Lesson 14 — Divine Healing and Divine Health

1. 1 DIVINE HEALING AND DIVINE HEALTH

Divine Healing and Divine Health

The doctrine of divine healing and health is one of the most outstanding subjects of the Bible. The following is a brief and yet a comprehensive study of the doctrine as taught in the Holy Scriptures. This Lesson will be of infinite value to you if you are in need of healing and of securing health for your body.

It is not healing and health by natural remedies, imagination, will power, personal magnetism, metaphysics, demonology, spiritualism, immunity from death, presumption, insubordination to God’s will, mind over matter, denial of the plain facts of sin, sickness, and disease, or natural healing by inherent laws and creative powers in man’s body.

II. What Divine Healing and Health Is

Divine healing and health is a definite act of God through faith in Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, and the precious blood of Christ, whereby the human body is cured, healed, repaired, delivered from sickness and its power, and made as whole, sound, and healthy as it was before the attack.

III. Is Divine Healing and Health Scriptural?

There are at least fourteen Hebrew and Greek words found in hundreds of Scriptures, which plainly teach the ideas of full salvation, deliverance, preservation, soundness, healing, health, and wholeness of body, soul, and spirit through the gospel. These words are used many times of the body as well as of the soul. Sometimes they are used in the same passages of both body and soul, thus proving that they are not limited to the healing of the soul as some modern Bible students believe. There are some passages where these words are used which speak of other things besides the body being healed, such as the soul Psalms 41:4; a vessel Jeremiah 19:11; land (2 Chron. 7:14); waters Ezekiel 47:8-112 Kings 2:21-22; and backslidings Jeremiah 3:22. If healing is to be understood in a literal sense in these passages, then it should also be understood in a literal sense when it is used of the human body being healed. Note below, the scores of times bodily healing is referred to in the Bible:

1. The Hebrew word rapha means and is translated “cure” Jeremiah 33:6; “to make whole” Job 5:18; “to heal” Numbers 12:13Deuteronomy 32:392 Kings 20:5, 82 Kings 6:2Isaiah 19:22Isaiah 57:18-19Jeremiah 17:14Jeremiah 30:17Hosea 6:1Zechariah 1:16; “be healed” Genesis 20:17Exodus 21:19Leviticus 13:18, 37Leviticus 14:3, 48Deuteronomy 28:27, 351 Samuel 6:31 Samuel 9:151 Samuel 30:20Psalms 30:2Psalms 107:20Isaiah 6:10Isaiah 53:5Jeremiah 17:14Ezekiel 34:4Hosea 7:1Hosea 11:3; “healeth” Exodus 15:26Psalms 103:3Psalms 147:3Isaiah 30:26; “be thoroughly healed” Exodus 21:19; and “physician” Genesis 50:2Job 13:4Jeremiah 8:22.

2. The Hebrew marpay means and is translated “healing” Jeremiah 14:19Malachi 4:2 “health” Proverbs 4:22Proverbs 12:18Proverbs 13:17Proverbs 16:24Jeremiah 8:15; “cure” Jeremiah 33:6; “remedy” Proverbs 6:15Proverbs 29:1; “sound” in health Proverbs 14:30; and “wholesome” Proverbs 15:4.

3. The Hebrew yeshuwah means and is translated “health” Psalms 42:11Psalms 43:5Psalms 67:2; “deliverance” Psalms 18:50Psalms 44:4; and “salvation” Psalms 91:16. The whole 91st Psalm teaches perfect healing and health physically; so the salvation of v. 16 includes the body as well as the soul.

4. The Hebrew arubah means “restoring to sound health” Isaiah 58:8Jeremiah 8:22Jeremiah 30:17Jeremiah 33:6.

5. The Hebrew chabash means “healer” Isaiah 3:7 and “to bind up or heal” Isaiah 30:26Isaiah 61:1Ezekiel 34:16Hosea 6:1Job 5:18Psalms 147:3.

6. The Hebrew word rifooth means “health” Proverbs 3:8.

7. The Greek word therapeuo means and is translated “heal” Matthew 8:7Matthew 10:1, 8Matthew 12:10Mark 3:2, 15Luke 4:23Luke 6:7Luke 10:9Luke 14:3; “healed” Matthew 4:23-24Matthew 8:16, 17Matthew 9:35Matthew 12:15, 22Matthew 14:14Matthew 15:20Matthew 19:2Matthew 21:14Mark 1:34Mark 3:10Mark 6:5, 13Luke 4:40Luke 5:15Luke 6:18Luke 8:43Luke 9:6-11Luke 13:14Luke 14:4Acts 4:14Acts 5:16Acts 8:7Acts 28:9; “cure” Matthew 17:16Luke 9:1; and “cured” Luke 7:21John 5:10.

8. The Greek iama means “healing” or “repairing” 1 Corinthians 12:9, 28.

9. The Greek iaomai means and is translated “heal” Matthew 13:15Luke 4:18Luke 5:17Luke 9:2John 4:47John 12:40; “healed” Matthew 8:8, 13Mark 5:29Luke 6:17, 19Luke 7:7Luke 8:2, 47Luke 17:15Luke 22:51John 5:13Acts 3:11Acts 28:8Hebrews 12:13James 5:161 Peter 2:24; “healing” Acts 10:38; “whole” Matthew 15:28Acts 9:24.

10. The Greek iasis means “healing” and “cure” Luke 13:32Acts 4:22, 30Acts 28:27.

11. The Greek hugiano means “sound health” (3 Jn. 2).

12. The Greek hugies means “healthy,” “sound” and “whole” Matthew 12:13Matthew 15:31Mark 3:5Mark 5:34Luke 5:31.

13. The Greek sodzo means “to save,” “deliver,” “protect,” “heal,” “preserve,” and “make whole.” It is used 86 times in reference to saving the soul, but in the following passages it refers to saving the body and healing it of sickness Matthew 9:21-22Mark 5:29, 34Mark 6:56Mark 10:52Luke 8:36, 48Luke 8:50Luke 17:19Acts 4:9Acts 14:9.

14. The Greek dia-sodzo means “to save” and “to heal thoroughly,” “make perfectly whole” and is used of the body being healed Matthew 14:36Luke 7:3.

By reading the 177 Scriptures above and the scores in the following studies, one can readily see that both divine healing and divine health are taught in Scripture for all who will meet the conditions of faith required by the gospel.

IV. Cases of Sickness and Healing in the Old Testament

1. 1 BARRENNESS OF THE PHILISTINE WOMEN: cause—divine intervention for Sarah Genesis 20:1-7, 18; remedy—prayer Genesis 20:7, 17; result—healing Genesis 20:7, 17.

1. 1 BARRENNESS OF SARAH: cause—unknown Genesis 16:1–21; remedy—prayer and faith Genesis 18:10Genesis 21:1-8Romans 4:17-22; result—healing (Gen. 21).

1. 1 BARRENNESS OF REBEKAH: cause—unknown Genesis 25:19-26; remedy—prayer Genesis 25:21; result—healing Genesis 25:21-26.

1. 1 ISAAC’S BLINDNESS AND SICKNESS: cause—old age Genesis 27:1-2, 41; remedy—none stated, but evidently he was renewed in body by faith Hebrews 11:20; result—lived over twenty more years Genesis 31:38Genesis 35:27-29.

1. 1 BARRENNESS OF RACHEL: cause—unknown Genesis 29:31Genesis 30:1; remedy—prayer Genesis 30:22; result—healing Genesis 30:22-24Genesis 35:16-20.

1. 1 JACOB’S DEATH: cause—old age Genesis 47:27-31Genesis 48:1Genesis 49:33; remedy—none, because of the divine appointment for all men to die Hebrews 9:27. The Hebrew word for “sick” in Gen. 48:1 is calah, “to be worn,” “weak.” Jacob died of old age like an apple falling off the tree because of ripeness and not because of being diseased. The Bible teaches that all true believers can live to a ripe old age Psalms 34:12-14Psalms 91:161 Peter 3:10-12. Not long ago we knew of a woman 95 years of age who was as healthy as she could be at such an age. One day she told her children that she was going to die on a certain day. When the day came and she had bade all good-bye, she simply lay on the bed and folded her hands and gave up the ghost without a struggle. This is the way Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and many others passed away. One, therefore, does not have to die of a disease any more than an apple must Fall by disease and worms. It is possible for one to live in health to a ripe old age and die a natural death. There is no law that says every person must die of a disease. By faith in God one can ward off many ills of life and live long before natural death.

1. 1 BOILS ON THE EGYPTIANS: cause—hardness of heart and rebellion against God Exodus 4:21Exodus 5:2; remedy—unknown; result—unknown.

1. 1 ALL SICKNESSES OF ISRAEL: cause—misuse of the tongue and rebellion Exodus 15:24-26; remedy—the Word of God, prayer and obedience Exodus 15:26Psalms 107:20; result—the whole nation made perfect in health Psalms 105:37.

1. 1 PLAGUE IN ISRAEL: cause—misuse of the tongue and idolatry Exodus 32:1-6; remedy—prayer, atonement and discipline Exodus 32:7-28; result—many rebels died, but the rest were delivered from the plague Exodus 32:27-35.

1. 1 PLAGUE UPON PRIESTS: cause—drunkenness and disobedience; remedy —none; result—death by judgment from God Leviticus 10:1-9.

1. 1 PLAGUE IN ISRAEL: cause—misuse of the tongue; remedy—prayer; result—plague stopped Numbers 11:1-3.

1. 1 PLAGUE IN ISRAEL: cause—misuse of the tongue and lust Numbers 11:4-20; remedy—none because of judgment Numbers 11:19-20; result—death to thousands Numbers 11:33-35.

1. 1 PLAGUE OF LEPROSY UPON MIRIAM: cause—pride and misuse of the tongue Numbers 12:1-10; remedy—prayer and discipline Numbers 12:13-14; result— healing Numbers 12:14-16.

1. 1 PLAGUE UPON THE TEN SPIES: cause—unbelief and misuse of the tongue Numbers 13:26-33; remedy—none because of judgment; result—death Numbers 4:37.

1. 1 PLAGUE IN ISRAEL: cause—misuse of the tongue and rebellion Numbers 14:1-19; remedy—none because of judgment Numbers 14:22-35; result—death Numbers 14:20-35.

1. 1 PLAGUE IN ISRAEL: cause—pride and misuse of the tongue Numbers 16:1-14; remedy—judgment upon the rebels Numbers 16:21-30; result—death Numbers 16:31.

1. 1 PLAGUE IN ISRAEL: cause—rebellion and misuse of the tongue (Num.16:1-14); remedy—judgment upon the rebels Numbers 16:29; result—death (Num.16:35).

1. 1 PLAGUE IN ISRAEL: cause—rebellion and misuse of the tongue Numbers 16:41-42; remedy—atonement and judgment Numbers 16:46-50; result—14,700 were killed and the plague was stayed Numbers 16:49-50.

1. 1 PLAGUE IN ISRAEL: cause—discouragement and misuse of the tongue Numbers 21:5; remedy—prayer, faith, and confession of sin Numbers 21:7-9; result—healing for all who obeyed and looked on the serpent of brass, a type of Christ Numbers 21:9John 3:14.

1. 1 PLAGUE IN ISRAEL: cause—adultery and idolatry; remedy—judgment upon the rebels; result—24,000 were killed and the plague was stayed Numbers 25:1-15.

1. 1 BARRENNESS OF HANNAH: cause—the Lord caused her to be barren to test her and to teach coming generations certain lessons 1 Samuel 1:2-9; remedy—prayer and humility 1 Samuel 1:9-19; result—healing and fruitfulness 1 Samuel 1:17-28.

1. 1 PLAGUE OF EMERODS UPON THE PHILISTINES: cause—taking the ark of God from Israel; remedy—trespass offering and ark sent back; result—unknown 1 Samuel 5:1–6.

1. 1 PLAGUE IN ISRAEL: cause—looking into the ark; remedy—judgment upon the transgressors; result—many killed and the plague stayed 1 Samuel 6:19-21.

1. 1 INSANITY OF SAUL: cause—disobedience and jealousy 1 Samuel 15:22-351 Samuel 18:8-30; remedy—inspired music 1 Samuel 16:141 Samuel 19:9-10; result—temporary relief 1 Samuel 16:14-23.

1. 1 SICKNESS OF AN EGYPTIAN: cause—unknown; remedy—care and natural food; result—he was restored to health 1 Samuel 30:11-16.

1. 1 SICKNESS AND DEATH OF DAVID’S CHILD: cause—adultery and murder 2 Samuel 12:9-15; remedy—fasting and prayer 2 Samuel 12:16-23; result—prayer unanswered because of punishment for sin 2 Samuel 12:9-15.

1. 1 PLAGUE IN ISRAEL: cause—David’s sin in numbering Israel 2 Samuel 24:1-25; remedy—atonement, confession of sin, and prayer; result—70,000 were killed and the plague was stayed 2 Samuel 24:10-25.

1. 1 JEROBOAM’S WITHERED HAND: cause—attempted violence to a man of God 1 Kings 13:4; remedy—prayer; result—healing 1 Kings 13:6.

1. 1 ABIJAH’S SICKNESS: cause—sins of the parents 1 Kings 14:8-9; remedy—none, because of judgment; result—death 1 Kings 14:12-18.

1. 1 ASA’S FOOT DISEASE: cause—unknown; remedy—physicians; result— death for not trusting God 1 Kings 15:23-24Jeremiah 17:5-13.

1. 1 SICKNESS AND DEATH OF THE WIDOW’S SON: cause—unknown; remedy—prayer of Elijah; result—resurrection and healing 1 Kings 17:8-24.

1. 1 AHAZIAH’S DISEASE: cause—fell from an upper story; remedy—trust in Baalzebub, the god of flies, instead of the true God; result—death 2 Kings 1:1-18.

1. 1 THE SHUNAMMITE WOMAN’S BARRENNESS: cause—unknown; remedy—faith and prophecy; result—healing and fruitfulness 2 Kings 4:1-17.

1. 1 SICKNESS AND DEATH OF THE SHUNAMMITE’S SON: cause—sunstroke; remedy—faith, prayer, and the power of God in Elisha’s body; result—resurrection and healing 2 Kings 4:18-37.

1. 1 NAMAAN’S LEPROSY: cause—unknown; remedy—trust in God and obedience; result—healing 2 Kings 5:1-19.

1. 1 GEHAZI’S LEPROSY: cause—greed, lying, and disobedience; remedy— none, because of the curse upon him; result—no healing 2 Kings 5:20-27.

1. 1 BLINDNESS OF THE SYRIAN ARMY: cause—prayer of Elisha; remedy—prayer of Elisha; result—healing 2 Kings 6:13-23.

1. 1 SICKNESS OF BEN-HADAD: cause—unknown; remedy—unknown; result—might have recovered if he had not been murdered according to prophecy 2 Kings 8:10-15.

1. 1 SICKNESS OF JEHORAM: cause—unknown; remedy—unknown; result—recovered but slain by Jehu 2 Kings 9:14-29.

1. 1 SICKNESS OF ELISHA: cause—unknown, but could have been old age, for he was nearly 100 years old; remedy—unknown, but if the cause was old age, there could be no remedy; result—death 2 Kings 13:14-20.

1. 1 DEATH OF AN ISRAELITE: cause—unknown; remedy—touching the bones of Elisha; result—resurrection and healing 2 Kings 13:21.

1. 1 UZZIAH’S LEPROSY: cause—pride and usurping the priesthood; remedy—none because of judgment; result—no healing 2 Kings 15:5.

1. 1 SICKNESS OF HEZEKIAH: cause—pride and unthankfulness to God (2 Chron. 32:25-31); remedy—prayer and humiliation 2 Kings 20:3Isaiah 38:2-3; result—healed and fifteen years added to his life Isaiah 39:5.

1. 1 JEHORAM’S BOWEL TROUBLE: cause—many sins 2 Kings 8:18-19; remedy—none, because of judgment; result—death (2 Chron. 21:12-20).

1. 1 PLAGUE IN ISRAEL: cause—many sins; remedy—none, because of judgment; result—many killed (2 Chron. 21:11-15).

1. 1 ALL SICKNESSES OF ISRAEL: cause—breaking the law in eating of the Passover unworthily (2 Chron. 30:18); remedy—prayer and confession of sin; result—healing (2 Chron. 30:18-20).

1. 1 JOB’S BOILS: cause—Satan Job 1:6-22Job 2:1-10; remedy—prayer and humiliation Job 42:6-17; result—healing and prosperity Job 42:6-17James 5:11.

1. 1 DAVID’S VENEREAL DISEASE: cause—sin Psalms 38:3; remedy—prayer and confession of sin Psalms 38:1-22; result—healed Psalms 6:2Psalms 30:2Psalms 103:3.

1. 1 FAMINE IN ISRAEL Jeremiah 14:18: cause—sin and rebellion Jeremiah 14:7, 10Deuteronomy 28:15-68; remedy—none, because of judgment Jeremiah 14:12-18; result—death and captivity Jeremiah 14:11-18.

1. 1 SICKNESS AND DEATH OF EZEKIEL’S WIFE: cause—made a sign to Israel Ezekiel 24:24; remedy—none; result—death Ezekiel 24:15-27.

1. 1 SICKNESS OF DANIEL: cause—long fasting; remedy—prayer, rest, and nourishment; result—complete recovery Daniel 8:27Daniel 10:2-3.

1. 1 BLINDNESS OF ELI: cause—old age 1 Samuel 4:15.

1. 1 BLINDNESS OF AHIJAH: cause—old age 1 Kings 14:4.

1. 1 BLINDNESS OF SODOMITES: cause—sin; remedy—none Genesis 19:1-11.

1. 1 INNUMERABLE CASES OF HEALING BY CHRIST Matthew 4:23-24Matthew 8:16-17Matthew 9:35-36Matthew 11:5Matthew 12:15Matthew 14:14, 33Matthew 15:30-31Matthew 19:2Matthew 21:14Mark 1:32-34, 39Mark 3:10-12Mark 6:5, 55Luke 4:40-41Luke 6:17-19Luke 7:21-23Luke 9:11John 2:23John 20:30-31John 21:25; cause—the devil and demons Acts 10:381 John 3:81 John 16:17Luke 13:14; remedy—faith and the anointing with the Holy Spirit Isaiah 11:2Isaiah 42:1-7Isaiah 61:1-2Matthew 12:22-32Acts 10:38; result—healing in every case Acts 10:35Matthew 4:23-24Matthew 8:16-17Matthew 9:35Matthew 12:15Matthew 14:14, 35Matthew 15:30-31Matthew 19:2Matthew 21:14.

1. 1 INNUMERABLE CASES OF HEALING BY BELIEVERS BEFORE PENTECOST Matthew 10:1-7Mark 6:7-13Mark 9:38Luke 9:1-6Luke 10:1-20; cause—the devil and demons Matthew 10:1-7Luke 10:1-20Acts 10:38; remedy—faith and temporary enduement of power for the one mission representing Christ from city to city Matthew 10:1-20Luke 10:1-20; result—healing in every case while on this one mission Mark 6:7-13Luke 10:1-20. The failure in Mt. 17:14-21 was after they had come back from this mission and before their permanent enduement of power at Pentecost.

1. 1 INNUMERABLE CASES OF HEALING BY BELIEVERS AFTER PENTECOST Mark 16:17-20Acts 2:43Acts 5:12-16Acts 6:8Acts 8:7-13Acts 11:19-22Acts 14:3, 27Acts 15:4, 12Acts 19:11-12Acts 28:9Romans 15:18-19, 291 Corinthians 16:10Hebrews 2:3-4; cause—the devil and demons Mark 16:17Acts 5:16Acts 8:6-7Acts 10:38Acts 19:11-12, remedy—faith and the anointing with the Holy Spirit Luke 24:49John 14:12-15Acts 1:8Acts 3:6Acts 6:8Acts 19:121 Corinthians 12:7-11, 28; result—healing in every case John 14:12Acts 5:12-16Acts 19:11-12Hebrews 2:3-4Mark 16:20.

1. 1 TEN CASES OF DEMON-POSSESSION HEALED BY CHRIST AND PAUL, AND OTHERS:

(1) A maniac of Gergesa Matthew 8:28-34

(2) A maniac of Gadera Mark 5:1-21Luke 8:26-39

(3) A dumb man Matthew 9:32-34

(4) A blind and dumb man Matthew 12:22-32

(5) An epileptic girl Matthew 15:21-28

(6) An epileptic boy Mark 9:17-29

(7) A maniac Mark 1:23-28Luke 4:21

(8) Mary Magdalene Luke 7:36-50Luke 8:2

(9) An infirm woman Luke 13:16-17

(10) A fortuneteller Acts 16:16-24

1. 1 TWENTY-NINE CASES OF HEALING BY CHRIST, PETER, JOHN, AND PAUL:

(1) A leper Matthew 8:1-4Mark 1:20

(2) A centurion’s servant Matthew 8:5-13

(3) Peter’s mother-in-law Matthew 8:14

(4) A woman Matthew 9:18-26Mark 5:22

(5) Two blind men Matthew 9:27-31

(6) A withered hand Matthew 12:9-14

(7) Two blind men Matthew 20:29-34

(8) A deaf-dumb man Mark 7:31-37

(9) A blind man Mark 8:22-26

(10) A man with dropsy Luke 14:1-6

(11) Ten lepers Luke 17:11-19

(12) A nobleman’s son John 4:46-54

(13) An infirm man John 5:1-15

(14) A blind man John 9:1-38

(15) A lame man Acts 3:1–4

(16) A paralyzed man Acts 9:32-35

(17) A lame man Acts 14:9-10

(18) Father of Publius Acts 28:7-9

1. 1 SIX CASES OF RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD BY JESUS, PETER, PAUL, AND OTHERS:

(1) Jairus’ daughter Matthew 9:18-26

(2) A widow’s son Luke 7:11-18

(3) Lazarus John 11:1-44

(4) Tabitha Acts 9:36-42

(5) Paul Acts 14:19-20

(6) Eutychus Acts 20:7-12

1. 1 A PARALYZED MAN: cause—sin; remedy—faith in Christ; result—healing Matthew 9:1-12Mark 2:3-12Luke 5:18-26.

1. 1 MALCHUS: cause—ear severed by Peter’s sword John 18:10; remedy—power of Jesus; result—healed Luke 22:50-51.

1. 1 SICKNESS AND DEATH OF HEROD: cause—pride and self-exaltation; remedy—none, because of judgment; result—eaten by worms Acts 12:20-25.

1. 1 BLINDNESS OF BAR-JESUS: cause—unbelief and rebellion against the gospel; remedy—none until Paul’s curse was over Acts 13:6-12.

1. 1 PAUL’S SNAKEBITE: cause—accident; remedy—faith in Jesus Christ; result—healing Acts 28:1-6. Immunity from poisons and snake bites is promised all believers Mark 16:17-20Luke 10:19. This does not mean, however that believers can tempt God and get by with it by deliberately drinking poison and getting snake-bitten, as some foolish and ignorant people do today.

The Greek word for “take up” in Mk. 16:18 is airo. The way it is used and the example of men taking up things shows its true meaning. It is translated “take away” and used of Christ taking away the sins of the world John 1:29, 1; of branches being cut off the vine John 15:2; of the bodies of Christ and the thieves being removed from the crosses John 19:31, 38; of a fornicator being excommunicated from the Corinthian church 1 Corinthians 5:2; of taking a man away to prison Matthew 22:13; of the removal of a stone from the grave of Lazarus John 11:39; of the destruction of a nation John 11:48; and of the removal of knowledge and judgment Luke 11:52Acts 8:35.

It is also translated “put away” concerning the removal of sin from the life Ephesians 4:31; “took it out of the way” referring to abolishing the Law of Moses on the cross Colossians 2:14-17; “remove” referring to a literal mountain being cast into the sea Matthew 21:21Mark 11:23; and “away with” referring to destruction or murder of Jesus and Paul Luke 23:18John 19:15Acts 21:36Acts 22:22.

It is never used of making a side-show of the thing that is to be removed, destroyed, or done away with, so the modern snake-handling fanaticism is not biblical, to say the least. If men would remove them like Paul, the only example of how to take up snakes in the New Testament, then it would be biblical. Paul shook the viper into the fire and destroyed it Acts 28:1-6. If men would use power, if they have real power from God, to heal the sick and do something really worth while for humanity, then they would show some intelligence and they would be a blessing.

One can go to India and other heathen lands and see better demonstrations of snake handling than modern fanatics of religion who make a side-show of the gospel idea of power over all the power of the devil, as taught in Lk. 10:19; Ps. 91. These passages simply mean that believers can have power over all enemies, but they never mean to bring reproach upon the gospel by trying to show people that they have power.

1. 1 THE BLINDNESS OF PAUL: cause—rebellion and unbelief Acts 9:1-91 Timothy 1:13; remedy—prayer and fasting Acts 9:9-11; result—healing Acts 9:17-19.

1. 1 SICKNESS OF A CORINTHIAN: cause—fornication 1 Corinthians 5:1-8; remedy—repentance; result—healing 2 Corinthians 2:6-11.

1. 1 SICKNESS AND DEATH OF MANY CORINTHIANS: cause—failure to appropriate the benefits of healing by faith in the work of Calvary 1 Corinthians 11:27-321 Peter 2:24Matthew 8:16-17; remedy—none where the gospel remedy is rejected and unbelief robs people of its benefits; result—no healing.

Often saints think that God should heal them in spite of their unbelief. They often wonder why God heals sinners and not them. The reason is that God gives to no person one thing because of his own merits or because he has been a Christian a long time. God obligates the best Christian to have faith for what he asks as much as He does a sinner. Sinners throw themselves on God for mercy, not having any merits of their own to depend upon, while saints sometimes think their years of being Christians should merit favor with God. If men would come to God in simple faith, without claiming merit, God will always answer every prayer. God will let a saint die as quickly as He will a sinner if he does not do what He commands—”Have faith in god” and “believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass” Mark 11:22-24James 1:5-9Hebrews 11:6.

1. 1 SICKNESS OF EPAPHRODITUS: cause—overwork in the gospel; remedy—prayer and rest to regain strength; result—healing Philippians 2:25-30.

1. 1 SICKNESS OF TROPHIMUS AND OF TIMOTHY’S STOMACH. (See Point VIII, 6 and 8, below).

VI. Causes of Sickness and Disease

The general causes of sickness and disease are the fall of man, sin, the work of Satan and demons, and the execution of the law of sowing and reaping.

1. 1 GOD THE LAW-MAKER

   God is not the direct cause of either sin or sickness. He never wills any man to have sin or sickness in his life. He has made abundant provision through the gospel to cleanse from all sin and to heal all diseases. He did make it a law in the beginning that whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap, but He never causes free moral agents to break the law. He cannot be just and keep them from reaping what they sow if they are determined to disobey Him.

In Isa 45:7 we read, “I create evil.” The Hebrew word for “evil” is ra, meaning “adversity,” “affliction,” “calamity,” “grief,” “misery,” “sorrow,” “wretchedness,” “trouble,” “harm,” “distress,” “ill,” and “mischief.” These things are the harvest of sowing and breaking the laws of God. This is a law fixed by God, and it cannot be altered or changed. If any free moral agent chooses to break laws, contrary to his creative makeup and the highest good of his being and of the universe, he must pay the penalty of reaping what he has sown.

When the Bible says that God puts physical sickness and disease upon men, as in the following Scriptures, it simply means that His law of sowing and reaping is being executed by the proper agencies to enforce this law Exodus 15:26Deuteronomy 7:15Deuteronomy 28:1-68. In these passages it is stated that sickness is the result of sowing sin. If there had been no sin there would have been no disease. In many places where it speaks of God taking a certain action, in reality He used proper agents actually to bring it to pass. It is said that God sent Joseph into Egypt, but in reality his brethren were the ones who sold him to the Ishmaelites Genesis 45:4-8. It is said that God would visit Israel and lead them out of Egypt, but in reality God used Moses and Aaron as his agents to do this Genesis 50:24Psalms 77:20. It is said on numerous occasions that God subdued Israel’s enemies, but in reality He used human agency to do it Judges 4:14-23. The same is true of the law of sickness and disease. He has given the actual power of this law into the hands of demon powers.

1. 1 SATAN THE LAW-EXECUTOR

   In many Scriptures we have the fact stated that Satan is the direct power in executing the law of sin, sickness, and death. Sickness is the result of sin and one of the effects of the Fall. The many passages in Point V, above, prove this fact. Luke 13:14John 10:10Acts 10:38Romans 8:2Ephesians 2:1-3Hebrews 2:14-151 John 3:8

1. 1 MAN THE LAW-BREAKER

   Man is the great law-breaker, and he must reap what he sows. Man is responsible in the first place for yielding to sin and Satan and submitting to demon powers who take advantage of his sinful state and cause all kinds of failures and sufferings in his life. He is responsible for breaking God’s laws; for living in lusts and uncleanness which breeds sickness and disease; for accidents due to careless living; for lack of power from God to defeat Satan; for lack of proper exercise; for failure to keep the body in a clean, healthy state; for overwork and intemperance in eating, in drinking, and in proper care of the body; for the wrong use of his faculties which cause worry and fear that tear down natural and spiritual resistance to sickness; for certain conditions that pass on from one generation to another; and for failure to appropriate the benefits for which Jesus died so that he can be healed and delivered from satanic powers.

In the cases in Points IV and V it can be seen the many personal cases of sickness. Sins of all kinds, rebellion, misuse of the tongue, hardness of heart, fleshly lusts, pride, unbelief, and many other personal acts on the part of men have caused them to break the laws of God and give the agents of sin, sickness, and death the opportunity to bring about sickness in their lives. This vulnerability does not mean that demons always take advantage at once, for sometimes it is to their advantage not to use their powers to bring sickness upon the law-breakers. But eventually those who sow will have to reap.

We do not mean to say that every person’s sickness is a direct result of some personal sin, for this is not true. This is true of many cases of sickness, but of some it is not John 9:1-4John 11:4. Christ and the apostles dealt with sickness as they would deal with sin Matthew 9:1-12Mark 2:1-11John 5:14James 5:14-16. They dealt with sickness by casting out demons who cause it Matthew 10:1-8Mark 6:7-13Mark 16:17-20Acts 10:38. See the work of demons in Lesson Six, Point VIII. Demons must be cast out in order to have instant and permanent relief.

Disease germs, which are so closely allied to the work of demons, are living forms of corruption which have come into the bodies of men bringing them to death. Just as refuse breeds maggots, so man in his fallen unclean state of sin breeds germs through unclean living and by contact with contagion in the fallen world. They are really material agents of Satan corrupting the bodies of his victims. No remedy has ever been found that can cure diseases outside of the blood of Jesus Christ. No drug can cure a single disease. Any honest physician will admit that there is no healing power in medicines.

Mr. S. Weir Mitchell, one of the greatest physicians that has ever lived, said, “Back of each disease there is a cause that no drug can reach.” Drugs may deaden pain, kill germs, and counteract certain poisons in the body, but they cannot heal. Many times they harm the body worse than the germs. All healing is done by nature and by God. Drugs may be used as antidotes, but this is the extent of their power. Christ atoned on the cross for sin and for sickness, and God is as willing to heal as He is to forgive of sins. If Christ came to take away sin, He certainly came to take away also sickness, the fruit of sin. The only hindrance in getting the full benefits of Calvary is unbelief and lack of appropriation of the blessings which Christ died to give to all men Isaiah 53:4-5Matthew 8:16-171 Peter 2:24James 5:14-16. God’s method is to get rid of the cause of disease, sin, while man’s method is to cover up sin and deal with the outgrowth of it. If man would obey God and correct the source, there would be no outgrowth of sin.

VII. Eighty Lessons Gleaned from a Study of the Bible Cases of Sickness

Eighty Bible reasons for believing in healing of the body as well as scores of lessons can be gleaned from a study of the Bible cases of sickness and healing. The main lessons from a study of these cases follow:

1. That divine healing for the body is perfectly scriptural.

2. That health was natural before sin entered Genesis 1:26-31Genesis 2:17.

3. That death entered through sin as part of the curse Romans 5:12-21.

4. That the first prophecy and promise of redemption included healing for the body through Jesus Christ Genesis 3:15Isaiah 53:5Matthew 8:16-171 Peter 2:24.

5. That sickness originated with and is still being propagated by Satan and his demons Job 2:6-7Matthew 4:23-24Matthew 15:22Matthew 17:14-21John 10:10Acts 10:38.

6. That the first recorded healing in Scripture was by prayer Genesis 20:7, 17.

7. That the first recorded bodily affliction was the consequence of disobeying God and that when conditions were met, healing was given in answer to prayer Genesis 20:1-18.

8. That in all cases of healing in Scripture, prayer, atonement, and spiritual means were used instead of human remedies.

9. That spiritual means to heal sicknesses and diseases is all that God has provided for man Exodus 15:26Matthew 8:16-17James 5:141 Peter 2:24.

10. That spiritual means is all that God has promised and commanded to be used in sickness James 5:14-16Exodus 15:26Matthew 8:16-171 Peter 2:24.

11. That God cursed men who did not trust Him in sickness and disease Jeremiah 17:5-10.

12. That there is no case recorded in the Scriptures where men got benefits from any other source than by spiritual means. See points IV-V, above.

13. That multitudes have been healed by spiritual means Acts 10:38.

14. That no Scripture encourages human remedies to cure disease.

15. That Bible characters used spiritual means in times of sickness (Ps. 38; 103:1-3; 107:20. See the many cases in Points IV and V, above).

16. That God made a covenant with His people to heal them Exodus 15:26Exodus 23:23Deuteronomy 7:15Deuteronomy 28:1-65James 5:14-16Matthew 8:16-17.

17. That God kept His part of the covenant Psalms 105:37Psalms 107:20.

18. That only spiritual means were used by Israel in the wilderness Exodus 15:26Exodus 32:7-28Numbers 11:1-3Numbers 12:13-16Numbers 21:1-9John 3:14Psalms 105:37Psalms 107:20.

19. That healing was promised on condition of obedience to God Exodus 15:26Exodus 107:17-21.

20. That the brazen serpent, a type of Christ, caused healing Numbers 21:1-9John 3:14. Should we expect less of Christ, the antitype, than from the type of Christ?

21. That healing always came unless certain ones had sinned and were under the curse of the law, which had to be upheld Numbers 11:19-20Numbers 25:1-14.

22. That the heathen outside the covenants of God were not promised healing until they came under the terms of the covenants and lived up to them.

23. That all the plagues upon Israel occurred because of sin.

24. That eleven out of thirteen plagues upon Israel in the wilderness were caused by the misuse of the tongue, as seen in Point IV, above.

25. That God did permit the devil to afflict Job, but that God used the affliction to purify and refine him Job 2:6-7Job 42:1-7. God did not leave him sick all of his life; so this is no example for modern believers to follow. After the test God healed him; so if anyone today claims he is under a test like Job, let him also learn his lesson and get healed. Let him believe God will heal him as He did Job.

26. That God, to bring sinners to repentance, does permit Satan to afflict them Job 33:12-301 Corinthians 5:1-52 Corinthians 2:6-11.

27. That God always healed when the lessons were learned and men came to repentance Genesis 20:7, 17Numbers 11:2Numbers 12:13-16Numbers 21:1-9Job 33:12-30Job 42:1-12Psalms 103:3.

28. That God permits Satan to afflict His people when they go astray Numbers 12:13-16Numbers 21:1-9.

29. That bodily healing is taught in both Testaments—in every division of the books of the Bible and in almost every book of the Bible, as seen in Points III-V, above.

30. That this is the only means God can use to wake some men to their need of God and bring them to repentance Job 33:12-30Hosea 6:1.

31. That divine health as well as divine healing was promised when certain conditions were met Exodus 15:26Proverbs 3:1-8Proverbs 12:18Proverbs 13:3Proverbs 15:4Proverbs 18:8, 21James 5:14-16.

32. That Christ came to redeem from both sin and sickness Matthew 8:16-17Matthew 9:1-10Galatians 3:13Romans 8:11Acts 10:381 Peter 2:241 John 3:8.

33. That healing is in fulfillment of prophecy Matthew 8:16-171 Peter 2:24Isaiah 53:4-5.

34. That Jesus proved His claims to Sonship by healing Matthew 4:23-24Matthew 11:3-6Luke 4:18-25Luke 13:32, 33Acts 10:381 John 3:8.

35. That Jesus authorized the twelve to heal as they went preaching (Mt. 10).

36. That He also authorized the seventy to heal as they preached (Lk. 10).

37. That the disciples were successful in healing and casting out devils before Pentecost Mark 6:7-13.

38. That the disciples were authorized to carry on the work of healing throughout this age to confirm the Word of God Matthew 28:20Hebrews 2:3-4.

39. That the early believers did confirm the Word by healing Matthew 16:20Acts 2:43Acts 3:1-12Acts 5:12-16Acts 6:8Acts 8:7-13Acts 11:19-22Acts 14:3, 27Acts 15:4, 12Acts 19:11-12Acts 28:9Romans 15:18-19, 291 Corinthians 16:10Hebrews 2:3-4.

40. That all disciples throughout this age are commanded to observe all things Christ commanded the early disciples Matthew 28:20Acts 1:1-3.

41. That Jesus commanded the disciples to get definite power to confirm the Word of God before they went out Luke 24:49Acts 1:1-8Mark 16:15-20John 14:12-15.

42. That Jesus sent the Holy Spirit into the world to carry on the healing ministry that He had started Acts 1:1-8Acts 2:33-341 Corinthians 12:7-11Hebrews 2:3-4.

43. That Jesus promised such power to every believer Mark 9:23Mark 11:22-24Mark 16:15-20John 14:12-15John 15:7, 16.

44. That the gifts of healing are part of the spiritual equipment of the Church 1 Corinthians 1:71 Corinthians 12:7-11Romans 12:6-8Romans 15:18-19, 29Hebrews 2:3-4.

45. That healing is part of the Church work James 5:14-161 Corinthians 12:7-11.

46. That it is always God’s will to heal His children in the New Covenant Matthew 6:10Matthew 7:7-11Matthew 8:3, 7Mark 9:23Mark 11:22-24Mark 16:15-20John 14:12-15John 15:7, 16John 16:23-26Hebrews 11:6James 1:5-9James 5:14-16.

47. That healing is in the atonement Isaiah 53:4-5Matthew 8:16-171 Peter 2:241 Corinthians 11:23-32John 3:14James 5:14-16.

48. That apart from the atonement God would have no right to answer prayer for healing, for death was the penalty for sin and the law must be upheld; the sinner would have no right to ask God for healing, for he is under the death sentence; Christ would not have healed, for there would have been no means of forgiveness and healing; He would not have authorized his ministers to carry on His work; the Spirit would have no basis for working among men; and not one part of the penalty for sin or the results of sin could be done away with. The atonement is the basis of all God’s mercy of any kind to men. When sin is atoned for, naturally the results of sin are likewise atoned for. When sin is removed out of the human race, there will be no more sickness (Rev. 21).

49. That healing is part of the children’s bread and their right by virtue of redemption Matthew 7:7-11Matthew 15:22-28Mark 7:29Luke 13:16John 3:14-16John 14:12-15John 15:7, 16John 16:23-261 John 3:8, 201 John 5:14-15.

50. That healing is part of the work of the Holy Spirit in believers Romans 8:111 Corinthians 12:7-11Hebrews 2:3-4Acts 1:8Luke 24:49.

51. That failure to appropriate healing by faith in the broken body and shed blood of Christ frequently has resulted in premature death 1 Corinthians 11:23-32.

52. That healing proves that one has the Holy Spirit in him Romans 8:11.

53. That healing proves that one is a full fledged believer in all the truth of the gospel John 14:12Mark 16:15-20.

54. That healing proves that Jesus Christ lives today Hebrews 13:8John 14:12.

55. That healing proves that the individual has exercised faith and has claimed and got his redemptive rights Mark 11:22-24Mark 16:15-20John 14:12-15John 15:7, 16John 16:23-26Hebrews 11:6James 1:5-9James 5:14-16.

56. That healing is one of the signs that were to follow believers Mark 16:15-20

57. That healing is in God’s plan for this age as well as in the Millennium Mark 16:15-20John 14:12-15Isaiah 30:26Isaiah 33:24Isaiah 35:1-10.

58. That healing proves that God’s promises are true 2 Peter 1:4-5James 5:14-16Romans 8:11Mark 11:22-24John 14:12-15John 15:7, 162 Corinthians 1:20.

59. That because full instructions how to get healed and stay healed are carefully given in Scripture, healing must be the will of God, and that such benefits will be realized if instructions are followed; otherwise the whole thing is a farce (Isa. 58:1-14; Jer. 17:5-10; Ps. 34:12-13; 37:1-8; 91:1-12; 103:1-3; Exod. 15:26; Lev. 26; Deut. 28; Prov. 3:1-8; 12:18; 13:3; 15:4; 18:8, 21; Mt. 7:7-11; 17:14-21; 21:21; Mk. 9:23; 11:22-24; 16:15-20; Jn. 14:12-15; 15:7, 16; 16:23-26; Rom. 4:17; Heb. 11:6; Jas. 1:5-9; 4:7; 5:14-16).

60. That healing is included in our salvation, for the Hebrew and Greek words for “salvation” imply the ideas of healing, health, preservation, and soundness.

61. That healing is to be expected as a manifestation of the Fatherhood, love, and will of God for His children as it would be of any earthly parent Matthew 6:10Matthew 7:7-11Mark 9:23Mark 11:22-24Luke 11:1-13Luke 18:1-18John 14:12-15John 15:7, 16John 16:23-26Hebrews 11:6James 1:5-9James 5:14-16. Is God the only Father who desires that His children be always sick and diseased? Is He the only one who does not love His children? Is He the only one who would prefer His children to have weaknesses, failures, sins, sicknesses, material wants, and constant defeat by their enemy? Does He love His children less than earthly parents? Is He the only one who is a respecter of persons and will heal one and not another, will help men in one age and not in another, will provide healing for some and not for others, and will love and benefit some of His children but not all others? Is He the only Father who promises unlimited benefits for His children and then refuses to give them such blessings when they are needed? No! A thousand times No! God loves His children and wills for them the best in life, as any true father does and He will always gives His children what He has promised and what they want if they will have faith in Him.

62. That healing is the natural result of meeting certain conditions, and that all the powers of darkness cannot keep a believer sick if and when these conditions are met Proverbs 3:1-8Proverbs 12:18Proverbs 13:3Proverbs 15:4Proverbs 18:8, 21Psalms 34:12-131 Peter 3:10Hebrews 11:6James 1:5-9James 4:7James 5:14-16Mark 11:22-24John 14:12-15John 15:7, 16.

63. That healing is on the same basis as forgiveness of sins and is just as easy to get Matthew 9:1-7Matthew 13:15Acts 8:27James 5:14-16.

64. That healing proves the resurrection of Christ Romans 8:11Acts 3:15-16.

65. That healing is one of the best means of attracting men to the gospel John 6:2Acts 3:1-11Acts 5:12-16Acts 6:8Acts 8:1-20Acts 9:32-42Acts 14:8-16, 27Acts 15:4, 12Acts 19:11-20.

66. That healing is one of the quickest ways of getting men converted John 4:46-53John 11:45Acts 4:4Acts 5:12-16Acts 8:5-8Acts 9:34, 35Acts 19:11-20Acts 28:4-10.

67. That healing is the best means of glorifying God Mark 2:12Luke 13:17Acts 3:8. How can people who are defeated and held in bondage by the work of Satan be free to glorify God for permitting them to stay in bondage? How can people glorify God for the work of the devil in them? How can God’s work be carried forward when God’s people are defeated and helpless?

68. That healing and health is a personal choice just like forgiveness of sins and personal salvation Matthew 7:7-11Mark 11:22-24Hebrews 11:6James 1:5-9James 4:7James 5:14.

69. That there is no excuse for children of God to be sick and defeated by Satan, for all things are possible to him that believeth Mark 9:23Mark 11:22-24John 15:7, 16.

70. That it is God’s highest will and wish for his children to be happy, healthy and prosperous Psalms 1:2-3Mark 11:22-24John 15:7, 16.

71. That if Satan has the power to bring all kinds of diseases upon men, he also has the power to remove them if he can get men to follow some unbiblical religion that will eventually damn the soul Matthew 7:21-23Matthew 24:242 Corinthians 11:13-152 Thessalonians 2:8-12Revelation 12:9Revelation 13:2, 13. A number of false religions that deny such essentials of the gospel as the blood of Christ, His bodily resurrection, salvation from sin through the blood, and others, are claiming healings and material benefits for their followers. This cannot be doubted, but such benefits should not be accepted from this source, for it is the work of Satan to get men to deny the gospel that will save the soul. One should reject these benefits from Satan and seek and receive them from God, and then no part of the gospel will have to be rejected.

72. That Satan cannot touch God’s people without the permission from their Heavenly Father; so if everyone will walk in truth as he receives it, there will be no permission given 1 Corinthians 11:29-321 John 1:7.

73. That God’s people if they live clean and holy lives can enjoy long life without being sick 1 John 1:7Ephesians 6:21 Peter 3:10.

74. That God has provided all necessary weapons to defeat sin, sickness, and all the works of Satan 2 Corinthians 10:4-5Ephesians 6:10-18Mark 16:15-20John 14:12-15John 15:7, 16Galatians 5:16-22Romans 8:1-39.

75. That God’s program of healing is the same today as ever John 14:12-15John 15:7, 16Mark 16:15-20Acts 1:1-8. The devil is the same. His works are the same. His power in the lives of men needs to be broken today as ever. God is the same. His works and will are the same. His power is still available for believers to destroy the works of the devil. The only thing remaining for the Church is to awake to its rightful place in the gospel and launch a hell-defeating campaign by getting back to New Testament living and power. Believers should ask God for the power He gave the early Church Luke 24:49Acts 1:8; carry out thy great commission to the letter Matthew 28:19-20Mark 16:15-20Acts 1:8; keep the commandments of Christ John 14:12-15John 15:10-17; follow Christ in speaking and working John 5:19, 30John 8:28-29John 12:49John 14:10-12 and living 1 John 2:61 John 3:71 John 4:171 Peter 2:21; walk in the Spirit Galatians 5:16-24; put to death all carnal traits contrary to the will of God Romans 8:1-13Colossians 3:5-17; and practice literally the gospel of the New Testament as it reads, not as we interpret it to read. When believers begin to do these things they will again see New Testament power and experiences.

76. That the gospel is still the power of God unto salvation Romans 1:16. Healing is included in salvation, for this word means “deliverance,” “healing,” “soundness,” and “preservation for body, soul, and spirit” Luke 1:69-71Luke 18:42.

77. That sickness will not come upon God’s people unless they turn from holiness to sin Exodus 15:26. If this was true of preservation from sickness in the Old Covenant, it is much more true of men under the New Covenant, which contains greater promises and a greater glory than the old one does 2 Corinthians 3:6-15Hebrews 7:22Hebrews 8:6. In Ps. 91 we have a whole chapter which promises immunity from sickness, and this applies to the New Covenant times as well as to the Old Covenant period. It may be only the sin of unbelief, as is clear in Points 45-56, above.

78. That sickness is never the will of God for His people. Believers in the New Covenant have the privilege to ask “what ye will” John 15:7, “whatsoever” Matthew 21:21John 14:13John 15:16John 16:23-261 John 3:221 John 5:14-15, “anything” John 14:14Matthew 18:18-20, and “what things soever ye desire” Mark 11:22-24. What could be more all-inclusive and unlimited than these promises? What could express the highest will of God more than these? What could be more definite than these to prove that “all things are possible to him that believeth?” Matthew 17:20Mark 9:23. If then it is left up to the will of each believer to get what he wills, and if it is God’s will for each one to get what he wills, then why should anyone will to be sick when he can will otherwise if he chooses? He will be in the perfect will of God by so doing. He will be healed.

79. That God answers prayer even after judgment has been pronounced upon the sick one Numbers 14:12-20Exodus 32:10-14.

80. That healing demonstrates the power of God over the power of Satan Acts 10:35Acts 26:181 John 3:8Luke 13:16John 10:10. Dealing with sickness, then, should be on the same basis as dealing with sin and Satan. If one will recognize the true source of his troubles and that God wills to heal and will heal if He is asked to do so in faith, he will get a speedy deliverance from the enemy of both God and man. As long as men think it is God’s will for them to be sick and that God is causing the trouble, then they believe lies and the truth cannot set them free. God moves within His own laws and He will not work because of unbelief; because of the refusal of the sick one to clear God of all guilt for his trouble; because of belief in lies instead of truth; because of co-operation with Satan instead of with God; and because of the exercise of unbelief instead of faith. God works only upon the principles of faith and truth, and He will not break His law for any person Hebrews 11:6James 1:5-9John 8:21-32.

These eighty lessons must be learned, and the truth must be obeyed, and faith must be exercised without wavering before God is obligated to deliver any sick person from the hands of the devil. If you are sick it will pay you to meditate upon the above eighty lessons gleaned from a study of the Scriptures and the Bible cases of sickness. You can be healed instantly when you believe the truth. It will automatically set you free John 8:31-32. Do not live in ignorance and unbelief any longer. Do not be satisfied with defeat. Take an aggressive stand against sin, unbelief, sickness, and Satan, and all the demons out of Hell cannot hold you in bondage. Jesus loves you and has come to set you free; so believe it and yield to Him for the deliverance. He said, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” John 10:10.

22 Proofs that Bodily Healing is in the Atonement:

1. In point IV, above, we have many cases of sickness and healing in the O. T. Cases 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 11, 13, 19, 21, 28, 31, 33, 34, 35, 37, 43, 46, 47, 48, and 51 were healed because of prayer. No man has a right to pray and expect an answer apart from atonement and forgiveness of sins which bring the right relationship with God causing Him to be gracious. Cases 9, 18 and 27 were healed because of atonement and prayer.

2. In point V, above, we have innumerable cases of healing by Christ on the basis of “Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses;” and if this was not through His atoning work then upon what grounds did He heal?

3. Both Isaiah and Peter say that by the stripes of Jesus we are healed Isaiah 53:51 Peter 2:24. Shall we deny this and say that the stripes of Jesus were not part of His sufferings at the time He made atonement for all men?

4. Sickness came as a result of sin, and certainly sin is removed by the atonement of Jesus Christ, or it has no remedy Matthew 8:16-171 Peter 2:24.

5. Forgiveness of sins and the healing of the body go hand in hand, and both were provided for at the same time and by the same means Isaiah 6:10Isaiah 53:1-12Matthew 9:18James 5:14.

6. Isaiah plainly says that the Messiah was “made sick for us” and “took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses” Isaiah 53:4-5, 10Matthew 8:16-171 Peter 2:24. In verse 10 of Isa. 53, “put him to grief” literally means “He was made sick” for us in providing the atonement, in the same sense that “He was made sin for us” 2 Corinthians 5:21. Some versions read, “He was made sick for us.”

7. God made covenants to heal Exodus 15:26Exodus 23:25Matthew 8:16-17James 5:14Hebrews 8:6. And, all covenants were ratified by atonement Exodus 24:5-8Hebrews 9:11-22. If the covenants were ratified in blood, then the benefits of the contracts are in the atonement.

8. God sent His Word and healed every person in all Israel; and there was not one feeble person in all their tribes Psalms 105:37Psalms 107:20. This was not done without the atoning process but rather with atonement to get rid of both these curses—sin and sickness.

9. Through the brazen serpent many were healed Numbers 21:7-9. This was a type of Christ who came to give the same benefits of forgiveness and healing by hanging on a tree to make full atonement for all the curse John 3:14.

10. Every time a person in Israel was healed, atonement had to be made Leviticus 14:2-57Leviticus 15:1-33Matthew 8:4.

11. Sickness is declared to be the work of Satan Job 2:6-7Luke 13:16John 10:10Acts 10:38Romans 5:12-21. Since Christ came to destroy the works of the devil through His atoning work, then healing must be in the atonement 1 John 3:8.

12. The benefits of both the O. T. and N. T., in fact all parts of these contracts became effective only when they were ratified by blood atonement Exodus 24:5-8Hebrews 9:11-22. No man has a right to claim one benefit of the promises who ignores the atonement. Christ said that “This is the blood of the New Testament” which is shed for many.

13. Spiritual means to heal the body was all that God provided in both the old and new contracts, and all this was on the basis of atonement Exodus 15:26Exodus 23:25James 5:141 Peter 2:24Matthew 8:17.

14. Atonement was clearly a part of the primitive method of healing sickness Job 33:10-30. Here the Hebrew word for “ransom” means “atonement.”

15. The Holy Spirit was sent into the world to continue the work that Christ “began to do and to teach” Acts 1:1-8Acts 2:33Romans 8:11Hebrews 2:3-4. He has no grounds for acting and working in the process of redemption for the body and soul of man, apart from the atonement.

16. Healing was to accompany conversion and redemption by the atonement Isaiah 6:10Matthew 9:5Matthew 13:14-15John 3:14John 10:10James 5:14-16.

17. Healing is a part of salvation, which can be given only upon the basis of atonement. The Hebrew and Greek words for “salvation” mean “healing,” “health,” “soundness,” “preservation,” “deliverance,” and all necessary benefits of salvation Romans 1:16Acts 3:16Acts 4:12.

18. Healing and other answers to prayer are promised by the gospel; and no benefit of the gospel can be given apart from atonement, which makes the promises effective Matthew 6:10Matthew 7:7-11Matthew 17:20Matthew 21:22Mark 9:23Mark 11:22-24John 14:12-15John 15:7, 16John 16:23-26Hebrews 11:6James 1:4-8James 5:14-161 John 3:21-221 John 5:14-15.

19. Many Corinthians were sick and some had already died because of failure to appropriate healing through the shed blood and broken body of Jesus Christ—broken because of His stripes and other sufferings at the time He took our sins and sicknesses 1 Corinthians 11:29.

20. Peter made it clear that the man at the gate was healed because of the salvation that Jesus Christ purchased through the atonement Acts 3:16Acts 4:12.

21. Paul went so far as to state that the whole creation, including the bodies of the redeemed, and all animals and every other material part of creation, is to be redeemed by the blood atonement of Jesus Christ Romans 8:19-25. If the whole creation is to be thus delivered through redemption, then surely healing of the body now can come through the atonement.

22. Atonement to save from physical death was made (in Exod. 12) when blood was placed over the doors to save the firstborn of Israel. Even all consecrations of the body, soul, and spirit had to be made by atonement (Lev. 8). Furthermore, atonement was necessary in the cleansing of houses, tents, and other material things Leviticus 14:52Leviticus 16:14-27.

Healing is the Christian’s “family right” Matthew 7:7-11; “redemption right” Matthew 8:16-171 Corinthians 11:27-301 Peter 2:24; “promised right” 2 Corinthians 1:202 Peter 1:3-4; “legal right” Galatians 3:13-14; and “gospel right” Matthew 17:20Matthew 21:22Mark 9:23Mark 11:22-24Mark 16:15-20John 14:12-15John 15:7, 16John 16:23-26Hebrews 11:6James 1:4-81 John 3:14-151 John 5:21. See other reasons for healing in the atonement in the 80 lessons under Point VII, above.

VIII. Excuses of Unbelief Answered with Scripture

1. 1 A very common excuse for unbelief is that some persons are sick for God’s glory. The favorite Scriptures that demons use to persuade men that they are sick for the glory of God are Jn. 9:1-3 and 11:4. It is argued that the blind man and Lazarus in these Scriptures were healed for the glory of God and that it must have been the will of God for them to be in the state of blindness and death before God could get glory in healing them.

This argument is half true. Naturally God cannot get glory out of any healing if no one is ever sick, but this does not prove that it is God’s will for the people to be sick so that He can heal them. If it were the will of God for people to be sick, then He never would have healed anyone to oppose His own will. God never would have sent Jesus to heal all the sick against the will of God if it were His will for them to be sick. The reason God healed was to prove to men that it was not His will for them to be sick. The glory God got out of all the cases of healing in Scripture was not in the sicknesses, but in the healing. If the blind man had remained blind, or if Lazarus had remained dead, God would not have been glorified. The devil would have been glorified, for his work would have continued to be manifest in them. No person can glorify God and magnify His work until it is manifest in Him. This should stir every child of God to refuse such deception any longer, that of being sick for the glory of God. It is the devil that causes the sickness and then he tries to make the sick one believe that God is responsible and that it is God’s will for him to be sick. As long as the deceived one thinks he is glorifying God and that he is in accord with the will of God in being sick, let him never seek to get well by prayer or by any other means. On the contrary, let him desire to become more sick in order to glorify God that much more and in order to get into deeper accord with the will of God. The fact is that no one can conscientiously believe such a theory, but some think it convenient to accuse God of the work of Satan so as to excuse their unbelief and lack of fight against Satan.

Suppose a rich man in a community would promise to pay all hospital bills and buy new cars for all who got into a serious accident. Suppose there were a number of accidents; should he be accused of deliberately causing them just because he promised to help men out of their troubles? Should he be accused of causing them just to get some praise for helping his neighbors? It is true his goodness would be magnified by such acts of kindness, but this would not be the cause of the wrecks. He does not will such, and he would prevent them if at all possible. If he deliberately caused the wrecks so that he could get praise for helping those who were wrecked, all of society would rise up and destroy him and reject such benevolence.

So it is with God, that men get into sin and sickness, or they are attacked by satanic powers and He helps men out of their troubles and thereby receives the glory due Him for His goodness does not prove that He wills the affliction or that He is the cause of the trouble. It is simply the fact that God gets glory in spite of them, not because He is responsible for them.

1. 1 Another common excuse of unbelief is that the sick one is under the chastening of God and that it would be presumptuous to ask God to heal under those circumstances. The sick one hides behind Heb. 12:5-10, but this passage compares the chastening of God to that of human parents, and we know that no human parent will chasten any child by sickness and disease. Is God less loving than earthly parents? Jesus taught that He was more loving than men; so if men will not chasten by such means, then lay this theory aside and quit being deceived by Satan. All the sick one has to do is to recognize that the source of his trouble is the devil and then cooperate with God to defeat him so that healing will come and then God will get the glory for healing.

If men will not obey God or exercise faith in Him and offer resistance to Satan, then God will not work in their behalf. A good father will help a boy get out of trouble but he will never be responsible for getting him into it. A father will use the occasion of the troubles his children get into to teach certain lessons and perhaps chastise them, but he will not deliberately will or be a party to destroying his children by disease. A father also will help rescue a child when attacked and beaten by an enemy, but he will never jump on the boy and help his enemy destroy him.

Likewise, a child of God does not have to accept sickness as a chastening from God. He needs to realize he is set upon by demons and not God, and that God is the source of his deliverance. Only one passage on chastening in the New Testament could be used of physical sickness and the cause of the failure to get healing here is not appropriating healing from the broken body and the shed blood of Christ, not to the chastening of God. So the law of sowing and reaping had to be executed. They could have believed God instead of being defeated through unbelief.

The Greek word for “chastening” in Heb. 12:5-10 is paideuo and it means “child training.” It is translated: “instructing” 2 Timothy 2:25, “taught” Acts 22:3, “teaching” (Titus 2:12), “learn” 1 Timothy 1:20, “learned” Acts 7:22, “chastened” 1 Corinthians 11:322 Corinthians 6:9Hebrews 12:5-10Revelation 3:19, and “chastise” Luke 23:16, 22. Suppose we read into these passages the idea that the only way one can learn anything is by sickness and disease. One can then see how foolish is such an idea. He can also see that this is not the way God chastises men and men chastise each other as recorded in 2 Sam. 7:14; Prov. 19:18; Ps. 73:14; 2 Cor. 6:9; Heb. 12:5-10. It is true that God permitted men to be punished by sickness, but in each case the person had sinned and broken the law of God and this gave Satan an occasion to attack him. In such instances, God simply used the trouble as an occasion to teach certain lessons and to help the person out of trouble, just like any other parent would do.

When one says he is under the chastening of God, he admits that he has sinned and rebelled against God to the point where he got into the hands of Satan, and therefore, he thinks that God will do nothing except permit him to reap what he has sown. But in the circumstances he can still repent and surrender to God who will immediately heal him if he will have faith Job 33:14-29. Where no known sin has been committed and yet a sick one imagines he must be ill because of something that he has done, this is a clear case of demon deception and attack which should be met by a vigorous resistance in the name of Jesus and by faith in the blood of Christ.

1. 1 The third excuse for unbelief is that God is the one who does the afflicting so why ask Him to remove it? Christians hide behind this excuse because David said, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous” Psalms 34:19. Therefore, they think afflictions are God’s will and there is no use to resist them. This kind of an argument will not stand up in view of all the other passages where the word “affliction” is found. It is found 177 times and only once is it clear that it refers to physical sickness Psalms 107:17-20. Not even Jas. 5:13 is clear that it refers to sickness. It is used in many ways other than in reference to sickness, such as: “man afflicting man” Genesis 15:13Exodus 1:11; “husbands afflicting wives” Genesis 31:50; “men afflicting their own souls” Leviticus 16:29-31; “loss of loved ones” Ruth 1:21; “family troubles” Genesis 29:32; “imprisonment” Psalms 107:10Philippians 4:14; “persecutions” 1 Thessalonians 1:6; “trials” Isaiah 48:10; “wars” Psalms 44:2Isaiah 9:1; and “fastings” Isaiah 58:5. Men are also spoken of as afflicting themselves James 4:9Leviticus 16:29. Both God and Christ are spoken of as being afflicted Isaiah 53:4, 7Isaiah 63:9Colossians 1:24. Shall we say that God, Christ, and all these persons referred to in these Scriptures had diseases when they were afflicted?

Should we say that all these kinds of afflictions are physical diseases, then none of these Scriptures would make sense. Yet in the Christian realm, the word “affliction” is always, but with few exceptions used in referring to sickness. The Hebrew and Greek words for “affliction” mean “to look down,” “browbeat,” “depress,” “abase self,” “humble self,” “displease,” “hurt,” “vex,” “grieve,” and “be sad.” God never sends any of these trials. Sin and Satan are to blame for such afflictions as well as for sickness. Therefore do not blame God for any ill that comes to you or anyone. If He is not the cause of these afflictions, then one can freely in faith ask Him for help in these sufferings, and He will fulfill His promise and deliver. If the sick one wants to insult God by laying the blame on Him and use this as an excuse for his unbelief, then let him stay sick. There is nothing God will do for him until he is awakened from his delusion and brought to faith and humility.

It is not presumptuous to pray to God for any good thing. In fact, we are promised that “no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly” Psalms 84:11. The true believer can get what he wants and does get what he wants, for if he really wants it, he will truly exercise faith Mark 11:22-24. It is presumptuous to lay the blame for sickness on God instead of on the devil. If men would try in the least to believe God as they try to disbelieve Him they would get what they want. If they would try as hard to manufacture arguments for God and to build up faith in God and His Word, as they do to tear down faith and maintain arguments of unbelief, they would get instant healing from God.

Failure on God’s part to heal because men fail or refuse to have faith cannot glorify God. He cannot be glorified by sickness any more than by sin, for both are the works of the devil. Both sin and sickness glorify the devil, but never God unless He can get men to have faith so that He can deliver them from both. How wonderful it would be if all Christians would enter fully into their gospel and family rights and get healed. In this event, God could manifest His power over the devil that all men might know that there is a true and living God able to deliver all who put their trust in Him. God would be glorified throughout the Earth and millions of souls would be converted to the gospel of Christ. This power was demonstrated in the early Church and if men today would really become believers in all the gospel and “contend for the faith once delivered to the saints” (Jude 3), we would have a new type of Christianity to present to men. Christians are told to glorify God in their bodies and this can be done only by health and right living 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.

1. 1 Another excuse for unbelief is the claim that it is not always God’s will to heal. This is one of the greatest deceptions and lies of Satan.

Definite Proof That it is God’s Will to Heal

We have an abundance of proof in the above points that it is God’s will to heal, but this is not enough proof for some people. Even all the proof in the world would not be enough for some men, but to those who are honest and open-minded to truth the following facts will be sufficient to prove that it is always God’s will to heal:

(1) God would not have healed people in both Testaments as proven in the many cases of healing listed in Points IV and V, above, if it had not been His will to heal all who come in faith to him. God is no respecter of persons Romans 2:11, and He has told us if anyone has a respect of persons he has sinned James 2:9. This proves that God will heal all alike if He has ever healed anyone. Everyone can be healed the same way that others have been healed and they have the same right to such healing, for it is a part of His promises to provide for all alike, and it is one of the benefits for which Jesus died Matthew 8:16-171 Peter 2:24.

(2) God would not have made plain His will concerning healing, if it were not His will to always heal those who meet His conditions of healing Matthew 8:171 Peter 2:24.

(3) God would have been the originator of sin and sickness, if it had been His will for such to continue in the human race. He certainly would not have healed even one person, nor would He have provided for—and freely promised—healing if He were responsible for sickness.

(4) It was God’s will that man should be healthy and sinless forever when He created him, and that is still His highest will (3 Jn. 2).

(5) Jesus Christ proved it to be God’s will to heal all the sick when He actually healed all that were oppressed of the devil Acts 10:38. And when He gave the early Church power to carry on the work He “began both to do and to teach” Acts 1:1-8Matthew 29:19-20Mark 16:15-20John 14:12-15. Neither Christ nor the early believers would have destroyed sickness as the work of the devil if it had been the work of God. Jesus healed all that were sick and oppressed by the devil Matthew 8:17Acts 10:38.

(6) Sin is also the will of God if sickness is, for both were dealt with on the same basis Matthew 9:1-12James 5:14-16Matthew 13:15.

(7) Satan and demons would not fight to make and keep men sick if it was the will of God for them to be sick. Satan would try to make men well if it were the will of God for them to be sick. It is an unfailing principle of Satan to work just the opposite of the will of God. When one argues that it is God’s will for them or anyone to be sick he is in co-operation with Satan and not God Acts 10:381 John 3:8John 10:10.

(8) Jesus would not have died to heal men of sickness if it is the will of God for them to be sick, and if He wanted men to bear it Matthew 8:16-17John 10:10John 12:14-15Acts 10:381 Peter 2:24.

(9) Every time men asked Christ to heal He did it and repeatedly He said, “I will” Matthew 8:2, 7John 5:6. Since He spoke only as God gave Him words, then He expressed the will of God in saying “I will” John 12:49.

(10) There can be no analogy between Christ’s prayer, “If it be thy will” and the prayers of Christians concerning God’s will to heal. Healing is always of God and is always His will, and we do not have to ask Him if it is His will concerning anything that is definitely promised in Scripture. It is already His will or we would not have His word that it is. In other words, any promise God has made should never once be doubted and asking God about a promise one time expresses doubt. The promises to the believer are “ask what ye will” and “What things soever ye desire,” therefore ask, and ye shall have them Mark 11:22-24John 14:12-15John 15:7, 16John 16:23-26Matthew 21:21-22James 1:5-9Hebrews 11:6. How literally foolish it is to ask God to know His will concerning anything that is already clearly His will! Never be guilty again of praying a useless, unbelieving prayer concerning anything that God has promised, such as “If it be thy will.” It is a sinful reflection upon God to always tell Him that you do not believe His will as expressed in plain promises and that you must hear from Him personally as to whether His promises are according to His will and as to whether He really is true in what He says. It is only in personal matters that are not specifically stated in the scriptural promises that we must ask concerning the will of God.

(11) Sick people should ask God to forgive their unbelief even when they are only tempted to question the will of God concerning healing. The will of God is expressed in the Lord’s prayer, “Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven” Matthew 6:10. If one could be presumptuous enough to argue that Heaven is full of sick people and that this is God’s will on Earth, one might question the will of God and excuse unbelief. This prayer has been perverted by Christians almost universally. Even Christian hymns and writings disclose such delusions of Satan to keep men in bondage to himself. Christians actually thank God for the work of the devil. Satan also leads them to believe that his works in their bodies glorify God and that they are in His perfect will by having sicknesses. A clear sample of such fallacy is expressed in the following hymn of Francis Ridley Havergal, written in great pain in the Alps, October 8, 1876:

“I take this pain, Lord Jesus, from thine own hand; The strength to bear it bravely thou wilt command. I take this pain, Lord Jesus, as proof indeed that thou art watching closely my truest need, that thou, my Good Physician, art watching still, that all thine own good pleasure thou wilt fulfill. I take this pain, Lord Jesus; what thou dost choose. The soul that really loves thee will not refuse. I take this pain, Lord Jesus, as thine own gift. And true, though tremulous praises I now up lift. ‘Tis thy dear hand, O Saviour, that presseth sore. The pressure only tells me thou lovest me.”

What wonderful love and what a way to express it! This is accusing Christ of being the author of pain and sickness for the pleasure of God; that sickness proves the love of God; that it is the truest need of man; that the Good Physician instead of healing, makes sick; that it is God’s pleasure to cause pain in His children; and that such is the choice and gift of God to the redeemed.

One can only believe that such poetry was inspired of Satan instead of God. And to think—saints are so deceived. Surely Satan stands back and laughs with glee when he can get God’s own children to accuse him of putting on them the works of the devil.

(12) Sickness is an enemy and death is an enemy, so why should it be God’s will that His enemies should be the victor in the lives of His people? 1 Corinthians 15:24-28Hebrews 2:14-15

(13) It is as impossible for God to communicate disease as it is for him to communicate and propagate sin and rebellion. Neither sin or sickness comes from God for they do not belong to Him. They belong to a fallen world of sinful creatures James 3:11-12.

(14) It is not presumptuous to pray in every case for healing, believing from the whole heart that it is already God’s will and that it shall be done according to His will John 10:10John 15:7James 4:7James 5:14-18Mark 11:22-24.

From the standpoint of answered prayer, it has been made plain that it is always God’s will to heal all who have faith. There is no limitation to the promises that He will heal and answer us concerning anything for which we pray. There is no limitation to the believer to get what he wants if he will pray in faith Mark 9:23Mark 11:22-24Matthew 21:21-22John 14:12-15John 15:7, 16John 16:23-26. Even if there was no specific provision or promise that God will heal the body we still have the promises that God will do whatsoever we ask of Him. This is made clear in the above Scriptures, so would this not include healing for the body? If it does, then it is the will of God always to heal and meet His obligations to answer according to His Word.

(15) If it were not the will of God to always heal He never would have provided the means of healing, made a covenant to heal, promised healing, demonstrated it, rebuked men for not having faith for it, continued to heal in every age, and He never would have made healing part of the spiritual equipment of the Church and proof that an individual is a full believer John 14:121 Corinthians 12:7-11Acts 1:8Acts 3:6Acts 4:30Acts 5:10Acts 19:11

(16) From the standpoint of the promises of God it is clear that it is always God’s will to heal the bodies of men and do anything and all things and whatsoever anyone asks Matthew 7:7-11Matthew 21:21-22Mark 9:23Mark 11:22-24John 14:12-15John 15:7, 16John 16:23-262 Corinthians 1:20.

(17) The infinite fatherhood of God, as taught in Mt. 7:7-11; Lk. 11:11-13, proves that it is always the will of God to heal the bodies of His children. If you had children would it be your will for them to suffer pain and sickness? Would you heal your children if they got sick? Would you heal them every time they got sick? Would you will for your children to suffer pain and sickness at any time if you could heal them? Why do you not want your children to be sick? Why would you heal them every time they got sick if you could? Why is it your will for your children to be always healthy? Wouldn’t you keep them healthy if you could? Do you not love your children enough to will for them perfect healing and health? Do you love your children more than God loves His own children whom He has bought with such a high price? Do you not think that God at least loves His children half as much as you love your own? If this is true, why would God then want to see His children sick? Why would He make them sick as He is oftentimes accused of doing? Why would it be His will for His children to suffer pain, sickness, poverty, and all the curses that come upon rebels against God who break the laws of God?

If you acknowledge that God loves His children as much as you love your children, then let us read what Jesus said, “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him” Matthew 7:7-11.

(18) Healing is the children’s bread Matthew 15:21-28. It is their family right, their gospel right, their legal right, their redemptive right, their needful right, their prayer right, and their divine right, as we have seen in Supplement Eleven.

(19) Jesus demonstrated to the leper and others that it was God’s will to heal the body. The leper believed that God could, but he questioned God’s will Matthew 8:1-4. People today follow the unbelieving theory of the leper more than they follow the plain teachings of Jesus. The leper said, “If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.” Jesus answered, “I will; be thou clean.” Is it not sad that men would rather follow the doubting of the leper than the faith of Jesus. Jesus also said to the centurion concerning his servant, “I will come and heal him” Matthew 8:5-10. Jesus never did say one time, “I won’t” and He never will say this to those who have faith.

(20) The Lord’s Prayer proves that it is always God’s will to heal sick bodies. We are taught to pray, “Thy will be done in earth, as it is done in heaven” Matthew 6:10. Can we conceive that it is God’s will in Heaven for men to be sick, full of pain, poor, and constantly defeated by the devil and demons? Can we even imagine that God permits the devil’s works to be manifest in the bodies of people in Heaven? Can we believe that God would not heal the bodies of His people in Heaven if they were sick? If we cannot conceive of sickness being the will of God in Heaven, then such is not His will on Earth.

(21) The work of the apostles and others also proves that God wills to heal all men who believe Acts 2:43Acts 3:1-16Acts 5:15-16Acts 6:8Acts 8:5-12Acts 9:17, 34Acts 15:4, 12Acts 19:11-12Hebrews 2:3-4.

(22) The suffering and death of Christ guarantees that it is the will of God to heal the bodies of men Matthew 8:16-17John 10:10-181 Peter 2:24Isaiah 53:1-10.

(23) Healing and health is specifically stated to be the will of God John 10:10Acts 10:38Matthew 8:16-171 Peter 1:24.

(24) The fact that the devil fights so hard to get men to disbelieve that healing is the will of God is proof that it is God’s will to heal for the devil is opposed to all the good works of God. Men never question whether healing is the will of God when they go to doctors. Every person who is sick seeks eagerly all the help possible from every human source, thus proving that his argument that it may be the will of God for him to suffer is a sham. If men believe that it is the will of God to suffer then they commit sin by going to doctors or seeking help from any source. They sin when they ask for prayer to be healed. They sin in the least thing they do to get relief from such suffering, for they are seeking to get out of the will of God. And to follow their reasoning further, they should seek to get deeper into pain and disease in order to get deeper into the will of God. It is only when it comes to getting healed by God that men begin to doubt and question the will of God in the matter. This proves the satanic source of all such questioning. This proof of the source of all doubt and unbelief proves that it is the will of God to heal or there would be no such satanic opposition.

(25) The fact that God did not create sickness as part of the perfect creation and the fact that sickness is here because of the work of the devil and because of sin, proves that it is not God’s will for it to be in the human race Romans 5:12-21Acts 10:38John 10:10Luke 13:16.

(26) God’s prescription for the sick proves that He does not will men to be sick James 5:14-16James 1:4-8Mark 11:22-24.

(27) The ministry of the Holy Spirit in the Church proves that it is God’s will for men to be healed Romans 8:111 Corinthians 12:1-31Acts 1:8Luke 24:49.

1. 1 Another excuse made for unbelief is that healing is not in the atonement because all saints are not healed. One might as well argue that forgiveness is not in the atonement because all sinners are not forgiven. This is an illogical and unscriptural excuse. The reason all Christians are not healed is because they fail to believe that God heals, just like a sinner fails to believe God for the salvation of his soul. Only those who have faith will get what they want. Healing is in the atonement as proven in Isa. 54:4-5; Mt. 8:16-17; 1 Cor. 11:29-30; 1 Pet. 2:24, and therefore everyone who has faith in the atonement can get all that it provides for him

1. 1 One of the most insensible and foolish arguments of unbelief today is that divine healing, gifts of the Spirit, miracles, and all supernatural inspiration and manifestations ceased in 64 a.d. when the apostles died. In the first place all the apostles did not die by 64 a.d. Secondly, there is no one passage that teaches such a theory. The Bible promises healing throughout this age, as we have seen. History has recorded multiplied thousands of healings by God in this age since the apostles. We know of thousands today that have been healed and can produce them to testify in any court that they have been miraculously healed by God’s power.

Men use the case of Trophimus in 2 Tim. 4:20 to prove that the day of miracles is over and that Paul and others had lost their power by that time. But this example does not prove this. The Greek word for “sick” here is astheneo, from asthenes, meaning “feeble,” “strengthless,” and “weak.” It does not always mean that sickness is from some disease. It is translated “without strength” Romans 5:6, “weak in faith” Romans 4:19Romans 14:1-2, “weak” law Romans 8:3, “weak” conscience 1 Corinthians 8:7-12, “weak” people 1 Corinthians 9:22, “Weak and beggarly elements of the world” Galatians 4:9, and “weak” in boldness 2 Corinthians 11:21, 292 Corinthians 13:3. It is also used of humility and dependence upon God 2 Corinthians 13:3, 4. Not one time is physical sickness referred to in these passages.

Trophimus was no doubt run down in body and had a physical breakdown because of his many labors for Christ and he needed to stay at Miletum to regain strength and rest a while. This is definitely stated of Epaphroditus who was brought back to health by proper rest and faith Philippians 2:25-30. No doubt it is true that many people in Bible days did not exercise faith and get healed, as is stated of many Corinthians 1 Corinthians 11:29-32, but that does not do away with God’s plan and provision for all who will believe. Multitudes were not saved in Bible days and yet shall we say that salvation ceased when the apostles died just because everyone was not saved in their day? This would not be a logical conclusion and therefore it would not be a good excuse for unbelief about healing.

Divine healing does not give us liberty to abuse our bodies and overwork day and night. We need proper rest and care for the body if a breakdown is to be avoided. Just because Trophimus had to stay at Miletum to regain bodily strength, this does not do away with the many promises that God will heal all who pray in faith. Even if his case was that of a disease it does not set aside one promise any more than the case of Judas being lost sets aside the plan for salvation from sin. Such arguments come solely from unbelief in the whole Word of God and willful rebellion against truth, or, if not from these, it comes from willful ignorance of the Bible.

1. 1 Another excuse made for unbelief is that all men in the Bible were not healed, so all men today cannot be healed. If one tried to get healing today like Asa (2 Chron. 16:12-14), Ahaziah (2 Ki. 1), and the woman of Mk. 5:24-34, he would likely fail to be healed. But if one will take all the hundreds of examples in Scriptures and follow the means of healing they used he would be healed.

1. 1 Others excuse their unbelief by claiming human remedies were used in Bible days instead of spiritual and divine means to heal sicknesses. Hezekiah’s poultice is used by some to prove God commanded human remedies, but a casual reading of Isa. 38 will show that his life already was prolonged fifteen years before the poultice was applied. And it was used for cleansing only for there is nothing curative about such a poultice. If this were not so, men would be using this particular kind of poultice today to heal. In this case it was Isaiah who advised use of the poultice, not the Lord; God did the healing, not the poultice. If God had not added fifteen years to his life all the poultices under the sun would not have helped him.

Some stumble over Timothy’s stomach and excuse their unbelief. They live in sickness when they should be well, if they would only believe God. The admonition to Timothy in 1 Tim. 5:23 was dietic only. A little grape juice could never cure any stomach. It is beneficial to drink a little grape juice instead of “water only,” (as the margin of the Bible reads). One would naturally have stomach trouble if he had to drink stagnant rain water that is gathered during the rainy seasons as was the case where Timothy was laboring for the Lord. One cannot believe the New Testament l and think that Paul taught Timothy unbelief, or that God would not heal any more, for Paul was a great man in power with God Acts 19:11-12Romans 15:18-19, 29.

All of Paul’s power would not take away such advice to Timothy under the circumstances. The water of Asia Minor was bad at certain seasons of the year due to the lack of rain and much suffering was thus caused. This advice to Timothy must be understood in this light but it should never be used to excuse unbelief, as is plainly the case when men are seeking some kind of an excuse for not asking God for healing. Thus, we must conclude that any so-called human remedies do not set aside God’s power to heal or nullify the atonement in any degree.

1. 1 Some people stumble over Paul’s thorn in the flesh and claim that God will not heal some people. His thorn in the flesh was not weak eyes as most men teach. It was plainly “an angel of Satan,” for the Greek word for “messenger” in 2 Cor. 12:7 means “angel” and not a disease. This angel followed Paul and caused all the sufferings he listed in 2 Cor. 11 which were sent to keep him humble lest he should be exalted above measure.

The expression “thorn in the flesh” should be understood in the same sense it is understood in Num. 33:55; Josh. 23:13; Judg. 2:3; 8:7. In these passages no disease is mentioned for they refer to the wars and hardships Israel was going to go through at the hands of the giants they had refused to kill. The thorn in Paul’s flesh therefore, refers to the sufferings the angel of the devil caused him to endure as proven in 2 Cor. 4:8-18; 6:1-10; 11:16-33; 12:7-11; 1 Cor. 4:9-17. The word “buffet” used in 2 Cor. 12:7 of Paul is never used of sickness, as proven where it is used Matthew 26:671 Corinthians 4:111 Peter 2:20. Therefore, whatever it was that was buffeting Paul to keep him humble had to be some supernatural person to harmonize with all Scripture.

An examination of Scriptures used to prove Paul had a physical disease do not say one thing about bodily sickness. The word “weak” in 1 Cor. 2:3; 4:10 should be understood of humility and dependence upon God as explained under Point 6, above. The passage in 2 Cor. 10:10 covers what was reported about him. But if we are going to take the word “weak” in this passage to prove he had a disease let us make the same word mean the same thing in 2 Cor. 11:29 where he said “I am not weak” or “I am not sick,” then, the argument concerning the other passage will be of no effect.

The words “affliction” and “chasten” in 2 Cor. 6:4, 9 do not refer to disease any more than the same words do in other Scriptures, as explained already in Points 2 and 3, above.

The last passages we refer to that men use to prove Paul had sore eyes are Gal. 4:15 and 6:11, but neither of these passages say that he had the common oriental eye disease. The first passage could best be understood as a figure of affection for Paul. Just like one might say today, “I would give my right eye for that,” or “you would give your right limb for me, you love me so.” We would not have to believe that the speaker had a right eye or leg full of disease. These are mere human figures of speech, expressing affection.

Concerning Gal. 6:11, “Ye see how large a letter I have written with mine own hand.” The Greek word for “letter” is gramma, meaning “a writing, a letter, note, epistle, book, bill, or document.” It could not possibly be that Paul was so blind that he had to write big letters in his words, for if he were as blind as this, he could not have written an epistle at all. It would not have been readable if he had written it. Galatians was a long epistle, longer than seven of Paul’s epistles and as long as two others. In some ancient Manuscripts, Hebrews was attached to Galatians with this phrase, “Pros Hebrios,” to the Hebrews, and if this be the case these epistles together would make this writing of Paul longer than any of his other separate works. At any rate, we can forget the sore eye theory, as there is nothing to support it in Scripture.

Let me repeat again, if men will thus seek half as hard for an excuse to believe God as they do for an excuse to disbelieve Him they would get more of the benefits of the gospel. One of the greatest regrets of Heaven will be that when we get there and see how fully God had provided for our needs on Earth and how anxious He was to bless us with the abundance of everything, we will wish we had believed Him more in this life. Let us now wake up to the greatness of His promises and refuse to let any man or demon rob us of the full benefits we can have now.