The Righteousness that Saves Me

By Hazel Holland

Having grown up in the Seventh-day Adventist church, I had always understood that it was Jesus Christ’s righteousness plus my obedience to His law that would save me. It was never spelled out as directly as that, but that was what I understood to be the teaching, because of the emphasis the church placed on keeping the law, especially the 4th commandment. Most definitely our “Sabbath-keeping” was a necessary good work that would insure our salvation.

After many years of struggling to do the good works, I remember a time period in my life when the light of the new covenant gospel began to shine into the darkened recesses of my soul. It was like Someone suddenly turned on the blinding headlights of a car. I could see nothing except Jesus and His glorious work for me.

From that time on, although I was still a member of the SDA church, I had a deep longing in my heart to really know the One who gave His life for me. This hunger in my soul propelled me to want to know the truth of the Scriptures, and to search out truth for myself. So when I received a prophetic dream from the Lord in 1996, it only drove me further into God’s Word. I believed that the Holy Spirit would lead me into ALL truth as He opened up my mind to understand the meaning of the symbolism in the dream.

As I avidly continued to pray and study the Scriptures, especially Paul’s letters to the Romans and Galatians, the words leaped off the page as I saw that God’s saving work for me through Jesus Christ's life, death and resurrection completely justified me in His sight. Christ took the punishment for my sins upon Himself, and in exchange credited me with His perfect righteousness. My good works, including my Sabbath-keeping, had no role whatsoever in my being justified before God. Furthermore, none of my good works could ever be added to the righteousness of the One who had saved me. I must completely place my hope and trust in the “good work” that God’s Son alone had done.

This of course was certainly a different message from the one I had grown up believing. The uniqueness of the Adventist message represented bondage to the law, and stood out in stark contrast to the freedom offered me by Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross. Although good works are the inevitable result of my being declared righteous by God, they in no way lead to my being justified. “For it is by grace (I) have been saved, through faith—and this not from (myself), it is the gift of God— not by works, so that (I cannot) boast. For (I am) God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for (me) to do.” Ephesians 2:8-10 (NIV)

As I chose to believe and embrace Christ’s redemptive work through faith alone, I turned away from trusting in the unfinished work of the Holy Spirit in my life as the basis of my acceptance with God. I gave up believing that saving grace is the assistance God gives us through His Holy Spirit to keep the law. Without a doubt the basis of my acceptance with God is Christ’s finished work that took place outside of me on the cross. Justifying righteousness can be found in Him alone, never in what the Holy Spirit does in me.

Recognizing that even my good works fall into the category of filthy rags, I had a new urgency to share with others Jesus Christ’s glorious “good work” that will always trump our good works. As I focused my attention on His saving work on the cross, I noticed that He was not only beginning to equip me for the works He wanted me to do, but I also noticed that I was beginning to study myself right out of Adventism.

Since my hope is now built on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ alone I let this one defining truth direct my thoughts each day—I can never move beyond the glorious work of the gospel. His “good work” must take center stage in my life as I proclaim the good news of His death and resurrection until He comes. The righteousness that saves me is the righteousness of Another—Jesus Christ! (2 Corinthians 5:21) Thank you, Lord!

See: Why I Left Adventism

Is the Gospel the Whole Deal?

By Hazel Holland

Ever since leaving Adventism I am compelled by the Spirit to place every teaching from the Bible through the litmus test of the new covenant gospel. The gospel has become the plumb line by which I test all my beliefs. That means that if a teaching is assumed to be biblical, but no direct Scripture evidence can be found, then it must be studied further in order to see if it agrees with God’s already revealed will, or if it is just a popular teaching that is held by some, but has no basis in Scripture. Beliefs or teachings that are assumed to be biblical, but actually have no biblical foundation must be discarded as man's doctrines—not God’s witness through Scripture.

Is the Gospel Just the Beginning?

I became aware over the last few months that some people are teaching that the gospel that brings us salvation is only the first part of the message of Gospel of the Kingdom? They believe that the rest of the message of the Kingdom has to do with transformation—God’s plan to use the church to impact our world by changing our neighborhoods, restoring our cities and transforming our world. In other words, is the gospel that brings salvation just the beginning of the restorative process? Is it what gets the ball rolling towards the larger goal…restoration?

I’m sure many of us at times have felt like there was a “great divide” between hearing the truths of the Kingdom, and actually experiencing the freedom that comes from letting those Kingdom truths change our lives. Perhaps we wonder why we see no clear and measurable impact of a community living out such Kingdom principles as we see recorded in the early church.

If it’s because we have not been doing the right things, how do we do the right things? What do we need to do in order for Kingdom truths to change our lives and transform our world?

Acts 1:8 says that when the Holy Spirit comes upon us we will receive power to become God’s witnesses… to the ends of the earth. So why then are we seeing so little of God’s power displayed by our witness… at least here in the western world?

Looking Inward instead of Outward

I believe the reason we are seeing such little power in our witness is because many of us coming from an evangelical or charismatic background are far better at looking inward than we are at looking outward. We are often more focused on our own inner feelings and experience than we are on looking outward toward the cross. As a result we often allow our feelings to guide our thinking so that our feelings become vested with final authority that should only be reserved for God’s Word.

As I read the Scriptures I believe that God is calling us to look outward (beyond ourselves) to the work of Jesus Christ on our behalf (justification)—not inward at His work in us (sanctification). True biblical faith is never directed to what has happened in us as believers, but rather to what has happened for us as believers. Paul says in the following verses that faith looks outward not inward.

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:1-3 (NIV)

We are called to live our lives by focusing all of our attention on the Person of Jesus Christ who willingly gave His life on the cross in order to redeem us from our sins so that we can be restored back to intimate fellowship with the Father. This is the heart of the gospel—the objective truth that is never-changing and constant—that is perfectly reliable and completely true.

The gospel is a powerful proclamation from the Father’s heart of what He has already done for us in Jesus Christ for all the inhabitants of planet earth. The gospel is an announcement of pardon from sin that Christ’s good work alone has accomplished for all mankind. But this Good News demands a response from us.

What will our response be? There is really only one choice. To repent of our pride and release our "good" works at the foot of the cross. Then we can be free from our bondage to enter into the joy of His "good" work. As a result of our choice to believe the gospel, the Holy Spirit empowers us to share Christ’s work of victory for us with the rest of His children, and enter into His glorious rest. People will be transformed into Christ’s image by the Holy Spirit as they behold the glory of His finished work in the new covenant gospel.

The Gospel Is the Whole Deal

Is the gospel that brings us salvation only the first part of the message of Gospel of the Kingdom? Is the gospel only the “beginning of the story” because transformation is the desired end result? Is the gospel only the beginning of the whole deal—not the whole deal itself?

If we answered “yes” to these questions I believe we are minimizing what God alone has done for us in the gospel, while maximizing what the Holy Spirit does in us by transformation. In essence, we are taking the fruit of the gospel (transformation) and elevating it over the root, the gospel itself. In doing this we are robbing Christ of His glory by putting the Spirit's work in us above what Christ has done for us in His doing and dying on the cross. Christ’s doing and dying becomes subordinate to the inner life of the Spirit, and the reconciliation of the sinner is nothing more than just the “beginning of the story”.

Is the greatest news in the whole world what happens in us as believers at the new birth and the resulting transformation? Or is the greatest news in the whole world what God did for us on the cross in the doing and dying of Jesus Christ for our sins? By focusing on the transformation of ourselves and our communities aren’t we actually teaching that a good thing is the best thing—that the work of the Spirit is greater than the work of the Son?

This emphasis suddenly shifts our attention away from the glory of God seen in the face of Jesus Christ to ourselves (2 Corinthians 4:6). We have moved away from the objective truth of the gospel that Paul is describing in 2 Corinthians 3:12-17 to the subjective truth of what God does in us as we are being transformed into His image by the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18). Transformation (sanctification) then becomes more important than justification. What God does in us then becomes greater than what He has already done for us on the cross. We become the objects of God’s glory instead of Jesus Christ who died for our sins.

Since God is the One who sanctifies us and transforms us as we are being led by His Spirit to believe on His Son, we can take no credit for any of this. It is all of God and not of us. He is the One who deserves all glory and praise and honor for coming up with this wonderful plan to restore us to fellowship with Himself before the creation of the world.

Paul is not teaching us in 2 Corinthians 3:18 to strive to attain some higher level of glory and blessing beyond the cross as if we are climbing some sort of spiritual ladder. Being transformed into Christ’s likeness as we reflect the Lord’s glory is not an achievement that we are to strive to attain. It happens as a natural result of being in an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ and resting in His finished work. We can’t get any higher or go beyond “finished”. We can only go deeper into the heart of the Father as we behold the cross and experience the ever-increasing glory that shines forth from the face of Jesus Christ.

Why so little Transformation?

The sad truth is that dangling these “glory” carrots in front of believers often works, because our sinful human natures are very works oriented. Perhaps we strive to reach the next level of glory because we've heard there's a greater anointing there. We want to have something to do to confirm our salvation. Our proud hearts want to add to what Jesus has already finished for us on the cross. We often feel better about our lives when we see ourselves as having accomplished something for God. The trouble is that when we start to look within ourselves for confirmation that we are on the right path (going from glory to glory) instead of keeping our eyes on Him, there's a danger that we have actually gotten off the right path.

I believe that the reason we see so little transformation in people’s hearts when we try to share the gospel is because many of us do not know the gospel—all we know is the fruit that we see in people’s lives and we think that is the gospel. Consequently we cannot be led by the Spirit to share what we have not experienced ourselves. So we share some watered-down, man-made formula that has no power behind it, and wonder why it doesn’t change people’s hearts or cause them to turn away from their sins.

The Unshakable Gospel

Since the gospel exists independently of us, it cannot be affected by how we feel about ourselves or what is going on in our changing circumstances or daily lives. It is the one objective Truth in a swirling sea of subjectivism. But this one objective truth can change and transform our lives forever if we will choose to believe what God has done for us in Jesus Christ.

Therefore it is vital that we come to know what the Good News of the gospel is so that we can enter into an intimate relationship with the Father and the Son through the work of the Holy Spirit who continually points us to the flame of God’s love—the cross. The cross then becomes my theme and my song as I am drawn by agape love into the very heart and presence of the Father.

As I obediently lift up the cross of Jesus Christ, and share the true gospel message, the power of the Holy Spirit will come upon me as Jesus promised in order to bring conviction of truth that will transform people’s hearts.

The Gospel Equips the Saints

What will bring conviction of truth and transform people’s hearts? Hearing the true gospel. Then after people have responded to the gospel message, how does the Holy Spirit begin transforming people’s lives? How does He equip us for works of service “so that the body of Christ can be built up until we reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God”? Ephesians 4:12-13

I remember being troubled after hearing a pastor say one time that he would not be preaching a gospel sermon on most Sundays, because that time was going to be spent for the “equipping of the saints for the work of service.” He went on to explain that the place for the gospel to be shared was by members during the week as they met together in various small, cell group settings in people’s homes. His words perplexed me because I thought, "What if an unbeliever comes to church that day and leaves without hearing the plan of salvation offered to them in the preaching of the gospel?

After mulling over his words in my mind for several weeks, it finally dawned on me why his words concerned me. It is the hearing and sharing and praying of the gospel that equips us saints for the work of ministry! Jesus is our very great reward! Lifting Him up draws us to the Source of Life and agape Love from which we receive our strength. Lifting Him up draws us to continue to trust in His righteousness alone and release our own filthy rags at the foot of the cross.

I, as a saint, need to hear the gospel message just as much as those who have never heard it. Why? So that I don’t fall back into trusting in what the Holy Spirit does in me instead of what God has already completed for me in the Person of Jesus Christ. The gospel equips us to keep first things first. It empowers us to bring our priorities into order as we choose to depend on His righteousness alone. It reminds us that we must leave all of our spiritual trophies on the other side, because they won’t fit through the Narrow Gate. Jesus plus anything is simply not Jesus!

Therefore, I can never compare what Jesus did for me on the cross with what He does in me through His Spirit. They are not even in the same ball park. Good works that He has prepared in advance for me to do still give me no advantage as far as salvation is concerned. They are only the natural outcome of living a spirit-filled life.

Conclusion

The transformation that the Good News works in our hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit is the result of believing the gospel, but it isn’t the gospel—it’s still the fruit of the gospel. The Holy Spirit continually points us to Jesus who is the Source of Life—the Living Water. The Holy Spirit never draws our attention away from the Source in order to cause us to inspect the fruit of what He is doing in our lives.

Ultimately, the Good News of the Kingdom proclaims that Jesus Christ’s “good work” trumps our good works. In view of the fact that even our “good works” fall into the category of filthy rags, we must focus all of our attention on His saving work on the cross that will inevitably equip us for good works. Since our hope is built on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ alone let this one defining truth direct our thoughts every day—we can never move beyond the glorious work of the gospel. His “good work” must take center stage as we proclaim the good news of His death and resurrection until He comes.

Putting the Pieces Together - Conclusion (10)

By Hazel Holland

Although we have by no means covered every passage of Scripture on the topic of healing and the atonement, I believe we have studied the important ones. After briefly studying the essential “healing” Scriptures in their context I have come to the firm conclusion that the primary purpose of God’s saving work for us through Jesus Christ’s life, death and resurrection, was to deal with the spiritual sickness of our souls—sin.

Sin deserved the penalty of death, so Jesus took the punishment for our sins upon Himself and bore that punishment in our place. But in no sense can the same be said for sickness or disease. Christ forgave sin, but He never forgave sickness or disease, because sickness and disease didn’t need atonement. These natural consequences of sin didn’t separate us from God. If we are honest we will have to admit that some of the most important spiritual lessons of life have been learned when we have been flat on our backs from sickness or disease.

I most certainly believe that the spiritual healing of our souls that Christ purchased for us through His atonement extends from the spiritual realm of our souls into the physical realm of our bodies. By bearing our sins upon Himself, He also ultimately took care of the natural results of sin—sickness, disease, demonic activity and death.

We can emphatically claim with confidence that all who turn to Jesus Christ by faith for spiritual healing will find forgiveness of sins and a restored relationship with God here and now. However, we cannot claim with confidence that all who turn to Jesus Christ by faith for physical healing will always obtain the blessing of health here and now. We battle disease and death every day of our lives, because we still live in a sinful world that is groaning to be delivered from the curse of sin. Although physical healing is a benefit of the atonement, it is not an irrevocable gift that Scripture promises we are entitled to receive here and now.

Scripture clearly commands us to pray for the sick so that they may be healed, but Scripture also emphasizes that spiritual healing for our souls still takes precedence over the physical healing of our bodies. Besides being confirmed by Scripture, I have also found it to be true in my own life that confession of sin and the resulting forgiveness often prepares the way for the physical healing of our bodies.

When we pray for the sick we must always pray in faith, and according to His will, because God always answers our prayers according to His sovereign timing, not ours. Although Christ did not provide universal exemption from physical sickness or physical death in the here and now when we pray based on the grounds of His finished work on the cross, these blessings will be eventually realized by all of us who put our faith in Him.

Although it is true that all blessings come to us from the cross, there are many blessings in the atonement that we have to wait for until the fullness of time when God will restore all things in Jesus Christ.

For example, in the cross deliverance from death is ours through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, yet death is very much present with us here and now. While death was conquered in the atonement when Jesus rose from the grave, we will not experience complete freedom from death until the Second Coming of Christ. Only deliverance from spiritual death is promised here and now when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, but deliverance from physical death is not guaranteed until death is swallowed up in victory at the Second Coming of Christ.

Therefore, I believe it is acceptable to say that physical healing is a benefit of the atonement, as long as we do not presume that physical healing will always be experienced here and now like the forgiveness of sins. Although the atonement removed the curse of sin, this curse is still very much present upon the whole creation as it groans to be delivered from this present state of things.

"For while we are still in this tent, we groan under the burden and sigh deeply (weighed down, depressed, oppressed)--not that we want to put off the body (the clothing of the spirit), but rather that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal (our dying body) may be swallowed up by life [after the resurrection].” 2 Corinthians 5:4 (Amplified Bible)

Every New Testament passage that has teaching on the atonement is significantly silent about physical healing. For example, when Christ instituted the Lord's Supper, He stated that His blood was poured out so that we could receive spiritual healing for our sins.

“Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’” Matthew 26:27-28 (NIV)

Furthermore, the apostle Paul states that there is only one single purpose for Christ's death:

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,” 1 Corinthians 15:3 (NIV)

If there were Scriptures which could legitimately be interpreted to teach that Jesus Christ died for our sicknesses like he died for our sins, then Christians who are not healed would have good reason to doubt their salvation. Unfortunately, some believers still do doubt their salvation, because they’ve been taught that all healing promises apply here and now to physical healing. So they are devastated when God doesn’t answer their prayers for healing in the way they believed He should.

Sadly, well known proponents of the faith-healing movement continue to vigorously teach that since both healing and salvation are derived from the same atonement, it is just as easy to be physically healed as it is to be saved. But what they fail to understand, in my opinion, is the eschatological nature of the atonement, and the fundamental difference between the physical healing of our bodies and the spiritual healing of our souls.

Understanding that the Kingdom of God exists in the present age makes us want to spread the Good News of salvation as we minister to the needs of those around us. However, we must not forget that the completion of the Kingdom is still a glorious future reality. We cannot transform this present world into God’s future ideal kingdom no matter how much we try to live in a way that reflects God and His Kingdom.

Why not some may ask? Because I believe the Bible teaches us that God’s Kingdom will finally come through apocalyptic intervention. After destroying Satan and his kingdom, the Scriptures reveal (See Daniel 2:44, 7:13-14, 22 and Revelation 11:15, 19:11-16). that God will finally set up His everlasting Kingdom that will cover the earth—a Kingdom of love and peace where sin and sickness will be no more.

In closing, I would like to say that after finishing this study on healing and the atonement I have come to a place of deep rest where I can now choose to trust in God's sovereign timing and will as far as physical healing in this life is concerned. Because physical healing is a blessing of the atonement that happens in this life, but is not guaranteed here and now, I can now pray in faith for the sick and leave the timing of that healing with God, knowing that physical healing, if not received now, will be ultimately realized when we all receive our glorified bodies.

If God chooses to heal now, I praise Him! But if He chooses the healing to be future (like He did with my friends who died of cancer) I can wait, knowing that His promise of healing is sure, and will be fully realized at the Second Coming when death will be finally swallowed up by Life!

Is our Emphasis on the Gospel or Healing? (9)

By Hazel Holland

I am wondering if perhaps this following passage of Scripture has been misunderstood by many of us in the body of Christ today? Therefore, I am including the verse that comes before the well known “Go ye into all the world.”

“Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." Mark 16:14-18 (NIV)

After reading the verse and looking at the context we see that in verse fourteen Jesus first rebuked the eleven disciples for their lack of faith, and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him alive after He was raised from the dead. Then He told the eleven disciples to go into all the world and preach the Good News! He told them that specific signs would accompany those who believed. When we read the book of Acts we see that what Jesus prophesied to these eleven disciples was fulfilled in the establishment of the early church.

However, we need to keep in mind that Jesus was not saying that every sign mentioned here would follow every person who believed the gospel , but rather that these signs would be seen by those who believed the gospel. The Scriptures plainly teach us that not everyone has the power to work miracles or to heal diseases or to speak in tongues, etc. (See 1Corinthians 12:29-30), because God is the one who chooses to whom He will give the various gifts (See 1Corinthians 12:10-11).

Paul and Stephen are examples of men in the book of Acts who received power to perform miracles and wonders.

“And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people.” Acts 6:8

“And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.” Acts 19:11-12

"Paul also raised the dead." Acts 20:9-12

On the day of Pentecost the prophecy of the gift of tongues was fulfilled. Then when Peter first preached to the Gentiles they also began to speak in other tongues.

“They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” Acts 2:3-4

“While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.” Acts 10:44-46 (NIV)

Is it possible that the disciples were informed by this prophecy of Jesus so that they would not be surprised by what they saw when Paul was bitten by a snake?

“Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself to his hand. When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, "This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live." But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.” Acts 28:3-6 (NIV)

Thus, all these signs that were promised in the Great Commission were literally fulfilled in the lives of the apostles and early Christians as they proclaimed the gospel message. I believe these miracles were necessary so that the Kingdom of God could be established through the early church. However, since God’s Kingdom has now been established, are these miraculous signs and wonders just as necessary today to confirm the Good News of the gospel message as they were two thousand years ago?

I believe that they are just as necessary in parts of the world today where the Kingdom of God still needs to be established by the preaching of the gospel. In areas of the world where the preaching of the gospel message is breaking down the walls of fear and superstition we sometimes hear of miraculous signs and wonders happening in order to confirm the authenticity of the Good News. But where the Kingdom is already established, especially here in the West, it is very obvious that God doesn’t seem to perform miraculous signs and wonders anywhere near the degree He did in the days of the early church.

Is the reason for this lack of “signs” in the western church because, in general, the church has already been established here in the western world, so we don’t need miraculous signs to affirm the Good News of salvation anymore? Or is the reason for this lack of “signs” in the western church because in general our gospel message has become so contaminated by false teaching that we have lost the true meaning of the gospel that was once for all delivered to the saints? (Jude3)

I believe both are possibly true, but especially the latter. If what is being preached in general here in the western church is not the true gospel, but a confusing mixture of men’s ideas, then surely God must be patiently waiting for us to respond to the call of His Spirit in godly repentance. Surely He wants to break our hearts with the things that break His heart, because godly repentance and sorrow for sin are far more precious and important to Him than physical healing?

I know that God has already begun to move upon the body of Christ with Spirit-led intercession and travail so that the lost will hear the call of His Spirit and respond to the gospel invitation. I have experienced intercession that has been quiet, and travail that has been rather loud, and I know that the weeping and groaning that can accompany travail is generally not understood in the church.

I believe the reason for this is because of a lack of biblical teaching on the subject. People fail to realize that when someone is truly overcome by the Spirit with intercession their crying and groaning is not coming from their soul, but rather from their spirit. God’s Spirit wants to communicate with our spirits in order to speak forth His purposes as He wills. Without a doubt, the spiritual healing of our souls is far more important to God than the temporary physical healing of our mortal bodies.

(To continue this study go to "Conclusion: Putting the Pieces Together" at:http://sound-the-trumpet.blogspot.com/2008/09/conclusion-putting-pieces-together-10.html)

Meaning of "Greater Works" Promise (8)

By Hazel Holland

I am aware that many of my brothers and sisters interpret the following verse to mean that anyone who has faith in Jesus Christ will not only do the works He did, but will do greater works than He did. Usually they mean that we will perform greater miracles than Jesus did.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.” John 14:12 (NASB)

However, it seems difficult to me to believe that Jesus was referring primarily to physical healing when He made this declaration about “greater works”. The truth is, the healing of the sick, the giving of sight to the blind, the curing of the lame, the deliverance of the oppressed by demons, and the raising of the dead were the hallmark of Jesus’ ministry—a hallmark that has never been duplicated in all of history—not by the apostles, and not by those who continue to teach that physical healing in the atonement is guaranteed here and now.

If Jesus, in talking about the “greater works” we will do, was talking about miraculous physical healings, what could be a “greater work” than raising the dead? There’s only one. Raising those who are spiritually dead! After all, isn’t that the reason He came—to save and deliver us from our sins?

It is the opinion of many scholars, and the belief of this writer, that Jesus was anticipating the preaching of the gospel to all creation when he made this promise of “greater works” to his disciples. Since He was soon to die on the cross and return to the Father, He knew that His ability to continue to reach the world with the Good News of the Kingdom was about to end.

Yet His prophetic eye looked into the future and saw that through the disciple’s enactment of the Great Commission after the Holy Spirit was poured out, men and women would be saved and the Kingdom of God would be established on earth through the Church.[1] The book of Acts confirms that the promised greater works were fulfilled as thousands of men and women believed in the Lord Jesus Christ after hearing the preaching of the gospel. Thousands were continually being added to the church daily through the ministry of the apostles, and millions more since that time are continually being added to the church as the Holy Spirit speaks to people’s hearts.

To insist that the “greater works” are miraculous physical healings that believers will be given the power to perform is to totally miss the very heartbeat of the gospel message. Jesus ultimately came to save us from our sins—to heal the spiritual sickness of our souls. He took our punishment for sin so that we could be delivered from eternal punishment in hell. It is a far greater work for someone to receive salvation in Christ than for someone to receive physical healing of the body, because the work of salvation is eternal in nature. Most definitely the greater work is salvation! Most definitely God’s free gift of eternal life to “whosoever will believe in Him” is the greatest work of all!

Besides, there’s great spiritual danger in placing so much emphasis on supernatural signs and physical healings. Over the past few months we have seen the truth of this played out as much emphasis has been placed on supernatural signs and miracles by those in the charismatic body of Christ who have been involved in the Lakeland Revival.

Unfortunately, the questionable doctrine and extra biblical supernatural experiences of Todd Bentley, the leader in this revival, were, either glamorized, or entirely overlooked by the leadership of the charismatic body of Christ as people flocked by the thousands to get healed by someone whom they believed moved in miracles and signs. In all the hype and confusion people not only threw discernment out the window, but they forgot that miracles and signs are intended to validate God and His message of salvation, NOT the messenger.

Jesus knew that supernatural signs and wonders alone do not change the hardness of people’s hearts. That is why Jesus condemned those people in His day for demanding a supernatural sign to prove that He was the Messiah. In fact, He told them that no sign would be given them except the sign of Jonah. They all knew who He was talking about. But did they really believe that Jonah came back from the dead? The Ninevites to whom Jonah was sent did, and they repented. Would the scribes and Pharisees believe that Jesus was indeed the Messiah after He was resurrected from the dead? Would they also repent? History reveals that many still refused to believe.

[1] Ibid.

(To continue this study go to "Is our Emphasis on the Gospel or Healing?" at: http://sound-the-trumpet.blogspot.com/2008/09/is-our-emphasis-on-gospel-or-healing-9.html)

Is the Prosperity Gospel Part of the Atonement? (7)

By Hazel Holland

We have already mentioned the danger in the way some in the faith-healing movement are teaching that we can just speak healing or wealth into a situation because of the creative power of the spoken word. The reverse is also taught to be true—that we can speak destructive things into being by our negative words.

Although there is definitely some truth regarding the power of our words to heal and wound people, I'm wondering if this preoccupation with the creative power of our human words has more to do with occult philosophy than any sound biblical theology?

The root of this error has its source in an incorrect Bible hermeneutic (rules for biblical interpretation), combined with a desire for perfection here and now instead of waiting on God’s timetable. Thus many in the faith camp are led to deny the reality of sickness and disease, believing that if we would just exercise our faith, and our authority in Jesus Christ by standing on God’s promises, God would be forced to act in response to our faith when we pray for healing.

Many in the faith healing movement have interpreted the following verse to mean that it is God’s desire for us to always prosper and be in health.

“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” 3 John 1:2 (NKJ)

It is true that from the general reading of God’s Word we can see that this is what He ultimately wants for His children, but there are no guarantees in this Scripture (or any other scripture for that matter) that health and prosperity are what God desires for us in the here and now. Health and prosperity will still be according to His sovereign will and timing, not ours.

I found it interesting to discover that when we add verse one and read verse one and two together in context we get a different picture of the intended meaning of this passage.

“The Elder, To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth: Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” 3 John 1:1-2 (NKJ)

Now we see that John is wishing his friend, Gaius, good health. It is a greeting very much like the greetings we give one another today when we say, “How have you been?” or “I hope you are well and in good health.” Another example of greetings such as this is found in Romans chapter 16. Throughout the whole chapter Paul is sending various greetings and good wishes to believers in the Lord.

As we go back to third John again and add verses three and four to the passage we have already read, we will see that the context is not even talking about physical health, but spiritual health—faithfully walking in the truth.

“The Elder, To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth: Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” 3 John 1:1-4 (NKJ)

The problem with taking Scriptures out of context is that we can make the Scriptures say anything we want. Remember what Paul said to the Galatians?

“So then, what about troublemakers who try to get others to be circumcised? I wish they would go the whole way! I wish they would cut off everything that marks them as men!” Galatians 5:12 (NIRV)

Does this mean that God wants men to castrate themselves? Of course not! Taking Scriptures out of context and deciding that they have a double or extra meaning is NOT a good practice, because we can manipulate them to say anything we want them to say.

So what’s behind the “Prosperity Gospel”? Nothing more than John's personal wish for his friend, Gaius. Obviously this personal wish should not be taken as a universal promise of health and wealth for all believers in Jesus Christ.

(To continue this study go to "Meaning of Greater Works Promise" at:

http://sound-the-trumpet.blogspot.com/2008/09/meaning-of-greater-works-promise-8.html)

Relationship Between Healing & Suffering (6)

By Hazel Holland

Having briefly considered those Scriptures most often used to support biblical healing in the atonement, let us now try to arrive at a more biblical understanding of the relationship between physical healing and suffering as it relates to the atonement.

We can all vouch for the fact that God has not designed that sickness and death be totally removed from our life experience here and now. But one day it will be. The following promise is a guarantee of the Hope we carry in our hearts.

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:4 (NIV)

Those who teach that it is always God’s will to physically heal us NOW usually advocate that it is always God's will for us to be prosperous, too. However, I believe this is because those who teach this are not only unwilling to wait for the day when the old order of things will pass away, but they are also unwilling to face the full extent of the cross that God has called us to during our life here on earth. They cannot accept the fact that God has called us to many sufferings for a short while.

As we read the following Scriptures it does NOT appear that it is God’s will for us to live a life that is free from suffering.

“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Romans 8:16-18 (NIV)

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” 2 Corinthians 4:17 (NIV)

“That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2Corinthians 12:10 (NIV)

“But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” 1Peter 4:13 (NIV)

“So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.” 1Peter 4:19

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” 1Peter 5:10 (NIV)

“Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” James 5:10 (NIV)

After reading these Scriptures I came away with the realization that if God never allowed Christians to be sick or experience pain, how would we ever have compassion for unbelievers who are ill and in pain? In the last Scripture we read James even quotes from Job’s experience of suffering as an example for us who live under the New Covenant to persevere in our walk with the Lord. Then Paul reminds us in the following Scripture that just as God comforts us so we are to comfort others with His comfort.

“who comforts us in all our troubles (sufferings), so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.” 2 Corinthians 1:4-5 (NIV)

I believe that spiritual growth in sanctification comes through overcoming adversities as we look forward with hope to the restoration of all things in Christ. This seems to be Paul’s thought pattern too in the following verse.

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Romans 5:3-4 (NIV)

When we read about how Old Testament prophets and saints often suffered for the cause of Christ it would be inconceivable for them to imagine that the anguish they endured was their own fault because God didn’t want them to suffer or die.

“Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.” Hebrews 11: 35-38 (NIV)

I think Paul had a well-balanced perspective when he said,

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” Philippians 4:12 (NIV)

In spite of the fact that these Scriptures we have read clearly reveal that suffering is a part of our existence in this life, there are believers who refuse to acknowledge they are suffering and claim that they have been healed, while it is obvious the symptoms of sickness linger on. I have asked myself many times what good does it do to claim that we have been healed of the flu (for instance) when the flu symptoms clearly remain.

When we refuse to acknowledge the reality of the troubles that are in the world in which we live, (which holds true for both believer and non-believer) we are forced to enter a world of unreality where our beliefs no longer work. In our failed attempts to make God fit our belief system we eventually end up confused and disillusioned. Job tells us in no uncertain terms that troubles in this life hold true for both believers and non-believers. God does not defer to believers by exempting them from suffering and pain.

"Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. Job 14:1 (NIV)

Without a doubt the Bible tells us that the time will come when people will not listen to sound doctrine but will follow after teachings that tickle their ears.

“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” 2 Timothy 4:3 (NIV)

Could it be that those of us who do not want to hear that God may choose to have us suffer at times in this life run after the faith movement’s teachings, because we would rather hear that God always chooses to heal us now? But in order to do this we must deny suffering in whatever form it comes upon us. We must also believe that it’s God’s will that we prosper and be in health. And finally we must believe that through the power of our spoken words we can create a positive healing experience. Of course we would always add that our words are spoken with the authority that we have received from Jesus Christ, and so we speak the healing word in “Jesus name”.

But I believe many of us who have become derailed by the faith movements teachings fail to realize Paul’s teachings that tells us that our suffering in this life is inextricably linked to our mortal bodies and sin.

“We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. “ 2 Corinthians 4:10-12 (NIV)

(To continue this study go to "Is the Prosperity Gospel Part of the Atonement?" at: http://sound-the-trumpet.blogspot.com/2008/09/is-prosperity-gospel-part-of-atonement.html)

Dual Application of Healing Scriptures (5)

By Hazel Holland

In our study so far we have clearly seen that forgiveness of sins has been provided for us in Jesus Christ, and is guaranteed in this life here and now because of the atonement. However, although God clearly stands on the side of physical healing, it does NOT appear that physical healing is guaranteed here and now in the same way that spiritual healing is. In order to understand the reason for this I believe we need to be aware of the eschatological nature of the atonement.

The physical healing we are guaranteed in the atonement is eschatological in nature. This means that it is “completely fulfilled at the end of time, at the final resurrection, when God's Kingdom comes in all its glory.”[1] Only then will we exchange our mortal bodies for glorified ones. However, things which are eschatological in nature can also to a certain extent be present here and now.

An example of this was when God the Son became man in the person of Jesus Christ. The Kingdom of God was present in the Person of Jesus Christ and began to break forth on earth. However, His Kingdom was not of this world, because it was a spiritual Kingdom that resides in the hearts of those who embrace the Good News. Although the Kingdom was present and described by Jesus Himself as being “within you”, it was also still yet to come. It was present and future at the same time.

At the present time, the Holy Spirit, who is our down payment guaranteeing our salvation, gives us assurance of these ultimate realities which we receive here and now by faith as we wait in hope for the final restoration of all things in Christ. In the same way, here and now by faith we receive assurance of forgiveness for our sins because we believe in the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Similarly, here and now by faith we follow the command to pray for the sick (James 5: 14). Sometimes when people are physically healed, they are healed as a sign of the Kingdom of God present here and now on earth (See Romans 8:23-24 and 2 Corinthians 5:1-4). While physical healing proclaims God's glory and is an affirming sign to the believing community and a witness to unbelievers, it is NOT guaranteed here and now.”[2]

However, those believers who support the word of faith teachings advocate that physical healing is guaranteed here and now, because they apply a theology of future glory to the believer in the here and now. This root error of the “name it and claim it” faith movement treats God as if His entire purpose in heaven is simply to do our bidding.[3] But sound biblical theology teaches us that God, who is the creator of all things, is sovereign in all things, not man.

Therefore, as believers we should not claim here and now what God in His sovereign grace has promised only for the future. When we do cross over that line we are not only forced to ignore texts that do not support our belief system, but we also fail to consider the original intent of certain Scriptural passages. Unfortunately this results in completely wrong interpretations of key passages of Scripture, and brings untold heartache and confusion to many in the body of Christ.

We have already addressed the fact that Christ’s work on the cross for us is finished, while the total effect of our redemption is not yet complete. This tension between the atonement being completed at the cross, and the reality that we have not yet received our glorified bodies is sound biblical truth that Paul clearly states in the following verse.

“And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” Romans 8:30 (NIV)

Paul reminds us here that the first three stages, predestination, calling, and justification have already happened, but the fourth stage, glorification, while assured the believer is still in the future. It has not yet taken place. The physical aspect of our redemption—the glorification of our bodies is our great hope that we grasp by faith, but it is still future.

As we read further in the same chapter of Romans, Paul says,

"But it is not just creation alone which groans; we who have the Spirit as the first of God's gifts also groan within ourselves as we wait for God to make us his children and set our whole being free. For it was by hope that we were saved; but if we see what we hope for, then it is not really hope. For who of us hopes for something we see?" Romans 8:23-24

What Paul is explaining to us here in very clear terms is that the physical aspect of our redemption, the glorification of our bodies (See Philippians 3:21) is our great hope—something in the future that has not yet taken place. While Christ did buy perfect health for us at the cross by dying for our sins, that perfect health will not go permanently into effect until the glorification of our bodies, and thus cannot be claimed now.

[1] www.does-god-always-heal.com

[2] Ibid.

[3] Kenneth Hagin, “How to write your own ticket to God”.

(To continue this study go to "Relationship Between Healing and Suffering" at: http://sound-the-trumpet.blogspot.com/2008/09/relationship-between-healing-suffering.html)

When God says, "No!" (4)

By Hazel Holland

The Bible is clear. Sometimes God chooses NOT to heal us physically. Paul is an outstanding example of someone who was not physically healed even though he prayed three times to the Lord to have the “thorn” in his flesh removed.

"To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me 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." 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 (NIV)

I believe it would be totally ludicrous to believe that Paul, who had the gift of healing, was denied healing because of His lack of faith.

“As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you. 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. What has happened to all your joy? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.” Galatians 4:13-15 (NIV)

Furthermore, Paul would be considered totally out of line with some of the current wind of faith teachings today because of the medicinal advice he gave Timothy. Instead of telling Timothy, “Claim your healing, brother!” he told Timothy to take a little wine with his water for the sake of his frequent stomach problems. Thus, Paul acknowledged Timothy’s ongoing illnesses, rather than speaking healing into the situation (1 Timothy 5:23).

“Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.” 1 Timothy 5:23 (NIV)

We find that sickness had an effect on the ministry of the apostles, and they had to make adjustments in their ministries just like we do today.

"Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus.” 2 Timothy 4:20 (NIV)

“But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.” Philippians 2:25-27 (NIV)

There is absolutely no indication in either of these passages that there was a lack of faith on Paul’s part or on the part of those with whom he ministered. Although Paul had the gift of healing (See Acts 19:11-12; 20:9-12) apparently God did not always choose to heal through Paul’s ministry. Since Paul believed that Christ’s grace was sufficient for him, it follows that he would also believe that Christ’s grace would also be sufficient for others whom God chose not to heal. In the same way, Christ’s grace will also be sufficient for us.

To continue this study go to "Dual Application of Healing Scriptures" at:
http://sound-the-trumpet.blogspot.com/2008/09/dual-application-of-healing-scriptures.html

Issue of Faith & Healing (3)

By Hazel Holland

Let us take a look at the context of this familiar passage of Scripture in James and see if we can more fully understand the type of healing being talked about here.

“Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore (or save) the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” James 5:14-16 (NASB)

In order to interpret this passage correctly I believe that we must not only look at the context in order to understand the nature of the healing being talked about, but also weigh it against other Scriptures so that we will be in harmony with the whole counsel of God in the way we apply it. Above all else we must understand that God is sovereign, and He answers our prayers for healing or anything else according to His will as the following passage of Scripture teaches.

“These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.” 1 John 5:13-15 (NASB)

As we look again at the context of James 5:13-15, notice that the final part of verse 15 helps verify the importance of what is being promised here when James says, in speaking about the sick person, “and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.” I believe that the spiritual sickness of the soul is again being talked about here rather that the physical sickness of the body, because James ends his discourse by saying: “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.” This of course in no way rules out physical healing, but it again emphasizes the spiritual healing of our souls that takes precedence. In fact confession of sin and the receiving forgiveness often prepares the way for the physical healing of our bodies.

I also found it interesting to note that the word “save” is used here rather than “heal” in many translations. As I have already suggested that doesn’t exclude physical healing, but I believe it puts physical healing in a secondary role because the primary role of healing is to heal our souls from sin. That is why I believe James says “and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” Knowing that we have already been forgiven for our sins because Jesus took our punishment as our Substitute is a healing and restorative truth.

Yes, of course God wants us to pray in faith and anoint the sick with oil, but all of our prayers for physical healing must still be submitted to His sovereign will and timing and be within the context of other scriptural teachings. If we insist on believing that physical healing is always guaranteed when we mechanically follow the steps outlined in James 5 we will be forced to not only ignore our own reality, but also to take the responsibility for our lack of faith if we are not healed. The worst part of this kind of belief system is that it totally fails to factor in the sovereignty of God in physical healing. As we have already seen, John clearly tells us that we must be submitted to God’s will in this healing business, because God is still sovereign and He decides whom and when to heal.

Moreover, if we choose to believe that Jesus healed everyone during His earthly ministry, we have not taken note of a number of occasions where Jesus passed by many people that he could have healed in order to reach the one person that He did heal. An example of this would be the story of the man Jesus healed by the pool of Bethesda. Jesus could have healed all who were sick that day by the pool of Bethesda, but He only selected one man to heal, and then He “slipped away into the crowd that was there.” John 5:13 (NIV)

I’m sure there were many times Jesus passed by that pool during His three and a half years of ministry, yet this is the only biblical record of healing in that place. Similarly, Jesus could have healed everyone around him in the story of the blind man in John 9, but He chose to heal only this one man who was blind from birth so that “the works of God should be revealed in him.” In other words it was for the glory of God!

Instead of saying that Jesus healed everyone when He was here, it would be more biblically correct to say that He healed all who came and asked. But He did not heal everyone, because the Scriptures tell us that there were places that He went where He would not heal anyone, or he healed very few because of their unbelief in Him (See Matthew 13:54-58).

So how much faith did a person need to exercise in order to get healed by Jesus? At times Jesus would tell someone that they would be healed according to their faith (the Roman Centurion’s servant). At other times the faith of the person wasn’t involved at all as in the raising of Lazarus from the dead. Lazarus had been dead for four days so he couldn’t be a participant in his healing. What’s more, the people gathered around Jesus waiting to see what He would do certainly didn’t believe Jesus could raise Lazarus from the dead. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead for the glory of God (John 11:40).

I also found it interesting to discover that Jesus miraculously provided food for 5,000 people and later 4,000 people without their faith or lack of faith being an issue (See Luke 9:13-14; Matthew 14:17; Matthew 15:33). He did it because He saw they were tired and hungry and “He was moved with compassion for them.” Matthew 15:14; Matthew 14:32 (NKJ)

Therefore, I think we can safely conclude from these situations that we have looked at so far that God is NOT dependent on our faith in Him before He can perform miraculous healings and wondrous signs on our behalf. He sovereignly chooses when and whom to heal. At times our faith or lack of faith in Him does not determine whether He will heal us or not.

If our level of faith was always the determining factor in healing then we would all be looking within ourselves for the power instead of trusting in the power of God outside of us. This is man-centered theology and has nothing to do with the real faith once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3).

We must not believe those who tell us that we are not healed because of our lack of faith. Neither must we believe those who insist on informing us that the devil stole our healing because we failed to keep our faith built up. Besides being a manipulation of Scripture, it is false. The object of our faith must always be Jesus Christ, but Scripture also reveals that God isn’t limited in healing us if we lack faith in Him. Yes, faith always pleases God. But God still chooses whom He will heal or not heal because He is ultimately sovereign.

Gathering from what we have just read apparently there is no list of rules that Jesus gave believers to follow that will insure physical healing every time we pray for one another. If Jesus didn’t choose to heal everyone during His earthly ministry, why do we measure the success of someone’s healing ministry today by the number of documented physical healings? Is it because miraculous physical healings take precedence over spiritual healings because they can be seen? But what takes place in our hearts when we repent of our sins and follow Jesus Christ is far more miraculous and precious in God’s eyes that what we can see with our natural eyes.

To continue this study go to "When God says, No! (4)" at: http://sound-the-trumpet.blogspot.com/2008/09/when-god-says-no-4.html

Healing Scriptures (1)

by Hazel

The first thing that came to mind as I began preparing to study the subject of healing and the atonement was this picture of a bronze serpent being lifted up on a pole in the wilderness. You remember the story. Sometime after the Israelites had come out of Egypt they began to murmur and complain against God and Moses. So God sent fiery serpents upon them, and many of the people who were bitten died.

After the people confessed their sin to Moses and pleaded with him to ask God to take away the serpents, God told Moses to make a bronze serpent and set it up on a pole. Everyone who had been bitten by the serpents was to simply look at this bronze serpent and they would live (See Numbers 21:4-9).

What happened to the people who looked at the bronze serpent? They were healed from the poisonous bites and they lived. The healing being provided here for the Israelites was spiritual healing for the soul from sin that resulted in the physical healing of their bodies from the venom of the serpents that represented sin.

In the the midst of the judgment upon their sin, God provided a remedy for the Israelites. But even though that solution was simple many still refused to “look and live”. I wonder if they had been instructed to do something that would require some effort on their part would they have considered looking, and lived.

This lifting up of a bronze serpent on a pole in the wilderness was a symbol of the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross that the Old Testament prophets foretold. The following verses indicate the kind of death by which Jesus was to atone for our sins. When Jesus said to Nicodemus:

“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” He added: “Whoever believes in Him (who was lifted up on the Cross) should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:14-15 (NASB)

“And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.” John 12:32 (NASB)

Before we examine further Scriptures, it should be noted that the promise that Jesus would atone for our sins was made before the foundation of the world. He was “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Revelation 13:8 (NKJ)

Christ being “slain from the foundation of the world” illustrates that the efficacy of Christ's sacrifice is not limited by time. God had all ready ordained a Savior before there was sin. The beneficial effects of that death had been made before the creation of the world. It was as good as “done” from the time that God ordained it.

“who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” 2 Timothy 1:9 (NIV)

Before we look at further “healing” Scriptures I think it is important to note that the Hebrew word for healing (rapha) in the Old Testament usually does not refer to the physical healing of the body, but it is more commonly used to refer to the spiritual healing of the soul. On the other hand the Greek word for healing (therapeu) in the New Testament is from which we get the word “therapeutic”, and it always refers to physical healing.

Let us now look at two well known verses of Scripture and consider the context of both of them.

“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed (rapha)." Isaiah 53:5 (NKJ)

"He Himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed (rapha)." 1 Peter 2:24 (ESV)

I believe the context is salvation. These two verses are talking about what Jesus Christ endured on the cross as He provided atonement for our sins. Clearly they cannot be interpreted any other way. When Peter quoted Isaiah 53:5 it is clearly in reference to spiritual healing by the fact that Peter says in the very next verse, “for you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” 1 Peter 2: 25 (ESV)

However, when these verses are used by some of us who have been indoctrinated by the word of the word of faith teachings we feel that it is perfectly legitimate to change the context from salvation to physical healing. In fact, every time some of us see the word “heal” in the Bible we immediately assume it refers to healing for the body even if the context indicates otherwise.

It cannot be over emphasized that there are many places in Scripture where the word “healing” has specific reference to spiritual healing. This is because there are diseases of the soul that have to be healed, the primary disease of the soul being man's unregenerate state which is rooted in sin. The good news of the gospel is that God has provided healing for this disease of the soul.”[1]

I believe this is what Isaiah and Peter are talking about in Isaiah 53:5, and 1 Peter 2:24. Neither Peter nor Isaiah is saying that physical healing is guaranteed to every believer in Jesus Christ in the here and now as some want to believe.

Let’s read 1 Peter 2:24 again from another translation and see without a doubt that the healing mentioned in this verse is healing the soul from sin!

“Jesus took upon Himself our sins [when] His body was placed upon the cross so that we, [through] dying to [i.e., giving up] the sinful life, would live for righteousness. You were healed [from your sins] by His being brutally treated" (The New Testament: An Understandable Version).

As we look at further passages of Scripture from the Old Testament let’s notice how the context gives us clues as to what type of healing is being mentioned.

“If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord who heals (“rapha”) you.” Exodus 15:26 (NIV)

“Who forgives all your sins, and heals (“rapha”) all your diseases..." Psalms 103:3 (NIV)

"Return, O faithless sons; I will heal (rapha) your faithlessness." Jeremiah 3:22 (ASV)

"I said, LORD, be merciful unto me: heal (rapha) my soul; for I have sinned against thee.” Psalm 41:4 (NKJ)

“And the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed (rapha) the people.” 2 Chronicles 30:20 (ESV)

“Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk; I took them up by their arms, but they did not know that I healed (rapha) them.” Hosea 11:3 (ESV)

“When I would heal (rapha) Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim is revealed, and the evil deeds of Samaria; for they deal falsely; the thief breaks in, and the bandits raid outside.” Hosea 7:1 (ESV)

“He sent His Word and healed (rapha) them, and delivered them from their destructions." Psalms 107:20 (NKJ)

Notice that the healing being spoken about in all of these verses is largely spiritual in nature because it is dealing with Israel’s unfaithfulness, iniquities and sin. Therefore it would be safe to say that the healing promised by God in these verses is primarily the same as the healing already mentioned in 1 Peter 2:24 and Isaiah 53:5 where God promised to provide spiritual healing for the disease of the soul—sin. Of course that does not rule out physical healing, but I do not believe the context guarantees it as many of us want to believe.

So why does "rapha" in the Old Testament refer more to spiritual healing than to physical healing? Why does God place much more emphasis on spiritual healing than physical healing in the Old Testament? Surely it is because without spiritual healing for our souls we would indeed die for our sins and be eternally separated from Him. God does not view physical healing as importantly as we do because He knows that the end result of physical healing in this life will still result in the death of our mortal bodies. Only at the final resurrection when we receive new glorified bodies will death finally be swallowed up in victory.

(To continue study go to "Difference Between Sin & Sickness" (2)at:http://sound-the-trumpet.blogspot.com/2008/09/difference-between-sin-and-sickness-1.html)

[1] Document by the Christian Research Institute (CRI), Copyright 1994.

Difference Between Sin and Sickness (2)

By Hazel Holland

I think it is important for us to consider for a moment the primary difference between sin and sickness—between the spiritual healing of our souls and the physical healing of our bodies. Some believers have wanted to lump sin and sickness together as one and the same as far as the atonement is concerned, but I don’t believe it is biblically sound to do that.

Let us think about it for a minute. Sin deserves the penalty of death, but in no sense can the same be said for sickness or disease. Christ forgave sin, but He never forgave sickness or disease, because it is only sin that has separated us from God. It is sin that demands punishment by a blood sacrifice. It is sin that demands punishment by death. Jesus Christ took the punishment for our sins upon Himself and bore that punishment in our place.

Of course, one of the natural consequences of sin is sickness and disease. But if sickness and disease needed atonement, wouldn’t that imply broken fellowship with God? If we are honest we will have to admit that some of the most important spiritual lessons of life have been learned when we have been flat on our backs from sickness or disease.

Most certainly I believe that the spiritual healing of our souls that Christ purchased for us through His atonement extends from the spiritual realm of our souls into the physical realm of our bodies. By bearing our sins upon Himself, He also ultimately took care of the natural results of sin—sickness, disease, demonic activity and death.

However, having said that, I believe we have to admit that this secondary benefit of the healing of our physical bodies cannot fully be realized here and now. We battle disease and death every day of our lives, because we still live in a sinful world that is groaning to be delivered from the curse of sin.

But the word of faith teachers tell us that the healing promised us in the atonement covers our sins as well as our sicknesses. For them there is no primary difference between the spiritual healing of the soul and the physical healing of the body. Furthermore, they claim we are entitled to receive both spiritual and physical healing here and now by faith. Although they believe that we will receive new glorified bodies at the final resurrection (Philippians 3:21), they also believe that physical healing is guaranteed here and now by faith as we await the end of all things.

I pray that it will become clear as we study the Scriptures that the primary purpose of the atonement was to deal with the spiritual sickness of our souls—sin, whereas the secondary benefit of the atonement was to begin to correct the effects of sin in our bodies such as sickness and disease. Hopefully, we will see that physical healing is a benefit of the atonement, but not an irrevocable gift that we are entitled to receive in the here and now.[1]

(To continue this study go to "Issue of Faith & Healing" (3) at: http://sound-the-trumpet.blogspot.com/2008/09/issue-of-faith-healing-3.html

[1] www.does-god-always-heal.com