Previous Questions and Answers
"Does 1 Peter 2:24 teach that physical healing is guaranteed because of the cross?"
One
of the three healings I mentioned in my previous email, was a semi-serious back
problem. I am in the home improvement business and for the last
seventeen years I've struggled at times with back problems that kept me out of work...
After speaking to my back (my mountain) and quoting 1 Peter 2:24... I
thanked God and proceeded to reach into the back of my truck to get something out, as I
began to straighten up I realized that my back was no longer in pain... This would not
have happened if I was still thinking as a Baptist would think.
God
can heal, and I do not know of any Baptist that does not believe that God can, and still
does heal people today. But Satan can also
heal, as we see him doing in the Tribulation Period.
“And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume
with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even
him, whose coming is AFTER THE WORKING OF SATAN with all POWER and SIGNS and LYING WONDERS”
(2 Thessalonians 2:8-9). “And I stood
upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and
ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard,
and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the
dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads
as it were wounded to death; and HIS DEADLY WOUND WAS HEALED: and all the world wondered
after the beast. And they worshipped THE
DRAGON WHICH GAVE POWER UNTO THE BEAST: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like
unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?” (Revelation 13:1-4).
Satan
also uses Scripture (in a twisted form) when it is convenient for him to seduce someone. He tried to do that with Jesus. “Then the devil taketh him up into the holy
city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son
of God, cast thyself down: FOR IT IS WRITTEN, He shall give his angels charge concerning
thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot
against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord
thy God” (Matthew 4:5-7). Satan was twisting the context of (“For he
shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee
up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone” Psalms 91:11-12), which
teaches that angels will protect a child of God.
When
you stated what verse you used to command your mountain to move (your sickness), you were
twisting and misinterpreting that verse. “Who
his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins,
should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Peter 2:24).
What you have embraced is the heresy called “Guaranteed Healing in the
Atonement.” The Charismatics teach that
just like you can ask God to save you; even so you can ask Him to heal you physically, and
He will (He must) when you plead the blood (Jesus’ death on the cross).
Notice
carefully the following verses, “When the even was come, they brought unto him many
that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, AND HEALED ALL
THAT WERE SICK: THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED WHICH WAS SPOKEN BY ESAIAS THE PROPHET, SAYING,
HIMSELF TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES, AND BARE OUR SICKNESSES” (Matthew 8:16-17). This prophecy was FULFILLED in Jesus’ earthly
ministry — BEFORE THE CROSS — NOT AFTER IT.
That is what the Bible says — it was fulfilled.
No
where does the Bible teach that we can now come to God for GUARANTEED physical healing,
just like we can come to Him for spiritual healing (salvation). The Bible does guarantee that He will save anyone
who truly repents and asks to be saved. “For
whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). But the Bible never guarantees that God is going to
physically heal everyone. If that was the
case, then no one would ever die, because God would have to heal them.
Consider
the example of Paul. “Of such an one will
I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. For though I would
desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest
any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.
And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there
was given to me A THORN IN THE FLESH, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should
be exalted above measure. FOR THIS THING I BESOUGHT THE LORD THRICE, THAT IT MIGHT DEPART
FROM ME. And he said unto me, MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR THEE: FOR MY STRENGTH IS MADE
PERFECT IN WEAKNESS. MOST GLADLY THEREFORE WILL I RATHER GLORY IN MY INFIRMITIES, THAT THE
POWER OF CHRIST MAY REST UPON ME. THEREFORE I TAKE PLEASURE IN INFIRMITIES, in reproaches,
in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then
am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12:5-10).
The
Lord told Paul, “MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR THEE: FOR MY STRENGTH IS MADE PERFECT IN
WEAKNESS.” That is the Lord speaking. The Lord says that His strength is made perfect in
our weakness. The Lord said that He would be
glorified in a greater way through Paul having a physical infirmity. The Lord said that He would not heal Paul. Far from teaching that there is guaranteed healing
in the atonement of the cross, the Lord teaches no such thing.
Charismatics
teach that the only way for God to be glorified and His power seen, is for Christians to
be healed. That is not what the Bible teaches. “Most gladly therefore will I rather GLORY in
my INFIRMITIES, that the POWER of CHRIST may REST UPON ME.”
John
the Baptist (yes, I know, you strongly dislike that name “Baptist”), never did
one miracle, and yet Jesus said he was the greatest born among women. “And many resorted unto him, and said, JOHN
DID NO MIRACLE: but all things that John spake of this man were true” (John 10:41). “”Verily I say unto you, AMONG THEM THAT
ARE BORN OF WOMEN THERE HATH NOT RISEN A GREATER THAN JOHN THE BAPTIST” (Matthew
11:11).
You
have twisted the Scripture, and you got your “sign” (your healing). But this is what Jesus said, “Then certain of
the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, MASTER, WE WOULD SEE A SIGN FROM THEE.
But he answered and said unto them, AN EVIL AND ADULTEROUS GENERATION SEEKETH AFTER A
SIGN; AND THERE SHALL NO SIGN BE GIVEN TO IT, BUT THE SIGN OF THE PROPHET JONAS: For as
Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be
three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:38-40).
The
New Testament never teaches that all people were healed.
Many godly people, other than Paul, were not healed. “Salute Prisca and Aquila, and the household
of Onesiphorus. Erastus abode at Corinth: but TROPHIMUS HAVE I LEFT AT MILETUM SICK”
(2 Timothy 4:19-20). If all you have to do is
ask to be healed, then why did Paul have to leave him there sick? What about Timothy, who was often sick? “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine
for thy stomach's sake and THINE OFTEN INFIRMITIES” (1 Timothy 5:23). What kind of a young preacher was he, if sickness
is a sign of a lack of faith in Jesus’ death on the cross and power to heal? Why was Timothy put in charge of churches, if he so
lacked in faith to claim the blood and be healed?
You
are convinced of your position BASED UPON YOUR EXPERIENCE — not based upon a correct
interpretation of Scripture.
Despite
what you stated, it is NOT OKAY to have doctrines that are “off base.” “Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace,
mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. As I besought thee to
abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest CHARGE SOME THAT
THEY TEACH NO OTHER DOCTRINE” (1 Timothy 1:2-3).
You
said, “And, if a potentially new truth comes along, you have the responsibility, as
well, to check, check, and triple check, to be sure that it is not something you should
consider.”
That is the error of the Charismatics, thinking that “new truth” will come along. God’s Word is God’s complete revelation of truth to mankind. “Sanctify them through thy truth: THY WORD IS TRUTH. (John 17:17)” It is through God’s Word that we are to test every doctrine and practice and decision, and PROVE whether it is right or wrong. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, THAT YE MAY PROVE WHAT IS THAT GOOD, and ACCEPTABLE, and PERFECT, WILL OF GOD” (Romans 12:1-2).
The Lord has clearly spoken in this matter. "MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR THEE: FOR MY STRENGTH IS MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS."
