Healing
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"Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached
him and knelt before him. “Lord,” the man
said, “if you are willing, you can heal me
and make me clean.”
Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am
willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly
the leprosy disappeared." (Matt. 8:2,3)
him and knelt before him. “Lord,” the man
said, “if you are willing, you can heal me
and make me clean.”
Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am
willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly
the leprosy disappeared." (Matt. 8:2,3)
Wow! The subject of healing is just one of the many fascinating subjects the Bible deals with.
And, just like anything else, everyone has an opinion. We like to think ours is Scriptural. Does
God supernaturally heal today or was it just for the apostles? Hmmmmmmmm.....
Let's take the second part of the question first. The power and authority to heal was not just
limited to the apostles, nor did it die out when they did. According to John 14:12
"...anyone who has faith in me will do what I've been doing. He will do even greater things
than these, because I am going to the Father."
Anyone who has faith has the power and authority to do what Jesus did...and more. There
are those that may argue that Jesus was speaking to the apostles (who were disciples at
the time), therefore the promise is limited to them. If, in fact, it is true that the above
statement was limited to the apostles, we're in big trouble. If that promise was limited to the
apostles, how do we know that all the promises of salvation can apply to us? Besides, would
He have said "anyone who has faith in me" if He was speaking only to the apostles?
Secondly, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." (Heb. 13:8).
He's always the same! He doesn't change from one day to the next, giving us power and
authority one day, and taking it all back the next.
Next, the Bible is the living Word. Just like Jesus, what the Bible said then and what it says
now is the same... it means the same thing, it contains the same truths, and it's alive for
each one of us, individually, who reads it. For instance:
"Suddenly a man with leprosy approached him and knelt before him. "Lord," the man said,
"if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean."
Jesus reached out and touched him. "I am willing," he said. "Be healed." And instantly his
leprosy disappeared."
Bob came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can heal me and make
me clean."
Jesus reached out and touched Bob. "I am willing," he said. "Be healed."
Suzy came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing..."
Jesus reached out and touched Suzy. "I am willing," he said.
Tom came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing..."
Starting to get the idea? :0)
Jesus has never, never turned away even one single person that honestly sought Him. Not
in the Bible. Not in the centuries since. Not even one person. Not even one time. Not for
healing. Not for salvation. Never.
It might be interesting to note that at the time the above words were spoken, Paul --still
called Saul, at that time-- was a persecutor of the Jesus crowd. It wasn't until some time
after the crucifixion that he had his Damascus road experience and became a believer. Yet
Paul healed countless people! Clearly, he was not one of the apostles Jesus was speaking
to when He spoke those words. Assuming that Jesus was speaking only to His disciples and
that the power and authority was given only to them, how did Paul heal? Either the promise
was limited to the disciples, or it was made to "anyone who has faith" in Jesus. You really
can't have it both ways. That's cheating! :0)
For a little more on this, click here.
And, just like anything else, everyone has an opinion. We like to think ours is Scriptural. Does
God supernaturally heal today or was it just for the apostles? Hmmmmmmmm.....
Let's take the second part of the question first. The power and authority to heal was not just
limited to the apostles, nor did it die out when they did. According to John 14:12
"...anyone who has faith in me will do what I've been doing. He will do even greater things
than these, because I am going to the Father."
Anyone who has faith has the power and authority to do what Jesus did...and more. There
are those that may argue that Jesus was speaking to the apostles (who were disciples at
the time), therefore the promise is limited to them. If, in fact, it is true that the above
statement was limited to the apostles, we're in big trouble. If that promise was limited to the
apostles, how do we know that all the promises of salvation can apply to us? Besides, would
He have said "anyone who has faith in me" if He was speaking only to the apostles?
Secondly, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." (Heb. 13:8).
He's always the same! He doesn't change from one day to the next, giving us power and
authority one day, and taking it all back the next.
Next, the Bible is the living Word. Just like Jesus, what the Bible said then and what it says
now is the same... it means the same thing, it contains the same truths, and it's alive for
each one of us, individually, who reads it. For instance:
"Suddenly a man with leprosy approached him and knelt before him. "Lord," the man said,
"if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean."
Jesus reached out and touched him. "I am willing," he said. "Be healed." And instantly his
leprosy disappeared."
Bob came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can heal me and make
me clean."
Jesus reached out and touched Bob. "I am willing," he said. "Be healed."
Suzy came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing..."
Jesus reached out and touched Suzy. "I am willing," he said.
Tom came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing..."
Starting to get the idea? :0)
Jesus has never, never turned away even one single person that honestly sought Him. Not
in the Bible. Not in the centuries since. Not even one person. Not even one time. Not for
healing. Not for salvation. Never.
It might be interesting to note that at the time the above words were spoken, Paul --still
called Saul, at that time-- was a persecutor of the Jesus crowd. It wasn't until some time
after the crucifixion that he had his Damascus road experience and became a believer. Yet
Paul healed countless people! Clearly, he was not one of the apostles Jesus was speaking
to when He spoke those words. Assuming that Jesus was speaking only to His disciples and
that the power and authority was given only to them, how did Paul heal? Either the promise
was limited to the disciples, or it was made to "anyone who has faith" in Jesus. You really
can't have it both ways. That's cheating! :0)
For a little more on this, click here.
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