’s actually involved in what is happening (e.g. "let’s give Jesus a hand", as if He’s a circus monkey who just jumped through a hoop for everyone!). But in the end, the phony healer gets the credit. God is more or less his "genie" who performs on command.
14. CAN WHAT OCCURS BE FAKED?
The bottom line is this question:
When a so-called miracle allegedly takes place, can what the people are supposedly seeing be faked? If there’s even the slightest chance it can be, then how can believers in faith accept what is happening?
Jesus and the Apostles performed miracles that COULD NOT BE FAKED, miracles that cannot be done today. They demonstrated power over nature and death, healed people everyone knew, and healed illnesses that were observable and that were not curable except for God’s intervention. They never violated the Scriptures, and never took money. Their miracles always glorified God and verified their teachings.
Today’s "healers" perform ONLY so-called miracles that can be faked. They use people we don’t know, and deal with alleged illnesses we can’t see. They can not heal illnesses such as AIDS, nor can they cure people we know are incurably ill. They show no power over nature or death, use practices and gimmicks that are not Scriptural, and always use what they do to make money.
MY CHALLENGE!
Prove me wrong. Show me ONE miracle done today that can’t be faked, just one miracle like the ones Jesus and the apostles performed. Provide verifiable evidence that anyone with the so-called "gift of healing" has done just one of the following:
- restored a missing, severed, withered, or severely damaged limb on the spot through just a touch;
- revived someone who has been dead for hours or days;
- cured someone of an otherwise incurable illness (e.g. AIDS, ALS);
- cast demons out of a person and into animals;
- demonstrated power over nature such as walking on water or stopping a storm with just a verbal command;
- healed a medically verifiable, congenital defect such as blindness;
- healed a known quadraplegic on the spot with just a touch.
You can’t show such real miracles, because no person today has the spiritual gift to perform such acts.
IN CONCLUSION:
This is certainly not to say that God does not miraculously heal people when it is HIS will to do so. However, any believer can pray directly to God for such a miracle. Christians do not have to go to some huckster to be healed, nor do they have to give money, be cracked on the skull, or have some faker’s sweaty suit jacket waved in their face to receive a blessing from God. Such performers are more "heals" than they are "healers".
So remember to ask yourself this question whenever you see anything that is claimed to be a miraculous healing:
CAN THIS BE FAKED?
The true New Testament miraculous healings by Jesus and the apostles could not be!
I heard a pastor speak about an experience he had while visiting Israel. At that same time, a well-known "faith healer" was also there, along with thousands of his following. The pastor got in a conversation with some of the Israeli tour guides, who told him that they had seen the "healer" in action in several cities. The guides had seen many people "healed" one night in Jerusalem, and a few nights later, the guides saw the same people "healed again" in Tel Aviv.
As believers, we have the privilege of directly approaching the throne of God. He is our Father, and will give us what’s best for us. As believers, we are to "walk by faith, not by sight." Jesus himself said that "an adulterous generation seeks a sign," and that sure describes a lot of Christians today.
When it comes to the doctrine of healing, think about this analogy. You don’t have to know HOW a magic trick is done to understand that it is, in fact, a trick and not magic. Likewise, you don’t need to explain HOW a so-called "faith healer" does an alleged "miracle," to know that it is, in fact, deception and not a miracle.
Am I "putting God in a box?" Not at all! God put Himself in a "box" - it’s called the Bible!
Copyright (c) 2001, Frank J. Gallagher
Abiding In The Word
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