The doctrine of healing

 

            I. There are three categories of illness:

                        a) Physiological: a physiological illness; organic disease.

                        b) Psychosomatic: Mental illness.

                        c) Demon induced illness: When demons possess unbelievers they can produce certain kinds of diseases. Also Satan and/or demons are permitted at times to affect believers’ health from the outside. No believer can be indwelt by a demon.

 

                        1. Satan was permitted (from the outside) to buffet Paul with a thorn in the flesh type of disease or pain — 2 Corinthians 12:7.

                        2. Satan was responsible for Job’s illness — Job 2:6-8. Permitted by God (since Job is a believer).

                        3. Satan uses demons to produce disease in individuals:

                                    i. Acts 10:38, “ … and healing all who were oppressed by the devil.” These illnesses had as their source the devil.

                                    ii. Luke 13:16 (vs. 10-17) The cause of this woman’s disease is demon possession. The doctors could not heal her — because she was bound by Satan. Doctors today are baffled with demon induced illness. [This is not a passage against doctors!]

            ******* There are two ways of getting well according to James 5. Prayer here is the spiritual aspect, praying for the individual. The anointing of oil is medical help. This was doctoring in those days — see the parable of the Good Samaritan )Luke 10:30-37) Oil was used medicinally. (Don’t read our modern medicine picture into New Testament times!)

            In Luke 13 Christ heals. Note that in cases where demon possession causes illness the casting out of the demon cures the illness. This is termed healing — Matthew 10:1; Mark 1:32-34; 6:13; Acts 8:7; 19:12.

            In cases where demon possession did not cause illness they just cast out, no mention of healing.

                        4. Satan uses demons to cause deafness, dumbness (Not all of this is caused by demons, however) and paralysis — Matthew 9:32-33; 12:22; Mark 5:5; 9:17-18.

                        5. Satan is able to heal people by his power:

           

                        a) Matthew 7:21-23. This passage describes a very prevalent situation today in the large “mass healing” meetings.

                                    i. The use of “me, Lord, Lord” refers to the constant use of the name of Jesus Christ in apostate meetings of the healing and tongues variety — 7:21.

                                    ii. “Many.” Many are duped into believing Satan’s power is God’s power.

                                   iii. “prophesied” … cast out demons … done many wonderful works (in thy name — in the name of Jesus Christ)

                                   iv. “I never knew you ...” These are unbelievers.

                                                v. “ye that work iniquity” Their prophecies, casting out demons and many wonderful works are called iniquity (sin). God’s power is not sin, therefore this power by which they operate is Satan’s.

 

            For example: A demon-possessed faith-healer (unsaved) will be very nice, very well-dressed, very well versed in using the name of Jesus Christ repeatedly — doing everything IN THE NAME OF JESUS. Note the use of “in thy name” in Matthew 7:22.

            He will use emotion, he will take up a huge offering, he will have an empiricism (senses) approach. The people who come up to be healed may have demon induced illness, or they may not. But the demon possessed individual cooperates with the individual with the demon-induced illness. When he shouts “heal” the demon comes out of the victim and the demon induced illness is no more. The whole crowd of simple and stupid believers or non-believers watching shouts, “Praise God,” etc. If the faith healing is not demon possession — and the victim is not demon possessed it is purely psychosomatic. The emotionally charged atmosphere makes the person think they have faith and that they are healed.

                        b) 2 Thessalonians 2:9, “ … with every kind of power and signs and lying wonders.” This is Satanic power in the Tribulation, and its mystery of iniquity is already at work in the Church Age.

            II. When someone gets well in a miraculous way it can be one of four sources.                                        

                        a) God: God is the divine healer — and only divine healer.

 

                        1. He heals sovereignly when He does and on the basis of grace, and who and what He is.

                        2. God does not heal through a spiritual gift of healing, there is no spiritual gift of healing since the canon of scripture has been completed.

                        3. There is no bona fide faith-healing operating on the earth. All are deceivers and frauds, very stupid, very sincere, and very much showmen in enacting their thing. (Healing was a temporary spiritual gift in the pre-canon period of the early church)

                        4. When God heals directly He heals without:

                                    i. Oil.

                                   ii. Handkerchiefs dipped in the Jordan, or in some radio preacher’s olive oil from the Holy Land.

                                  iii. Without someone commanding God to heal!

                                  iv. Without sending in your offering.

                                   v. Without some mumbo-jumbo deal called tongues.

                                  vi. Generally this appeals to the toothless, brainless simpleton, the unthinking emotional crowd.

                        5. When God heals He heals on the basis of His character:

                                    i. People don’t get healed when they are “worthy” to get healed.

                                   ii. People don’t get healed because they “have faith.” Then the gimmick — they are told if they didn’t get healed, “Well, you didn’t have enough faith.”

                                  iii. In every case where God heals, it does not depend upon the faithfulness of the individual, the faith of the individual, the works of the individual, it depends upon the sovereignty of God, not human approbation. God does at times sovereignly heal people.

                        6. There is not “healing in the atonement” as taught by A.B. Simpson and others. Isaiah 53:5 in the Hebrew is “By His bruise we are drawn together.”

            So the first of four reasons why people have a miraculous healing is the healing is directly caused by God.

           

                        b) Caused by medical research and application: It seems to be prevalent among certain types of modern-day believers to poo-hoo doctors, medical research, they are “going to directly depend upon God.”

                        But they use hearing aids, wear glasses, have false teeth. Even Paul had physician friend (Luke) with him at times on his travels — and Luke practiced medicine.

 

                        c) Caused by Satan (Unbeliever)

 

                        1. In cases of demon possession.

                        2. Faith-healer in cooperation with the devil (whom he calls Jesus) heals in connection with demon-induced illness.

 

            III. Illness caused by a change of mental attitude: Psychosomatics.

            The frontal lobe gets upset, and it sends signals down to the body and that causes everything from hypertension to rash.

 

                        a) Now when the mind affects the body, and suddenly there is an emotional charged experience when a very determined and sincere type says you are going to be healed — it actually in some cases was only a change of mental attitude.

 

                        b) Here is an individual who is convinced mentally that he has a tumor, cancer, warts, an ulcer or something else.

 

                        1. He goes to a faith-healer and he goes through his mumbo-jumbo.

                                    i. First swingy hymns: Loud speakers with big bass beat.

                                   ii. There is a great deal of repetition in the name of Jesus.

                                  iii. There is a great deal of emphasis on the “wonderful crowds” present, a lot of public relations, testimonials to prove that “God is working.” Their motto is diametrically opposed to Christianity, they say seeing is believing, feeling is believing, touching is believing, hearing in believing, smelling is believing (Jesus filled the room with a heaven-sent fragrance) This is empiricism. Only faith unlocks the Word, first in salvation and then proper spirituality.

                                  iv. There is tremendous emphasis on the offering, and some project like a tent or truck to proclaim the gospel.

                                   v. And more singing, and maybe a verse or two on what Jesus did with handkerchiefs and oil.

                                  vi. And then the grand climax is the healing service.

 

            All of this is pure deception, and phony all the way. I™ is the chief form of apostasy today. On the basis of Bible doctrine don’t get mixed up with it.

                        2. Now as the healing exhibit moves into high gear he does his ‘formula’ on the stage and it is a sight deal all the way. The Word says, “We walk by faith, not by sight” — 2 Corinthians 5:7; Colossians 2:6.

 

                                  i. Suddenly the internal problems disappear — and they walk off the stage.

                                 ii. The emotional surge of the meetings has given them the adrenalin that they need to throw their crutches away.

 

                        c) Purely psychological: Doctors are saying that 60 per cent of the patients that walk in their office and say, “Doc, I’ve got an organic problem, a physical problem,” actually have a mental hang-up. Get the mental hang-up removed and their physical body doesn’t ache.