 ARE MIRACLES OF HEALING DONE TODAY?
Mr. Waddey:
What do you believe about miracle healing today?
Dear Debbie:
Thank you for your inquiry about miraculous healing. Miraculous healing was a reality in the first century church. Faith healers perform no genuine miracles today! God gave miraculous gifts that we might believe that Jesus was truly the Messiah and that the apostles were heaven sent (John 20:30-31; Mark 16:20). The miraculous gift of inspiration enabled the apostles to record perfectly, God's will for humanity (I Cor. 2:12-13). Miraculous power was given to the apostles and those upon whom they laid their hands (Acts 2:4; 8:17). Not every one had those gifts (Acts 8:18-19).
Miracles ceased when the New Testament was completed. Chapters 12 &13 of I Corinthians identify those gifts and show their partial and temporary nature. Paul states, "When that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away" (I Cor. 13:10). "That which is in part" was the miraculous gifts. "That which is perfect" is the New Testament" (Jas. 1:25; II Tim. 3:16-17). The Bible was completed by 100 A.D. and miracles ceased. Historically this can be verified. Miracles were to reveal and confirm God's message to us. Once the New Testament was recorded, confirmed and made available, the need for miracles was gone.
- We believe that miracles were a reality in the days of Christ and his apostles. Even their enemies conceded that fact (Acts 4:14-16).
- Christ and his apostles were able to heal all that were brought to them (Acts 5:16). Today's healers are content with a few results out of many attempts.
- Modern healers blame their failures on lack of faith on the part of the sick. In only six of 36 cases of healing in the New Testament are the recipients said to have had faith.
- Bible miracles were immediate. Today's healers send patients home to recover.
- Bible miracles were to confirm the message spoken, never just to heal the sick. Paul, Timothy and Trophimus were said to be sick yet were not healed (II Cor. 12:7-10; I Tim. 5:23;II Tim. 4:20).
- The apostles never asked for financial gifts of those who came to be healed. Faith healers do.
- The apostles cured deaf-mutes, those with leprosy, blindness, deformity of bones, dropsy, palsy, hemorrhages, curvature of the spine and withered limbs. They cast out demons, raised the dead and restored a severed ear. These things modern faith healers cannot do.
Some folks are helped by going to faith healers, but not because a miracle was wrought. Many of our ailments and injuries will get well in time because God has made our bodies able to regenerate themselves from lesser injuries and diseases. Some 85% of our ailments are said to be psychogenic in origin, i.e., they are induced or worsened by worry, anxiety and stress. If the healer can convince the sick person that God has healed him, that alone can put him on the road to natural recovery. You likely have heard the expression "the power of mind over matter."
Faith and determination are essential to physical and mental well-being. If the faith-healer inspires his patient to believe he can get well, he has helped him, but it is no miracle. Counselors, psychiatrists, psychologists, hypnotists and preachers do this on a daily basis. Doubtless some of those who claim they can heal are sincere, though wrong in their claims. Many others have been found and proven to be charlatans and frauds that were enriching themselves off the religious gullibility of uninformed believers.
I trust this information will be helpful to you. Should you have other Bible questions, please don't hesitate to write. John Waddey |
