It is tragic in the extreme that there are believers members of the body of Christ, brethren of great age, in their seventies, eighties and nineties, who have never once experienced a divine healing in their entire lives, nor are they personally acquainted with anyone else who has experienced what one would have to agree was an evident “miracle” cure of some injury or disease. But why is such an occurrence so rare in the various Christian assemblies today? Why are such healings the exception rather than the rule, for in reading the scriptures one would think miraculous, divine healings should be the rule, not the exception, in an assembly of followers of Jesus Christ?! After all, we do read in James, chapter 5, these simple, easy-to-understand words: “Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith SHALL SAVE THE SICK, AND THE LORD SHALL RAISE HIM UP, and if he has committed sins, they shall be forgiven him” (verses 14 and 15). Did James write under divine inspiration, or didn’t he? Can we believe what he wrote, or are we to reject his counsel? Notice, James writes, “Is ANY sick among you?” He does not say, “Is any of you experiencing a minor illness?” He words himself in such a way as to include all who are ill, even if that sickness has been diagnosed as terminal or incurable!! Not all illness is minor in nature, you know.
Then again, we must ask “Are these words penned by James a mere suggestion?” And let’s say that is the case. James was only making a suggestion as to what those believers who experienced some manner of illness could do. But what about the rest of what he said. What if one followed his “suggestion” and DID call for the elders of the church? What if those elders DID anoint him with oil and pray over him in the name of the Lord? Would the Lord heal him and raise him up from his sick bed as well as forgiving any sins he had committed should the illness have been disciplinary in nature? If he wasn’t so healed, would it be obvious that this was merely a suggestion and not a very good one at that? Or would it indicate something far more disturbing? If the sick person wasn’t healed, wouldn’t it indicate that God wasn’t hearing the intercessory prayers of those elders? And if God wasn’t hearing the prayers of those elders, wouldn’t it also indicate that those elders might not be in fellowship with God at all, but merely be “religious” men, or, at best, truly converted men whose sinful lifestyle prohibited God from answering their prayers??!!
I discovered a long time ago that most believers do not think very deeply at all. I suffered from that human weakness for many decades. Most seem to assume that if a church calls itself a “Christian” church then that is what it must be regardless of what other label such a “church” might use to identify itself, such as Mennonite, Baptist, Episcopalian, Lutheran, Pentecostal, Mormon, Brethren, etc. And such groups must be in fellowship with God regardless of what doctrines they might teach! At least many seem to think so. And there are so many denominations and factions in what is called the “Christian” world that I could fill up an entire page with their names. I ask with Paul, “Is Christ divided?” Is it possible that many, if not most, who call themselves “Christian” really are not true followers of Jesus Christ after all? They might be basically “good” people, people who are kind, helpful, good citizens, but that does not mean they have and possess God’s Holy Spirit. There are millions of Buddhists who are gentle, kind, harmless, helpful, good citizens, etc. But they are not in fellowship with the Most High. They are not being led of God in their daily existence. Can this also be true of many who call themselves “Christian?” Is it possible that Satan is able to deceive “decent folk” into embracing profound error? Can people be deluded into thinking they have received the Holy Spirit when they actually have not but are merely religious?
Jesus said, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will GUIDE YOU into ALL truth..” (See John 16:13). What if you have a congregation that has not been guided into following the counsel of James? What would that indicate? And what if they had not been guided into following the counsel, or should we say COMMANDS, of Jesus Christ, who shortly before His betrayal and crucifixion told a young man, “If you will enter into life, KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS” (See Matthew 19:17). Was that good advice? Was it more than good advice, more than a mere suggestion? Was it divine truth? After His resurrection – a week later, look at the context – did Jesus have to track down that young man and say, “You know that counsel I gave you last week about keeping the commandments if you desired to enter into eternal life. Well, forget it. I just abolished all of that with my sacrificial death. You are no longer obligated to keep the commandments. You’re not under the law any more. You can now steal, kill, commit adultery – whatever.”
Folks, you can find a “Christian” denomination that is tailor made to fit any belief system you can imagine. Some baptize. Some do not. Some have women pastors. Some do not. Some teach we must keep God’s commandments. Some scorn and deride any such suggestion, crowing we are not under the law anymore. Some say keep nine, but forget the fourth. (If you don’t know, the fourth commandment is the commandment to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy). Some worship on Sunday. Some worship on the Sabbath – that time between the hours of sunset on Friday and sunset on Saturday. One can pick and choose as though attending some kind of religious yard sale.
My counsel to you, friend, think and think deeply and as you do so study ALL of God’s Word, Genesis to Revelation, and, finally, prove all things of a spiritual or religious nature.
“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask WHAT YOU WILL, and it shall be done unto you” (John 15:7). Jesus Christ was in the form of human flesh when He spoke those words. He had been in human form for over thirty years when He made that PROMISE! And He was speaking to fellow human beings when He said that. Common sense says He would have had to have known that such a promise made to frail, prone to sickness human beings would certainly mean that one of the most repeated petitions offered in prayer would have been a plea for the healing of some sickness or injury. Yet still He boldly declared, “ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you.” (Remember, throughout His public ministry Jesus Christ was approached time and again by the sick, the diseased, the infirm, who petitioned to be touched by His healing hand – and He healed them ALL!)
Then why are so few healed today? Isn’t it obvious? The promise is made to those who are abiding in Christ. Those who have the words of Christ abiding in them, guiding them in how they think, what they say, and what they do. The promise is not made to those who pay mere lip service to Jesus Christ, who say they are Christians and yet live primarily as they please. The promise is made to faithful, obedient sons and daughters of the Most High who do as Christ dictated and “live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” (See Matthew 4:4). No, that doesn’t mean they are perfect. From time to time they may fall into an occasion of sin, giving in to the downward pulls of the flesh, but they are the type who once recognizing they have drifted off course come quickly back to the walk of true faith and righteousness, confessing and forsaking any such sin or sins.
There is a promise given in the 103rd Psalm that is astounding in its implications: “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your sins, who heals ALL your diseases” (verses 2 and 3). But notice to whom this mighty promise is made: “To such as keep His covenant, and to those that remember His commandments to do them” (verse 18). Some might argue, “But that is a promise made to those living under the OLD covenant. Believers today are under the New Covenant!” Yes, and it is “a BETTER covenant, which was established upon better promises” (See Hebrews 8:6). The New Covenant promises forgiveness of all our sins AND eternal life, not just an extended disease free life. We enjoy the benefits of the Old Covenant AND MORE!
Christ’s Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley