PREFACE
It always amazes me how childish we can all be at times. We seem compelled at times to prove we are the greatest and everyone else is the worst. In the world of religion this leads to the evolution of all kinds of doctrine and philosophy. Some of it is extremely complex and yet has the simplistic purpose of boosting one's pride at the expense of other's. In the realm of healing, this means elaborate doctrines and teachings to show God healing us and not our enemies. Let's examine the subject of Divine Healing with the purpose of cutting past all of the myths and tradition to discover what the Bible teaches.
I think it is important to base our teaching on what God says through the Holy Scriptures, not on our experience, or on our feelings. This is what it means in:
REV 22:18-19: "I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God shall add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book."
Many measure their stature in the sight of God by the state of their health. Some tell the sick that their suffering is a result of their sin. Others even shun the sick in the time of their greatest need. To do God's will and to really be of help to one another, we need to know God's will on this subject.
AS WE PROCEED, WE WILL EXAMINE THESE QUESTIONS:
1. Does God heal people today?
2. Does God heal only by miracle or does He use doctors and "natural" means?
3. Do some people have the "Gift of Healing?"
4. Is sickness is a result of sin?
5. Did Divine Healing pass away with the apostles?
6. Is it always God's will to heal us?
7. Is healing guaranteed, under certain conditions?
8. Are there are conditions to be met in order to be healed?
9. Does healing depend on the faith of the sick one?
10. Does salvation and obedience bring immunity from sickness?
11. Should we anoint the sick with oil?
12. Should we trust God for healing, or use medicine?
13. Should we use "anointed clothes?"
14. What was Paul's "Thorn in the flesh?"
15. What should we do when someone is sick?
QUESTION 1: DOES GOD HEAL PEOPLE TODAY?
Let's start to answer that question by examining what Jesus did when he was here in the flesh.
MAT 4:23, "And Jesus was going about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people."
I am assuming the reader believes the Bible is an accurate and trustworthy record inspired by God. That is the basis from which I am writing this. Therefore, we should agree that Jesus performed miracles and healed all who came to him.
Jesus even used this as proof that His ministry was from God. When John the Baptist sent his disciples to see if Jesus really was the Messiah, Jesus responded as in:
MAT 11:4-5: "And Jesus answered and said to them, 'Go and report to John what you hear and see: the blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them."
JOHN 9:32-33, "Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing."
Of course every Bible student knows this verse:
HEB 13:8, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever."
Did Jesus quit caring about our physical suffering after He became our High Priest? I think not.
In Paul's writing, he still spoke about the Holy Spirit giving Gifts of Healing long after Jesus had went back to heaven.
1 COR 12:9, "to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit."
When Jesus sent forth His disciples, He sent them to perform healing also.
LUKE 9:2, "And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God, and to perform healing." When the results were in, sure enough, they had healed the sick."
MARK 6:12-13, "And they went out and preached that men should repent. And they were casting out many demons and were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them."
They continued to heal the sick after Jesus went to heaven. Peter and John healed the lame man:
ACTS 4:22, "for the man was more than forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed."
Again, Jesus had used the healing as a sign to bear witness of His ministry.
JOHN 10:25, "Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father's name, these bear witness of Me."
Those who teach against healing should really examine their hearts. Why do they not want the sick healed. Can they truly say they love the sick. We know the Bible says "God is love" and that His followers would be known by the love they have for one another. How can they have this love and not want the sick to be healed. I believe most do love the sick and have just been confused by the conduct by many who claim to heal the sick. The "faith healers" have, for the most part, made merchandise out of the pain of the sick and they too have rejected much of the healing God has for His people. Let's study together to find God's truth - that is where true healing is.
Jesus spoke plainly that His followers would show the same love He has and would heal the sick:
JOHN 14:12, "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father."
QUESTION 2: DOES GOD HEAL ONLY BY MIRACLE,
OR DOES HE USE DOCTORS AND "NATURAL" MEANS?
The Bible teaches that God is the one responsible for all healing, regardless of how it happens. This doesn't mean He approves of everything the people involved in the healing are doing. There are a lot of people (both Christian and sinner) who are ready to give credit for healing to doctors, or the people who are praying, or even to the devil. Some healing occurs as a result of God's direct intervention and is often described as miraculous, but the vast majority of healings happen as our bodies simply react as God created them to and these healings are often described as "natural."
PSA 103:1-3, "Bless the Lord, O my soul,...And forget none of His benefits ... Who heals all your diseases;"
This scripture does not leave room for anyone, or anything, to perform healing except God. We can see from this scripture too that there isn't any disease God doesn't heal. Let's be careful not to limit God. We must realize He can heal through different means. The scripture also says in:
EXODUS 15:26: "And He said,...for I, the Lord, am your healer."
James taught that we are deceived if we believe any good gift can come from anyone except God, and surely healing is a good gift.
JAMES 1:16-17, "Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow."
QUESTION 3: DO SOME PEOPLE HAVE THE "GIFT OF HEALING?"
There is a tendency in man (from laziness I believe) to set a few people on pedestals and, through praise or some other means, to con those few into doing the work of the majority. By doing this, the majority can con themselves into thinking they are not so lazy after all. The Bible teaches that prayer and caring for the sick is the job of all of those mature (elder) enough to do it. It never tells the sick to send for one particular person and doesn't tell them to find someone with the "gift of healing."
JAM 5:14, "Is anyone among you sick? 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."
The Scripture never says "gift of healing." It uses the form "gifts of healing" as in:
1 COR 12:6-11, "And there are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.... to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,... But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills."
Healing is a gift received by the sick - not something possessed by the one praying. Each healing is another gift. Notice too that it says gifts not rewards. Healing is not a reward to be earned, it is a gift from God to be thankfully received.
QUESTION 4: IS SICKNESS A RESULT OF SIN?
Sickness may well be a result of our actions, but it is not punishment from God for our sin. There are many people looking for something they can use to put other people down, and they often use any sickness or suffering as a "sign" that the sick person is not as good as them. Their problem isn't the sick person or the sickness - it's their lack of self-esteem. But that's another message, let's get on with this question.
In the Old Covenant, the Jews were promised blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. This was part of the covenant, or agreement, they made with God.
DEU 27:26, "Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them. And all the people shall say, 'Amen."
This was explained in greater detail in:
DEU 28:15-22: "But it shall come about, if you will not obey the Lord your God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes with which I charge you today, that all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you. Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country. Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Cursed shall be the offspring of your body and the produce of your ground, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock. Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out. The Lord will send upon you curses, confusion, and rebuke, in all you undertake to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly, on account of the evil of your deeds, because you have forsaken Me. The Lord will make the pestilence cling to you until He has consumed you from the land, where you are entering to possess it. The Lord will smite you with consumption and with fever and with inflammation and with fiery heat and with the sword and with blight and with mildew, and they shall pursue you until you perish."
The Old covenant was based on the believer's works, whereas the New Covenant is based on the works of Christ and His grace. Paul said the ones who still preach a gospel of salvation by works are still under a curse because of their sin. But Jesus has taken the curse away from the ones who accept, by faith, the gospel of salvation by grace through faith.
GAL 3:9-15, "So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.' Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, 'The righteous man shall live by faith.' However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, 'He who practices them shall live by them.' Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us - for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree' - in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."
I repeat, Jesus saved us from the curse of the law.
GAL 3:13, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us - for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"
This means God no longer curses man for his sin. You may get sick from some of your sinful actions, but it is not a punishment from God. Sickness and suffering is no sign of whether your actions are good or bad. Jesus answered this question in:
JOHN 9:1-3: "And as He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?' Jesus answered, "It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was in order that the works of God might be displayed in him."
Even the Old Testament foretold of Jesus removing the curse.
ISA 53:4-5, "Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed."
Peter also said not to be surprised when you suffer.
1 PET 4:12-19, "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. By no means let any of you suffer as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name let him glorify God. For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner? Therefore, let those also who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right."
Sickness and suffering come on all people - saint and sinner alike. The difference should be in how you handle the suffering. The choice is yours. You can let the devil and the gossips defeat you, or you can know that God can make this situation "work together for good" too.
ROM 8:18-39, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us....And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. ...What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?...Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, 'For Thy sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.' But in all these things we over-whelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Please!!! Don't let the gossips and backbiters of this world make you feel separated from God just because you are sick. This may be when He can use you the most. Look for God to work in your life and for chances to be strong in your time of weakness.
QUESTION 5: DID DIVINE HEALING PASS AWAY WITH THE APOSTLES?
Some churches still preach a "God is dead" type of doctrine and as a result they teach that God does not act today. They teach that God doesn't work in the world any more. Let's examine that question by starting with the scripture they use.
1 COR 13:8-13, "Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. ... But now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."
They class all types of miracles as having ceased. They stop reading too soon. In the next chapter Paul says we should desire spiritual gifts (one type of which is healing).
1 COR 14:1, "Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy."
Why would he tell them to desire something that had been done away with? The apostles continued to heal the sick after Jesus went to heaven. Peter and John healed the lame man:
ACTS 4:22, "for the man was more than forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed."
Again, Jesus had used the healing as a sign to bear witness of His ministry.
JOHN 10:25, "Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father's name, these bear witness of Me."
Jesus taught His followers would show the same love He has and would heal the sick:
JOHN 14:12, "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father."
QUESTION 6: IS IT ALWAYS GOD'S WILL TO HEAL US?
I am very sure God's love for His people (and the world) is constant and it is not his will that they should have to suffer. It wasn't His desire that Jesus should suffer either, but it was necessary in order to accomplish a greater good. The mission of the church on earth is the same as that of Jesus.
2 COR 5:18-21, "Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."
God can deliver a person from any type of suffering: like sickness, financial troubles, persecution, etc. But we find many cases in the scripture where Paul and the other early Christians had to endure suffering in order to fulfill their missions for God. Peter wrote about this subject.
1 PET 4:12-19, "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation....but if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name let him glorify God....Therefore, let those also who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right."
The scripture tells of the many times Paul suffered and how he counted this as a small thing to go through compared to the work being done.
ROM 8:18, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us."
Paul told of others, who were not apostles, who suffered for the cause of Christ.
PHIL 2:25-30, "But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier,...because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him... Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly in order that when you see him again you may rejoice...because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was deficient in your service to me."
While God had delivered Epaphroditus from his suffering, others were not delivered.
2 TIM 4:20, "Erastus remained at Corinth, but Trophimus I left sick at Miletus."
We must trust God, that in His unlimited love and wisdom, He will not allow His people to suffer more than they can bare and will use any suffering to result in good.
I know no one likes to suffer or to see their loved ones suffer. But a life of no suffering would also mean a life of no purpose, no challenges, no rewards, and no real satisfaction and joy.
Jesus endured His pain on the cross because of the real joy of His accomplishment.
HEB 12:2, "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Instead of constantly seeking the easy road in life, we should seek first to find God's will in any situation. The idea that if one was perfect, he would have no suffering or sickness, is a blasphemy against all of those apostles and other saints who suffered greatly for the cause of Christ.
HEB 11:35-38, "Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, in order that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground."
These are the real heros - the ones be followed - not those who claim to have some kind of faith that can enable them to avoid suffering. They are not avoiding suffering, they are avoiding the work God would have for them.
QUESTION 7: IS HEALING GUARANTEED, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS?
This question is most often the result of the false teaching about sickness being a punishment for sin. If it were, then God would remove the sickness when the sin was forgiven. But this is often not the case. Also if healing were guaranteed under some conditions, it would be possible to live forever in this life. The scripture teaches that "it is appointed for men to die"
HEB 9:27-28, "And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him."
It was the lie of the serpent in the garden that man would not die. It is a sign of submission to God when we are able to place our lives and even the state of our health in His hands. Conversely, if we try to "command" God to heal us, we are really acting as if we were the master and He is the servant.
The real tragedy of this false teaching is that at the time of death the people feel defeated and separated from God. This is the very time we should be the closest to God. Often when sick people are not healed and it becomes obvious they are going to die, the churches that preach this will shun them.
No religion or doctrine is worth living for if it isn't any good at the time of death.
QUESTION 8: ARE THERE CONDITIONS TO BE MET IN ORDER TO BE HEALED?
There are many things we do that seem to aid the healing process and many others that we know will hinder the healing process, but in the final analysis the Scripture teaches that healing is a gift - not a reward.
1 COR 12:1-11, "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware....Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.... And there are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all {persons.}... But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good....to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,... But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills."
The Greek word translated as gifts in these verses is charisma and it means a gift of grace, or a free gift. This is the same word translated as gifts in:
ROM 11:29, "For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance."(KJV)
Although we can do (and should do) many things to aid healing , the final choice of whether or not healing occurs remains in God's hands.
QUESTION 9: DOES HEALING DEPEND ON THE FAITH OF THE SICK PERSON?
A few times the scriptures noted that Jesus mentioned the faith of the sick person when he healed them. But it was far more common not to mention faith at all. Once it was the faith of the ones carrying the sick person.
Today, this issue has become the point used to put down the sick person who doesn't get well. The ones praying often can not imagine any shortcoming on their part so they often blame the lack of healing on some lack of faith in the sick person. If those people really cared about the sick, they wouldn't be looking for another chance to put them down.
There is absolutely no indication in the scripture that healing depends on the faith of the sick person. We know the faith and attitude of the sick person can aid or hinder healing, but, as I wrote before, healing is a free gift from God and the final choice of whether it happens or not is in His hands.
QUESTION 10: DOES SALVATION AND OBEDIENCE BRING IMMUNITY FROM SICKNESS?
Many preach an Old Testament type doctrine, but without the curses. Under the Old Covenant, God promised only good things for obedience and curses for sin. But of course any Bible-reader knows it shows that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." That means under the Old Covenant we can only expect curses. In the new covenant, God, in His grace, often heals us as a free gift to us. Sickness is just one kind of affliction. God can remove any afflictions, but the scriptures and the lives of the apostles teach that sometimes He does not remove them, and at other times it is even within His will that we suffer.
PSA 34:19, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous; But the LORD delivers him out of them all."
1 PET 4:12-19, "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ,... but if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name let him glorify God.... Therefore, let those also who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right."
QUESTION 11: SHOULD WE ANOINT THE SICK WITH OIL?
Oil was used in Old Testament times to anoint people and holy objects. The soothing effect of oil on skin scorched by the burning sun made it symbolize comfort and happiness; while its use for illumination suggested light and life.
The method used by many to apply oil was derived from the method of applying oil as a part of the sin offering.
LEV 14:14-18, "The priest shall then take some of the blood of the guilt offering, and the priest shall put it on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. The priest shall also take some of the log of oil, and pour it into his left palm; the priest shall then dip his right-hand finger into the oil that is in his left palm, and with his finger sprinkle some of the oil seven times before the LORD. And of the remaining oil which is in his palm, the priest shall put some on the right ear lobe of the one to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the blood of the guilt offering; while the rest of the oil that is in the priest's palm, he shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed. So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf before the LORD."
While most use common olive oil today, the 'holy anointing oil' had to be made to a prescribed formula.
EXO 30:23-25, "Take also for yourself the finest of spices: of flowing myrrh five hundred shekels, and of fragrant cinnamon half as much, two hundred and fifty, and of fragrant cane two hundred and fifty, and of cassia five hundred, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and of olive oil a hin. And you shall make of these a holy anointing oil, a perfume mixture, the work of a perfumer; it shall be a holy anointing oil."
In the New Covenant, however, Jesus gave Himself as an offering for sin and a passover offering. We are to accept, by faith, His offering for our sins. The scripture records in: 1 COR 5:7 that "For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed."
In New Testament times, oil was the most common medicine used. In fact, the only time the New Testament describes how oil was applied to the sick it was used as an ointment applied to wounds.
LUK 10:33-34, "But a certain Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compas-sion, and came to him, and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on {them;}"
The instruction to 'anoint with oil' is found in:
JAMES 5:14, "Is anyone among you sick? 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."
If we study the epistle of James, we can see his dominant theme is that 'faith without works is dead.' It is very consistent with this theme when he instructs the elders of the church to treat the sick with medicine (oil) and prayer.
Was James referring to using oil as a ritualistic anointment or to oil as representative of medicine? If oil is used as a symbolic ritual, it must also be made according to the formula quoted before for 'holy anointing oil.' But wouldn't people accustomed to using oil as a common medicine (much as aspirin is a 'universal' treatment today) understand this instruction as an admonition to medically treat the sick person?
Wouldn't it be the same as someone today instructing another to "take an aspirin"? The statement would easily be understood as referring to a medical treatment, and not to a symbolic ritual.
QUESTION 12: SHOULD WE TRUST GOD FOR HEALING, OR USE MEDICINE?
I realize some people preach that believers should 'trust God' and not use medicine, but how can we trust Him by refusing to obey Him? If we don't treat people medically when appropriate we are not obeying God, or loving people as we should.
The Scripture says the LORD heals all our diseases.
PSA 103:1-3, "Bless the LORD..Who heals all your diseases;"
This doesn't leave room for anyone, or anything, else to heal. Regardless of the method used (doctor, medicine, prayer, etc.), if healing occurs, it comes from God. Some preach that it is God's will for us to be well, but then condemn the believer for doing what he can to accomplish this. If we know God's will, and have the means to accomplish it, it is our duty to do it.
Paul prescribed wine as a medicine for Timothy.
1 TIM 5:23, "No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments."
The Scriptures show medicine as good, not evil.
PRO 17:22, "A joyful heart is good medicine..."
REV 3:14: "And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faith-ful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:... I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich, and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see."
If medicine is evil, the scripture would not have used it as an example of good. We show our trust of God by obedience, not by making up doctrines to excuse our laziness and lack of love for the sick.
The instruction to 'anoint with oil' is found in:
JAMES 5:14, "Is anyone among you sick? 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."
If we study the epistle of James, we can see his dominant theme is that 'faith without works is dead.' It is very consistent with this theme when he instructs the elders of the church to treat the sick with medicine (oil) and prayer.
QUESTION 13: SHOULD WE USE "ANOINTED CLOTHES?"
Many people who practice "divine healing" use clothes which they anoint with olive oil, lay hands on, and pray over. They then send these to the sick people as a "point of contact." The scripture they use is:
ACTS 19:11-12, "And God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out."
Note, however, what this scripture does not say. It does not say Paul sent the cloths or even approved of the practice. Surely if he did, he would have told about the practice in his letters, which he did not. It also does not say they prayed over the cloths or that they laid hands on them.
The scripture does say the sick were healed. Then can't we continue to practice what they did? As I said before all healing comes from God, but we limit God if we teach something He didn't tell us to preach. There is not even a hint that we are to teach the use of "anointed cloths." I know of many who suffered longer than they would have had to, if they had realized God didn't need an anointed cloth to heal them. The use of something as a "point of contact" is a psychological term and a form of occultic incantation - not a Biblical practice.
QUESTION 14: WHAT WAS PAUL'S "THORN IN THE FLESH?"
The scripture in which Paul wrote about his "Thorn in the flesh" is:
2 COR 12:7-10, "And because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me - to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I entreated the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He has said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.' Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong."
This scripture did not show what the problem was, but other scriptures seem to leave little doubt that his problem was with his sight.
GAL 4:12-15, "I beg of you, brethren, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong; but you know that it was because of a bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the first time; and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not despise or loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself. Where then is that sense of blessing you had? For I bear you witness, that if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me."
Why would Paul have talked about giving him their eyes if that was not his problem? It seems to me that the only people that do not agree with this explanation are the ones who teach (against the scriptures) that it is always God's will to heal His people. Since I have already answered that question there remains no reason not to believe the obvious.
There are other indications that Paul had trouble with his sight as he grew older. When he wrote Galatians, he wrote about his unusually large handwriting.
GAL 6:11, "See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand."
Romans, of which Paul was the author, another person did the actual writing.
ROM 16:22, "I, Tertius, who write this letter, greet you in the Lord."
Was this due to Paul's failing vision? Probably. I like to believe the obvious, straight-forward translation of scripture. And so it seems that Paul did indeed have a problem with his sight. I know this makes a problem for some people's doctrine, but don't you see how important it is to see that God can us us in any circumstance. He isn't depending on only our strength and ability. As Paul found out "when I am weak, then am I strong."
God used the strengths Paul had, but He wasn't limited by his limitations. And that is very true for each of us too. The answer to sickness isn't some magic formula of doctrine that will heal us every time. It is to overcome that sickness with a determination to serve God right in whatever situation we find ourselves. The determination we should have is the same on the three Hebrew boys had when they faced death in a furnace.
DAN 3:13-18, "Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and anger gave orders to bring Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego; then these men were brought before the king. Nebuchadnezzar responded and said to them, 'Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up?...But if you will not worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?' Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego answered and said to the king, 'O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."
That kind of determination to serve God in any circumstance defeated the king. Whether God had saved them from that fire or not (He did) they were the conquerors.
If someone tries to separate you from God by telling you your sickness is punishment from God, please recognize the source of their argument is the devil.
ROM 8:33-39, "Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, "For Thy sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered." But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
With Paul's "thorn in the flesh," he could truly write in:
PHIL 4:11-13: "Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."
QUESTION 15: WHAT SHOULD WE DO WHEN SOMEONE IS SICK?
Let's take a key scripture to answer that question.
JAMES 5:13-16, "Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praises. Is anyone among you sick? 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 offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much."
These are the steps given:
1. Call the church elders.
2. Let them pray.
3. Let them treat the sick.
To accomplish this, I recommend that the local church set up a prayer chain. Of course, the scripture doesn't describe a prayer chain, and if you have a better way, use it. But without an organized method to make sure all of the elders of the church are notified, how can you be sure it is getting done? Those who are on the prayer chain are those older (elder) Christians who are sincere in their desire to help sick. Make whatever rules may be necessary to insure the prayer chain is not a gossip line.
I believe if you have doctors among your local church family, they should be the ones to treat the sick with medicine (oil). Other Christians can, and should, under the doctor's orders, help the sick person in whatever way they can. And of course most of the time the sickness is not serious enough for a doctor's attention, but should be treated by Dr "Mom" or other Christians showing the same TLC.
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