| Christian Life and Doctrine | July 1966 |
Divine Healing
“Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases.” —Ps. 103:1-3
“And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”—Rev. 22:1,2,17
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.”—Rev. 21:4,5
Our Lord died on Calvary. He arose on the third day. He ascended into heaven, there to appear in the presence of God for us, his church. Acts 2:33 assures us that he sent the Holy Spirit as our Comforter.
Romans 8:15-18 is a familiar text. It is also an important text for the footstep followers of Jesus Christ. It reads, “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the spirit of sonship [Diaglott], whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”
At Jordan there was a special manifestation of the Holy Spirit, and so there was at Pentecost. And so there was in due time when Cornelius became the first Gentile convert. Why do we not receive these special manifestations today? There is a reason. These manifestations were necessary in apostolic days to show that a new dispensation of sonship had begun. They are not necessary today. At Pentecost the apostles received gifts: they spoke with tongues; they performed the miracle of healing. Peter and Paul raised the dead. These special manifestations were also necessary then to establish the church.
They are not necessary now. Speaking in tongues was necessary then. Acts 2:4-8 explains the reason: “They began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?” It was necessary at that point in the establishment of the church to reach the people with the message of God. The gibberish called speaking in tongues today is not necessary. Today, every man can hear or read the message in his own tongue without a miraculous manifestation.
Purpose of Gifts
The gifts of apostolic days served a threefold purpose: (1) They proved that our Lord fulfilled his promise to send the Comforter. (2) They proved to all that God was with the disciples of the crucified Christ. (3) They established the Early Church, which was so badly shaken by the crucifixion of our Lord. They needed these special gifts for their establishment. They had no Bibles as we have. II Timothy 3:16,17 tells us, “All scripture … given by inspiration of God … is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
We, today, have this Bible; they did not. Even access to the Old Testament was restricted. The New Testament was not yet written. So the Lord established them unto all good works with gifts. When the letters of the apostles became available to edify the church the gifts were no longer necessary. They served a good purpose then, for they were the credentials of the disciples. Do we need such credentials today? No! For that reason they have vanished away.
In his first letter to the Corinthians the Apostle Paul discusses these gifts and mentions their limitations. He states, “Yet show I unto you a more excellent way.” This way was more excellent than tongues, and more excellent than physical healing. And then, in I Corinthians 13:1-3, he sets forth this more excellent way: “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing.”
No doubt tongues were here mentioned because of the exaggerated importance which some attached to this particular gift. So the apostle says that one could have gifts even in those days and it would profit nothing, for so did the magicians of Pharaoh of Egypt. Gifts without the fruits of the Spirit are dead. Gifts pass away. Fruits of the Spirit continue—they abide forever.
Fruit of Spirit More Important
All Christians must agree that the fruits of the Spirit are more valuable than the gifts, because they represent Christian character, while the gifts do not. Our Lord emphasized this in Matthew 7:21-23, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Here the Master uttered a great truth. The important thing for us is to do the will of the Father. One may cast out devils, speak with tongues, heal the sick, and still hear the words, “I never knew you.” So let us determine to learn what the will of God is, and then do it!
Galatians 5:22 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh.” As between the gifts and the fruits of the Spirit, it should not be difficult to decide which is the more excellent way. The fruits of the Spirit represent character. We pray for the fruits of the Spirit. We receive gifts, but we grow and develop fruits, and every faithful Christian can exercise love, joy, peace, and the other fruits of the Spirit.
Paul Not Healed
The Apostle Paul was a member of the Early Church, and he had an annoying thorn in his flesh. He prayed that this “messenger of Satan” would depart. He prayed three times, but the great apostle was not healed. Instead the Lord said to him, “My grace is sufficient for thee. My strength is made perfect in weakness.” And when Paul saw the light of that truth he said, “Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
Have we learned this lesson? It is the lesson of full consecration. We all have thorns in our flesh—difficulties, trials, physical sickness, mental sickness. Why doesn’t the Lord heal us of these things? For the same reason that he didn’t heal Paul. These things are permitted for a purpose. Romans 8:28 tells us that all things work for good. To us the Lord also says, “My grace is sufficient … my strength is made perfect in weakness.” (II Cor. 12:9) May we keep this in mind. Under the Lord’s care and providences our frailties can work for our good, for our blessing. That is why we pray, “Thy will be done,” for our Father knows best.
Invited to Die
Jesus did not promise health to his disciples. He promised death: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Mark 8:34) This is the program for the Gospel Age. It is one of sacrifice, of taking up our cross and following in his steps. The Apostle Paul said to Timothy, “Use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.” (I Tim. 5:23) He made no mention of miraculous intervention other than that which the Lord might give without special prayer or request. And so let it be with us. Let us use natural means for the reasonable care of our bodies or for the recovery from an illness.
To do this, we do not have to deny divine power, we do not have to ignore divine power. We simply accept divine providence, rejoicing in his providences if he gives us good health or other blessings, and rejoicing, also, if we are sick; in other words, rejoicing in the will of God. That is consecration—rejoicing because we know that all our affairs are in the Lord’s hands and under his direction. We know that our Christian walk does not promise us material blessings, and this includes our health. The consecrated of God walk by faith in sickness, in health, in poverty’s vale, or abounding in wealth; for we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, the called according to his purpose.
Yes, Jesus healed the sick. But so far as we know he did not heal one of his disciples. He healed members of the world of Israel. His purpose at his first advent was not to deliver man from sickness. He actually healed only a few. He came to preach the Gospel of the kingdom. He came to redeem the world. He came to “taste death for every man.” Those healings that he did perform were illustrations to demonstrate the glory of his coming kingdom at his second advent; to demonstrate that divine healing will be the Lord’s program for the sin-cursed and dying world during the thousand-year messianic reign.
Future Glory Manifested
John 2:11 makes it plain, where, speaking of Jesus’ miracles, the Apostle John says, “This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory.” He manifested forth what all men may expect will be their portion when he sits upon the throne of his glory; and what a blessed day that will be!
We all know of the influence of the mind. Our attitude of mind affects our life. We know that a mind and heart full of joy, faith, hope, and love exerts a beneficial influence upon us, just as doubt, fear, and despair can create an injurious influence. So, also, if one of the Lord’s people visits the sick, he can be a help, an influence for good. Our presence should be cheerful, our presence should be refreshing, our presence should be comforting. Thus, as we communicate in word and prayer the precious promises of our Father’s Word, we will be helpful to the one who is sick. But we must not overlook the fact that the Lord knoweth the way that we take. He directs our providences. It is possible to seek our own will and not his will in our affairs, and we may thus take ourselves out of the Father’s hand, may put ourselves into Satan’s hand and risk our eternal welfare.
As Bible students we know of the two phases of the kingdom. We know of the spiritual reward of the church. We know of the promises which sustain us in our life of sacrifice and suffering. And we know if we are faithful to our covenant with the Lord by sacrifice, we will gain the promised reward of immortality in the first resurrection, to live and reign with Christ a thousand years.
We also know of restitution for the whole world of mankind, of the promises of physical health. We know that in the earthly kingdom “the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing.”—Isa. 35:5,6
We should keep these two sets of promises in their proper setting and not apply the promises of healing to the present time. There are two salvations—one heavenly and one earthly. Which salvation do we seek? The heavenly salvation is wonderful, but it requires sacrifice. It requires death—death of self and life in Christ. It requires such a full surrender that we will never care to ask why God gives our faith such testing or assigns so hard a task.
The earthly salvation will also be wonderful—perfect health, joy, and gladness, for sorrow and sighing shall flee away. But this salvation is not for the Gospel Age. It is for the next age and for the ages to come. It is the world’s wonderful hope for the future. And when that day comes, all will know why Jesus healed the sick to manifest forth his coming glory, when all mankind will be lifted from sin and death; when not only a few will be healed, but when all blind eyes will be opened; when all deaf ears will be unstopped—not temporarily, but permanently.
Greater Works
John 14:12 reads, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.” What did he mean? No doubt he meant that our work is on a higher level than that of healing physical ailments. It is a great work of healing spiritual sickness. Yes, of healing the sickness of discouragement, and sorrow, and other forms of spiritual weariness, soul-sickness, and also sin-sickness. Certainly it is the privilege of all the brethren to help one another in the narrow way.
But is that all that this text means? No, it has the further application of restoring mankind to health during the thousand-year messianic reign. We will share in that future work. “If ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed.” (Gal. 3:29) The seed of Abraham will bless all the families of the earth. “Greater works than these shall he do.” (John 14:12) Yes, greater than opening a few blind eyes for a few years at best. Rather, opening all blind eyes for eternity; of raising the dead unto everlasting life; of opening the minds of men to behold the goodness of our God.
In Jesus’ day divine power healed a few of the sick for a few short years, to illustrate that in due time divine power can heal all the sick and raise all the dead, and give to all the willing and obedient the privilege of enjoying everlasting life. Let us rejoice in sharing with our Lord in dispensing these greater blessings to all the families of the earth! Let us pray, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven,” (Matt. 6:10) for when this prayer is answered “the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick; the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.”—Is a. 33:2