Key Statement/Teaching | Paragraph |
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Few
healings recorded in Old Testament |
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Healing scriptures should be taken in full biblical
context. |
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The
blessings and cursings of Deuteronomy 28 are national
rather than personal. |
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Healing as such is not really promised in these verses
except as it is implied in a general way in the promise
to remove sickness. (Deuteronomy 28) |
|
Psalms 103:3 is no more a blanket promise for
unconditional physical healing than any of the other
promises in the psalm, as other scriptures and the
experiences of the Church show. |
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Several examples of non-healing are also recorded in the
New Testament. |
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Not
everyone is healed. 2 Tim. 4:20 and 1 Tim 5:23 |
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Paul had a "thorn in the flesh" that was not healed. |
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James 5:14-20: Although this one statement appears to be
written without qualification, the condition, "if it be
God's will," was no doubt tacitly understood. |
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"save" [sozo] used mostly in the spiritual sense of
eternal salvation. |
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"raise" [egeiro] used mostly to represent the
resurrection from the dead. |
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[James 5:14-20]: Thus, while James is primarily speaking
of physical healing upon anointing by the elders, he is
also alluding to spiritual salvation and the
resurrection from the dead. It may have been James'
intent to show that God will probably heal the faithful
sick person, but certainly shall grant him salvation
through the resurrection. |
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[James 5:14-20]: The promise of physical healing is
conditional. The promise of the resurrection of the
dead is unconditional. |
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It
is true that the Bible often condemns ancient
practitioners who relied on pagan gods, amulets,
incantations or other forms of magic. |
|
2
Kings 1:2: This passage does not mean that Ahaziah went
to Baalzebub for healing. He was only trying to figure
out if he was going to die. |
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Isaiah 38:21: Hezekiah seeks both God and medical
science in dealing with his sickness. |
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Jeremiah 8:22: There is no sense of condemnation of
medical science. |
|
2
Chronicles 16:12: Asa is censured for not seeking God in
his illness. He is not condemned for seeking
physicians. |
|
Luke was a physician, yet there is no reference to him
giving up his practice. He is called the "beloved
physician". |
|
Jeremiah 30:13, 51:8 and Ezekiel 30-21: The metaphors
involved here allude to medicines but are nowhere
condemned. |
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Ezekiel 47:12: Shows positive use of medicines. |
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Revelation 22:2: Healing preparations shall still be
used after new heaven and new earth. |
|
3
John 2: "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou
mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul
prospereth." This verse shows God's overall desire for
mankind. |
|
The
Bible gives basic principles of health which, counted
with common sense, experience and modern knowledge,
would prevent many of the health problems plaguing
modern man. |
|
Healing is not part of His spiritual, moral law, as it
were; and not being healed, therefore, is not a sin. |
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Anointing for the sick - James 5:14: The oil is a
symbol of God's Holy Spirit (cf. Ex. 30:23-25; Matthew
25:lff; etc.); the act of one having hands laid upon him
shows the person's desire to be set apart by God through
His Spirit for the special miracle of the divine healing
of his body. |
|
James 5:14: If sin is involved in sickness, the sin
shall be forgiven and the person healed. |
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John 9: Jesus confirms that physical debilities are not
necessarily caused by sin. |
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Luke 13:1-5: Not all sickness is the result of sin |
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The
Bible nowhere speaks of "physical sin." |
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Luke 5:24: Jesus has the authority on earth to forgive
sins. |
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Luke 5:20: The power to forgive sin is proved by the
healing. |
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Luke 5:20: The healing is differentiated from the
forgiveness of sin. They were two separate acts, with
the former being used to prove Jesus' power over the
latter. |
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John 11:25: Jesus is the resurrection and the life. |
|
1
Peter 2:24: Healing can take various forms including
spiritual, mental, physical and even environmental. |
|
1
Cor 11:27-30: Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or
drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be
guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. |
|
1
Cor. 11:30: Physical ills do result from spiritual
problems. |
|
1
Cor 11 27-30: A Christian must discern the body of the
Lord which was sounded so that we could be healed. We
must also identify with the sufferings and sacrifice of
Jesus Christ which are vital elements in the healing
Process. |
|
1
Cor. 12: The initial surge of miracles healings ended.
Though there are indications that some had a gift of
healings, those in higher levels of responsibility in
the church did not necessarily have the gifts of
healing. |
|
We
are able to study God's Word and develop real spiritual
faith without depending on the external crutch of
physical evidence through miracles. |
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Isaiah 66:2: God is looking for he that is humble and
contrite in spirit, and trembles at His word. |
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Romans 14:23: The scripture which states that "for
whatsoever is not of faith is sin" does not refer to a
lack of faith as sin. It rather means that when one
violates his conscience, his own sense of right and
wrong, then that is sin. |
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Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. -Rev. 14:13 |
|
1
Cor. 13:13: Faith is not the greatest aspect of
the Christian life. Love is. Therefore one
weak in faith but strong in love is the far greater
Christian in God's sight. |
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Matthew 4:5-7: Asking God to do something
supernaturally for us that we could do for ourselves is
a form of tempting God. |
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Luke 8:43-48 records the story of "a woman having an
issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her
living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any.
Note that Jesus in no way unbraided the woman for having
gone to the physicians. |
|
Luke 8:43-48: Jesus did not withhold healing from the
woman with an issue of blood because she used medical
science or because she came to Him as a last resort.
Indeed, He said she had faith to be healed. |