Bible Authenticity

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)

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