God can do all things that are good! But are people divinely healed today?

“With God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26) Just because God CAN do all things does not mean he actually DOES all things, at all times.

“Large crowds came to Him, bringing with them those who were lame, crippled, blind, mute, and many others, and they laid them down at His feet, and He healed them. So the crowd marveled as they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, and the lame walking, and the blind seeing, and the glorified the God of Israel” (Matthew 15:30,31 NASB). There is no doubt that many were miraculously healed by Jesus and his apostles. Does this mean that people are miraculously healed today? Well, do we see ‘the mute being made to speak, the crippled healed,  the lame enabled to walk, blind people’s sight restored, etc.’? — No, we don’t!

“I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ. Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed.” (Galatians 1:6-9 NLT) The Gospel or Good News, the Christian message – is not to be, should not be, and does not – change.

Therefore, if modern Christians heal by the same power and in the same way that Jesus and his apostles healed, then we should be able to see the evident and obvious similarities that they purport to have. However, exactly the opposite is true. In doing this, they “pervert the gospel.” (Galatians 1:7 NIV) How so? What do we mean by this?

One way is that early Christians who were baptized were not even attempted to be healed by other Christians. It was the unbelievers, the unbaptized, who were.

“Or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (2 Corinthians 12:7-9) We can’t be sure what Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” was. It may have been a chronic illness, or poor eyesight from his blinding by Jesus. (Acts 9:3, 8-9; Galatians  4:15; Galatians 6:11) Whatever it was, Paul was not healed of it. Paul did not even ask another Christian to heal him.

“As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you, and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself.” (Galatians 4:13-14) It appears that Paul had another “illness” when he first “preached the gospel” to the Galatians. He says that even “my illness was a trial to” them, they welcomed him “as if I were Christ Jesus himself.” But the point is that he was not healed of this “illness.” There was no such attempt even made.

“Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker… is distressed because you heard he was ill. Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him… because he almost died for the work of Christ.” (Philippians 2:25-30) Epaphroditus was so sick that “he almost died… but God had mercy on him,” and let him get better. He recovered. Why?Many sicknesses and diseases go away due to the body’s natural immune system, and this is apparently why. Epaphroditus, like millions of other people, recovered from his serious illness, but not due to any miraculous healing.

“I left Trophimus sick in Miletus.” (2 Timothy 4:20) Paul, who had healed many other people, did not heal Tophimus, but “left him sick.” Why? Because he, like Epaphroditus, was a Christian, and Christians did not heal, or attempt to heal, other Christians.

“Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.” (1 Timothy 5:23 NLT) Timothy was often sick with stomach trouble. Paul had spent much time with Timothy. Why didn’t Paul heal Timothy, or advise Timothy to seek healing from another Christian? Because Christians did not heal other Christians.

So difference No. 1 is that Christians did not heal other Christians, according to the Bible. Very different from some today who claim that Christians do heal other Christians.

Difference No. 2 is that Jesus and his apostles healed actual organic illnesses and disabilities such as: blindness, deafness, paralysis, being crippled, leprosy, fever, demon-possession, epilepsy, “whatever their sickness or disease.” (Mat 4:23-25) They never claimed to just heal the symptoms such as a headache or back pain or stomach pain, etc. They healed the actual problem itself, the root cause. The problem or condition did not flare up again. They were 100% healed. For example:

• “His hand was completely restored.” (Mark 3:5)
• “A man with an advanced case of leprosy… instantly the leprosy disappeared.” (Luke 5:12 NLT)
• “Completely healed him.” (Acts 3:16)
• Difference No. 2 is that people who were healed did not just get a little better, or even a lot better. No, they were totally, completely healed of the problem. No trace of it remained.

#3 – They Were Immediately Healed

Unlike supposed modern healings people got better on the spot, right then and there. No waiting.

• “Instantly the leprosy disappeared.” (Luke 5:12 NLT)
• “The man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. He jumped up, stood on his feet and began to walk… leaping.” (Acts 3:7-8 NLT)
• “Had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding… immediately the bleeding stopped… she had been immediately healed.” (Luke 8:43-44,47 NLT)

They did not have to go home and start to get better. The healings were immediate. There was one healing where Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes twice, and the healing was not instantaneous, but was still immediately. The two touchings of the man’s eyes were apparently only moments apart. (Mark 8:22-26) “Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly” (Mark 8:25 NIV). The man was 100% healed of blindness right there with Jesus, not later on.

#4 – The Healings were in Public with Witnesses

For example:

“Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, ‘Stand up in front of everyone.'” (Mark 3:3) Everyone present saw the man healed!

Unlike today’s “healings” where someone is said to have a cancerous tumor, then is “healed” and the tumor is no more. Only problem is – no one saw the supposed healing. When Jesus healed this man’s withered hand, it was “in front of everyone.” Notice also that “his hand was completely restored.” (Mark 3:5)

Another example among many that could be cited is among the pagan crowd in Lystra, Asia Minor:

“A man who was lame… from birth and had never walked… Paul… called out… stand up…. At that the man jumped up and began to walk. When the crowd saw what Paul had done….” (Acts 14:8-11) Healings of this type do not take place today. Crippled people don’t get up and walk in front of a crowd. Healings then were not done in a studio with everything orchestrated. They were in public without controlled circumstances. This case is very instructive on this point, since the crowd that had seen the healing wanted to sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas, thinking they were gods. (Acts 14:11-13) Then they were persuaded by opposers to stone Paul and leave him for dead. (Acts 14:19) No controlled circumstances here.

#5 – Jesus and the apostles healed with 100% success

“People throughout the village brought sick family members to Jesus. No matter what their diseases were, the touch of his hand healed every one.” (Luke 4:40 NLT) Now compare this to today. Does this ever happen anywhere on earth today? No! If it did, it would be all over the news media.

“Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick… and all of them were healed.” (Acts 5:16) The apostles healed with 100% success. Very different from today. This 100% success rate also translates into something different from today. There were no relapses. Many today who think they have been healed have relapses. The healings then were complete and permanent.

#6 – The Gospel was the Main Focus, not the Healings

This is unlike today in which physical healings among certain groups are focused on.

“Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. ” (Matthew 4:23 NLT) Jesus’ purpose is stated to be preaching and teaching the Gospel, accompanied by healings, but secondary to his main purpose.

“As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.” (Matthew 10:7-8) Jesus sent the apostles out to preach the Gospel, accompanied by healings, which were secondary.

“The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead” (Acts 4:1-2).

The healing of the lame beggar in chapter 3 brought a great crowd to Peter and John in the Temple. They used this as a springboard to preach the Gospel. It was the preaching that really upset the priests. This is emphasized again by the Sanhedrin’s order (Acts 4:5-6) to Peter and John:

“Commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus” (Acts 4:18). The real issue, and the main focus, is the Gospel, even in the words of the opposers.

In the turbulence at Lystra surrounding the healing of the lame man, Paul made clear that the real issue is the Gospel (Acts 13:8-14).

“We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God” (Acts 14:15)

So as we can see from the Bible, early Christians did not heal other Christians, and Jesus and the apostles healed organic illnesses rather than just symptoms. This is very different from the healings that are claimed to be performed today on other Christians. This, combined with the fact that healings in the Bible were immediate, performed in public with witnesses, with a 100% success rate, is a strong indication that divine healings are no longer taking place.

All scriptures quoted from New International Version (NIV) unless noted otherwise